This is an unusual coincidence. Just as the snowbirds are arriving by the hour from the north, at the same time, we have Hurricane Paloma approaching from the south. The birds are landing mostly in pairs, loaded down after their stops in Miami at Costco, BJs, or Sam's Club. They have everything they could possibly need to settle in to their island nests for the winter. They will call relatives to let them know they made it safely, unpack their cars, and check to make sure everything is working properly. Then they will make their way down to the beach to breathe a sigh of relief that it is just as it was when they left. But now, as strange as it seems, they will need to keep the weather channel close at hand to make sure that Paloma doesn't fly in from the south. Yes, we all know hurricane season doesn't really end until Nov. 30th, but we also know that this one will miss us, thanks to Cuba, which has taken a beating from every storm we have had this year, and made things much easier on us. So forget the weather, enjoy the beach and pool and friends you haven't seen for a while, and say a kindly, "Gracias" to our neighbors to the south for running a little defense for us yet again.