Gustav arrives

Labor Day, Gustav arrives

21 steps out

Monday, September 1, 2008
This morning Gustav came across at Cocodrie, Louisiana – our favorite speckled trout fishing spot – not to be confused with the Cocodrie Bayou that runs in front of our house. We have 26 brick steps that go down to the bayou. We have 21 out at the start of the storm because of a lot of rain in August.

You can ask my critique partners, I've been sure this was coming directly at us since before the hurricane got to Cuba. I'm just glad the thing started getting smaller. The reason we're looking for the worst now is that the northeast quadrant and the area next to the eye wall has the worst wind and threat of tornados. We were in that zone as it passed to the southwest of us.

9:30 am
We lost our lights for the first time, too soon for a storm of this anticipated length. They've said we should be prepared for a long week of torrential tropical rain. The lights did flicker back on.

Ironically, I was working on revising my WIP – FIMB for the request from months ago AND the contest I plan to enter by Friday, Sept 5. With the new job I haven't had time to work on it and create the synopsis.

2:00 pm
I'd just sent my print jobs – four copies of each WIP and synopsis for the contest – to the printer. Four pages printed and the lights went out again, this time for good. *#>!

Well, what better task wth a hurricane approaching and no lights than to prop my feet up with a notebook and write my synopsis for FIMB.

6:00pm
50% of our area is without power. Really getting bad, limbs blowing out of trees. A really big oak twisted off and fell within a foot of the garden tiller but, fortunately, none near the house have come down. They are saying on the radio that the reason so many trees are coming down, oaks in particular, is that they have shallow roots and the ground was already wet around here from unseasonable August rains. I've made great progress on the FIMB synopsis.

8:00pm
The Natchez country station WQNZ 95.1 has done a fabulous job of informing the public from the bluffs of Natchez, Ms to Alexandria, La. The little battery powered radio I dug out of a drawer was our only contact with authorities, for weather updates and closings.

9:30pm
Gustav is still a hurricane and is midway through the state. That's amazing. The wind gusts are upwards of 60-70mph. The airports little wind measuring thingie is broken so we don’t actually know how high the gusts got. Power is out to 95% of the listening area.

Almost everything in the area from Natchez in Missisippi to Alexandria, La is closed. But the postal service still says on their 800 number that everything is normal and you should report to work in the morning. I'll call again in the morning..

The worst of the winds and tornado threat is supposed to be over by 2am so we're going to bed. Can't bury under the covers because it's too hot.