If you zoom in, I’m the one in the window with a box of TicTacs.

Okay, I admit it. This time Weather.com finally got it right ... and that’s why I couldn’t write a Howdygram post yesterday! Although our monster storm system didn’t get underway until 8 last night — more than 12 hours later than the original forecast — wild afternoon winds gusting to 50 m.p.h. knocked out our electrical power and left us in the dark from 6 p.m. until maybe half an hour ago. What a night. I was here by myself with nothing to do except eat a can of fake meat with hot glass of Coke Zero in a room illuminated by two flameless candles and a flashlight and then take a nap on the chaise in the family room. Sam got home from work at 10:30.

Here’s our current weather map. We’ve already had 4¾ inches of rain and expect at least two more before this all ends today around noon. The pink star below denotes Howdygram headquarters in Mesquite. If you zoom in, I’m the one in the window with a box of TicTacs and a blue bathrobe. (Sam is still in bed or he’d be waving at you, too.)

Right now I think I’ll pour myself a nice tall Marcytini if we still have any ice cubes and then maybe go back to bed for a while. It’s thundering like crazy and thunder always sounds better in bed.