Just got home from a full day of work. The management decided to open the call centre for a half-day tomorrow for those who are scheduled, and close Sunday. We were scheduled to be closed Monday anyway for the holiday. Those who were scheduled to work and were sent home/didn't get to work for the closure are paid from their sick/vacation leave unless they choose to make up the time next week.

Frances is now a CATAGORY 2 hurricane as of 8:00PM, much weaker than earlier but still dangerous. It is expected to strengthen somewhat before making landfall Saturday morning and cross the penisuila before skirting the Nature Coast Sunday morning.

Kinda strange that with such a powerful storm only a day away, it's so nice out for much of the day. Only a light, passing shower during the afternoon with the sun still shining differed from the very warm, humid summer day normal to Central Florida.

Meanwhile, businesses were boarding their windows and preparing to stay close to home for the weekend. Instead of the usual practice of closing at 5:00 Friday afternoons, most banks chose to close early. Lakeland Square Mall closed at 5:oo; only anchor stores Sears and Burdines stayed open. The Citrus Connection and co-operated Winter Haven Area Transit will not operate Saturday. I get the idea that Lakeland will be like a ghost town early tomorrow.