Tis the Season

Today, we began our hurricane kit.

I asked Karen, who is a little paranoid about natural disasters, why we are even creating a hurricane kit if we will not be staying for the storm. She said we're better safe than sorry.

This is ridiculous. I know Karen. If there's even a hint of a storm in the gulf we're gone.

Period.

A couple of years ago we fled the area to avoid Rita, sequel to Katrina, the queen mother of natural disasters. And like most sequels she didn't quite measure up to the horrific standards presented before her. Bottom line we drove fourteen hours to Austin at a rate of five miles an hour to avoid essentially what was a nasty rain storm in our neck of the woods.

I blame CNN. That and the police officer who knocked on the door at 10:30 at night to inform us that if we weren't gone by the next day, they weren't coming after us in case of a storm of epic proportions.

Good to know.

It was a lovely trek.

Sadie and I had to share a carrier.

Did I mention it was a fourteen hour trip???

My favorite memory was Karen, at four in the morning, screaming at the radio during a broadcast of Coast to Coast. Apparently she didn't think it was respectful to talk about aliens when a large portion of the gulf coast was fleeing their homeland like the Joads at speeds comparable to a covered wagon. (Karen's a little sensitive when she's tired and fleeing for her life.)

Anyway, I was talking about the hurricane kit. This is what we have so far:
1. Water (three gallons)
2. A radio with batteries (hopefully Karen will remember to test them)
3. Baked Lays-- Bar b Que
4. Cheetos
5. Candles
6. Lighter
7. Flashlight w/ batteries (again, hope Karen remembers to test them)
8. Important papers (whatever that means)
9. Purina Cat Chow
10. First Aid Kit

Any other suggestions of things we need???

All of this stuff, which we won't be using, since we LEAVE for hurricanes. Again, this isn't my idea, as Karen is crazy. She's stressing me out, so I'm taking a nap.