Even Holly is in a Funk

I told her if we defect to the UK, she'd have to go into quarantine for six months.

How Bad is it?....

I drank too much and not nearly enough last night. Now this is breakfast. Far from my usual, but if ever there were a time for comfort food....

OMZ! Oh, no!

It took too long last night and was too agonizing so I went to bed. One of the hardest things I've ever done was wake up this morning knowing I had to face the news. With dread. No matter what, I was completely unprepared for this. I am horrified, terrified, beyond words. What to do?....

Election Day

Holding my breath all day long...

Couldn't Wait

One vote against.

Celebration about to Begin

Book is ready to go to the publisher--and early. Woohoo!!!

Feeling a Bit Like Fall

Simmering my first batch of lentil soup today. Bring on soup season!

Speaking of Next Time...

We are carefully monitoring Hurricane Matthew. Although we are not officially in its path, we're already receiving rain and blow from its bands. It's a massive storm, but we are better prepared than we were for Hermine. No need to worry at the moment.

Great Day for a Hike

Ready for Next Time!

As Hurricane Karl is in the works off the coast of Africa.

Overflow in our Neighborhood

It could have been much worse, however. (Still pretty stinky in the heat...)

Home!

Got back to Tally around 6pm. Can't describe my level of exhaustion. Sourcing food is still a challenge, but we managed to find an open restaurant using massive rental generators. I hadn't eaten all day, but after three bites of food I was more focused on sleep. Pouring again. Hope I can pass out for the night.

Yes!!!

Tom got power back last evening, and it's still on this morning. Said he finally slept for the first time in days. So the urgent search for a generator is off for now. Returning home later today with a friend who will stay with us if his power is not on.

Now a SIX-Day Weekend

Power restoration is turning out to be a huge project. The university was supposed to re-open at noon today. Now they're saying Wednesday morning. Some time tomorrow Ann and I have to return to the swelter. By then Tom will have thrown out all our perishable food from the fridge and freezer. What a waste.

With Apologies to Tom and Eric...

Ann and I had a wonderful night: drinks with our favorite curator, Vietnamese, and sleep in a comfortable, air-conditioner room. Trying to find a generator this AM for poor, suffering Tom.

Like Rats Deserting a Sinking Ship

Ann and I are on the road to WiFi, A/C, and class in Sarasota.

Morning After

Noisy night. No power but our new neighbor generously let us plug our fridge into his generator. No major damage in our neighborhood. Bored already. May be without power for days. We are fine but inconvenienced. Please don't worry about us. Had to borrow phone for this update. May not be able to post again for awhile.

11:30pm

Power out. Going to bed.

In Preparation...

Local reports indicate they expect 100,000 people in the city to lose power. It's also forecast to be much hotter and very humid tomorrow. So I'm up cranking the A/C trying to add some chill to our home that may have to last for who knows how long. In other news, there may still be a trip to Sarasota tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Looks Like We Might Get Lucky

The third band--the largest and strongest--is moving in before the eye. Looks like the eye will come ashore a bit east of us, putting us on the more benign side of the storm. (Tornadoes, storm surges, and other ugliness happen on the leading, eastern edge.) Still should be a noisy night.

Amazing!

Second band just moved through, and Holly is still chillin'. Good dog!

It's On!

Blowing sideways now. Lights just flickered for the first time. Watching a movie. Holly and Hurricane still calm.

Bands are Reaching Us Now

https://www.wunderground.com/weather-radar/united-states/fl/tallahassee/tlh/?region=pie

A Little Hurricane Levity Posted by a Colleague

Off to a Slow Start

It's been a dark, dreary day with little rain (1/2") and almost no wind. That will change later, however. Hermine is still churning and intensifying in the Gulf. Current winds are 75mph gusting to 90. She's scheduled to arrive at 2am, which should make for a noisy night.

It's Official

Hermine is a full-fledged hurricane now, complete with eye wall. Incoming!

Thursday, 1:42pm

Thar she blows. Sounds like a car wash out there. We're supposed to have over 7"/17cm of rain yet today.

Our Place, 1:30pm

I don't know how it can get any darker without storming. (Rain is expected to start any minute now.) Hurricane party commencing.

Who's at the Store?

Everyone in Tallahassee, and they're all buying beer and wine, flashlights, and tiki torches(!). The store, on the other hand, was pushing brellas and boots.

Did You Know?

Tallahassee has had only one hurricane, Kate, a cat 1 in 1985. People were without power for eight days then, so I'm hoping we'll fare better this time.

Possible Trouble in the Neighborhood

Part of our neighborhood is under construction (fortunately not too close to us). When we walked Holly this morning, we saw building materials in all the wrong places. We're guessing some of it is going to fly.

All Buttoned Up Outside

It's easier here in our townhome. That's our little chimenea lashed to the deck and wearing its galvanized hat.

Strong Predictor of a Hurricane

Just fill your freezer and...

Just Sayin'...

The university just closed for the rest of the week. Five-day weekend! Woohoo! Not that it will be much fun...

Waiting and Waiting...

For what seems like forever, we've been watching a tropical system persistently chug across the Atlantic and now turn in our direction. Hermine is currently a strong tropical storm but is forecast to come ashore as a category 1 hurricane just south of us tonight. Ann and I were supposed to be driving to Sarasota today for work, but we're staying put. Our friends and colleagues down there have already had multiple days of grief from the system and have been busy sandbagging against flooding and moving art in the museum to higher ground. Tom and I are comfortable in our new location some 30 miles/50km inland. We expect some tree limbs down and possible power outages, but our home on a hill should protect us from flooding. Nothing is happening yet, but I'll update later when possible.

Hard to Believe

It was just a month ago that I got back from Korea. Seems like forever ago. So busy at work already...

Sunset on Door

Had a wonderful visit with Ana, and now I'm in packing mode. I have dinner with friends this evening, and then I hit the road. Door was much too short this year, and I'm dreading the weather and work that await at home.

Write Your Own Punchline

We knew our shed here was on its last legs, but I noticed a split seam in the roof when I was putting away the outdoor furniture. Bummer. Tom suggested I duct tape it shut. (This is why you get to write your own punchline....) I thought it was crazy, but I managed to tape it inside and out and even stuffed a Wal-Mart bag in the crack. Just to make it an authentic duct-tape job. We'll see what happens. My bet is on snowdrift in shed.

Great Weekend

Had a wonderful time catching up with Karen, my first friend here: free concerts, The Full Monty, reading by the water, shopping, a wine and cheese party. Now I'm back to working on my book until Ana arrives Friday night. Rapidly running out of Door.

Oh, What a Night!

Another free concert in Door. Check out the amazing sounds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpZTbSH3NsI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTNZmnRwC9k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNT0WJuA1NM

Hitting the Road

But not going home, where we live at a stupendous elevation of 17' (a little over five meters). The hills in Korea gave me a good workout, which I miss now that I'm a Flatlander again. So this morning I headed out to the corn fields in search of a few contours. Not as much exercise as going to class in Korea--especially minus the book bag--but at least the air is clear. And now I need to sit and write.

Travel Nightmare

I flew with a student who took a 1am flight from Mongolia to Korea. She then flew to Detroit (13 hours). Now she's on a flight to Newark to catch a train to Virginia. She is so fried.

Just Landed in Detroit

Same day I left Seoul but one hour earlier. Twilight Zone stuff.

Homeward Bound...

...with luggage approaching half my body weight. Look for a short arrival message later on Saturday.

As I Pack...

I have to admit that Korea was more "endure" than I expected. Especially the first half of my time here. There were wonderful moments, however, and I'm still satisfied with my decision to do this. The closest I came to wishing myself out of here was during the dinner ordeal on Jodo Island, and now it's an incredible story. Although I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own comfortable bed again, I know that much deferred work awaits me once I'm back in the States. So be it. (And I won't actually be home in Florida for a few more weeks.) Today I made students reflect and do top-three lists, so here are mine. Things I won't miss from here are: 1. the miserable bed in Room Sweet Room. 2. the @#$% stealth mosquito that goes into deep hiding everyday and returns at night to chew on my face and wrists. 3. having to go out to fetch every meal. But those are merely nuisances. I will miss: 1. my students from this university as well as the alums from Florida State who call Korea home. 2. the great park by the university. 3. all the cultural resources here (barely scratched the surface!). Will I be back? Perhaps for a conference next summer, but I don't know that I would take this much time out of my summer in Door to teach again. Someone else may take a turn here.

Pre-Departure Treat, While Grading

Got a green tea latte with trimmings for $3. (Starbucks here is north of $5.) I'm down to $1.40 in Korean currency, just to help me avoid any charges of vagrancy. (j/k) I have money, of course, but don't want to exchange more. Dinner will be Italian--as a transitional meal--on my credit card. Inevitably, the folks at the restaurant will ask, "Chargey?" "Yessy."

Night View: City, Seoul Tower

Sunset in Seoul

Beautiful Sight

Yes, I was happy to come teach in Korea, and yes, I'm happy to be packing to leave. Looks like it will be a tighter squeeze this time, and my luggage may be overweight.

Making Things Fit in a Very Cramped City

Partial Translations Not Useful

See what I mean? Now what do you want?...

My Narrow Street

It's more of a one-lane road, actually. It climbs indirectly up a hill, snaking through an old residential-commercial neighborhood. There are no sidewalks so everyone walks where ever they like, scattered across the street. Then the cars and taxis, motorcycles, and commercial vehicles come barreling through, up or down. Somehow it all works, although it takes a little getting used to.

Seoul from my Rooftop

I hope to be up there this evening admiring the lights and bidding farewell to the city.

In Any Language...

Perv alert!

My Heart is Full!

I finally managed to get my hands on a puppy while I was out walking today. A little brown toy poodle came right up to me wagging. Such a nice experience! One of my colleagues here was ready to send me to one of the local dog or cat hug cafes!

New Favorite Drink

I was falling behind on my fruit and veggies until I discovered this fresh apple-kale juice. So good, and they garnish it with a flower for their female customers. Lovely touch.

It Works!

As I was leaving the park this morning, a taxi came hurtling out of nowhere, and I had to sprint across the street. Didn't even think about it, and the knee worked just fine. Yay! Not that I'm starting running again (although I certainly miss it).

Korean Cooking Class

What a treat! We made and ate kimchi, bulbogi (Korean barbecued beef), and bibimbap, a rice dish.

My $3 Take-Out Lunch

Meat dumplings, soup, and pickled radish.

Keeping Cool

This was a warm, sunny day in Korea (90F/32C) so I decided to make like the locals and use my umbrella for shade. I wasn't impressed, however, as it just seemed to trap heat around my head. Many Korean women are hyper vigilant about keeping the sun off their faces, wearing masks, wide-brimmed hats, and visors that look more like welding helmets. It's also common to see men and women waving pretty folding fans to keep cool. A very popular indulgence is bingsu or ice snow. It's a dessert, frequently shared, of shaved ice, ice cream or sweetened condensed milk, and toppings such as sweet red beans or fruit. Tonight I'm taking my cues from the kids and treating myself to ice cream (tiramisu!) for dinner. Yum!