This waiting business is the hard part now. So far, 4 dead in NC, 3 from falling trees, one (they're not sure it's from the storm) from driving into a tree. No Darwin Award nominees ("tourist perishes when swept off rocks while photographing storm surge", etc.) yet. The state and National Parks Service have closed all campgrounds. Our homeless tend to camp out along the Merrimack, and workers are out there coaxing them to come in for a day or two. Meanwhile, the shelter set up at our local highschool (really, expecting more post-storm customers than evacuees) has announced a pet-friendly policy. Maeve, I really think we're in for a water event more than wind. Those historic storms hit as force 2, at least, hurricanes. Irene has to go over a lot of land to get us, and that'll sap the wind. I do worry for the folks along the coast and rivers.