Headed to Florida!

Well, a three years and one day after the landfall of Hurricane Katrina, we're on the road again.  I wanted Texas bbq again, but the beach is closer...  It does seem kind of creepy to evacuate TO the coast for a hurricane. 

OK...  Stupid things first.  I was supposed to have new windows installed on Friday - which didn't happen.  In preparation for that, Ed helped me pull the edging off all the windows, which means all the windows in my house are exposed to the wind and water.

 

In order to keep normal rain and wind out, I put tarps up.

 

Who wants to make bets on whether or not they survive hurricane force winds, eh? 

Andrea made a quick list on Friday and started arranging some last-minute things. 

 

I got out the Emergency Workbook and  started lining things up.

 

I also configured both cars for evacuation according to the plan.  One back seat down for extra storage.

Hmmm....  Kind of messy.

Compared to Katrina, we're quite a lot more consolodated. 

 

I like the 'bins' method we used for Andrea's car better than the 'duffel bag' method we used for mine.  I really want to find some good packing containers that would work for this...  The RubberMaid bins aren't built well enough, really. 

 

Nothing left now but to pack pillows and blankets on top. 

 

Madeline loads stuffed animals.

 

While I'm packing, Andrea is bagging the 'fridge and the freezer, which is part of our 12 Hour Plan 

 

 

We had to do something about cleaning up outside - which I haven't been very good about lately, so things are kind of a mess.

Madeline helped carry in some little things while Virginia moved bigger plants onto towels in the foyer.  Gads, I need to wash her face...

We put the show on the road at 2:18 PM - about 2 hours later than I really wanted to, but we piddled about a bit.  Even so, we were way ahead of almost everyone else.  I took Virginia with me, and Madeline rode with Andrea.  We didn't have DVD players when I was a kid...  Smunching on chips and watching video was NOT an option for us.

 

We were able to do the speed limit out of Metairie, up the Causeway, and then east on I-12.  We did really well until Kiln, Mississippi, where we hit some traffic.

Lots of motor homes on the road.  They all seem to move slow, and everyone has to go around.

You can see my old GPS unit on the dash there, but I didn't need it...

We're headed to Florida like a lot of other people.

We switched kids at some point.

 

We fueled up in Navarre.  Yes, boys and girls, the Commissioner is Charles Bronson.  Scary. 

The drive was 6 hours - which is actually about average for us.  Easy-easy.

If anyone is unfamiliar with where we are, it's here:  LINK

 

We are, in fact, right on the coast.  My in-laws have a house here.  I have a lot of pages on this website about Navarre.  We've been coming here for years.  Here's the Navarre Beach Diary for those with interest:  NBD. 

We are 16 souls.  My in-laws, my brother-in-law (Ed), Andrea and I, Virginia and Madeline, four Chihuahuas, a Welsh Corgie, a cat, and three turtles. 

Shane