The Big Absence Topic 3.0

[Dr_Dad]

Admins, I'm sorry ... maybe this should go in another forum ... so move it wherever ...

If you guys remember, it was this time last year when we worried about Hurricane Ivan being the storm of the century for New Orleans ... a city destroyer.

I was one year too early.

We heard Katrina was passing over Florida as a weak hurricane on Thursday the 25th, and were told it might be passing into the Gulf and hitting the Florida Panhandle. We were on the outer edge of the "Cone of Probability" on the westernmost edge -- the best place to be. We weren't terribly concerned but we monitored the situation.

We got my eldest daughter packed up to move into the dorms at Tulane, and brought her and her stuff in early Saturday the 27th. We were bringing her around the campus, when there was suddenly an announcement. The University was closing as of 5PM -- Katrina was heading our way.

We left Carolyn's things in the dorm [she's on the sixth floor], brought Carolyn back with us, and left to go home. We saw this monster in the Gulf. And it was heading right for us.

My wife wanted to evacuate right then and there, so we did. No boarding up windows, no time to salvage anything, all we did was throw everything outside inside to keep iot from becoming projectiles. Then we left.

We arrived in my sister-in-law's house in Shreveprot in northwestern Louisiana about midnight early Sunday morning. We went to church and dinner with her and her husband, their kids, and one other sibling of my wife and his family. All our other family has safely evacuated. Now ... all we could do was wait.

This morning we watched CNN and any network we could find as Katrina tore inot our city. All the news reports said, "New Orleans had dodged a bullet; the storm passed to the east of them." And they were right. A direct hit or a western pass would have completely destroyed the city. "Sorry we disappointed you folks in the media."

But we were hardly -- HARDLY -- unscathed.

As far as we can see, the Interstate 10 which passes through the city which crosses the Orleans-Jefferson Parish line is maybe 15 feet underwater. That leads to our house ... and is less than 3 miles from our house. We hear reports of a local hospital having seven feet of water in it ... and that is 1 1/2 miles from our house. Finally we are hearing reprots that the waters of Lake Pontchartrain are lapping over the levees ... and they are 5 blocks from our home.

We have no idea how our house is. We have no idea when we can go home to see what has happened. We don't know about our friends, our neighbors, our children's school, our church ... There is no electricity, there is no potable water, there is glass and debris everywhere, all roads are nearly impassable, no one is letting us back in the city, none of our families knows for sure what is waiting for us back home, all landlines are down, all cell phone lines are jammed, no one can contact anyone ...

Best case scenario ... we have a few inches of water in our home, and we can salvage some things. Our house is a little higher than others in the area, and may be okay.

Worst case scenario ... we have 4 to 7 feet of water in our home. My entire Al collection is on the ground floor, and may likely be gone ... along with countless other items. And our house ... our entire nieghborhood ... may be permanently uninhabitable.

As a result, I don't know how or when I'll be back online here. I promise to update you as soon as I know what we are facing ... but it may be days, weeks, even a month, before any sense of normalcy can be restored.

So, I sit here at my sister-in-law's computer typing this, trying to make some sense of it. I ask for some prayers for everyone here on the Gulf Coast.

Ironic ... all we could do was sit and wait before it hit ... now even after it hit, all we can do is wait ....

See you.


Jim / Dr Dad

[weirdalfan95]

Thats terrible! Although, this might get locked since its Off Topic.

[queen_and_weirdal_fan]

It's sad. Really really sad. How New Orleans can get struck so badly when here, in Florida, we got so lightly. It was so small, we hardly got anything, and we live about 60 miles north of West Palm Beach. Wow.

[anthontherun]

Jim, I'll be praying for you, your family, and everyone effected by the hurricane. Hopefully everything will work out in the end.

[Teh Dingo]

Thanks for posting Jim. I was thinking about you today.

[minnick27]

Jim, I really hope everything is ok. But as long as your family is safe, thats what is important, everything else is just stuff. You will be in my prayers. Let us know if there is anything we can do for you and your family.

[queen_and_weirdal_fan]

Although, this might get locked since its Off Topic.

May not....Once I read it, well, I knew it wouldn't get locked....Although after it is over and New Orleans will re-coop, (which about 70-80% of the houses are to be blown away as our newspaper says), then it may.

Anyway, my thoughts and prayers are with New Orleans.

[DrSteggy]

Thanks for checking in, Jim...I was thinking about you and Lady Katia today.

I am glad you and your family are safe and sound...its hard to lose stuff, but a lot of stuff can be replaced...the storm can't take the memories you had in the house with your family.

You are in my thoughts in the days ahead.

Jackie

[MarlinsGirl]

I was also thinking about you Jim/Dr. Dad. I'm glad you and your family is safe.

Anyway, my thoughts and prayers are with New Orleans.

^what QAWAF said.


Terri M.

[Kevbo1987]

Thanks for posting, Jim. I was worried about you. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I wish you the best, and hope you can return to us soon.