we fared extremely well. the winds were 90 mph with gusts at 141 (the hurricane core was 5 miles to the east of us, so we were well within the eye and while it was a Cat 2 on the ground, it was nearly a Cat 4 at the second floor of the house.

we had some damage to the house, but nothing significant. about 20 holes in the vinyl siding where debris was drilled in from the winds. we lost some trees, waited two weeks to get a tree service to come give an estimate, now two more weeks for them to actually get out and do the work.

we were with power for 8 days, so we lost everything in the fridge and both the freezer and the deep freeze.  we were prepared, so I cooked up a bunch of cookies with milk and eggs two days before the storm hit, gave the kids lots of munchies during the power outage.

I feel that the economic crisis is a bigger concern... I think that the inconvience that we experienced during post Ike is just a test taste of the hardships that we face in the coming years.  I seriously think that this will make the depression look like a cake walk.

are you guys ok now after the hurricane? ANDI

I am right there with you.. singing the song, dancing the dance and partially wondering what did I do this time.

granted, I came back from 6 weeks of motel food with a 10 lb gain, lost 75% of that, then we had the hurricane and 2 weeks of no electricity and stress eating and I am back up again... so I have been drinking drinking drinking and cutting back on portions, one taco or one crepe or one slice of pizza. but a lot of snacking late at night... so more drinking, less snacking..

last night I cut a piece of my 9 year old son's birthday cake and then opted to put it back, I was not really hungry, so I didnt eat it, and he was fine with that. what I would have traditionally done a couple of years ago, I can not let myself get sucked back into. yes - it is his birthday, no I do not need to eat the cake to join in the party.

I can't disagree with any of them...

16 THINGS THAT IT TOOK ME OVER 50 YEARS TO LEARN:

 by Dave Barry, Nationally Syndicated Columnist

1. Never, under any cir****tances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

 

2. If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved and never will achieve its full potential, that word is 'meetings.'

3. There is a very fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness.'

4. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.

5. You should not confuse your career with your life.

6. Nobody cares if you can't dance well.  Just get up and dance.

7. Never lick a steak knife.

8. The most destructive force in the universe is gossip.

9. You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time.

10. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.

11. There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday.  That time is age eleven. 

12. The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above-average drivers.

13. A person who is nice to you but rude to a waiter is not a nice person.  (This is very important.  Pay attention.  It never fails.)

14. Your friends love you anyway. 

15. Never be afraid to try something new.  Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.  A large group of professionals built the Titanic.

16. Men are like fine wine.  They start out as grapes, and it's up to the women to stomp the crap out of them until they turn into something acceptable to have dinner with.