[RiverGal]

Hey Everyone ~ Since I am on the NE coast of Fl, the storm is nowhere us. My friend is up here from Key West and said that they were spared but Miami took a good lick...jet skiing in the streets!

This storm is scaring me for the Gulf Coast residents...a CAT 5 is beyond my comprehension...sure destruction.

I have already decided that if another hits here this year, Beau (the dawg) and I are heading out to CA to stay with dl. At least I know Beau would be welcome and there is NO WAY I go without him. Just don't have it in me to face another storm this year...

~Deb

[skinnylou]

Twin Sis~Maybe one of each! That way we would all be right. My best friend is a fraternal twin. Definitely twins!

The traffic is picking up South to North here in East TX. As people in LA move North and the hotels fill they head west and being only 2 hours off the state line they head my way. Nothing like when Galveston is threatened though.

[FL_GirlByProxy]

Deb, thanks for checking in. It does seem like the storm situation has worsened over the past few years, doesn't it? Freaky and scary. Lots of folks decide after awhile that it's just to stressful to be there, so sad to feel like there's a need to move one's home.

Ken's watching the weather channel right now. I don't think he'll ever want to live anywhere except New England.

Hi Skinny! I'm hoping and praying that everyone drives safely.

Have a good night everybody.

[RiverGal]

Just saw dl's post...guess we were cross-posting. Actully, it was not last night's conversation that the weather was kicking...it was the night before. Remember that the phone got fried? Last night was the "breaking in" of the new phone.

One benefit to us is that the water is rising because of the pressure in the Gulf and the algee is beginning to move on out of the river. It really IS scary that nature seems to be in such turmoil right now.

Brandy has been in touch with Maia (who is fleeing the storm from LA). It is just horrid!

Sally ~ dl forwarded your pics to me...WOW!!! They are awesome! You have such an eye for detail, and the composition is excellent in each one. Girl, there is some serious talent going on there...I hope you will persue it! Beauty like that needs to be shared.

Some of the finest photographers (IMO) are published in National Geographic and your work easily equals theirs...breathtaking!

~Deb

[Twin Sis]

Originally Posted by skinnylou

Twin Sis~Maybe one of each! That way we would all be right. My best friend is a fraternal twin. Definitely twins!

Well, we know that ti's two of the same gender. We just don't know which one. So that rules out one of each.

[cmdunn1972]

Carol, so sorry for your loss.

FYI for you and anyone else learning how to deal grief and the loss of a loved one. There are 2 websites that have chatrooms and message boards for the grieving tht I recommend. (I found them both helpful after losing my DH's brother to suicide earlier this month.):

http://www.healingafterloss.org/cgi-...ultimatebb.cgi
http://www.groww.org/gr.htm

[FL_GirlByProxy]

Wow, what a day. First, I hope everyone out there in the path of this storm is okay!

Eric and Kristen began school today, and they had a great day! Books are covered, medical paperwork is done (Good Lord there is so much paper!), and we are ready for tomorrow. It is ridiculously muggy out, so gross and sticky.

I went to school today too, and our kids began today. The day flew, and I'm exhausted. First-graders are a busy bunch! They are so funny and cute! Some are so quiet and some are such chatters, it's amazing how different kids can be! I had a blast, and I'm heading up to bed super early! When I got home this afternoon, I talked to Eric and Kristen about their days, and then I fell asleep for an hour. If I didn't have to make dinner, I would have slept right through tomorrow! It's so funny to now have a day filled with tracing and reading and stories and snacks and lunch and recess!! Very different!!

Goodnight Everyone!!

[Twin Sis]

So glad to hear that things are going well for you LeeAnn. It's fun to be around kids. They keep you young.

How are you all of you in the storm holding up? I hope that you are all ok.

This is one wild storm. It's frightening to see the rage of nature!!!

[GE_Glows]

Well - I'm back in California - but spent the whole day yesterday trying to get here - the storm has me on the ground in Atlanta for 6 hours - UGH. I understand our 2 hotels in New Orleans are ok but have some water damage. We live pretty close to Deb now so the storm was no where near us either - anybody heard from Christi Bender?

GE

[chrismh]

Hi GE, how goes it? Getting excited about this Sat? I wonder. Yeh, believe you are.
Christi is fine, just lots of branches down and stuff all over. Lost power, but not for long. Shes doing okay, only having some trouble with one of her horses now.
A new segment of your life is about to begin. I'm happy for you and Bill and the girls.
Chris

[katnap80]

Hi all... am not in the frame of mind to chit chat right now and am going to be a little selfish......In addition to all Katrinas victims, say a little word for my brother his pregnant wife and 3 yr old son. They are just outside Jackson MS and we can not get thru to them. We are very close and in my heart I feel they are ok, but just in case.....The in laws are just outside Hattiesburg and they were hit , according to what I've been seeing.
You guys seem to "have the power".
Love
Karla

[katnap80]

I am in a little better frame of mind. had to have an injection of positive thoughts....before I could continue. Still no news, but remain optimistic that NO NEWS is GOOD NEWS.
Chris... thank for updating us on Christi. One more to cross off the worry list. I have so many "friends" that are in Katrinas pathway. Most of them are to the north, so should be ok. We endure the rain and snow all the time......

And thru all this we still have some good news.
LeeAnn, your first day with the kids sounds wonderful. It is going to take awhile for you to get into a routine. Until such time, do what is necessary and sleep when you're tired. No use overdoing it and being tired until Xmas break. Hope you continue to love your job....

Gayle, Gayle, Gayle.... the days are flying by. Before you know it, you will be MRS. BILL. Remember, we want to see pictures.........
Wishing the 4 of you nothing but everlasing happiness.

Deb... glad to see the icky algae is leaving your precious river. Hope you continue to be "SAFE".

You're all in my thoughts and Prayers.
"K"

[dpen6]

katnap...hope you here soon from your family...that must be so hard!!

[katnap80]

OMG.... I forgot to let you guys know. Bro finally was able to get thru to dad at dinner time and let him know that they were ok. Back to basic living, but their new house remains standing and very little damage in their immediate area. No hydro, water or phone service except sporatic cell phones, but most importantly, they are ok. He has not been able to contact his inlaws in the Hattiesburg area, but I my positive thoughts say they are alright as well.
Thanks gals.....

[dl]

MissngLinkInFl ~

I have already decided that if another hits here this year, Beau (the dawg) and I are heading out to CA to stay with dl. At least I know Beau would be welcome and there is NO WAY I go without him. Just don't have it in me to face another storm this year...

Deb, you know you and Beau would be TOTALLY welcome to seek safe haven here anytime!!! It's amazing to me that some people don't consider their faithful companions when faced with an emergency situation. We can all talk about being helpless and having no choice, but IMO, we have domesticated animals and made them dependent on us and they end up the truly helpless ones with no choice.

As one that lives in Southern California and faces earthquakes and fires, the biggest issue in my emergency plan is my four legged children. My friends and I are aware and serve as back up for each other to rescue our pets in the case of an emergency. I have tennis shoes in my car so I can always attempt to walk home if something happens if I'm not home when an emergency hits so I can at least try to get home to my pets. In the early 90's when my parents had to evacuate their house due to the closeness of the Laguna fires, their dog was their priority. There's no way they would have left their dog to fend for herself with an impending fire to their home. If it wasn't safe enough for them to be there it wasn't safe enough for their dog to be there. I would leave my house and sleep in my car with my dogs before I would just leave them here helpless.

I was watching CNN tonight and they showed a man sitting on his roof ~ his house surrounded by water and he had his arm around his dog. I saw an interview with a woman that was rescued by a neighbor who had a boat . She was up in a tree with her dog in her arms and the neighbor rescued them both. She said she could not bear to leave her faithful companion behind. I could so totally relate to these people. How one could just leave a helpless animal behind to fend for themselves totally escapes me.

This reminds me of an email that a friend shared with me:

Best Friend

A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered
dying, and that the dog had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.

After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight. When he was standing before it, he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother of pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold.

He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side. When he was close enough, he called out,

"Excuse me, where are we?" "This is Heaven, sir," the man answered.

"Wow! Would you happen to have some water?" the man asked.
"Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some
ice water brought right up." The man gestured, and the gate began to open.

"Can my friend," gesturing toward his dog, "come in, too?" the traveler asked.

"I'm sorry, sir, but we don't accept pets." The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going.
After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road which led through a farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw
a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book.

"Excuse me!" he called to the reader. "Do you have any water?"
"Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there" The man pointed to a place that
couldn't be seen from outside the gate. "Come on in."

"How about my friend here?" the traveler gestured to the dog.
"There should be a bowl by the pump" the man answered.

They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it. The traveler filled the bowl and took a long
drink himself, and then he gave some to the dog. When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree waiting for them.

"What do you call this place?" the traveler asked. "This is Heaven," was the answer.

"Well, that's confusing," the traveler said. "The man down the road said that was Heaven, too."

"Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and
pearly gates? Nope. That's Hell."

"Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?"

"No. I can see how you might think so, but we're just
happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their
best friends behind."