It feels like yesterday that I was gathering up some things to take to our church which functions as a Red Cross shelter during emergencies. I was just about ready to load everything into the Camry when Todd called and politely informed me that I was not going anywhere because Katrina graced us with her presence 30 minutes early. From where he was calling limbs were already falling into the roads so I was confined to the house feeling pretty helpless. This was not the first time I was going to feel helpless over the next few weeks.
I cannot, for one, describe how strong this storm was where we are. Clinton is three hours from the coast, and when the storm blew in with sustained winds at 60 mph and gusts to 80, I cried knowing that I could not possibly imagine the devastation that most certainly had occurred on the coast. At the time, we didn't know what had happened because they had lost all power as did portions of Clinton for days and even weeks.
I can also not explain how strange and odd it was to watch all that was going on in New Orleans, also only three hours away in areas that I knew so well knowing that I could do nothing physical to help them. I've been back there just once since the storm about a year ago, and the neighborhood where we lived is almost a ghost town.
The way life changes in such a small amount of time amazes me. When Katrina hit, we were not a minivan family. I was not even pregnant with Aubrie, and Jessie had been walking for only 3 months. She looks so grown up now, and Aubrie is quick on her heels. Emma is ready to take over running the house.
2 comments:
I think Katrina will be one of those "Do you remember where you were when..." events. We had our first test of medical school that morning. When I was walking back from it, my umbrella broke b/c of all the wind. Then, sitting in my den alone, my power went out (only my building!) and a tree fell on my car. I am (now) so thankful my parents were still here b/c I was able to go live with them for the week while my lights were out and water was "boil notice." Amazing how close Gustav is coming to Katrina's time line!
I agree with Claire. Like 9/11...Katrina is one of those events you'll always remember where you were. We woke up that Sun. am before she hit to a phone call. My cousin said she was down the road (she lives on the coast)and I asked her why. She said she woke up at 1:00am an noticed that Katrina was a category 5...they loaded up and came. I had no idea. I just called her and I'm afraid they're going to try to weather this one down south. We'll all be praying.
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