Hi everyone,
I spoke to DB in houston last night around 11pm as he was leaving for San ANtonio, well he called me mayabe 2 hours later telling me that he'd only moved 4miles going west on i-10. By this time i was asleep so i got the msg. this morning. Also, is anyone having problems with thier cells trying to call to that region? i dial, but i get "YOU CANNOT COMPLETE YOUR PHONE CALL AT THIS TIME< THANK YOU". so who knows?!
THnaks!
BLuelamp1
One very good thing to come from the Houston evacuation: people can see how very difficult it is to evacuate a major city. It was driving me crazy after Katrina when everyone kept saying, "why didn't they just leave?' 
I was like, geez, haven't these people ever watched a disaster movie? Emptying a major city is no easy feat even with advance warning.
I did hear on the news that they are going to send in fuel tanks to replenish the gas stations. You would think FEMA would anticipate gas shortages if everyone in the city is told to drive at the same time. Again, doesn't anyone watch disaster movies? 
All of you in TX and LA, you all will be in my prayers. Hope you stay safe ! Please update us as and when you can.
take care
kirti
You are right, you don't even have to watch disaster movies, just think about rush hour on a Friday night with folks trying to leave town for the weekend and then multiply that by how many additional people will be trying to leave and add on the people from the surrounding areas that are also on the highways and it isn't rocket science, is it? I guess this is all way more than anyone could ever comprehend when figuring out disaster plans.
We lived in Toronto for several years. In the nice weather just before a weekend, it could take you 4 1/2 hours just to get across Toronto, a trip that should take about 25 minutes. I can remember it taking us 12 hours to drive to Ottawa, a trip that is normally 4 1/2 hours. The amount of gas you use in that stop and start condition too!
I feel badly for all of you folks. It is all so tiring and nerve racking and I guess so hard to plan for too. And the worry about running out of gas even if you have an extra container on your roof top, it won't get folks far. Geesh!
Guess after the past few years of these extreme weather conditions, the rest of us had best keep our mouths shut and not complain about the minor weather issues that we experience with heat or snowstorms. Haha, remind me of that in a couple of months, won't you?
Be safe everyone, you are in our prayers and thoughts!
Hugs Squirrelly
BlueLamp-I spoke to my sister yesterday and this morning. She says they are unable to use their cell phones, incoming or outgoing. Sis's is Verizon, Mom's is TMobile, but I think all of them are just waaaaay overloaded. I've even had a hard time getting through to land lines from busy circuits.
I'm more worried about my family now, especially since they decided to stay put, but looks like we'll be safe here in Austin after all. So at least if they have no power after the storm, they've got a safe place to come. We're only forecasted to get 3-5 inches of rain between Friday PM & Sunday AM.
Ali
OK, this is getting a bit crazy. I live in east texas im about 3 1/2 hours from houston maybe 4. I am 20 minutes from tyler the largest city in our area. There are obviously smaller towns all around tyler. one town for sure is already out of gas. One other town is well on its way of running out. In tyler we have 3 walmarts all of them are out of bottled water. We also have about 5 or 6 brookshires they too are all out of water. Our Sams ran out of water early this morning. Gas was 2.43 last ngith when i filed up this morning the stations opened up at 2.69. We arent even on the coast i cant imagine being in houston with people rushing out for supplies. My cousin who works fro pepsi is getting us 2 cases of water. My best friends step mom works for our local health department and she was told by the government to be ready in our area because we can expect winds up to 105 mph. apparently if rttas continues on the same path her eye will pass over us. I have not heard any of this on our local news though. I will keep you guys posted.
We too are a large city with 62000 in bryan and another 70000 in college station so we have plenty of walmarts sams and HEBs ect. and there is no bread water milk or anything else to be found anywhere. gas is hanging on but the lines to get gas are about 30 min long. we are said to get hurricane force winds still here where i live. i have everything out side put up and we are stocked on gas food and water. we have flashlights and batteries so as long as we dont flood and our roof holds up we should be fine.
Thank you everyone for your prayers. We certainly need them.
Bluelamp1, we are also having cell phone problems. We have an uncle and his mother-in-law who are coming up from Houston to stay with us today.
Luckily it's down to a category 4, but they are saying it may stall over East Texas and we could get anywhere from 10-15 inches of rain, not to mention hurricane force winds and possible tornadoes. So needless to say, we are worried here.
They are evacuating cities that are only about 40 - 50 miles from my home so we too are in for some rough weather......I went out Wednesday to get bottled water, only to find that there was no bottled water here in Lufkin at all, not to mentioned there was no bread either!! We may be eating crackers and peanut butter for a while but we are as ready as we can get.
I live in Sherman, Texas...it is about 66 miles north of Dallas.
I just heard on the weather that if Rita picks up speed that she will still be a cat 1 when she reaches us.
Most of the stores here are really getting picked clean. We have lines at the gas stations and grocery stores.
We could get as much as 12 inches of rain.
This has been a very stressful day. I can't imagine how all of the people that have been displaced cope.
Prayers to everyone.
Sherry
Ya'll know I'm in North North West Louisiana. We are in a weather advisory too!! I'm only about 2 hours east of Tyler, TX. Our weather people here are saying that we will be getting the worst part & that Rita is going to be Cat 1 when it hits here too. We have been through lots of tornadoes with damage to our roof & our carport. If we have more the 10 minutes of wind above 70 mph we are in big trouble! I can't believe that this hurricane might do damage way up here & even OK & MS. That's a BIG storm!!
Ya'll Ntertayneme (Cheryl) is in Lake Charles I'm worried about her & her family!! She is going to be hit hard! Cheryl you've been to my house!!! SO come this way!!!!!!! You can stay with us!!! Bring the dogs too!!!! And of course Helen!!!!!
We're also supposed to get over 24 in. of rain from Sat. to Tues. My house is 1 ft above flood stage....
To those in dangers way, I pray that God will protect all our families & properties!!!
If you folks cannot get bottled water, fill up any clean containers you have, plastic, glass, whatever. You need water anyway you can get it.
Make sure you all have your identification and identification for your children, pictures, names, birthdates and all and have them in plastic.
Hugs Squirrelly
Hi all, Carrollton is on the northwest side of Dallas
and we are being urged to stock up on necessities and be prepared here...especially for tornados, lots of rain and wind, loss of power, and flooding on Saturday. I've watched the news until I want to scream...all those people stacked up in the exodus to get away from the coast. In some areas it is a literal parking lot for as much as 100-150 miles with no way to get off even for a bathroom stop, no gas available anywhere, and some people are reporting a normally 4 1/2 hour trip took up to 18 hours! All the hotel/motels are full, and people are going on up to Oklahoma, Arkansas and points north.
The present likely target changes frequently, that is scarier than ever, so everybody on the coast is trying to leave just in case it changes again! I have family all along the coast, most headed for Austin yesterday so they should be safe, at least I hope so! My mother and step-father are in Mineola in East Texas, and there's turtleshell and others in Louisiana, and they are likely to have a bad time...so many to worry about, it is making me nuts. (I should also explain I'm home with just me and my cat, lots of time to worry!) I was at Walmart about 7 am today, everything was pretty normal at that time, but by now it is probably a mess...sure wish I'd thought to buy a new flashlight while I was there!!!
I just don't know where you are supposed to go when something the size of Rita is headed for you, especially when everybody else in the area is trying to go too! Lets hope all those great prayers will work and we will all get through this with only property damage and no people damage! Janice
Good idea Squirrelly!!! I'm so glad you mentioned putting everything valueable in plastic!! I am still in shock that we are even in a weather advisory being so far up in La. Go figure~
My hubby works on the B-52's on Barksdale AFB & the AF is possibily moving them. If they do then that means hubby has to go too. I'm not wanting that! He calms me down during storms I need him here darnit!
Oh, Jan don't worry about me & my family! I think we'll be ok~ We're just going to sit tight & hold on! I don't really know which way to head out IF we have to because Rita keeps turning (just like you said). Please just pray that Bob doesn't get evacuated with the planes.
HI everyone!
Well after maybe a few hours of trying to get thru on the cell phone, i finally got thru! yay! However, i figured DB would be in SA but no, he was still in houston. He left last ngiht around midnite and at 2am i got a msg saying he'd moved a total of 6 miles on I-10! Thats insane. So then he calls me around 4pm this afternoon and hes a little outside of houston. At 10pm tonite, hes safely in SA. yay! so now i can sleep and relax. ( a lil bit since i still have family on there road! So , i just wanna say thank you for everyones prayers and concern, not just for me but for all out there trying to get to safety. GOd Bless!!!
BLuelamp1
Oh geesh, not being involved in military and such, I forget that those folks have to still do their jobs and their families are pretty much on their own to cope. Not easy is it Turtle Lady? Good reminder of all of the sacrifices these people's families make too, along wih health care workers, aid workers, etc.
We have been watching CNN too and I can just imagine how frightening and frustrating it is to be on the highway or at an airport or anywhere wondering if you should leave, how you can leave and if leaving will get you anywhere. Bloody nightmare it is.
You guys really need to clone General Honore and have several of him doing traffic control to get things moving.
Guess we will all be glued to our televisions for the next three days wondering how you all are going to make out.
Prayers, prayers and more prayers that you all have what you need to sustain yourselves, that your family members are close or safe or both, that you all make it through just fine.
Hugs Squirrelly
Great news Bluelamp1, hope all goes well for the rest of your family too!
Hugs Squirrelly
TC, sure hope Bob doesn't have to leave! I know anything is easier to deal with when you have somebody along with you! Sorry, TC, but I'll be worried, it is one of the things I do best.
Traci, I sure hope you will be okay there in Houston, I wouldn't be brave enough to stay!
Bluelamp, glad you found your DB, at least you can let up a little now that you know where he is. One of my biggest panic subjects when my kids were little and in three different schools, was how to get is all back together. Not knowing where loved ones are and not being able to reach them is terrifying!
Guess all of us in this very large area better stock up, batten down the hatches, and as Tina says "sit tight and hold on", it is going to be a bumpy few days! Thanks to everyone for prayers, they are much appreciated. Janice
We are loaded down with family here at my house but i am scared it is still going to get us pretty bad. we are all prepared for the worst but praying for the best. thanks for everyones prayers and i will keep you posted on how things are looking.
Hubby just got home & said the base hasn't decided to move the planes yet. He also said he isn't going unless the AF cuts him some orders. That way he will make more money because it will be straight AF not reserves. I'll kick his butt if he volunteers! He's bad about that! 
Being a military wife is never easy Squirrelly, we all just go with the flow of things~
Glad you brought up Traci, Janice!! I forgot she was from Houston. Traci you be safe!!! I'm praying for you too now!!
OK-it's official. I'm tired of worrying now. I keep checking the Weather Channel, then flipping to CNN, then back to the Weather Channel, thinking that any minute now somebody is at least going to tell me that they KNOW where this thing is going to go.
Ali
I know what you mean Ali!! Me & Susanmm23 have been talking about that same thing tonight! Info on Rita changes every 15 minutes or so. I'm not going to worry anymore till tomorrow! I have time to go get extra batteries, water & non-perishable food. Before we get any bad weather up here. You go to bed & quit worrying for the night! That's what I'm going to do! Leave the worry in God's hands~ That's what I'm going to do~ Good night all! We're crazy staying up this late!!!Ahhhh!!!!!
Hope you were able to sleep Ali! I slept a little too late today! God must have taken the worries away from me!! Now I've gotta get going & prepare for this storm! Keep the faith that everything will be ok~
Just watching the weather... Our temp here in Bossier has been in the 100's for over 10 days. The temp today is 89*. Weird! Just thought I'd share.
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