It's been nice hearing from so many of our friends scattered all over the globe, wondering how we are. Even Netflix emailed me to say, sorry for your loss and we can't send you anymore movies until the Postal Service gets things straightened out. So aside from not being to watch movies on our non-battery powered DVD, we're still good, thanks, hot, sweaty, smelly, but good. Plenty of food and water.

If anyone is making any donations to the various relief agencies, non-perishable food is always appreciated, but don't forget about baby formula, diapers, feminine hygiene products, bug repellent, sunscreen, and especially, personal hygiene: toothbrushes, toothpaste, and deodorant. Baby wipes work very well for that not-so-fresh-feeling.

We dropped off groceries to a homeschool friend on our way to our house yesterday. While we were there, a woman pulled up to her gate and yelled out asking if this was J. Y.'s house. The woman had driven up from Naples, Florida, at least an hour away, at the request of a woman in Dallas, Texas, another member of a different homeschool board, who is a good friend of J's, and was worried about her. She brought ice, drinks, and a cell phone for J to call her friend in Texas. She had been instructed to take a picture of their family in front of the house, which she did, and then off she went.

I knew my husband couldn't stand by without helping. He has his crew coming over today with building materials to help our neighbors. He's already dried in three roofs and is expecting to do many more. Several neighbors have hired him to do the repair work when the insurance money starts rolling in. One has even offered to sell his house for less than one tenth of its pre-storm value, once he collects his check on a house that will be written off as a total loss. G despises the idea of being a carpetbagger, but recognizes an opportunity when he sees one.

Today the girls and I, and J and her two daughters are heading into town to find volunteer positions.