Riding the Storm Out

Sheltering in Place

If you've been following my incredibly exciting life via "Hey look, a chicken", you know that:

a) I have just finished cleaning and organizing my garage

b) Dislike lovebugs immensely

c) Wonder how ADD katdish has been able to finish so many projects and suspect that her doctor has increased her ritalin dosage.

d) Yes, you are correct. And I'm feeling much better, thank you!



In my 43 years of life experience, it has been my observation that most things happen for a reason. I believe that the reason I was prompted to clean up and clear out my house (specifically the garage) was so that my husband and I would be able to park both cars in it. We need to park both cars in the garage because of Hurricane Ike.

A few years ago, with Katrina fresh on everyone's mind, Hurricane Rita was brewing in the Gulf of Mexico and projected to be a big one. At that time, we decided to pack up the kids and the cat and seek shelter with my dad in Austin -- which is a crazy story on its own -- remind me to tell you about it sometime. It turns out that our town was spared. Rita hit our neighbors to the east.

Now, here comes Ike. I'm not a Chicken Little type. I've lived in Houston too long (since 1977) not to understand most hurricanes turn into heavy thunderstorms by the time they reach our neck of the woods. I take and "wait and see" approach to most of them. Although it is mildly amusing to see the local news reporters and anchors working themselves into a tizzy every time a storm gets big enough for a name.

I can honestly say that in my humble opinion, that unless you were in Houston in 1983 and rode the storm out during Alicia, you've never experienced a hurricane in Houston. I was here. Hunkering down with my mom, sister and two cats in a 2-story condo with big masking tape "X's" on all the windows. Now that, my friends was a hurricane. It was scary, it was loud. It did an incredible amount of damage. We were without power for 2 weeks. It's hard to believe that was 25 years ago. Alicia hit August 18, 1983. It was a category 3 hurricane with winds of 115 mph. Hurricane Ike is projected to be a category 3. If it peters out, then I will have bought my kids a month's worth of junk food and water for no reason. But I'm not messing around with this one.

We're putting plywood on some of the windows. Home Depot is limiting everyone to 3 sheets, or we'd being doing all of them. We've got gas for the generator and I'm filling the bathtubs up with water. My husband thinks I don't take storms seriously enough. Usually, he is concerned enough for both of us. This time, I'm concerned. Not worried, but concerned. Some of my friends listed on my blogroll live here too. Would you please pray for protection for us and for our neighbors?



In the meantime y'all, I'm hunkering down and getting ready for that summbitch. I think we're fixin' to get it. (forgive me, my Texan comes out during crisis mode.)



See you on the other side.