Just Call us "The Evacuees!!!"
The longest trip ever has now come to a close, and we are happy to report that we and our house made it through unscathed (except for a small cut I got fom the corner of a jacuzzi tub). Here is the play by play:
Monday - begin planning what we will do to get our house prepared (stayed up until midnight)
Tuesday - Amanda's last day at school keeping the kids calm. Brian comes home and begins trying to put the hurricane boards over the windows. Only to find that our builder cut every single one WRONG!!! His friend Steve comes over to help cut boards, and some employees from our builder promise to come back the next day to help drill storm boards into the wood windows. (Category 1/2 storm)
Wednesday - Brian is not being utilized at work, but keeps track of the storm on the computer while wishing ConocoPhillips would give him something to do. Amanda works her but off to pack bags, sends her regrets that she won't make it to Brad's wedding, washes clothes, puts breakables away, and loads up the car with things that can't be replaced. Brian comes home and we finish packing, watch LOST (yes, we couldn't miss the premiere of LOST!!!), and we hit the road at 10 p.m. Fingers crossed we get to see our house all in one piece when we return. (Category 3/4/5 storm)
Wednesday night into Thursday morning - On the road...we spend 6 hours driving and only get as far as Katy, TX. (For those of you who haven't made that drive it should only take an hour.) We only have a half a tank of gas remaining. We debate driving until we run out of gas hoping that the town we end up in will get gas in the morning, or staying at Brian's mom's house in Katy, TX. We end up going to Brian's mom's house and staying the night. Overnight Rita makes a turn to the East putting Houston now in the path of the storm. (Category 5)
Thursday - We have a big lunch and dinner trying to use up all of the food that could spoil if the power goes out. Mid-afternoon the contraflow on I-10 begins to open up. Stopping all eastbound traffic, and using both the east and west sides of the highway to send ALL CARS WEST. At 10 p.m. the news announces that the contraflow is getting traffic cleared up in Katy (Earlier it was at a standstill) and we decide to leave for San Antonio (Brian's and my original destination on Wednesday night). (Category 5)
Thursday into Friday - We depart at 11 p.m. On the way we see a large vehicle on fire explode into larger flames when the gas tank blows. Babies and their parents stranded without gas lined up the entire way along I-10 (they either ran out of gas or had car trouble), people riding in the back of trucks, and signs telling us we're going the "Wrong Way" because we are driving West on the East bound side of I-10. There are at least 600 cars parked at large gas stations hoping to get gas in the morning (most likely they will not get the gas). People move like locusts through Texas using up everything in their path. I even went to the restroom in the great outdoors for the first time in my life!!! :) We arrive in Hondo, TX (just west of San Antonio) at approximately 6:30 a.m. 8 long hours of driving!!! (Category 5/4)
Friday - We sleep. Who can blame us for being tired!!! We go out to dinner with the Bradens, and Barry hooks us all up with margaritas for the evening. Good bless you, Barry! (Category 4/3)
Saturday - 10 a.m. we head back to Katy. This time the trip only takes us 5 - 6 hours. (It should only take about 3 1/2.) Much improved over the previous night. Only now people are driving like idiots on the shoulder and cutting into traffic almost causing major accidents. We also see a large military convoy headed towards Houston stretching for miles. Keep up the good work National Guard!!! We have a nice big dinner again and relax. (Rita hits as a category 3)
Sunday - 10 a.m. we drive back to Clute, TX and begin getting our house back in order. It is still in one piece, only some big branches down in the back yard. We are VERY lucky folks.
Monday - begin planning what we will do to get our house prepared (stayed up until midnight)
Tuesday - Amanda's last day at school keeping the kids calm. Brian comes home and begins trying to put the hurricane boards over the windows. Only to find that our builder cut every single one WRONG!!! His friend Steve comes over to help cut boards, and some employees from our builder promise to come back the next day to help drill storm boards into the wood windows. (Category 1/2 storm)
Wednesday - Brian is not being utilized at work, but keeps track of the storm on the computer while wishing ConocoPhillips would give him something to do. Amanda works her but off to pack bags, sends her regrets that she won't make it to Brad's wedding, washes clothes, puts breakables away, and loads up the car with things that can't be replaced. Brian comes home and we finish packing, watch LOST (yes, we couldn't miss the premiere of LOST!!!), and we hit the road at 10 p.m. Fingers crossed we get to see our house all in one piece when we return. (Category 3/4/5 storm)
Wednesday night into Thursday morning - On the road...we spend 6 hours driving and only get as far as Katy, TX. (For those of you who haven't made that drive it should only take an hour.) We only have a half a tank of gas remaining. We debate driving until we run out of gas hoping that the town we end up in will get gas in the morning, or staying at Brian's mom's house in Katy, TX. We end up going to Brian's mom's house and staying the night. Overnight Rita makes a turn to the East putting Houston now in the path of the storm. (Category 5)
Thursday - We have a big lunch and dinner trying to use up all of the food that could spoil if the power goes out. Mid-afternoon the contraflow on I-10 begins to open up. Stopping all eastbound traffic, and using both the east and west sides of the highway to send ALL CARS WEST. At 10 p.m. the news announces that the contraflow is getting traffic cleared up in Katy (Earlier it was at a standstill) and we decide to leave for San Antonio (Brian's and my original destination on Wednesday night). (Category 5)
Thursday into Friday - We depart at 11 p.m. On the way we see a large vehicle on fire explode into larger flames when the gas tank blows. Babies and their parents stranded without gas lined up the entire way along I-10 (they either ran out of gas or had car trouble), people riding in the back of trucks, and signs telling us we're going the "Wrong Way" because we are driving West on the East bound side of I-10. There are at least 600 cars parked at large gas stations hoping to get gas in the morning (most likely they will not get the gas). People move like locusts through Texas using up everything in their path. I even went to the restroom in the great outdoors for the first time in my life!!! :) We arrive in Hondo, TX (just west of San Antonio) at approximately 6:30 a.m. 8 long hours of driving!!! (Category 5/4)
Friday - We sleep. Who can blame us for being tired!!! We go out to dinner with the Bradens, and Barry hooks us all up with margaritas for the evening. Good bless you, Barry! (Category 4/3)
Saturday - 10 a.m. we head back to Katy. This time the trip only takes us 5 - 6 hours. (It should only take about 3 1/2.) Much improved over the previous night. Only now people are driving like idiots on the shoulder and cutting into traffic almost causing major accidents. We also see a large military convoy headed towards Houston stretching for miles. Keep up the good work National Guard!!! We have a nice big dinner again and relax. (Rita hits as a category 3)
Sunday - 10 a.m. we drive back to Clute, TX and begin getting our house back in order. It is still in one piece, only some big branches down in the back yard. We are VERY lucky folks.