Quote of the Day “Squalls out on the gulfstream, Big storm’s coming soon” –Jimmy Buffett, “Trying to Reason with the Hurricane Season”
Well, we knew it would happen, and sooner rather than later. A big storm is entering the Gulf of Mexico, almost three years to the date after Katrina. Two song lines came to me as possible quotes of the day for this post and I used the Buffett one because its a melancholy song. The other one is the Leon Everette song “Hurricane” and the line “don’t mind the strain of a hurricane, it comes ’round every June.” Three years ago I’d have chosen that line, probably because I wasn’t born when Camille hit and the Mississippi hurricanes of my lifetime–Frederic, Elena and Georges– were not devastating. I thought they were at the time, but Katrina showed the falsity of my assumption.
Pre-Katrina, I’d laugh at the projections that would start when a storm was several days away. I knew from experience that most storms weakened, veered away from us, and were hyped by melodramatic weathermen excited to have their day in the sun. (I know, that’s pretty bad, but I’m leaving it.) I was tougher than any hurricane. In fact, I thought it was a good time to get some beer, hang with an ARB or two and enjoy the day(s) off. Maybe grill up all the fish and meat in the freezer.
But TB ain’t gonna lie. These storms scare the hell out of me now, and I don’t even live on the coast anymore. They scare me because I know how Katrina changed people I know and love. I know she killed some of our weaker and older people on the coast before their time, and I’m talking about in the years after, not just the hours and days. I know there are a lot of people that are gonna have a hard time facing the repairs they’ll have to make even if the storm isn’t another big one. I know State Farm and Allstate will screw them again. Those people on the coast, in Pascagoula and Jackson County in particular, are tough and self reliant and resilient. I just hope and pray they don’t have to be any of that in the next week or so.
Travellinbaen 
As long as I have an escape clause and/or Plan B I am going to be fine. In this case I want my inflatable boat and motor tied up to the back porch as we will be riding it out at 704 unless it is a Cat 5 and then I may go as far North as Kell Avenue; I am sure my other half will not be going with me preferring to see how things go in the new highrise. Just remember, texting was the only way we could communicate last time. I cannot say that I am ever scared but more or less mad at having to clean up or watch others older than me suffer…..again. Lazy is the better word to describe my attitude or weary at having to get ready another time. But that is the choice we all make when we choose to stay here. Red Sky at Night, Sailor’s Delight; Red Sky at Morning, Sailor take Warning – the sky was red yesterday morning and I didn’t think that bode well. My sea captain great-grandfather from Grand Cayman used to say he smelled the storms coming and that was in the days before the media warned us all for days on end. We all know we are getting cancelled by State Farm so there is no telling what sort of screwing will take place. I, for one, will be ready to get it over with. And we still have to meet Hurricane Laura in the days and weeks to come. Since I was born on the first day of Hurricane Season I can hardly wait!
As a buddy of mine said to me yesterday, “Screw Gustav. There is a lot of beer waiting to be drunk between now and Tuesday.”
Maybe someone will drop a FEMA man into the middle of the hurricane so he will find out just how much we DO need ice for our beer and coke. It calms the nerves and satisfies the thirst – you cannot get better than that!