I realized that, with all the hurricane weirdness, I didn't even discuss my visit to the Girlchild's. It really was very pleasant, but it was obvious to both of us that we now live in different worlds. This isn't bad, or traumatic, it's just life. The dog and I live in We Get Up Disgustingly Early, Go Walkies and Make Coffee, and she lives in Works Nights and Comes Home While I'm Drinking That Coffee. Her classes are in the evenings, she works nights in a restaurant, is plugged into local music world and lives in that world, comes home in the wee hours and sleeps during daylight. We did spend time together, but not in any organized activity fashion, it was nice but random. It's better when she comes here, and there are more organized daytime things to do in town that make it worthwhile for a night person to wake up.

I'm torn between commenting publicly on the Boyfriend and not, because I don't know if he reads this blog or not, so I'll be brief - I like him. He's a good guy. He didn't do the smarmy "I've gotta win the approval of the Mother!" crap on me, which I totally appreciated, he was quiet, pleasant and natural. I know she's a very picky pain in the ass, so if he met her standards he meets mine, she's worse than I am. He's very tall (she's tall) quite cute, smart, funny, and nice - but not in a cloying "trying to curry favor" way. I liked him. What's not to like?

I know it couldn't have been fun for him - it was the Gilligan's Island of mother visits, the three hour tour turned into something endless - she came for two days and the friggin' hurricane came right after her and nobody knows when she can leave! He was cool. No drama, no tension, I hope that next time they can come down here and actually do things in a town that doesn't revolve around...nothing...and we can actually do something besides watch a hurricane on the Weather Channel.

I also didn't mention the drive back from her house on Monday - in the backside of Frances. Okay, I was insane and this is a "Don't try this at home!" thing. Damn, I'm definitely not a wuss about driving in rain, but that was quite hairy. Horizontal rain, and wind so strong it took me an extra quarter tank of gas just to make it from her house to I-75. I was driving into the wind, it sucked down gas like nothing I've ever seen.

Meanwhile I'm listening to the radio and all the news broadcasts are saying, "It's really hazardous out there, don't get on the road!" While I and a few other psychos were on the road.... About an hour out of town I was seriously questioning my own sanity even trying to get home in that mess, but then it would let up a bit and I'd think it was breaking, and then it would slam us again, and after a while it became a "Might as well go for it," situation - too far to turn back because everyplace was out of gas. It was me, a few other psychos, and many convoys of power company trucks. I was on the road with trucks from Louisiana and Houston on I-10, on I-75 we were joined by trucks from the Carolinas. After Ocala it let up a LOT and became just a gray rainy day. But I-10 on Monday morning was definitely one for the mental scrapbook. I got home with less than 1/4 tank of gas to spare, in a trip that took about 1.5 hours longer than it should have. Not one of my smarter decisions. Given this experience, I won't try that again, I think I done used up my luck.