Gray, is your pilot friend a military Hurricane Hunter? How dangerous is it? I sometimes hear about engines going out mid-flight, etc.

FEMA is flying Katrina evacuees from here (Houston) to Arkansas, and Galveston (about 20 miles south of here) is using busses to evac its residents (and pets, I was pleased to see) beginning Wednesday morning. People here are freaked.

The next few days will tell a lot.


slh

FF,

I dreaded having to tell my children….actually my son as he was the only one old enough to know what it meant. For the previous 5 mos. we had been in a “separation” as when one was home the other was not. We both were working shifts prior and had maintained opposite shifts so we didn’t require child care. To him the separation didn’t exist, and if he did notice something his mind would never permit itself to imagine the unimaginable anyway.

I knew we had to tell him especially as my WW had purchased a house and would be moving to it shortly. I dreaded the moment; the one where you knew you had just created a permanent and horrific memory in his little mind…the look on his face. I cried when I imagined the scenario. When the time came we too did it together. I told my WW it was her show and she could do the “honors”. I tried to be strong, but I could not keep back the tears. I again hurt typing this as I replay that moment. I now grieve for what you must do.

So this is not the gloomiest post on this page, I’ll tell you once it was done I felt somewhat relieved. He did not react as strongly as I feared and the dread was behind me. Don’t get me wrong….I will wear that moment for the rest of my life, but now it is. I cannot change what was and I now longer walked around hoping for a change in my WW so I could prevent the moment. I went forward.

Sorry for interrupting the storm talk. SLH, my prayers are with you and yours. I cannot imagine the level of destruction one of those storms creates, though we do get the odd tornado in these parts. When I see the results of Katrina I don’t feel so bad about the occasional bouts of -40 degrees we get here in the winter. It sure holds the mosquitoes in check too.

My pal is in the uniformed branch of NOAA - they pilot our planes and boats. The NOAA Aircraft Operations people from Tampa and the USAF Reserves from Biloxi together make up the "Hurricane Hunters". As flying goes it's pretty dangerous, yeah.

For now my friend only aspires to be a NOAA hurricane pilot. She's still on snow survey, but there's little doubt that NOAA will put her in Tampa when she's reassigned.

She's still disappointed - missed the call to fly Katrina by 30 minutes. By the time she got the message, they'd put someone else in her seat. But now that she's in the Gulf and done surveying Katrina damage (flew the entire shoreline at 300') they're going to stick her on hurricane flights for a while.

Sanding, sanding, sanding, sanding.

I have one piece of floor ready to finish - the landing by my side door.

I still have to go over about 400 sq. ft. more with a random orbit sander and a bright light.

They tell me every scratch shows once the finish is on.

Very hard work.

GC

Binder, please don't apologize. I'd rather go through 5 hurricanes than have to tell my daughters that their father & I are divorcing.

I will wear that moment for the rest of my life. I cannot change what was and I now longer walked around hoping for a change in my WW so I could prevent the moment. I went forward.


Is this the impasse you were at. . . moving forward? We were really worried about you. I'm glad SS drew you out. You sound more decisive now, stronger. Is that how you feel most often, lately, having come to the decision to move forward?


slh

Thank you, Binder. So now you are reading my mind too? Yep still waiting for that last minute ephiphany. Thanks for reliving your pain to help me through this.

I'll be praying for your safety, SLH.

Thanks, FF. We still have a few days to figure out where this thing is going. Last night on the news, our weatherman (who is a retired National Weather Service Hurricane Expert) was telling everyone it was headed straight for us (we're 20 or so miles from the coast). This morning when I looked at a different model of Rita's projected path, it seems to be going a bit more westward than towards us.

It'd have to go A LOT MORE west than what I am seeing for us to be spared. It's the winds on the east side of the Hurricane that pack the most punch. Look at MS & AL. Look at how Katrina veered east in the last hours before landfall, effectively "sparing" New Orleans. Even with all of the devestation from flooding there, the damage and death toll could have been so much more severe if the eye had gone west as they predicted it would just hours before. Instead, it went east of NO, and MS & AL retained the wind damage and Storm Surge due to the winds on Katrina's east side and New Orleans would have survived with only "minor" wind damage in comparison to the east side.

So if Rita's gonna go west, I want her to go reaaaalllly west. My house flooded from a similar hurricane (Alicia) in '83, and that was only a Cat 3. Estimates for what Rita will be range between a high 3 and high 4. Ouch.

So much for going camping this weekend! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> Now I've got to take myself off to the grocery store. If it comes towards us, we'll be evacc'ing to Dallas or LA. Even if we don't get a "direct" hit, our power will probably be knocked out for some time.


slh

Well, Galveston County, where I live, has just issued orders for a Mandatory Evacuation. Rita is expected to hit between Galveston & Freeport, a stretch of land about 20-40 miles from my home, still meaning we will be on the East (and worst) side of the storm. She'll be making landfall a day or so before they had initially projected, so we are shifting into overdrive. I may not be able to check in too often because we'll be boarding up windows, securing outside items, putting things up high in the house in case of floodwater, etc. I am stressed out because I don't know what to do with my boy (pony) and he's a lot closer to the coast than I am.

We should hear a more difinitive idea about Rita's path by tomorrow AM.

slh

SLH I will have you in my prayers as well.

I'm so sorry you are worried about your pony as well.

How awful for you! Stay strong like the southern gal you are!

Gray and friends

I love to read this eclectic thread. I rarely contribute, 'cos well, I've written enough for ten people this last year and I've backed off hugely from writin.

I'd like to post up some thanks. The 'Harvest Moon' theme from yesterday remnded me obviously of Neil Young's lovely song and album.

I heard it this evening and it lifted my heart.

Bob,

I love that song. It was on the tip of my tongue yesterday but I just could not remember it.

Thank you!

And here is another "horse" song for SLH.

(((((SLH)))))

Childhood living is easy to do
The things you wanted I bought them for you
Graceless lady you know who I am
You know I can’t let you slide through my hands

Wild horses couldn’t drag me away
Wild, wild horses, couldn’t drag me away

I watched you suffer a dull aching pain
Now you decided to show me the same
No sweeping exits or offstage lines
Could make me feel bitter or treat you unkind

Wild horses couldn’t drag me away
Wild, wild horses, couldn’t drag me away

I know I dreamed you a sin and a lie
I have my freedom but I don’t have much time
Faith has been broken, tears must be cried
Let’s do some living after we die

Wild horses couldn’t drag me away
Wild, wild horses, we’ll ride them some day

Wild horses couldn’t drag me away
Wild, wild horses, we’ll ride them some day

The Rolling Stones

Hi Weaver, GC, Bob, FF, SLH and friend.

OK, a guy's gotta dream right?

Actually, I do feel good!
But "I'm alone" too. (I don't have the lyrics for that one).

-AD

I Feel Good
Music & Lyrics by James Brown

Whoa-oa-oa! I feel good, I knew that I would, now
I feel good, I knew that I would, now
So good, so good, I got you

Whoa! I feel nice, like sugar and spice
I feel nice, like sugar and spice
So nice, so nice, I got you

When I hold you in my arms
I know that I can't do no wrong
and when I hold you in my arms
My love won't do you no harm

and I feel nice, like sugar and spice
I feel nice, like sugar and spice
So nice, so nice, I got you

When I hold you in my arms
I know that I can't do no wrong
and when I hold you in my arms
My love can't do me no harm

and I feel nice, like sugar and spice
I feel nice, like sugar and spice
So nice, so nice, well I got you

Whoa! I feel good, I knew that I would, now
I feel good, I knew that I would
So good, so good, 'cause I got you
So good, so good, 'cause I got you
So good, so good, 'cause I got you

AD, do you really feel good? I know you've got a lot on your plate right now.

slh

Good news, guys. A friend up on the north side of Houston is taking my boy and a few other horses on her 45 acres to get them out of the flood zone from Rita (we are in the potential storm surge area).

Her offer to take my boy came at the perfect time. I spent the entire day on-line and on the phone, and there are no trailers to be rented (or bought!) for three hours in every direction. Everyone in this area had snapped them up.

I can evcuate to Dallas now and have peace of mind. I'm not so worried about my house or belongings; they're all replacable. But the thought of leaving my horse behind was devestating to me.

Bring it on, Rita.


slh

Yes, I do. I find that so often all I have to do is do something different. Sometimes just driving home by a different route makes me feel alive. Tonight, I brought a bicycle over from the other house, put some air in the tires and rode around in circles for about 10 minutes. That did it. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Then, I realized that my old car (that used to be WW's old car, that I should have sold by now) was in the way, so I moved it. It's been sitting in the same spot for 3 months - since my van's AC was fixed. Then I realized that the old car wasn't so bad as I had remembered - and I drove to the store in it to buy some things - ending up looking at lighting - and dreaming all kinds of lighting projects around the house. There's nothing like lighting to perk things up - and even if you go all out (except for crystal chandaliers), you won't spend a lot of money. But, I came home with a $5 dimmer, and $3 face plate nd a $6 replacement floodlight fixture. Still, I was happy. Moving the old car around back made me happy. LOL Stupid me. I've got a circular drive and the old car was parked on the circle - so for 3 months I've been backing out every day. LOL <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> Bright, aren't I?! I'm really laughing at myself now. I get like that - just not seeing where I live - not noticing my surroundings - and then, in a brilliant flash of insight, I relize "I could drive forward out of here if I moved the old car around back." LOL LOL <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I'm a simple man, really.

I'm still laughing at myself.

Life is good. The moon was full a day or two ago. I love fall weather. October is my favorite month. Blue sky (instead of chalk-colored), cooler weather. It's around the corner. I can smell the cotton defoliant in the air. It's the smell of autumn (but we call it "fall" around here.) LOL.

Yeah, and if next fall, I'm not alone, it will be breathtakingly wonderful!

-AD

SLH,

I'm glad you found a spot for your horse. Out of Galviston is the right place to be. Probably the storm will miss, but still it's just good thinking to get out - mandantory evacuation or no.

BTW, my bro took a job in Gulfport MS fixing the cell towers down there. He works 12-14 hour days, lives in a BellSouth tent. I'm proud of him. He says they may be withdrawing if Rita comes close. Probably they'll be right back there in a couple of days.

-AD

Oh, forget it. MB server butchered my post.

SLH - glad your horsie will be safe. So glad.

GC

... "and said thi" ???

Sorry man. Painful old thoughts slow us down.