Well, actually, they’re winds. I’m sitting in my recliner looking out the window into the backyard, and the wind rushing through the leaves sounds like waves breaking.

I’m watching Fox News, and I just can’t believe that New Orleans is having to suffer again! I’m not sure who I should worry about first. Of course, I’m worried about us, but I’m worried about our family down in that area (Jay’s dad, aunt, cousins, etc.) and Jay’s sister in Mississippi. We heard from her this morning and her town, Pass Christian, is flooded again! Everything that she and her family were able to salvage from the house was placed under the house (it’s on stilts) so that salvage work could begin in a few days. My heart is breaking for them even as we move our valuables to the second floor.

Jay and I made another – probably our last prior to the storm – run to the apartment this morning. The Diamond Shamrock on the corner of Briar Forest and Wilcrest was open again and had gas! Lines stretched from Wilcrest to Kirkwood as people lined up for fuel. We’ve also heard from several of our friends around Houston that they’d found grocery stores open and were able to buy supplies, only to come out and find their cars had been siphoned of gas!

Beltway 8 is flowing again, but we saw several vehicles pulled to the side and abandoned. Presumably they ran out of gas. It’s incredible to me that people that wanted to evacuate and had the means to weren’t able to make it out.

I heard from one of my sisters-in-law in Baton Rouge; she’s boarded up her windows, just in case.

I’ve sent the kids upstairs – they’re bickering. I think that being cooped up is driving them nuts, plus there’s the stress of running around and trying to make preparations.

Lunch is dinging from the microwave so I’m going to enjoy a hot meal while I still can. More later.