HOLY CRAP!

While not in the land fall cross-hairs, it would appear if Rita hits between Galveston and Port Lavaca and continues a north-northwest line San Antonio (where I work) and New Braunfels (where I live) are in for quite a ride.

If the projections are correct, we look to receive in excess of 73 mph sustained winds.

Folks, that does not include wind gusts or spin-off tornadoes.

This Louisiana girl knows what THAT means.

My house has gables with extended front and back porches. All those gables and covered areas give the wind something to pickup and rip roofs off.

There are windows across the front and completely across the back of the house with transoms and a huge half moon window in the arch of the cathedral ceiling in the living room.

Fortunately, even if we get a great deal of rainfall, we are high on a hill and in the past eight years we have lived through 500 and 100 year floods with no water anywhere near the house; however, the low lying areas surrounding us were all flooded which had the effect of landlocking us in the subdivision.

Dear friend, damn smart woman, and hurricane pro Boudicca has been a Godsend.

When I finally looked at the projection early this afternoon I thought I might be over-reacting because everyone at the office was rather nonchalant about the hurricane. The over-riding concern was the influx of more evacuees.

A few emails and phone calls with Bou convinced me there is cause for serious concern. With her advice and level-headedness, I have done everything I can possibly do to prepare for the health, safety, and well-being of my family and house guests.

I've been to the bank, Wal-Mart, the grocery store, and the gas station.

One of my neighbors and good friends has a generator and suggested we pool resources.

You bet!

I'll be at the office tomorrow.

Friday I shall be home.

Nothing to do but sit, wait, and watch.

I hope each of you and those you love are safe and sound.

UPDATE: Thursday 9:47 a.m. CST The projection for Rita is now right square through Galveston and Galveston Bay with a line to Houston, instead of west to Port Lavaca.

That's good news for me because it puts us out of the major winds; however, my mother in Louisiana lives just above Lake Charles. There will be lots of wind, tornadoes, and rain. I've asked her to stay with friends.

The mother-in-law's house has Galveston Bay as her picturesque back yard. The house is a mansion built in 1908 with gorgeous foot wide plank floors, high ceilings, and hand tooled woodwork. It's also filled with antiques. I'm not wishing ill, but seriously doubt it will still be standing come Saturday.

Further, I would not be surprised to see both my sister's house and the father-in-law's house to be flooded. Both have seen water at least once from tropical storms.