Gustov? Evacuate for Ike?

Gustov was on everyone's mind. Stay or evacuate. Now we wait for Ike. Has it been a week ago that I got the RV packed? Mother, who will soon be 90, Sassie the collie and Frizbee the cat and I left Sat. at noon for Kilgore. Sunday we drove to Mother's sister's in southwest Missouri for a "vacation". We helped her pack for her move to Kilgore. Hearing about the threat of tornados we started south on Tuesday in heavy rain.

Back in sunny Beaumont I was confronted with swarms of a gazillion love bugs.

This is the only way I found to attack those nasty critters.

The long hours on the road gave me time to contemplate how people react to stressful situations. Here are some thoughts: Denial. Deliberate. Decision.

Let's consider Gustov, then Ike.

Denial: Rita hit, will Gustov? Do we chance it? Naa... . Ike won't come here, Gustov didn't.

In challenging situations do we first deny that we could personally be affected?

Deliberate: What if? What if Ike follows Katrina or Rita? Eveybody shares stories of their worst experiences: traffic jambs, power outages, fallen trees, homes damaged. Naaa.. it'll be another false alarm, or will it? Pros/cons. Should have and didn't. Didn't and should have.

Perhaps we should buy batteries and bottled water, just in case. Most won't want to evacuate again. Will you?

Decision: Action. (Or inaction). Planning and preparation based on past experiences. Once a decision is made and action is taken we have a temporary relief of doing something, anything. Even if we drive for days and the hurricanae takes a welcome detour.

Results maybe exhaustion and frustration, or relief.

And the cycle goes on, next hurricane season or Hurricane Ike.

Now if only I'd had my tape recorder so I could "write" while on the road.