Mellie....and all others in Texas & LA,

Be safe, and know we're thinking about you and saying special prayers.

Keep us posted on how you're doing...Mel has your brother arrived yet?

I'd mananged not to hear about the bus till now. How horrible. I have two sets of friends that picked up several people each from 'Retirement' homes on their way out.

Watching the news is making my stomache hurt! I asked my H to tell me if anything big happened, otherwise I just didnt want to know.

I've got friends that are already so overloaded with Katrina news... They are depressed, like watching the news after 911. I kept telling one friend to turn it off... I dont think she ever did. She wasnt involved in Katrina in any direct way (Dallas), but she's so fried out over Katrina that Rita may do her in. Watching all the recoveries, there's just not much good to take from that. They shouldnt show such graphic news, and people really need to get away from the set sometimes.

I understand about prefering it to go to NO... sad, but it makes sense.

Mel, it took my brother 12 hours to get to Austin from Houston. I wouldnt wish that trip on anyone. He'll show up! - Dru

Well, my brother is stranded in Livingston, Texas with no gas, no food, no lodging. There is no gas for at least 70 miles north to be found. Our Pepsi plant an hour north has had to park our trucks because there is no gas in Lufkin. I wanted to go get my brother, but there is no way because even if I could get enough gas to make it down there, Hwy 59 is closed down to southbound traffic out of Lufkin, so they wouldn't let me through.

I am just sick about the bus that blew up. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Oh Mellie .... I wish I could help....

prayer I guess...

Thanks, Pep. I am sure he will get out eventually. They are announcing on the radio stations down there to hang tight because they are sending out gas trucks to gas up people are stranded. The roads are littered with cars out of gas for miles, I guess.

Melody...

Can you email us your phone number? The very logical Mr. Wondering has some advice regarding your brother that will be easier to relay through talking than typing...

Mrs. Wondering

Oh how awful! I'm ready for hurricane season to be over! It is all I can do to watch it after what we just went through.

Prayers for your brother Mel.

Susan

I wish I could help, Mel...

I bet you'll even be happy to see his cat!

Bro's Cat...

Guys, wanted to let y'all know we are safe in Dallas. It took 25 hours for a normally 4.5-5 hour trip (at one point we had only gone 74 miles in 18+ hours), but we are here and safe. Most of the time we were on I-45 and let me tell you, that is a nightmare I will not soon forget. Heartwrenching. Thousands of people stranded on the side of the road in the searing heat; their cars overheated or simply out of gas, because they kept driving with the hope of finding some until they ran out. (There is no gas in that area, and refueling trucks can't get through the glut of cars to reach the gas stations to refuel them.) Exhausted women carrying limp babies that are too tired to cry, overwhelmed elderly people sitting beside their overheated cars in collapsed resignation, caravans of families with no gas and no hope of gas beyond the promises of fuel trucks being sent to the region. The thermometer in my car that measures the temp outside stood at 113 during the height of the day, but even after 4 and 5 PM it was still 100.

Eventually, many people--hundreds, in some places--just gave up and began parking along the shoulder of I-45, effectively setting up "tent cities" (there are no hotel rooms with vacancies within 500 miles, even if they could get there). In many places, traffic was at a total standstill and so these families felt they had nothing to lose by pulling over for rest or to "picnic" with whatever food and drinks they had. Many people just lurched into a ditch and slept however they could, limbs hanging haphazardly out of their cars. It was heartbreaking.

One radio personel said that he had spent 7 hours going only 1.7 miles (on 290 west, before he gave up and turned around to ride it out in Houston), and in that time period, he had seen over 90% of people with their windows down, either no air conditioning or their A/C turned off to prevent overheating of their vehicles. Kids rode in backs of pickup truck, families in mini-vans drove with their sliding doors and back-hatches open to increase air circulation and bring some semblance of a breeze. I guess since we were all going, at best, a periodic 3-4 miles an hour, they thought everyone was safe.

We were so fortunate, y'all -- We never once had to trun down or off our A/C, or stop for gas once we had filled up. I can't imagine what those people are suffering in this weather.

If you could, please do pray for those poor folks left on the side of the road today -- some of them have been there for 25-38 hours and have had no relief. Babies, moms, dads, elderly people. . . it is such a tragedy.

I'm going to go ahead and turn the news on today -- haven't done so since late yesterday evening and didn't realize so many other things are taking place re: Rita's change in course, the bus tragedy, etc. I almost can't bear to hear any more bad news but need to know where things stand for Louisiana, where my whole family lives (they still have evacuees living with them from NO).

slh

So happy to hear from you SLH and that you and yours are out of the way.

At least now, on a small scale, you can see what the circus has to endure when they travel <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

How did the kiddies and animals do? Better or worse than the adults?

Mel, just read about your brother. I am so sorry.

Is there any way you could avoid 59 altogether until the last minute and get to him via backroads and such (Mapquest!)? Mel, those fuel trucks are incredibley slow, unless they've issued more since last night. we only saw 1 on all of I-45, and there was a line over a mile long of cars waiting.

The good news is, that there are a lot of groups out there, handing out water and food to stranded travellers. I was stunned at the number of people I saw offering sustanance to those in need. It was amazing how many people they were helping. Perhaps he will get some water soon. I pray so.

Please keep us updated.


slh

Just too horrible to imagine. Try to do the right thing and not let them drown like the place in NO and what happens... <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

I heard this morning that people stuck in the traffic are losing pets to carbon monoxide poisoning due to sitting in idling cars. You've got to wonder at some point how they expected to evacuate this many people at once?

Hi RBM. Circus? We're a travelling zoo! At least we weren't hauling my horse, too; he found refuge in Huntsville. But we all did astoundingly well, esp in light of what others had to endure. We hadn't packed food and only 1 water bottle (it's only a 5 hour trip, right??? <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />) so we only had a few granola bars and 4 cokes for 5 people, but we did okay. Once on I-45, we were told we couldn't exit for the next 50 miles (!!!!) so we couldn't grab any food or water there, and the dogs took that opportunity to use the back of our car as a restroom, but we easily cleaned that up. Even the cats, whom we finally let out of their improvised carrier of two laundry baskets strung together one on top of another, did well (after the first few hours).

When we arrived at our House of Refuge, we had been on the road 25+ hours and everyone was famished. The cats had refused any water on the trip (probably a blessing!) and so they drank and ate so much they got sick (at least it wasn't in the car and we didn't have that lovely aroma to deal with on top off dog poop). The dogs fared better, and I sent poor H out to McDonalds (it had just opened for breakfast) for some real vittles, after over a day of not eating. Ambrosia!!!!

Praying thigs will end as well for your brother, Mel.


slh

Mel,

They just said on Channel 2, here, that there is are tanker trucks in Shepherd (sp) on their way up 59 to fuel the stranded motorists.....hopefully your brother will benefit.

Regards,

BB

GREAT NEWS, BB!

{{{Mel & Brother}}}

Thanks BB! I just called and told my mother, she was very happy to hear this.

Glad your bro might soon see some help, Mel! I'm praying for the gas truck to make a beeline right to where he is stranded.

I talked to my son who is a Red Cross volunteer in a Louisiana shelter. He said they had room for 800 and last night they had 1,100. He is on security detail, which means he is one of those who has to turn people away at the door. When they check people in to a shelter you get a hand stamp. If you try to get in the shelter without one, they turn you away.

The other two area shelters where he is are also full, all motels full... and there are still busloads of people coming. Where will they all go? A nearby Baptist church opened its doors this morning so more will go there....

Realtor, my other son is an Army Reservist at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina. His entire Battallion is on standby. Maybe he'll be deployed and meet up with his twin brother in Louisiana!! Nice place to have a family reunion, eh?

~ Snow

Two more braches in New Orleans - they need our prayers as well. Called my son and told him he is just upset to have to go away agasin so soon. but I know he will be there to help people anyway he can. I am praying so hard - Rita down to 135mph hopefully it goes slower. I hope everyone gets to safety. This is so sad to watch. I had e-mail from friend show a 21 ft gator the army shot on a street in N.O.. Told my son to watch out. Scares me half to death.

Shephard is way inside the 610 loop, like 80 miles from Livingston. Not good.

SHL I cant believe your update. Thank you.

... beyond words