And oh, the windy weather...

Hurricane Ike is officially on shore in Galveston. We're at home in Houston, as they keep telling us to do on the news, hunkering down. I've lived around the gulf coast for 34 of my 41 years and this is the first hurricane that I've stayed to ride out...voluntarily, anyway. We evcuated from Rita in 2005, a 19-hour journey through more than a couple of the circles of hell, and ended up smack in the middle of the storm in a lakehouse on Lake Livingston. Which is a trip that normally takes an hour and a half, but that's another story. Here's 1000 words of it:





Today we're sitting in our living room waiting for Ike to come visit. We just took a walk over to the park and checked out the wind and clouds. Nothing too spectacular yet, but it's starting to get windy and at this point we're pretty much inside for the duration. We've got me, Tim, Jordan, and his girlfriend Neyana.

Here's the whole compound crew this afternoon. Yes, everyone in a New Monsoon shirt. Monsoon trumps hurricane around THIS place for sure! Let's hope life imitates art.

I can't say I'm feeling incredibly brave, but I'm not too scared right now either. If Tim would turn off the news I'd be happier. We were rocking earlier (aka playing Rock Band on the PS3) and that's much more fun than seeing water rising alarmingly over the giant surfide beach bridge (right near where we got married), or pictures of the west end of Galveston underwater (right where Mom & Mario's house is). But I'm dealing. The wind is just picking up outside and the big trees over the lounge aka clubhouse are waving faster and faster. The eye is probably going to pass over us and that will be a first for me...I'm a little stoked. It's not every day you get to feel the eye of a hurricane. Thank goodness.


Public apology now to Tim, I did have a breakdown earlier today. And to be fair, yesterday too. But I'm saying I got that out of the way early! We're boarded up and have plenty of food, water, candles, ice, flashlights, batteries, even an awesome crank lantern Tim's mom got off of QVC. We're all set. He boarded up the windows and everything. They don't call my man Safety Tim for nothing!






The Queen of Everything's former fun closet is one of our safety rooms. If we have to huddle up in there, we'll weather the storm with the winter coats, Tim's suits, Jordan's hanging clothes, my wedding dress, the day-glo moon August painted for my 40th birthday party decorations, a giant pair of fairy wings, and a collection of sparkly hats. Still sounds like a pretty fun closet, no?



Speaking of my mom and Mario, they evacuated safely on Thursday to Dallas and are there safe with Amy, who was so resourceful she even got them the use of an empty apartment downstairs in her complex. Nicely done, Ames!



I started out this week in Fairfax, Virginia for work, and I was scheduled to fly home from Reagan to Bush (seriously! DCA -> IAH, my least favoritely named flight path) and arrive today at 4:19. About noon Wednesday I had my first (relatively minor) breakdown in my new new boss's office asking him if I could change my flight and get myself home. The afternoon of checking email, click2houston.com, and weather.com and calling Dana in travel ended with my friend Sheila racing out of our training class early with me to rush me to the hotel. I checked out in record time and her GPS got us to the Vienna Metro station in a flash, and the next thing I knew I was on a plane home and hugging my very relieved husband by 10:00pm. I couldn't have handled being away from Tim and Jordan for this, that's for sure, and I'm so thankful my boss and company were so understanding and let me come home.


Of course I was a basket case yesterday, did nothing but semi-effectively prepare for the storm. I kept bouncing from one task to another and texting Tim (who had to work, don't even get me started about how angry I am that HISD didn't close yesterday to let teachers get prepared for things like EVERYBODY ELSE DID.... sorry I digress) and calling Jordan ("put your check in the bank, get cash, get gas in your car, ...") and generally freaking out until I hit my head so hard on a cabinet that I saw stars, had to sit down, cried, and then caught my snap. Hmmm it's been a pattern... see it, name it, break it. I'm trying! He says I'm doing great now. Thanks, honey. :)


So, until the power goes out I'll try to post updates. I'll be texting updates to friends and fam too. Much love to everyone! Keep all of us in the path of Ike in your thoughts and prayers.