Hurricane Ike

Friends:

I find it very strange that on the anniversary of a tragic moment in U.S. history (9/11), here we are awaiting another hurricane. Less than two weeks ago, we were remembering Katrina on August 29, while we were awaiting Gustav’s landfall.

This morning began with a deluge. Rain sliced through the air as though it were looking for a place to hide. My magnolia trees, always reverent to the falling rain, shuddered at its menacing touch. Water gathered, puddled and slinked into a nearby drainage grate. I watched and listened as the rain slapped my already-tired rooftop.

September 11, 2008 - It's Raining, It's Pouring...

It seemed like an omen, a foretelling… Hurricane Ike traverses his way through the Gulf, defying predictions, seemingly taunting meteorologists: “Where do you think I will land?!” His reach is wide and his scare tactics work. One million people have evacuated from coastal Texas. Several thousand more from coastal Louisiana. As of this writing, he seems to be heading to the Galveston/Houston area. If he lands as a Category 3 (as the weathermen predict), he will cause catastrophic damage to Texas and even more damage to an already beleaguered, weather-beaten Louisiana.

The friends who sheltered us for two months after Katrina live in Southwest Houston. I worry about them. I pray for them. But most of Houston has been ordered to “hunker down” and weather the storm in order to avoid the inevitable gridlock traffic that would ensue when you try to evacuate four million people from one place (it happened during Hurricane Rita three years ago). Not wanting to repeat that debacle, Texas officials ask Houstonians to stay put.

So as Ike prepares to strike, I leave my family to drive to Jackson, Mississippi. I have shows in the morning at an area school. After the past couple of weeks, I am ready to soak in the joy that children radiate. They will be my sunshine during this stormy weather!

I left in the early evening and met with bumper-to-bumper traffic atop the Crescent City Connection. Several police cars and ambulances whirred by so I imagine there was a sizeable wreck causing the bottleneck.

September 11, 2008 - Bumper to Bumper on the Crescent City Connection

As I traveled I-10 West to I-55 North, I crossed over the Bonnet Carre Spillway. This short stretch of elevated Interstate crosses over Lake Pontchartrain. The lake’s water was high and wind-shredded waves crested angrily into foaming white caps.

September 11, 2008 - White Caps on Lake Pontchartrain

I stopped in Pontchatoula, Louisiana (home of the best Louisiana strawberries) for some gas. A week and a half after Gustav and we are still experiencing a gas shortage. Thank goodness they had regular.

September 11, 2008 - Gas Shortage

Unfortunately, if Hurricane Ike hits Houston, a major oil producer, we may be seeing gas pumps like this all over the country.

The next part of my journey reads like a “Fortunately, Unfortunately” tale.

Unfortunately, when I made it to Jackson, it began pouring. My not-so-perfect GPS took me to No Man’s Land instead of my hotel. Fortunately, I had the hotel’s number and was able to get directions. Unfortunately, one of the entrances was closed and I drove past the hotel. Fortunately, I found the right entrance and I was pleased to see how big and inviting the hotel looked. Unfortunately, it was still raining when I parked. Fortunately, a security guard in a golf cart drove me from my car to the hotel door. Unfortunately, the front desk clerk informed me that they did NOT have my reservation! Fortunately, someone misfiled my reservation under “L” for “Las Casas” and I was given two keys to my suite. All’s well that ends well. Fortunately.

September 11, 2008 - The Fortunate Bed or Is It the Fortunate Guest?

So now my king-size bed beckons as does a new book and a 6:00 a.m. wake-up call. Let’s pray that Ike weakens, the large metropolitan area is spared, and our friends in the hurricane zone make it okay. God watch over them.

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

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