Erika was a tropical storm/hurricane which headed north from the Caribbean a couple of days ago and was scheduled to make landfall in southern Florida yesterday or today – just when I was scheduled to fly in to Tampa for a family visit.

Because I’m a cockeyed optimist, I assumed from the start Erika would take into consideration the fact that I’d been blogging hard all summer and needed this time off. I also assumed United Airlines would cancel a flight only with extreme reluctance and would find a way to circumvent whatever Erika decided to do in order to land my Tuesday flight where it’s supposed to land at about the scheduled landing time.

Erika has proved considerate. She transformed herself into a thunderstorm somewhere over Cuba and is now pouring cats and dogs on parched and thirsty Florida.  But she’s not a hurricane anymore. As you know, I like cats (and dogs), and have an umbrella. I’m also sure United knows how to land planes in the rain.

You should all therefore assume that unless you read otherwise here, I shall be gone from TGOB through Labor Day (more or less). I will have an iPhone with me, so if anyone wants to go on viewing old posts and clicking “like” I will know it and be very pleased. I will also make valiant efforts to keep up with my Reader. However, my fingers are bigger than the keys on the iPhone keyboard, so you mustn’t expect more than monosyllabic comment while I’m away.

Till we meet again, hugs to all.