Here in Wilmington, N.C., we are old hands at hurricane preparation. Cape Fear sticks out into the Atlantic Ocean like a dare. Sea Leaf Book Editing is vigilant.
As soon as a hurricane nears the Caribbean, we bring in water and snacks, check the flashlights and candles, and gas up the vehicles. Forecasters tell us Hurricane Dorian will be here tomorrow. The eye should miss us by a few miles and we're hoping it passes quickly, but chances are we'll lose power for a few days. Anyway, we will be ready.
The dog needed a little prep, too. She's on an elimination diet to find out what's making her so itchy. We won't be able to cook her carefully catered meals for a few days, so we headed to the fancy dog food store to find suitable kibble.
There we met a small shaggy poodle with three legs. She was soaking up attention from customers and reveling in her cuteness. "Do you know the joke? About the three-legged dog?" I asked her mom. She shook her head warily.
"A three-legged dog walks into a bar in the Old West. He says, 'I'm looking for the man who shot my paw,' " I told her. A smile spread across her face.
As the wind picks up and the rains begin, we'll be casting back in our memory for more jokes to chase away the weather and the worry. We'd love it if you have any of your own jokes to share.
