Thanks Art, Ann and Leslie!!  Gives me the Warm Fuzzies to have such
friends.
        After nearly 3 days without power, i'm "back in the saddle again",
although nowhere near caught up quite yet.   Although the winds only
gusted to 95 mph (150 km/hr) or so, it was still the biggest hit that
the capital of New Scotland has been treated to in about 70 years -
although the weather people were only calling it a "50 year storm".
Aside from most of the wharves and fishing sheds on the seaward edge of
the penninsula Halifax sits on being smashed to smithereens, not a few
boats ending up "in places one doesn't usually find them" (to quote the
mayor!), and a few roofs blowing away, the main damage was to a) trees
and b) the power grid.  Thousands and thousands of trees up to 200 years
old were demolished all over the city, and the Federales have sent 1000
soldiers to help clear them off the streets.  Some of the major parks
were rather badly blown over, and it will probably be until Chrismas
before things look relatively normal (albiet minus a considerable amount
of greenery!!).  Although i lost 5 sizeable trees around my little
cottage by the duck pond, none of them caused any harm, and all my
shells are still safe. (which i had to mention to make this email a tiny
bit "shell related".......)

From the Great Windy North,
Ross M.
-------------
Schooner Specimen Shells: Http://www.schnr-specimen-shells.com
"Shells to write home about!!"
Phone: (902) 876-2241; Fax: (902) - 479 - 1863
Snail Mail: 349 Herring Cove Rd, P.O Box 20005, Halifax, N.S., Canada,
B3R 2K9.