Another Katrina...? Knock on wood!

This weekend is the 3rd anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. It is very eerie that it is on this weekend that we are looking at another storm heading our way.

I have spent the morning at Wal*Mart shopping for necessary provisions in case Gustav comes ashore near us. The store is almost totally out of water and there were no "C" or "D" cell batteries to be found either.

I bought all sorts of food I wouldn't want my kids eating in large quantities normally... crackers, spaghetti Os, chewy granola bars, trail mix. All good in small portions but nothing that sticks to the gut. Fearing that i won't see a good cooked meal for a few days I have bought a nice juicy steak for tonight's dinner. No matter that no one but me really likes steak. I will be one the one doing the groaning when the granola bars come out.

Reservations have been made for a northern evacuation. And great grandma's house is our destination if its an eastern evacuation. The kids are excited for hotel living. And if we go north they may even evacuate themselves to their cousins house just a few miles away from the hotel. (Oh wouldn't that be nice!)

It is good to remember that Katrina was an anomaly. 230 miles across with an eye of 80 miles is just crazy. Gustav is a peanut in comparison. The storm surge that destroyed the lower floor of our house will not happen again. The eves that blew out in our attic space and destroyed our master bedroom and bath have been fixed to the point that that can not happen again.

So I am bracing for a stress headache (I bought some Advil gel tabs for quick relief), some inconveniences and a poor diet for the next 5 day IF the storm comes our way. And praying that Doc can come with us too. (He is on call and may be required to stay at the hospital.)

I will tell you what I hate the most... that whether Gustav lands here or not, he will land. And if its not us, it will be someone else. Many others. And I sure don;t want anyone to have to go through what we went through 3 years ago. I just thank goodness that I am not pregnant. I was 6 months pregnant when Katrina hit. I felt useless during clean up. And without electricity, the heat was appalling. I saw a woman in the store today who was pregnant and I knew what she was in for if this storm hits us head on. Lets just pray that we all have the strength to look Gustav in the eye and carry on afterwards.

And if Gustav spares us then I am mostly prepared for the next one and the next one and the next one.