Watching Frances

I have spent the last day and a half putting up metal hurricane shutters over our windows and bringing loose objects inside the garage. Our garage door has beams that are put in place to reinforce it against the wind. I have done all I can do to get the house ready. We are now watching the forecasts by the hurricane center at each update, 8am, 11am, 5pm, and 11pm local time. The latest advisory has the storm going inland somewhere north of us. Hurricane force winds extend outward from the center for 60 miles and the tropical storm force winds out 200 miles. The subtropical ridge that is holding the storm to the south may weaken a bit in the next 24 hours. We are going to get our camper loaded up and be ready to move it if the storm looks like it is going to head our way. We would go all the way up to South Carolina or further to avoid the storm. If the subtropical ridge weakens a tiny bit and allows the storm to go further northward we will stay put and ride out the tropical storm force winds here at home.