Hurricane Ike is Coming

So, the only thing on anyone's minds, from Houstoneans to the media, is Hurricane Ike. The good news is that it provides a happy distraction from the insane over-coverage of Sarah Palin. The bad news is that it is coming straight for my city, and the media keeps tossing around terms like "certain death". Granted, the "certain death" is meant for those who are staying in Galveston, but it still terrifies me.

I almost feel ashamed for admitting this, but D and I evacuated yesterday. We left Houston yesterday afternoon and came to his parents house just north of Dallas. I was afraid for the kind of gridlock that Hurricane Rita brought (it took my mother and sister 15 hours to get to Conroe, a normally 45 minute trip), but it wasn't so bad. It took us two hours to get past Conroe, but after that, with a few exceptions, traffic was flowing pretty well. It only took us about an extra 2 hours to make the trip, which was considerably better than I had anticipated.

My entire family and most of my friends stayed behind, and that terrifies me. I think they will be alright, but it has been a long time since a storm of this strength has been on a path for a direct hit of Houston. The idea of 100 mph winds in my neighborhood makes me sick. My mom and my sister have plenty of water and non perishable food, but I am still scared!

Please keep Houston in your thoughts and prayers, there is no dodging this bullet, but we are hoping for the best case scenario.