Hi.

Threadsuck is great stuff.

My story so far:

We left New Orleans 7:30 am on Sunday and got to Houston 9:30 pm, watched the weather channel and slept. Monday we kept watching Katrina coverage and Henry kept pinging his servers until they disappeared. He was in contact with his immediate boss and two of his minions, and the fine people at IBM disaster recovery, but no one who was authorized to put the recovery plan into effect. The official two people who could were teh CEO and the COO. The COO is the one who has been under investigation, and the only reason he hasn't resigned yet is they haven't worked out the wording for the press release. The CEO had decided to ride out the storm in his lakefront home, no one had heard from him. Fortunately, the hired gun from the turn around company took control and started things in motion. Unfortunately for me, this meant sending Henry to Sterling Forest with the backup tapes that his company should be so kissing his ass for having the presence of mind to go pick up before we left. He left on a chartered Lear jet at midnight.

Meanwhile, I called down to the front desk to extend our stay another night - we had only booked for Sunday and Monday night, thinking we'd be going home after the storm passed. They said they couldn't extend any syatys until the morning. So, morning came, I called again, they said they couldn't extend any stays, but if I called back at 10 i might be able to get a room at a higher rate. Being an impatient sort, I called back at 9:45 and went through the same rigmarole, but at the end of my call the hotel manager apparently announced that there were no rooms available, a previously booked conference had them all, we all had to go. How there were no rooms available but they culdn't tell me that, I don't know. So, I got my stuff packed up, found my friend who was staying with her brother who agreed to take me in, and loaded up the animals by check out time (11). It took more time and trips up and down the elevators full of everyone else leaving since I was by myself, but on the upside, more room in the car for the critters. I pull out of my parking spot, and a woman walking by waves at me frantically because my front right tire was completely flat. Luckily I was able to find a shady parking spot to pull back into while I unloaded the trunk and put on the spare. The rest of Tuesday and Wednesday were uneventful, except the estimate for how long before we;d be allowed to go home kept getting longer and longer. My hosts were wonderful people and so kind to take me in, but I couldn't stay there for weeks displacing their youngest son out of his bed, my dog crying because he can't come inside, and my cats in a kennel in the garage. So I decided to keep drving west. I called my parents to tell them my plan, and they volunteered to fly to Houston and drive out with me. My parents rock. They booked an evening flight on America West and called me from BART to say they were on their way. Unfortunately, when they got to the airport there was no one at the the America West counter togive them a boarding pass, nor were the e-ticket machines on and functioning, so they couldn't get past security. We hate America West forever and ever. They were able to get tickets on a Continental Red Eye at teh counter, so they were very thoroughly searched (buying one way tickets at the last minute, flags don't get much redder than that), but they made it into Houston around 6am. They rented a car bigger than mine and found their way out to where I was staying, we transferred all my belongings and the critters, and got going by 8:30. My car is with my friends, who work with my husband, so if Henry goes from Sterling Forest to Houston (where they already have started setting up temporary offices), he'll have a car.

We're now in Abilene, getting ready for another day of driving. It's one way to avoid watching the news all day.

Hope everyone is well and safe

-t!!!!!!

Glad to hear from you!!

Glad to hear from you, -t! I'm so glad that you, Henry, the critters are OK.

Take care -t!

So, is it true that we've turned away help from other countries? Or is that only partially true?

President Bush said on GMA last night that other countries have offered, but the country could deal with this by themselves.

There is urban search and rescue teams from Vancouver down there. But they are apparent'y holed up in a suburban NO, and Search and Rescue have been halted for 6-12 hours because of gunfire in the area. [link]

President Bush said on GMA last night that other countries have offered, but the country could deal with this by themselves.

I've heard that Venezuela offered help but was refused, but that's an unconfirmed rumor.

-t, good to hear you're ok.

-t, thank you so much for checking in -- you and Henry have been on everyone's minds. So, so glad you're both okay and you've successfully shepherded your critters to safety, and vibing hard for a smooth, safe drive back for you and your parents.

I'm glad you're with family, -t. Good luck.

The rest of Tuesday and Wednesday were uneventful

That's something, anyway. What a story.

It's great to hear from you, -t. And stop thinking about it as ranting or whining, Heather.

Damn, I lived in New Orleans for a grand total of 5 months, and I'm totally freaked out -- the both of you (and Dana) are handling this with more grace and less hysteria than I'd have thought possible.

-t, I'm glad you're safely with family. America West is hateful.

I knew they weren't whales! I swear! I just had them filed as "random other cool things" instead of specifically under "dolphins."

My classification system might need work, I admit.

Strega and Billytea, aren't dolphins, orcas and whales really all the same order? Cetaceans, I think?

-t!! Honey! and Heather, well and truly ranted.