Ernes-D’oh!

Hurricane Ernesto landed in the Carolinas yesterday and has now worked its way up the mid-Atlantic states. It’s not a hurricane anymore, of course. Deprived of its warm ocean water fuel, it rapidly deteriorated from hurricane to tropical storm to tropical depression. Eventually it will dwindle down to a single L on the weather map – perhaps with a frowny face if it’s a local morning news weather map. Right now it’s a huge mass of rain clouds and high winds stretching hundreds of miles from Virginia to New England, turning the last vacation weekend of summer into a “what can we do inside” kind of weekend. Flood warnings have been issued for almost every country in that area. Those kids who like to pretend the couch is a boat can actually float around the living room on the couch.

Let’s call it “Tropical Bummer Ernesto.”

So as Ernesto worked its way north from Florida to the Carolinas, my folks were working their way east. They landed in DC around 7, Ernesto just a bit later. This morning, we drive down to meet them.

DC is a good walking city. Not that they have done a lot to make walking easier, mind you. It’s just that traffic is bad, parking is so ludicrous, and cabs are priced for lobbyists with expense accounts. Compared with these alternatives, a brisk walk seems like a wonderful idea. Unless, of course, the path along which you have to walk is flooded.

As you might guess, we’ll be cabbing it a bit. And a family picnic on the National Mall is right out.

Actually, recent weather reports indicate that the weather will be better by the time we get there. We’ll see how it goes. Now if I can just get my son to pack his stuff without too much hassle …

Have a good Labor Day weekend, all you loyal reader(s?)!