Still here, even though we're closing in on an even foot of rain (with some areas already above that). We're still in good shape, just a few manhole covers popping off due to the volume of runoff. Our trip to Rockport yesterday for hot dogs (Top Dog on Bearskin Neck, highly recommended in any weather) was a bit more perilous, as we had to navigate a "vernal pond" that had spilled over on to the roadway and a detour (with one or two more in the making) in our travels to and from.

You may be seeing some shots of downtown Peabody, which as of this morning had a good yard of standing water in it. That's a couple towns over from us.

Rivers are expected to peak tomorrow in many locations, and the forecast for the week looks to continue wet. Hopefully without the ferocity of the weekend past, though.

Getting back to my BU commencement reference from yesterday, they did persevere and have the outdoor ceremony, but managed to get it down to an hour. Les Moonves was the speaker, and he gave a pretty good truncated address whose main theme was to keep yourself open to the unplanned. Not a bad message to young people who've been more scheduled as five year olds than I am currently.

And speaking of water...

Book Log 2006 #20: The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt

Everyone will look to compare this book to Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, the book which put Savannah on the map thanks to a racy murder trial and some truly colorful characters. And there's something to that, as this book presents Venice using the Fenice fire and aftermath as its frame, with a liberal sprinkling of colorful locals throughout.

In direct comparison, this book isn't quite as successful as its predecesor. The trials and scandals in the wake of the Fenice fire are interesting but perhaps fit into our stereotypes of Italy as a country with a fair amount of corruption and mismanagement (doubled with the stereotypes of such practices in construction and related trades here in the US) too much, and thus seem a little familiar. The locals, while colorful, also play into some archetypes: the bankrupt nobles, American expats who live off of the local social and cultural scene, etc.

If you don't try to compare the books, though, the newer work stands a little better. The material is still interesting, and the book well-written. It paints an engaging picture of Venice as a city whose culture and beauty is at risk, and not just from the waters that both define and erode the city.

Recommended as long as you go in judging the book on its own merits.