Hurricane Watching and Waiting

We're settled in with our friends in Baton Rouge watching the news coverage about Hurricane Katrina. We are happy to be safe and comfortable, but can't quite put away the nasty idea that tonight we might lose both houses and everything we own.

I'll just check in here when I know more about what happens next. Mr. Nola and I are weighing our options for each possible outcome. If we find ourselves homeless, I'll probably take the baby out to stay with my parents in California. Mr. Nola's employer will probably have some emergency housing for staff necessary to get the place back up and running. If Chateau Danneel is badly damaged and our tenants can't return, we'll lose about half our monthly income. That will have an adverse affect on our ability to pay the assorted mortgages.

Mr. Nola says: "I've never been homeless before! This should be interesting."

I was telling him about people on the news who were planning to stay on their boats in the fishing community of Houma. His response - "They're gonna die." It's not joke. I can sympathize with those people because their boats are certainly their most valuable assets and probably their livelihood. On the other hand, they are seriously risking their lives, and in some cases their childrens' lives.

It is likely that a lot of people will lose their lives tonight, because they either couldn't or wouldn't evacuate.

God help us all.