PAMUNKEY KINFOLK & OTHERS INTERESTED: My apologies to those who have written and have received no response. My computer has been down. Tropical Storm Ernesto hit us on the Jersey Shore hard on Friday- Saturday last. We lost a gorgeous, 50-foot weeping willow that took down both power and telephone lines when it pulled loose, roots out, and fell away from the houses, the ground soaked by 36 hours of steady rain. Before the power went out, surging electricity burned out one microwave, one cable box, two fans, two clocks, two radios, and two air conditioners, and damaged one refrigerator, one computer, and four lamps. Thought we had lost the toaster too, but it went back to work this morning. The Tree Crew from Jersey Central Power & Light came at midnight Saturday and cut the tree free of the electric lines using chain saws under truck lights, and marked the line breaks. Power was finally restored late Monday, Labor Day, by a line crew from Penn Power in Pittsburgh. Got the computer into the shop early Tuesday morning, and lucked into a quick turn around because its only problem was a burned out power pack, an easily replaceable unit. Will not get Cable back before Friday, and the jury is still out on the refrigerator. We're using the old fridge in the basement, unfazed by the surge that took out the new fridge. We have saved most of the frozen food by eating it or jamming it into the old fridge. It could have been a lot worse. Will get to the mail shortly. Doc