Last Day of the Western Isles

More mysteries of the Universal Solar Calendar: Yesterday was Last Day of Quest, ending a period that began on August 31. Today is the Last Day of the Western Isles, ending a period that began on August 30. Apparently, residency on the Western Isles was two days longer than the Quest.

Heavy rains are falling in Georgia from Hurricane Helene, but the high winds aren't expected until late night tonight or even dawn tomorrow morning. In any event, I cut and ran and am writing this from a hotel room in Winder, Georgia. 

If that name sounds familiar to you, Winder is the town that contains Apalachee High, where a student gunman killed two teachers and two fellow classmates earlier this month. That wasn't my reason for choosing Winder for my hotel, though. It just seemed far enough from the center line of the storm track to avoid the highest winds, but close enough that I can quickly swoop back home once things clear up a bit to assess the damage. In any event, my Atlanta home is on ground zero for the storm track, and there's way too many tons of pinewood towering over my house for me to feel comfortable staying there for the duration of this storm.

There were torrential rains yesterday, but fortunately the rainfall let up a little after midnight so I was able to get some sleep last night. I left Atlanta about noon today in a light but steady rain, and so far things have been dreary and rainy - but tolerable - here in Winder. The rains are expected to subside shortly after noon tomorrow, but hourly forecasts show the winds picking up around midnight tonight and peaking around 5:00 a.m. They aren't expected to calm down again until after sunset on Friday, so I may decide to stay here a second night to be safe.

Be careful out there, my friends.