I don't think that Karen will mind, but I had an email tonight that she and family are leaving for Houston in the morning and may even go further if need be. Thank G*d.

May they stay safe, all of them in the way.

Peppi

My thoughts will be with our CF friends and everyone in the path of Gustav. Please stay safe and get out of the way!

Alexa

Not sure that Houston is far enough.
My grandson, the same one that got blown out of New Orleans 3 years ago left yesterday for Austin, as they closed Loyola as of yesterday.
I keep hoping for some mirical to make this thing fizzle out...
Linda C

Oh my, I hope our girls and their families are safe!

May and Karen...check in when you can. Let us know you are OK.

Linda

Ack.

Karen & May and anyone else of our group, keep safe. Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you all at this time.

JimTex is in the path also, not far from May. My thoughts and prayers for all that deal with Gustav. On the news here last night, they were talking Category 5 "not as "if" it goes to Category 5, but "when".

Sending love and prayers for safety to May, Karen, and Jim. Brenda, are you sufficiently far enough away to be safe? Cathy, you might get some heavy wind and rain, so you be careful too!
DONNA

Prayers are with everybody who's in the path of this storm.

Crossing Cuba has degassed Gustav more than anticipated...but now it's crossing that Loop in the Gulf where storms get really juiced up. I'm praying & crossing fingers Gustav doesn't regain yesterday's strength. Somebody's gonna get slammed...it's got to go 'somewhere'...hoping it makes landfall in a lightly populated area.

Be safe everybody around the Gulf!

/t
P.S. What's up with that Hanna? Is it being affected by Gustav? My biggest fear with Hanna is that it will pass thru the FL Straits & pop out in the Gulf???

I've been thinking about everyone in that area. Glad to hear Karen is getting out of it's path. Please stay safe everyone.

Tracey

Take care all! Give us an update when you can. It's muggy here in NC, but no sign of hurricanes, mud slides, earthquakes, brush fires, tornados or blizzards for the next 24 hours.

My thoughts and prayers are with all that are in the path of Gustave. Stay safe!!!

Nancy

Thinking dry thoughts. Head for the hills!

Ditto what Nancy and all the others have said. I'm hoping and praying for all in Gustave's path.

Sally

It looks like evacuation traffic is a nightmare. I did notice last night that Jim is in are too! I hope you all travel safely. I will be watching the progress and praying for your safety.

Cathy

Some people in the direct path on the Dec Forum as well - having followed their anguish of rebuilding has brought another insight into the emotional toll these storms have taken on our friends here at GW. Prayers to everyone in these areas. This makes our everyday worries so trivial.

I'm adding my hopes and prayers that Gustav will lose some of its strength before it hits land. Stay safe, everyone, it's quite a start to the hurrican season, I hope it stays calmer the rest of the year.

Annie

Another who is hoping that everyone remains safe! Will be keeping all of you in my thoughts and prayers.

Shelley

My mom is in mandatory evac and trying to get to Florida right now, but the interstate is closed eastbound into Alabama. She lives near the water and they are expecting storm surge to be a problem on the east side of the storm. Not sure where she'll end up.

All of my NOLA family left already -- to Houston, Atlanta, Florida, Tennessee. Two of my cousins there only got out of their FEMA trailer this summer, and their house still isn't finished. They told me last night they won't do anymore work on it until after hurricane season.

And my favorite cousin lives on the West Bank, very near the Harvey Canal. She was already on vacation with her children, so didn't have to evacuate. But, she was unable to get anything out of her house so she will lose everything (photos, etc) because her husband is a riverboat pilot and must ride it out on the river and he couldn't get anything out either.

Things don't look good for that area. I'm so glad I moved away. I hate hurricane season.

i've been thinking about all those poor folks in harm's way all week. it's just plain sad. so many people are still homeless or only "underway" from katrina and now this? politics and money aside, i'm delighted to know that people ARE evacuating to safer areas and most assuredly send my best wishes to everyone who calls this area home! i sent a note to cindy mac several hours ago and she responded long enough to say that she and mike (who works on an oil rig) had just finished storm prep. i hope by now that they too are on their way to someplace else! good luck to everyone!

Donna, yes we are about 2 hours from the coast and doesn't look like we will get anything from even the outter bands this time. The last one, we got some dminor damage on a really strong outter band I wasn't prepared for.

It seems though that Gustav is coming down in strength for the time being, let's hope it stays that way, however, a Category 3 is still awful. Wasn't that what Rita or Katrina was when they came on shore?

I just heard on the news that Karen's town is a ghost town. Her town and her property suffered so much damage with Katrina and Rita.

(((((thinking of all of you))))))

Sorry I'm just now checking in! Thanks for all the well wishes and kind thoughts!!

Things are calm here, possibly the calm before the storm. The prediction has remained steady over the past few days, they still think it's headed for somewhere between New Orleans & Houston. If it hits right smack in between, that's Karen's area, right where Rita hit.

The thing about Rita is, it actually was one of the most devastating hurricanes in history. But because it was preceded by Katrina three weeks earlier, that's not widely recognized. That area around Beaumont (in Texas) and Lake Charles (in Louisiana) does not need to see another hurricane any more than New Orleans does. I'm very worried and sympathetic to those people.

I'm really glad Karen has left. Best thing!

If it does hit Houston, the real pain will be felt in Galveston (where it actually would hit before Houston) and in the areas between Galveston and Houston, including low lying areas near the Houston Ship Channel, the manmade waterway which brings ships in from the Gulf. I'm far enough inland that I wouldn't need to evacuate. We could and probably will get flooding if Gustav does come through here. High winds will knock down tree branches and trees, and there will be power outages. For me, that's the worst I have to look forward to. As soon as the storm passes the flooding would abate.

In 1983, when Alicia hit, we lost power for three days, and you could see the path of the storm by looking at all the trees which were bent in the same direction. It was erie. We suffered a tropical storm about a month later that wasn't even named, which caused severe flooding much worse than the hurricane. Which just goes to show how unpredictable the whole thing can be.

My plan, as always, is to "hunker down". During Rita, that phrase was repeated ad nauseam on all the local news stations, and it sort of became a joke for me. Having lived here all my life, the idea of evacuating from where I live, ~50 miles inland, was not meaningful. And I feel safe in saying that had Katrina not devastated New Orleans a short three weeks earlier, the panic & fear that lead to the mass evacuation wouldn't have played as large a role. People as far as 75-80 miles (and more) inland were evacuating, which was just crazy!

In all seriousness, in this area, Galveston and areas southeast of Downtown Houston should evacuate (and those are the areas which get the mandatory evac orders). Aside from those areas, only those would suffer medical problems due to a loss of power should leave. Others should stay put, so that the escape routes don't get overcrowded. Of course no one would ever say "stay put", too many possible repercussions.

In any case, I wish for safety of life and limb for all, most importantly. Secondly, I hope for minimal property damage & loss. The best thing that can happen is for Gustav to hit a minimally populated area, probably southwest of Houston.

I actually have plans to get together with some friends tomorrow, although I'm not sure that's actually going to happen now. I'll check in when I can.

May

May thanks for updating us and glad to hear that you'll be safe, although inconvenienced. Stay safe everyone!

Still looking for news on when it'll hit land.....I flip channels and all I get is pictures of news casters standing in a driving rain and saying "ain't it awful!".
Has it come ashore?
Linda C

Sending positive thoughts your way. Stay safe!

Came onshore about 30-40 minutes ago, Linda as a Cat 3. So far, no big damage...at least where the talkin' heads are. Power's still on in NOLA. It hit about 45 miles SW of NOLA...south of Houma.

I haven't heard anything about surge except for Sidell where it's only 3-4' but that's a long ways from the eye.

/t

Aren't those reporters, and their bosses, some of the stupidest people on earth? I mean, really, do we really need to see them standing in the rain and wind, risking their lives and the lives of potential rescuers, so they can tell us how windy and rainy it is?

I'm still hoping for as little damage and injury as possible for those in the affected areas. As for me, I'm hoping it comes our way so we can get some rain, but we only have a 50% chance of getting anything from Gustave.

Sally

Looks like Houston is pretty much in the clear. There's a very small chance it will work its way over here by Wed afternoon but even if it does, the most we'll get is some rain I think. New Orleans is getting the brunt of it right now as the eye makes its way over land. There was one fatality on the highway between NO and Baton Rouge, and the news guys keep repeating, stay off the road!

Karen's area also has a chance of getting wind and rain, but nothing like it would have if Gustav had made landfall further west. I hope it fizzles out quickly now that it's over land.

My plans for the day are going forward as the sun is out and no rain in sight.

Parts of the Mississippi Coast has gotten a storm surge of 10-12 feet and is still rising. Fox News has coverage of it.

Hey guys, We are safe and sound in Houston. Thanks for thinking about us. I brought my laptop with me but I'm having problems getting a connection.

I called my home but the answering machine does not pick up...so we are out of electricity. I think I may go home tomorrow and check on things then leave if we have none. It could be a mini vacation.

I'll try to check back in soon. Thank you all for the good thoughts.

May (lowspark), I almost descended on you!

Karen,
You have to know that you would have been more than welcome!! Any time, my friend!

Cathy, xoxoxoxox!

How are you?

I'm glad to see that May and Karen are OK, and Mustangs and Brenda. Now, how about Jim?

So Gustav lost some of its strength, Hanna is still out there, Ike is coming up and they're already predicting another one....

Annie

Hi Karen, I was so worried about your home. I hope all is in good stead when you return!
Hugs,
Ellen

Hey Karen, Lk Charles has been the focus of the news most of yesterday so, of course, you have been on my mind constantly. You and Charles must feel a lot of anxiety right now. I know you are just recovering from Hurricane Rita; I can't imagine having to go through that again.

((((Cathy))))

Karen and May, I am so happy to read that you are all safe.

Karen, I sure do hope that the worst is a defrosting fridge and freezer. Yell if you need anything.....

I saw a projection map this morning that shows Hanna heading for the Carolinas.

I've also seen Lake Charles on the news a lot. Karen, I'm hoping the power outage is your only problem.

Annie

I am hoooome! I am hoooome! I don't have any damage. I don't have any damage! *just imaging me dancing around in circles*

The yard is a mess with LOTS of branches, but we are all ok and it looks like our neighbors are ok.

Wow, I saw Lake Charles on the news and it looked like we were swung around a bit. The lake had white caps and all. Still it was nothing like Rita.

I'm not even unpacking...just waiting to see what Ike is gonna do. ~sigh~

Oh Karen, I'm so glad that you're OK so far. Now I'm sending those thought waves to push Ike away.....

Annie

Karen, glad to hear all is OK. I was holding my breath. Don't unpack! That is the best way to make sure Ike stay's away.

Nancy

Thank Heaven! I am so relieved to hear no major damage! Maybe time for bonfire and a giant marshmallow roast.

Great news Karen!

Yippeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was worried that Cathy and I would have to come down and do a clean up. I think we would rather party.

Whoo hoo!!! That's great news, now sending vibes to keep Ike at bay!
Ellen

Yay!!! So glad you are safe and did not come home to a damaged house, Karen! DON'T UNPACK!!! Keep the bags at the usual exit door and act like you are ready to bolt at any minute! Hopefully that will send good voodoo to keep Ike away.

It's pretty bad all over when *they* are waiting on one storm and already have two more named??? Sheeesh!

Great news Karen (aka awesome swap partner) !!!!!

Great news! everyone & their homes & animals are okay !!
Ike & Hanna ............