Getting ready for Ike

Well, we are busily preparing for Hurricane Ike to hit.  It has been exhausting.  We live an hour from the coast, but in Katy we are still expecting up to 100 mph winds, 4-8 inches of rain and no power for . . . well, who knows how long. I'm hoping it won't be for more than a few days. (can you even imagine?  No A/C for a few DAYS!!! We still have 90+ degree weather here!!!) We've purchased lots of water, re-filled our water barrels (those of you who helped us move know what I'm talkin' about . . .),  bought lots of bread, milk, batteries, ice, non-perishable foods and now we're doing all the laundry and stowing things from the yard into the garage. We're NOT boarding up the windows, but who knows . . . maybe we should.  Hopefully if a window breaks, our Landlord will get over here quickly to fix it (yeah, right).  

In addition to all of this, I have tried to "ready the house" for Matt's parents to come, AND pack for our trip.  Remember? We're SUPPOSED to be going to Kauai on Sunday and Matt's parents are coming to stay with our kids while we're gone for a week.  That is, if we can still get out of here on Sunday.  Already, Houston (Hobby) airport is closing down at 9am tomorrow (Friday) morning and will stay closed until further notice.  Yeah, we're supposed to fly out of Houston Hobby airport.  Can you say, BITTER?  That's an understatement.  On top of all of that,  if we CAN get on a flight Sunday afternoon like we're supposed to, Matt's parents won't even make it into Houston until Sunday NIGHT -- because they've already been delayed that long.  So now, I have to make contingency plans for the care of my kids, until Matt's parents get here -- and who knows, we still may not have POWER then!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Ok.  I'm trying to calm down.  It's only that I've looked forward to this trip for, what, almost a year?  Anyway . . . . 

I am trying to focus on one thing at a time.  #1 - prepare for Hurricane. #2 - survive Hurricane.  #3 - recover from Hurricane.  #4 - take kids to neighbor's house while my in-laws are enroute to our house. #5 - drive to airport and hope our plane takes off to Kauai. #6 - try not to worry about where the kids are, how they are doing, if our house has electricity or not, and if Matt's parents can figure out how to manage in a strange house with 3 grandchildren, since I won't be able to give them any instructions in person (remember I'll already be gone before they get here). #7 - have a good time in Kauai. 

That about covers it.

Oh, one more thing . . . as you listen to the news, we live IN Harris County -- where some zip codes are under a Mandatory evacuation (not ours however - we live in 77450).  Right now, as of this evening  (Thursday), the eye of the hurricane is projected to pass right over Katy as it moves inland.  Nice.