things to do

1. freak out
2. board up the windows
3. freak out
4. stock up on water, batteries and candles
5. freak out

i think everyone has accomplished numbers 1, 3 and 5 to my satisfaction already. it's hard to make myself stay calm and not get sucked into everyone else's emergency. the lines to buy plywood were out the door into the parking lot. no one has bottled water in stock - people are driving 30 - 45 minutes to find some.

being the raging genius i am, when i did my grocery shopping yesterday, i bought some meat, milk and other spoilable things. so, now we're having to take coolers full for food with us on our trip inland. the thing that i am most looking forward to is getting my cats in their carriers and listening to them growl and howl for 2 hours in the car. and it should be fairly interesting to see how they interact with my in-laws' dogs.

the captain is outside trimming branches and putting plywood up over the windows. i am surprised at how few of our neighbors are doing this. i have a folder full of important documents ready to be packed in my suitcase. punkin's school is closed until monday. it's all really getting surreal.

of course, the politicians and local emergency groups are taking this opportunity to repeatedly draw attention to the fact that this time, they're doing it right. there are 3 million* buses standing by to evacuate the old folks' homes and "the infirm." galveston island is under a mandatory evacuation and the only road in will be closed come tomorrow. they also have 3 million* buses taking the people with no other means of transportation to shelters further inland. yep, they're doing it right this time - everyone is properly panicked. i bet the evacuees from new orleans are thrilled for us.

* a slight exaggeration