ETA 18 hrs

I decided last night to head from Crowley/Lafayette to Lake Charles to help Leigh Ann move all of her stuff up the the second floor after seeing that Lake Charles would be under a mandatory evacuation. The only people that would be allowed into the city after noon today would have to have official I.D., a letter from an employer, and a 24 hour contact number.




This is what it looks like when everything downstairs, moves upstairs...




They're definetly not playing around or taking any chances this time. There is a lot of tough talk from officials(as there should be) that no one will be assisted if they choose to ignore mandatory evacuations, and that looters will be arrested and sent to Angola prison, no questions asked, no warnings.



"MANDATORY EVACUATION NOW IN EFFECT!" On the corner of Lake street and Prien Lake, one of the busiest intersections in Lake Charles - only 3 other cars at noon. Advertising billboards converted to public service advisories.



It's looking like the Gustav will make landfall as a catagory 3 just to the west of New Orleans and to the south of Lafayette. Our local meteorologist said that it isn't outside the realm of possibility that the eye may pass right over us. We would see 70+ mile an hour winds cease in an instant, the rain stop, the sun come out - and within 30 minutes, the winds and rain instantly pick up again on the other side of the rotation.






But for now, everything looks great, its been a really nice day - we BBQ'd, filled up the generator, gassed up the chainsaws, put 4 gallons of water near the toilet labled "for toilet," and taped up the seams of the front door. I think we're ready - which is good, because it's 7:30 and I just heard the first bit of thunder.


Yes, that is U.S. Postal Service tape...


A caravan of school busses full of evacuees near my house.

Evacuations begin - 40 hours until landfall

We made the 3.5 hour drive north this afternoon to drop my grandparents off in Shreveport Louisiana. It was a bit eerie, seeing I-49 packed in the northbound lane, and in the southbound lane - seeing not much besides convoys of ambulances, hummers, and other military vehicles.




Gustav is of course now a Catagory 4 storm, and projected to become a cat 5 by tomorrow. If there is one saving grace it is that there is a band of cool water just off the coast that will slow it down a bit before it makes landfall on the Gulf Coast. This won't be much mercy if it still comes in as a cat. 4 (Katrina was a 3.)


The computer models have it moving more to the east now, closer to Baton Rouge, but no one will know with any certainty where exactly it will hit until tomorrow evening. No one in LA is going to come out of this unscathed, hurricane force winds will cover at least a 200 mile wide swath of coastline; I do have to admit some relief that the storm track has been adjusted. During Rita (a cat 1-2 storm) my girlfriends apartment had about 3 feet of water in it, I go to Lake Charles tomorrow to help move her washer and dryer up to the second floor along with the TV and everything else that needs a dolly.





It hasn't been all gloom and doom though, people here still have a sense of humor. My grandma, who has the beginning of Alzheimer's asked my mom when we were about to leave Shreveport, where my mom and I were going. When my mom told her that she was staying in Shreveport during the storm, she gave my mom the middle finger - my grandma is awesome.

On the way back, in the southbound lane of I-49, we were all alone for the most part, looking across the interstate median at long rows of cars stretching back as far as you could see in the northbound lane. Some gas stations had lines - all had people in U-Hauls, pulling trailers, campers, and boats with outboard motors - walking dogs.

I would imagine that by tomorrow at noon, interstate traffic will be redirected (counterflow) to allow the maximum amount of people to head away from the storms path. As it is already, you have to drive about 60 miles to even find gas.

But for today, we made a shortcut through a town called Mamou ("Maw-Moo.") Some clever farmer had pitched a tent in his front yard, propped up a piece of plywood on a tree next to it, and spray-painted an arrow and big letters - "<-----Hurricane Shelter."

:(

grrrr....

I was planning on making my departure on the 5th or 6th to drive up to NY, we'll have to see how this goes...



Helpful hints for a hurricane(stolen from Amy)

If you're new to the area, you're probably wondering what you need to do to prepare for the possibility that we'll get hit by 'the big one.” Based on our experiences, we recommend that you follow this simple three-step hurricane preparedness plan:

STEP 1. Buy enough food and bottled water to last your family for at least three days.

STEP 2. Put these supplies into your car.

STEP 3. Drive to Nebraska and remain there until Thanksgiving.

Unfortunately, statistics show that most people will not follow this sensible plan. Most people will foolishly stay here in Louisiana.


Therefore, we'll start with one of the most important hurricane preparedness items:

HOMEOWNERS' INSURANCE:
If you own a home, you must have hurricane insurance. Fortunately, this insurance is cheap and easy to get, as long as your home meets two basic requirements: (1) It is reasonably well-built, and (2) It is located in Nebraska.

Unfortunately, if your home is located in Louisiana or any other area that might actually be hit by a hurricane, most insurance companies would prefer not to sell you hurricane insurance, because then they might be required to pay YOU money, and that is certainly not why they got into the insurance business in the first place.

So you'll have to scrounge around for an insurance company, which will charge you an annual premium roughly equal to the replacement value of your house.

At any moment, this company can drop you like used dental floss. Since Hurricane Andrew, I have had an estimated 27 differenthome-insurance companies. This week, I'm covered by the Bob and Big Stan Insurance Company, under a policy which states that, in addition to my premium, Bob and Big Stan are entitled, on demand, to my kidneys.

SHUTTERS:
Your house should have hurricane shutters on all the windows, all the doors, and -- if it's a major hurricane -- all the toilets.

There are several types of shutters, with advantages and disadvantages:

Plywood shutters: The advantage is that, because you make them yourself, they're cheap. The disadvantage is that, because you make them yourself, they will fall off.

Sheet-metal shutters: The advantage is that these work well, once you get them all up. The disadvantage is that once you get them all up, your hands will be useless bleeding stumps, and it will be December.

Roll-down shutters: The advantages are that they're very easy to use, and will definitely protect your house. The disadvantage is that you will have to sell your house to pay for them.

'Hurricane-proof'' windows: These are the newest wrinkle in hurricane protection: They look like ordinary windows, but they can withstand hurricane winds! You can be sure of this, because the salesman says so. He lives in Nebraska.


'Hurricane Proofing Your Property: As the hurricane approaches, check your yard for movable objects like barbecue grills, planters, patio furniture, visiting relatives, etc. You should, as a precaution, throw these items into your swimming pool (if you don't have a swimming pool, you should have one built immediately). Otherwise, the hurricane winds will turn these objects into deadly missiles.


EVACUATION ROUTE:
If you live in a low-lying area, you should have an evacuation route planned out. (To determine whether you live in a low-lying area, look at your driver's license; if it says 'Louisiana' you live in a low-lying area.) The purpose of having an evacuation route is to avoid being trapped in your home when a major storm hits. Instead, you will be trapped in a gigantic traffic jam several miles from your home, along with two hundred thousand other evacuees. So, as a bonus, you will not be lonely.


HURRICANE SUPPLIES:
If you don't evacuate, you will need a mess of supplies. Do not buy them now! Louisiana tradition requires that you wait until the last possible minute, then go to the supermarket and get into vicious fights with strangers over who gets the last can of SPAM.

In addition to food and water, you will need the following supplies:

• 23 flashlights.

• At least $167 worth of batteries that turn out, when the power goes out, to be the wrong size for the flashlights.

• Bleach. (No, I don't know what the bleach is for. NOBODY knows what the bleach is for.But it's traditional, so GET some!)

• A 55-gallon drum of underarm deodorant.

• A big knife that you can strap to your leg (This will be useless in a hurricane, but it looks cool.

• A large quantity of raw chicken, to placate the alligators. (Ask anybody who went through A hurricane; after the hurricane, there WILL be irate alligators.

• $35,000 in cash or diamonds so that, after the hurricane passes, you can buy a generator from a man with no discernible teeth.

Of course these are just basic precautions. As the hurricane draws near, it is vitally important that you keep abreast of the situation by turning on your television and watching TV reporters in rain slickers stand right next to the Gulf and tell you over and over how vitally important it is for everybody to stay away from the Gulf.

Good luck and remember: It's great living in paradise! Those of you who aren't here yet, you should come.

Moving to New Yawk

Moving to Long Island in September. Also, this is useful:

http://blanksheetofpaper.com/