We have been at pains to explain to people that the freakishly large storm that blew through and upended 27 trees was not at the farm. Instead the wind came through town.

We have been getting regular updates from the alarmed Dr. Surly and Gollum.

Strange people are coming through the grounds with flashlights, apparently.

We are suddenly no. 1 on the "Random Guy with a Chainsaw Looking to Make a Buck" list of people to make friends with.

Sympathetic listeners in Chicago have, I think, trouble wrapping their heads around this problem of ours. In the city, 27 trees is an entire park, or sometimes two parks.

I am thinking of staging a telethon to help us cover the costs of cleaning all this up.

Still, we are thankful that no one was hurt and the house is more or less undamaged. The wind came through town, but it could have been much worse.

Anybody got a backhoe I can borrow?