Liveblogging the storm... maybe

Just before 5 p.m. The humidity level jumped, the rain started, and the wind is gusting a bit, off and on. There's a tornado warning, too, for, well, pretty much everywhere from N.C. to the Gulf of Mexico. But the skies look nothing like I've ever seen before a tornado, so I don't think it's a big worry here.

So far, no worse than an average rainy day here.

8:50 p.m. Yawn. I'm spackling some spots in my bedroom and bathroom. It's raining. I folded laundry. Bored.

9:05: OK, spoke too soon. Now it's a downpour and the wind has picked up.

1:30 a.m.: Yep, still awake. Apparently, the deluge earlier was just a preview. Hanna is supposed to make landfall here in the next hour. It's not raining now, and there's no wind. Our power flashed off and on a couple times about an hour ago. Here's hoping it doesn't go out.

I'm just sitting here looking up things on the Internets and beginning to seriously think about my next trip to Italy. Spring 2010, baby. This time I'm going to plan for Venice, Turin, the Cinque Terre, Florence and, of course, Rome. I have to see it again. That gives me a little more than a year to save up, panhandle for spare change, get a second roommate to but down on the bills, whatever. And plan. And daydream. I cannot wait to see Rome again.

Probably it's time for bed, but I kind of want to see what happens at landfall time.