Ok, I have calmed down considerably and am no longer panicking. Sorry about that. I think listening to the constant hurricane coverage by the media all day yesterday sent me over the edge. Apparently I'm not the only one in Austin who had this problem. At present there is not a single bottle of water to bought in the whole city.
My family and friends have all managed to get out of the coastal areas. Hurricane Rita is now expected to make landfall further east around Beaumont/Port Arthur, and we are no longer expected to feel any effects here in Austin. However, this is not exactly good news. The current projected path shows Rita moving directly over the area where my aunt and uncle live, near Beaumont. They are at my mother's along with my cousin and her family so hopefully they will be safe, but I am concerned for their home. Also, current projections show Rita moving straight North over East Texas where my Mom lives. They might end up experiencing some of the severe weather that I was worried about yesterday, possibly even category 1 winds. With the amount of really large pine trees in East Texas, this has me concerned. I have tried to talk my mother into bringing everyone here, but they have decided to just wait it out there and hope that Rita weakens quickly after landfall.
Today, every news report seemed to be about the incredible traffic jam in Houston. Many people were calling from their cars understandably upset. It has to be very frustrating to be stuck in a car for hours when you are trying to escape for safety. One of my cousins came to Austin, and it took them over 7 hours and that was on the less congested backroads. However, some reports I heard were critizing the local and state officials for this problem, and I have to disagree with this. Maybe there is something that could have been done differently, but I don't see how it is possible to not have a traffic jam when you are evacuating an area containing over 4 million people, most of whom have their own vehicles. But that is just my opinion, and I did not have to suffer through this personally.
Right now, I am praying that my family in East Texas stays safe and that everyone I love will have a home to go back to.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
14 comments:
yeah goose, Andy and Steve made it out FYI... I hope all your Fam will be safe too...
TTYS...
Whoah that's scary. Even over here all the news reports are about that jam. I hope your family and their homes etc are safe. I'll be thinking of them and you.
Michele sent me again, we must always be on the net at a similar time of day. Thank you fo coming to my blog and returning the visit!
With these evacuations it always amazes me how many people approach it like they would a workday--leave at 8am--and are surprised at the traffic jam. Leave at 3am with a full tank so your first stop is at 8am, 350 miles away. Just a thought.
I'm not surprised about the bottled water, Lish. When you posted that you were going to pick some up yesterday I was thinking "good luck!". The same happens here when hurricanes hit the NC coast or when we get snow predictions in winter. People can be so silly.
Texas is about to get a real scary visit from Rita.
All the best to you and all those who ae having to evacuate their homes.
I'm here via Michele.
Hello, Michele sent me.
Here's hoping your whole family stays safe. Katrina certainly taught us that hurricanes are not to be trifled with.
We're in KY, where we don't get much in the way of hurricanes. We get tornadoes, where the warning time is closer to half an hour than three days.
Hi, visting from Michele's place.
I'm glad you will be missing the mess. I live in Florida and our town took 2 direct hits and one side swipe all at this time last year. We made it and it's all good.
I was in Houston this week and the panic hadn't really hit until I went to Hobby to catch my flight home... boy was it crazy.
Hang in there...
Lish, I sure hope your family will be okay with the storm coming. I "met" CT today and I was a cytotechnologist too, back in the dark ages. I'm here via Michele tonight.
There isn't a lot to be thankful for when a hurricane is coming at you--but living in a town that is above sea level is one thing. Now tht New Orleans is getting slammed a second time... that thought is ever present.
Michele sent me to you this time, Lish. I hope you're able to get some sleep tonight.
Again, thank you everyone for your concern. Today my mom and famliy in Nac had to tape up our house and pack fragile things because of expected winds and tornados. We've never had to do that before, and I got pretty freaked and cried. They even mentioned Nac on a national radio show today. I'm ok at present, and I'm sure they will be too. Utenzi, if you haven't already noticed from late night blogging, I never sleep.
I hope all turns out well, and that the hurricane downgrades quickly without causing too much damage. My thoughts are with you and your family during this scary time!
Michele sent me...
Lish, thanks for reading and the comments. I don't remember off-hand what my text was - or even if we had one. I'll check the bookcases, because if we used a book - I probably still have it! When I was in cyto. school, it was practically in its infancy, in fact the gov. paid me to take those classes - the whopping sum of $125 per month, which was a good amount in 1962!
Hello Lish. I noticed your blog when reading Judy. You have a great blog.
Hope your family is okay! I'm thinking of all of my Texas "friends" today...
Hey Lish. I'm just checking in today since that bitch Rita made landfall. Hope all is good with you and yours. I'm reading history today which if it doesn't put me to sleep, I may actually learn something. Oh, the thought. I need more doritos, jalapeno cheese dip and an ice cold coke. ah the joy! K
Post a Comment