Gustav

[MsMin]

I'm up we just watched the "ugly dachshund" Needed a break from the news and weather channel.
Angel I didn't hear my phone...
It's calm here again. It was really errie for awhile. Don't know if I want to take a nap. We slept late knowing we could be up all night.
They had to shut Walmart down here at 10am. People had trashed it and apparently people were causing a stir b/c the police came and shut it down.
Thanks all for the prayers, I do believe they did help. It isn't as bad as expected but they are saying it could be like Andrew was here.
more later
-Angel my phone doesn't say you sent a text... maybe the lines are jammed right now.. it can get slow... unless it was you and someone else got the text.
Jeanne I got your msg too. I didn't get it right away b/c we were in the yard all day securing everything, putting garbage cans in the garage, plants in the pool room and cars secured. I know it doesn't sound like much at my house and my moms... we have 7 dogs and 1 cat here in fact more dogs than people and 7 cars... no we don't let the animals drive.. we had to make sure the cars were not near a tree that may fall etc.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

We have four dispatchers, plus one of the dispatcher's fiancee, our receptionist and her husband and three kids at our temporary location....one of the officers will be staying here after patrols end at 0300 hours...we are enjoying the calm before the storm right now....found about four boats with people on them riding it out in the harbors....not smart, but we can't make them leave...only one county did a mandatory evacuation....It was nice to get here and find out internet is still up and running so I'll post through the night...everyone's asleep but me, I volunteered for late shift....I had that nap this afternoon.

[Here we go again...]

Bobby keeps trying to get me to go to bed. I am just wide awake. I think it is because I have another "family member" here.
My DD met the sweetest little girl on the family cruise we took last month. They spent the entire time attached at the hip. She lives in New Orleans... Lakeside, which took the hard hit from the levee break in Katrina. Anyway, we have been trying to keep them together as much as possible because not only is she great, she has family problems at home.
Her dad passed away when she was little and her mom has had a rough time with her and her sister. Thank God for Grandma who is always there for her and keeps her father's memory alive.

We went to visit her in New Orleans Friday night and decided she would ride to Lafayette with us. Her grandmother would pick her up on the way north to Marksville after she finished packing and getting her terminally ill husband loaded up and ready to go.
Well, things being the way they are, they ended up having to go the other way because Marksville is just north of us and a Shelter in Place... I do not know why.
So, we have another person to worry about.
Grandma feels like we were sent from heaven to help her because she has too much on her plate right now.
The little girl's mom is realizing how much she loves her and is freaking out... She was getting ready to let her go live with the grandmother.
Maybe good things will come of this.

All I know is that she is a great kid and a blessing to have here for Taylor.
But, I am a little more nervous than normal.

I am going to try to sleep now...

[Ed]

To all our friends in the potentially impacted areas, Godspeed and best wishes. You all have been through so much in the last couple of years (hard to believe Katrina was three years ago!), and are facing yet another trial of your strength and determination. Praying for you all.

If anybody's headed to Central FL, I've got space available. Just say the word.

Stay safe.

And Bret... special prayers for you and your fellow officers and the local firefighters. It takes a special kind of person to serve during emergencies such as this. Stay safe, and don't forget to take care of yourselves as well as the people you protect and serve.

[pogo]

Bret, Angel, Beth and everyone else in that area..... I'm glad to see you were posting last night while I tried to sleep. You are all still in my heart and Patti and I said many prayers together last night on your behalf. God bless you as you ride this storm out.

[MsMin]

Hey all, we still have power!! Winds are getting pretty strong here but it hasn't quiet made landfall here. I have to make coffee before we do lose power.
My niece has been upset b/c her bf refused to leave Houma at the last minute. His dad refused to leave so he stayed to help him. Houma is closer to the gulf, below the MS river.
Nothing serious going on here right now. I guess we are still a couple hours away from more serious winds. Definitively really windy out there. My lawn isn't even filled with branches yet so it's not that bad..
more later... All take care..

[Here we go again...]

Bret, Angel, Beth and everyone else in that area..... I'm glad to see you were posting last night while I tried to sleep. You are all still in my heart and Patti and I said many prayers together last night on your behalf. God bless you as you ride this storm out.

But did you invite us to go stay with you like Ed did?
It is okay, having the thoughts and prayers are what we all need now.
I sleplt a whopping 2 hours last night... I stayed up and watched Big Brother on the computer since they only had Gustav coverage on every channel.

[pogo]

But did you invite us to go stay with you like Ed did?
It is okay, having the thoughts and prayers are what we all need now.
I sleplt a whopping 2 hours last night... I stayed up and watched Big Brother on the computer since they only had Gustav coverage on every channel.

I didn't invite you to come because of the distance...... My door is always open to you.... any time, silly.

I'm glad you checked in this morning. I've heard from Beth and Jamie. I'm really looking forward to hearing from Bret.

[luvdiznee]

Thinking of you all.

[MsMin]

Bret may be working. He is at Southeastern LA Univ. so he could be away from a computer.
Things are picking up here. BIG gusts. They said they expect the power to start flickering here soon.

[BronxTigger]

Good Morning all (or is it yall?)!

I just now woke up. This is the best I've slept in about 2 weeks, so I'm very thankful for that.

I'm glad to see most of you still able to check in and still have power! (MsMin- I love The Ugly Dachshund!)

Angel...what a story about that little girl!

I was dozing in and out while watching the Today Show...and they've got 3 people out in the middle of this storm (WHY?!?). Ann is in Houma...I think she said she was going inside because she was hurting. Al is on Canal Street (@ Camp? is that a street?) in New Orleans and he can barely stand up. I forget who the third person is...but he is somewhere in nola too.

Okay all yous...stay safe!

[MsMin]

Hey the lights did blink a couple times
Looks like it's starting to come in at Houma a little SE of us so the worst is yet to come.

[BronxTigger]

From MNSBC:

BREAKING NEWS: Water overtopping Industrial Canal barrier in New Orleans, NBC reports



Not sure how bad it is; it has topped on the west side of the canal. Honestly, I'm not sure what the Industrial Canal IS, but it sounds bad.

[Here we go again...]

I didn't invite you to come because of the distance...... My door is always open to you.... any time, silly.

I'm glad you checked in this morning. I've heard from Beth and Jamie. I'm really looking forward to hearing from Bret.

I know I am invited.... you said so when the work was being done on the resort. I just wanted to hear it AGAIN.

Good Morning all (or is it yall?)!

Yall.... yep, definatly Yall.

Hey the lights did blink a couple times
Looks like it's starting to come in at Houma a little SE of us so the worst is yet to come.

Shannon has lost electricity in New Iberia. It is getting rough now.

From MNSBC:

BREAKING NEWS: Water overtopping Industrial Canal barrier in New Orleans, NBC reports



Not sure how bad it is; it has topped on the west side of the canal. Honestly, I'm not sure what the Industrial Canal IS, but it sounds bad.

Yes, I am watching the barge slam into the levee now... not good

[AdventurerKim]

We evacuated to Baton Rouge from Metairie/Kenner, and things in BR are fine. Our lights went out a little while ago for like 2 minutes and came back. It's been windy and rainy, but nothing severe. My dad stayed in Metairie and still has power; he said it's the same there as here so hopefully this won't be a severe a hit as once thought. We haven't heard about any severe damage as of yet or flooding. I'm keeping m fingers crossed for all of us, especially so we can make to WDW in less than two weeks.

[BronxTigger]

Yall.... yep, definatly Yall.

Yes, I am watching the barge slam into the levee now... not good

I just texted MsMin. I made sure to use "yall". Here, plural you is "yous".

A barge slammed into a levee?

[MsMin]

Someone in BR did just lose their home. A tree fell and cut right threw it.
I don't like that water licking at the levee.. I wonder if the storm surge has peaked there? We haven't gotten the worse yet here in BR it's below us yet toward Houma.
My sister just lost her chimney... it just fell off the roof but she doesn't know yet if rain water will come in the house.
I took some pictures but the wind is picking up now. I will try to get them uploaded before we lose power.

[MsMin]

My sister just lost power, mine blinked and I lost my post
Backyard about 2 hours ago. Winds are picking up here but still out the NE so the center hasn't past here yet.

[RedSoxFan]

Thinking of everyone having to deal with this terrible hurricane. Stay safe.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

We lost our generator...I'm working on wireless and battery packs...some trees down, a tornado came through about 1 mile from here at 530 am....many of our roads now impassable...we have a car underwater but its unsafe to check for occupants at this time...reports of a couple of people in flood zones who didn't evacuate like ordered and now they are trapped in their homes with water rising....I hope they are okay ...Isee the eye is starting to travel on land so hopefully it will be over soon