For those of you wondering, I live in southeast Louisiana. Funny thing about wishing that a hurricane will head in some other direction: it's almost like wishing a disaster on someone else. Nevertheless, I'd be lying if I said southeast Louisiana is prepared for another hurricane.
August 29 is the 3rd anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. My immediate family was very fortunate. Negligible damage to our house. My father-in-law and his adult sons who lived with him lost their house and most of their possessions. I have to say this about my f-i-l, he has moxie for having to start over from scratch at age 73. He lives just a few blocks away now.
Katrina was different, though. We knew the storm was in the Gulf of Mexico, for days leading up to it, forecasters were predicting that it would hit landfall at the Alabama/Florida state line. Image our surprise when we woke Saturday, Aug. 27 to radio reports that the storm did not make the easterly turn as anticipated and instead will reach land between, New Orleans, LA and Gulfport, MS.
We grabbed our essentials and high tailed it pretty quickly to Uncle Harold's house in Lafayette, LA. We stayed thirteen days until power was restored in our area. The other difference about Katrina is that I remember incessantly watching the Weather Channel coverage on Monday, Aug. 29th and thinking, "oh, New Orleans didn't fare too badly." Then the levees broke.
As for Gustav, I'm obsessively watching the Weather Underground website for updates. It's too soon to tell whether we'll evacuate or to where. I'm also making a short list of essentials: a few family photos, my bill paying organizer/checkbook, back up CD-roms of some things on my computer (why, oh why didn't I just invest in a laptop), insurance info, my firebox containing important documents, and so forth.
I'm not sure how to end this post, so ...
Links to Katrina posts (if you're interested):
We Evacuated, Aug. 30, 2005
Hurricane Katrina Update, Aug. 31, 2005
I Can't Watch the News Anymore, Sept. 1, 2005
5 comments:
Dear, I hope it doesn't come to evacuation and destruction...
Crossing my fingers for the entire region...
My husband was in Alabama/New Orlean when Katrina struck, he was on his way to Chicago to meet me then as I was there for a world conference.
I knew just how bad this can affect everyone, on his way back, New Orlean was wiped out and he couldn't even catch his fligh back to Alabama and he lost his rental car too ;(
I hope Gustav will not be so 'harsh' and you be careful Elle.
Thanks, tracey and shionge. As I mentioned, it's awkward wishing that it won't come here, b/c it seems like wishing it on someone else.
It sounds like you and your husband had quite an adventure, shionge.
In the meantime, we'll hope for a miracle that Gustav either dramatically loses strength or passes through whatever area (preferably uninhabited) very quickly. A girl can dream...
Thinking of you Elle - it looks like the 11am (08/28) 5 day path has Gustav to the west of New Orleans but still in the "zone"...
Yes, sue, I see that too. On the weatherunderground.com, the various models are tightening up a bit. Most to the west of N.O. but still too close for comfort. Right now it's just a waiting game...
Thanks for commenting - I've been wondering what you've been up to and hoping all is well with you.
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