my Labor Day vacation may be called "Gustav hurrication"

[marathoner452]

Just in time for the three-year anniversary, here comes another hurricane.  So since D. will be out of town this weekend, I've made reservations for 3 nights in Birmingham, taking notes on everything I'd have to get ready, and keeping my fingers and toes crossed that the current track as posted on the National Hurricane Center website is very very wrong.  Right now we're in the 5-day cone and the track is pointed directly at New Orleans.

List of things to do, just in case:
Nail plywood over front and back windows.
Secure anything that might blow around, most of which we did last weekend for Fay.
Load up truck with all the plastic bins in the evacuation center and secure bins with mesh webbing.
Pack as much of my life as fits in a couple of duffel bags.
Stuff cats into cat carriers, load cat carriers and dog into truck.
Leave my car here because it's all but dead anyway.
Head for my hotel room in Birmingham and wait.

I should have known that living in New Orleans could come to this.

Comments

[quick-step.livejournal.com]

Best of luck. The 5-day is notoriously uncertain and I hope it changes. Sounds like you know what you need to do.

I don't know if your pooter is a laptop or desktop, but if you're pressed for space, you could always just take the hard drive.

Do you know how to shut off the electric, and water, if you need to? (Don't shut off the gas unless you absolutely need to, because then you'll have to wait for someone to turn it back on.)

[marathoner452.livejournal.com]

I'll ask my roommate how to turn off the water and electric before she leaves. I hadn't thought of that.

[louismaistros.livejournal.com]

If you shut off the electric, be sure and dump whatever is in the fridge. Otherwise: nasty, nasty, nasty when you get back. The fridge itself may not be salvageable.

In fact, if the storm is huge and seems to be definitely headed for us, you want to dump out the fridge anyway - the power will go off for sure. Dump it out, unplug it, and leave the door open. (If it's closed, it will mold up -- let it air out).

I don't know why you'd want to shut off the water. I've never heard of that.

It is a good idea to fill the tub with water before you go. That way, when we get back if the water's not on, at least you will be able to bucket-flush the toilets.

[marathoner452.livejournal.com]

If I go, everything in the fridge is getting dumped before I go in hopes of maybe being able to save the fridge. I'll ask D. about the water/electric tonight.

[drunah.livejournal.com]

We don't have gas.

You don't shut anything off. You leave it.

[mixmastermeg.livejournal.com]

I also have reservations in Birmingham...hoping I can cancel, but ready for anything. Good luck!

[black-op.livejournal.com]

I will say a prayer for you and your community.