By now you've probably heard that the Gulf coast of Florida is under attack by Mother Nature times deux from the likes of Bonnie and Charley, and Tampa Bay is about to bear the brunt of it. For the 150+ people that have already e-mailed me and I just haven't had the time to write back yet...we're fine. And thank you VERY MUCH for checking in on us!

If we lived in our old apartment complex right on Tampa Bay, we'd be kissing our sweet bippy goodbye right about now. Our apartment (and home for over 3 years) was 10-feet off the ground, and the storm surge there is expected to be at least 14-feet. The main bridge across the Bay, a block away, has over an hour's wait just to cross it right now -- nevermind the Interstate, turned parking lot, that follows after that. However, we are now safely tucked away in suburbia and are not one of the 700,000 residents of Tampa Bay expected to be in mandatory evacuation zones.

My non-metro status didn't make me immune to four hours in lines this morning and afternoon for batteries, water, baby food, canned food items and gasoline though. Of course, not one to panic, I remembered the the most necessary of hurricane supplies as I headed out of Publix (a 6-pack of Zima and a bottle of Grenadine). A girl's gotta have her priorities.

Should the eye of the storm go ashore anywhere near the Pinellas county beaches, we will be slammed as far as hurricane force winds and rains go -- as the eye-effects will be felt as far as 40-miles out from the center of Charley -- and we're about 13 miles from the Gulf. Right now we're rolling the dice and betting on 7 though -- because momma needs a new roof! It's the least karma owes us for dropping a Category 3 Hurricane in our laps on Friday the 13th, no?

I'll do my best after the storm passes to update everyone who's written concerned, but please check here for updates first.

Hurricane + six month old child = not much time online

Bring on the noise. Bring on da' funk.
-Robyn and Todd