For the previous two days, we experienced a singular wind that furiously assaulted the house like an angry banshee, wailing through our imperfectly sealed windows and mischievously tossing small belongings around the house. The wind speed was higher and the duration was much longer than any tropical storm or near miss with a hurricane we have experienced. Occasionally, the wind would manage to wriggle free the suggestion of a latch on one of our windows and fling it wide, causing complete, swirling chaos in the house.

Yesterday afternoon, my Beloved's technological prescience caused him to look up at the roof and our internet antenna. We have broadband internet through fixed wireless, so we have a satellite dish-looking antenna pointed at the transmitter on the next hill. The dish was catching some serious wind, and two of its mounting bolts had ripped free, scattering large chunks of roof onto our terrace and back yard.

Chuck called Red2000, our internet provider, to schedule the service call we could tell would be imminently necessary. Then he gathered some tools, and the always-useful duct tape, and headed up to the roof to try to stabilize the antenna. He gave it his best efforts, but there wasn't much he could do.

Unbelievably, an hour later, the wind's brutality increased. Another mounting bolt ripped free, leaving only one bolt holding the antenna to the roof. Chuck started to gather his tools again, and I immediately protested. He is such a guy. He argued that the dish would be irreparably damaged if it ripped free. Plus, who knew what it would hit on the way down? I am such a girl. I told him we can replace the dish. I can't replace him. End of conversation. He settled for moving things that might be in the sailing dish's trajectory and disconnecting electronics to minimize any electrical repercussions.

We awoke this morning to a bright, sunny, calm day. The wind appears to over. Surprisingly, the antenna held on, and it remained in place on our roof. Red2000 showed up at 11:00 to move the dish to a more stable location, no charge, and we are back online.