Tropical Storm Franklin (projected track at left) blew up almost over night it seems. It's not supposed to affect Florida, but recall Hurricane Jeanne? (Verified track at right.) That nasty storm spun out in the Atlantic for days before deciding it too wanted a crack at poor weather-beaten Florida. For those who don't remember or didn't experience Florida's shattered collective psyche, here's a reminder from cartoonist Jeff Parker:
It seemed funnier between December and May somehow. Meanwhile, Jim has finished cutting and fitting the remaining plywood shutters for our house.
Last year, the boys actually framed in our most vulnerable windows instead of just laying flat plywood, but several went uncovered because we ran out of time or materials. The picture shows the front window framed in before the plywood is applied. It's like a wall outside the house and while it seemed like overkill, it turns out to be the strongest application we can make on our own. The less vulnerable windows will be covered with plywood affixed with Plylox clips. 
The image at right shows Austin and Jim with some scrap plywood we scrounged up somewhere. I don't even remember where we got it, just that whomever gave it to us had used the wood for a Halloween party. We're not all that superstitious, but we still turned the painted side in toward the window. No sense inviting disaster - it hardly needed an invite last year. We're bracing for another season, trying to take care of ourselves and our neighbors. I'm less freaked out this year because I know what to do and how hurricanes work and what you can and can't do to save life and property. With knowledge, fear subsides. (Anyone read the allegory of the cave?)
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