An Email to/from Cathy (my mom) who lives in Houston, in response to the coming hurricane everyone is freaking out about (because of the recent Katrina problems in New Orleans).
From Alan
dear houston clan:
After calling mom 6+ times, and never getting through, anita suggested I email her… and due to the subject matter, I decided to email all of you.
come to columbus if you want to escape the hurricane.
I’m sure you have better offers closer… but columbus is probably out of the path of any natural disaster i can think of…
we’ve got futons and couches and a ton of food (just got home from a big grocery shopping trip)… we also have just bought anita’s school books and you could read them if bored… or work out with them – we just weighted them in at 48 pounds, including the extra course packets.
if you are staying – i’m sure you’ll all be prepared (i bet everyone’s freaking out in Houston) but do be sure to be safe…. for some reason it seems like mom and sam’s house would be safe, but maybe they just have enough room for everyone… how high is your place, mom? got a hill to stand on?
ok – all for now,
i’ll try calling again soon,
love,
-alan-
From Cathy
Thanks for the invite.
No plane tickets available. Traffic from the south heading north and west
like you wouldn’t believe–even here in Rosenberg. We got an offer from the
arkies and it may come to that–but the word last night was that it took 20
hours to get to Dallas and no gas along the route. They are opening
highways to all lanes going out but the gas is the problem. Lucilo and
Patricia are thinking of holding pat. I just talked to dad at Cecilia’s and
he’s collecting mom and her stuff (at Cecilia’s urging), so I am going to
his place either tonight late or at the crack of dawn, and Sam is not
budging. He’s about 100 feet above sea level. He’s worried about his front
porch–I can’t tell you about all the tin roofs and mature trees we’re
worried about.
Right now I am moving plants to the greenhouse (they could become missiles)
and Sam is moving all the other stuff….except where do you move 1500
bricks? We’ll do water tonite in every vessel and we have plenty of food,
esp. if the electricity goes. Where’s that camp stove and lantern?
E mail while you can–phone lines are all tied up.
No time for chit chat. Gotta move.
Will try to keep in touch.
Love’
Mom/Cathy