…in many ways. At one point during the day, this was the picture.
We woke up at 6:00am to the blaring of tornado sirens. Throughout the day, we experienced bands from Hurricane Gustav and then hours of lull. In all, we received about 4.5 inches of rain and gusty winds of about 35 mph in Mobile. However, we only lost electricity for about 30 seconds around noon.
Our family in Lafayette looked to be in the path of a killer, but by the time the storm reached there it had lost much of it’s punch. They did lose electricity earlier in the day, but I expect that to be reconciled sometime tomorrow. It appeared that across Southern Lousiana, our family fared extremely well and didn’t suffer much damage. And, to top it off, the levees held and New Orleans fared extremely well considering what could have been. Feeling extremely fortunate, I left to get celebratory ice cream for everyone at Sonic.
When I returned, #1 son (who’s staying with us) told me that his grandmother had called and that Mr. D’s sister’s brother-in-law and wife had been killed when a tree fell on the house they had evacuated to in Baton Rouge. Sadly, they had evacuated to avoid this sort of danger. Our thoughts and prayers go out to them and all of those who lost their lives and property in this storm.
As they say, “But for the grace of God…”
Waiting on an Angel, Ben Harper
Music Maven 
frantic
September 1, 2008 at 10:31 pm
We thought it wasn’t a big deal since we watched tv all day and heard nothing. My family evacuated to FL and have been receiving text messages since this afternoon about the extensive damage where we live in Thibodaux. Apparently tornados tore up Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes, but the whole nation thinks LA was spared because New Orleans did so well. We are sick with anxiety, and didn’t get the close call, we and everyone else thought we got.
Colette
September 1, 2008 at 10:37 pm
hooray.
maybe it was the insane amount of TV coverage that scared the storm away. Like a watched pot or something.
anyway, bravo that you & yours came through dandy.
brc
September 2, 2008 at 7:27 am
So sad about Mr. D’s sister’s bro-in-law and wife. I heard that a similar death happened in Lafayette… hope this was not any relation.
music maven
September 2, 2008 at 7:57 am
frantic — so sorry about the destruction down there. Much like Mississippi, other areas in LA are neglected because of the mess in New Orleans last time. I do think that Jim Cantore did a pretty good job in Houma on the Weather Channel and hopefully the Governor will put his attention to the areas of South Louisiana that were hit hard. I have heard that the Baton Rouge area was also hit hard.
kanniduba
September 2, 2008 at 12:29 pm
What a cruel irony…my thought sare with your sister-in-laws extended family. So glad to hear that you and the family fared as well as you did. Still thinking of those like frantic who didn’t fare quite as well. Hoping the three lined up behind Gustav evaporate, though unlikely. The islands are getting hit hard. 😦
colette
September 2, 2008 at 4:21 pm
woops, I’m sorry. didn’t read that correctly, and just realized you did lose some people connected to you. My sympathies. It’s terrible when anyone suffers from this…..
Amy
September 2, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Can you believe it D?! Jim Cantore in my beloved H town?!! You know you’re going to get slammed when you see Jim Cantore pull into your town! All of my peeps fared well, glad you guys are safe and sound.
So shocking to hear about Uncle Keith’s brother. Our thoughts are with them.
AH
September 3, 2008 at 8:55 am
Happy to see you had only a light brush with this storm – hope it is a predictor for the hurricane season – but so sorry for the loss of people in your extended family – cruel irony states it well.