FREAK OUT MODE

I don't know if this has made it to the national news or not, but Louisiana is facing the second big storm in a week. In fact, the debris from Tuesday is still in the streets--trees down, large branches, etc. My brother only got power back last night.

And now we are facing this category four storm. It's over Cuba now, and in the next 12 hours we'll have a good idea of where it might head. The forecasters are saying the Pensacola area, but the storm does keep moving west, which reminds me of last year when until the last second Ivan was headed straight up THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

Jefferson Parish has ignored the contraflow plans and called for an early evacuation of residents. This means that my mom is coming over tonight. It also means that the roads will be congested when we leave--Mayor Ray Nagin of New Orleans has not yet made a decision. I live in Mandeville, but I follow Nagin's orders because my home is on Lake Pontchartrain, which receives drainage from NO. So any flooding there means flooding here.

Evacuation is so stressful. I really don't want to have to leave. But just in case I am getting everything ready--insurance papers, emergency meds., important records, etc.