Karin’s World |

…. is off of St. Croix as I type.  It’s been an unsettling day.  Hannah was all set to get on an early morning Cape Air flight from St. Thomas to St. Croix today - and they cancelled all flights.  So not only were our hurricane prep plans for Rust op Twist on St. Croix stymied - but now Hannah was without a plan…  Her condo sits high up on a mountainside (higher = stronger winds potentially) - but the road to her home is steep and tho generally paved - very narrow and will likely become impassable with mud/water/etc.  So even if the structure of the condo remains sound - she would be stranded up there…  But as of now she’s safe in the Holiday Inn in Charlotte Amalie.  Jaquie and Lisa (THANK YOU GUYS!) picked up our truck from the airport and buttoned up the upstairs and all of the downstairs shutters and probably a dozen other prep tasks….

Omar as of about 4pm Pacific time on Wednesday.  The big white outline is Puerto Rico - I circled St. Croix in red…

NOAA graphics (http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/)

Ted and I went to Morro Bay - Tognazini’s for lunch.  It was a fabulous Fall day - crisp and clear.  No wind (at least at noon).  This sea gull was happy to join our lunch….  Ted didn’t really think that calamari and chips (fried) were on the approved list for sea gull diet - but in true Gray-family fashion I couldn’t resist sneaking him a few tidbits.  He was grateful.  

(pic taken with Ted’s iPhone)

Tognizini’s is at the T-pier in Morro Bay - it’s mostly a seafood shop - with a patio dining area and a fish and chips-mostly menu.  Good food.  Dogs welcome.

Nicolas - the little guy to the left coming at the ball - is 4 years old. The new skill is to run down the field (in this age group they don’t play positions) and get in front of any play and defend the goal! And he’s determined about it! Jessica is in high school - these girls are tough. Play is about an hour and a half…. She is generally playing mids. Ian played in Templeton this week - 8 years old - this is his 3rd year of soccer. He has been mainly playing goal - but some forward too. They are all three good players - smart about the game. Note the cheering section! Amy (their mom) is in the foreground. She was at Nic’s game at 9am, Ian’s (an hours drive away ) at 11am and then back to Jessie’s game at 2pm…. Home at 4pm….

What’s up? We spent the weekend in LA… Ted is a Hot Wheel (yes, the little toy car) collector and attends the conventions pretty regularly. I join him - not so much for the hot wheels - but to be social and to travel about. There are generally 2/year - and one is almost always on the west coast - LAX this year. Hannah came out - so I enjoyed spending time with her. Not so much the LAX area. I just wasn’t up to fighting through the 405 traffic (at any given time of day) to go somewhere I didn’t really feel strongly about getting to. We did explore some of Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach. Shopped a bit…

Charles and Sophia Kitson - Hot Wheel fans from London - drove up on Tuesday and are spending
the week with us. They’ve been before so know what to expect and what they want to do! Which is a good thing as I have plenty of work to be doing! They are off to explore the old Hearst Hacienda in Jolon today. The weather has gotten a bit cooler - I think they will have a good time.

I finished reading Ted Bell’s new book “TSAR” last night - and enjoyed it.

So that’s the current skinny. I’m not feeling terribly philosophical or up to commenting on anything really important… The state of the economy is discouraging - waiting to see what the next day will bring. I’m trying to keep a focus on those things I can control and have an effect on.