Caption this photo

Gulf Coast weather is downright gorgeous in the days leading up to a storm.

One of the things I've learned from two years of living here is that people take storms seriously and not seriously - all at the same time. Sometimes in the same sentence.

I'm not sure I can explain it well, but maybe this comparison will help: In my neighborhood about 10 percent of the homes are boarded up. Today that seems like overkill, but on Saturday it sounded like a good idea. My neighbors, on the other hand, hung delicate new wind chimes over the weekend. That just seems downright silly. If those chimes don't get blown away, we'll all wish they did after hour-upon-hour of clanging. *sigh*

The other thing I've learned is that no amount of t.v. watching or worrying is going change what's going to happen. Three days out the weather forecasters are saying a category 2 storm is headed right up your street. The day before landfall predictions are for a category 1 storm, 200 miles to your west.

So you might as well sit back, relax, and pour yourself a rum drink (after you check your supplies of batteries, food, and water, of course).

Caption?

Now... how would you caption this picture?

My favorite ideas so far are:

• Can you see the hurricane?
• I don't even like hurricanes!
• Have you heard the news? There's a hurricane on Pensacola Beach!

I suppose I shouldn't joke about these things. Even if Isaac isn't as strong as early projections predicted, any storm is serious. But it's better to laugh than to cry.

Stay safe Gulf Coast friends!

I'll be back to writing about running and fitness later this week...

Cheers!