Hurricane Gustav (update)

Hurricane Gustav (update) Thanks be to God, the thing has left us with, relatively speaking, only minimal amounts of damage. For me and mine, my family is safe and the house is still standing and apart from a limb or two down on my kids' homes, limited telephone service and no electricity in places, we're just happy as we can be. Adios, Hurricane Gustav, adios.

That being said, I'm in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on Maui fretting about the condition of my family and friends. My children have never known a life without air conditioning and electronic gadgets and find life challenging in spite of their ability to adapt. Estimates for many areas in and around Baton Rouge are 3 to 4 weeks before electricity will be restored including my own place. For those without generators that means a lot of food spoiling and having to be disposed of.

Baton Rouge churches and volunteer organizations do what they can and have provided things like ice and food for anyone that needs it. They also provide an outlet for those needing to feel like they are doing something for someone by providing a way for them to serve. My own church, Healing Place Church, on Highland Road said there were as many as 600 volunteers daily passing out thousands of pounds of ice, cutting fallen trees and helping with essential services. (picture source: http://www.dinorizzo.com/) All very important to perpetuate a sense of community and show love in the Name of Jesus, the God we love. That's what it's all about.

Meanwhile, I'll sit here in Hawaii with survivor's guilt, thinking of my family in Louisiana and how they're dealing with every day life much like how I grew up. The worst part is, they were suddenly thrown into it without much preparation.

Here's some pictures taken from my daughter's street on Tupelo.  

You might also check out this website (unsolicited - I don't know these people) http://eveysblissfulgarden.com/Gustav/

Hurricane Gustav

Sunday night, August 31, 2008:

With a lot of trepidation, Darlene and I boarded the plane Sunday morning in Baton Rouge, headed for Maui. Friday and Saturday, we had made plans for the possibility of Hurricane Gustav hitting our home in southeast Louisiana. We had made plans to fly to Hawaii for several months now but as time approached and with all the news of an impending storm, we found ourselves packing up and leaving with mixed emotions.

Two years ago, we were on Maui when the earthquake happened. It was a first for both of us. Darlene was still in bed when the thing began to shake the condo while I was downstairs watching the chandelier sway.After the third time she had warned me to "quit shaking the bed", she realized it was a quake and when it was over, she ran to the loft balcony, looked down at me still in a state of shock and exclaimed, "Was that a ....... hurricane !!!?"

Two weeks ago, I was riding out tropical storm Fay in St Augustine, Florida and it was a nuisance but Gustav is a storm to be reckoned with. Any many ways it might be as devastating as Katrina.

As I sit here in Kihei, Maui, HI, I somehow wish I were there to ride out the storm with my kids and to watch over our own home. Hopefully there will be a home to return to. We shall see how it all unfolds in the next 24 hours.

A whole month off

Monday, home office told me they had no place to send me just for a week because I had a 3 week vacation coming up and they didn't want to send me out only to send me home again Friday. So, after major foul ups from the Carlson-Wagonlit Travel/Booking agent and airport delays from Tropical Storm Fay, I finally made it into Baton Rouge around 10 PM Monday night and glad to be there.

A new starter for Boudreau lay on the carport floor and winked at me and called my name as the garage door raised and we drove in. After Darlene left for work Tuesday morning, I had purposed myself to get the new starter installed, get the carport clean and be able to take a late afternoon ride.

As fate would have it, the nice folks at J & P cycles had sent me the wrong starter and poor Boudreau sat all torn apart. The nice lady somewhere in Iowa promised me they would get another right out but there was no chance it would get here before we boarded the plane for Maui Sunday morning.

So, I guess Boudreau will have to weather out Hurricane Gustav with all kinds of little greasy parts lying beneath it with only the companionship of Gary's Sportster while Darlene and I dodge falling coconuts on Maui for the next 3 weeks.

Fay, Fay, go away

She wasn't much of a bona fide Hurricane. Shortly after crossing over the Florida Keys, she hit the mainland again and slowed from a category 1 to a tropical storm. However, even though she wasn't a real hurricane, Fay took a slow methodical path up across the state and back into the Atlantic where she just sat there offshore and churned, and churned and churned. Within a weeks time, she had managed to water the entire state down all the way over to Alabama.

Great job Fay. You managed to disrupt business and lives for a week.

Finally, Friday afternoon life began to get back to normal for the northeast corner of the state and the tourists began to show up again by Saturday. Sunday was the first full day of normal August sun and the beach once again had volleyball, sun bathers and surfers.

I'll be wrapping up in St Augustine (3 1/2 months) and probably Monday or Tuesday, I will be looking for an airplane to either get back home for a long awaited vacation back on Maui again.