Thursday, September 22, 2005

F**k Me Running

I'm back at my dad's with my mom, my son, my daughter-in-law, my two aunts, my sister, four dogs and two of my cousins. After spending 6 hours on the road to drive 50 miles, some guy impersonating an officer was turning people back 10 miles before our turn north. We drove from 12:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. and it would have been another hour before we would have made the turn north anyway. There was no way I could have driven another 5 hours to stay God knows where. After we would have made the north turn, we would have been 50 miles further west than we intended to be but the DPS wouldn't let us turn right when we first tried to get out of Beaumont.

So, we turned around and headed back toward Beaumont where a real policeman in Sour Lake (10 miles from Beaumont) told us they weren't letting people back in Beaumont. I had a panic attack, Jamie (my daughter-in-law) called the DPS and she said we could indeed go back to Beaumont and there are places where the Texas Department of Public Safety will give us gas since we've used up half a tank of gas to go virtually nowhere.

Tomorrow morning (3:00 a.m.) we shall try again. Dammit!

15 comments:

Zina said...

Hopefully you will read this sooner tahn later. I just talked to Kara (10:30 pm) she's having a panic attack too. I hate notbeing able to just call and get in touch with everyone...the cell phones can be difficult. I will miss you not posting but it is for good reason...but knowing you you will come back with more stories to keep your blog busy for quite a while.

Take care. Drive safe and let me know when you guys get to Arkansas. This is one time I'm glad I live in Dallas...but I wish I could be with my family you know?

Love you guys and I am praying every minute. My friends keep calling to check in and they are all praying!

Heather @ thedomesticdiva.org said...

I hope you get to where you are trying to go, best of luck to ya.

Aisha said...

Oh poor poor you! I saw Beaumont beign evacuated, AND the looong lines, on CNN here in Norway this morning (your middle of the night/early Fri morning).
Crossing fingers, and I can't even begin to understand what you are going thru--

Here's to a hurricane for us both in Pat O'Briens next year, Laurie...
Aisha

Ed said...

Why on earth were they telling people to go back? Just reaffirms my belief that incompetence is all throughout our government.

Hope you make it out this time. If you make it up to Fairfield, Iowa, I'm sure we can squeeze you and your family in for a little bit of cajun cooking.

Dave Knechel said...

I'm keeping you in my thoughts and prayers, Laurie. Right next to Maggie and Bud.

OldHorsetailSnake said...

Darn. I should have checked in earlier, because you are bound to be on the road by now. I hope this message (and you) surivive.

Donna said...

What a nightmare!

Drive safely, and keep thinking about the fascinating posts you'll be making when this is over and you're able to do so. (The last news I heard was hopeful about this storm -- that it won't be another Katrina -- but that doesn't make your journey any better.)

Unknown said...

hope you and yours remain safe!

Anonymous said...

Have a shot for me...and two more for you...take care...

Altered Memories said...

Be safe, sweety! Hope you'll be back home soon.

Anonymous said...

I hope you are there by now.

Aisha said...

5 am your time: CNN showed Anderson Cooper in Beaumont being drenched or whipped rather by sideways rain and barely standing up while taking shelter! -- against this wall of white, the eye-wall, half an hour ago, the winds then hit Lumberton, so yuo are well out of it! I hope you ARE. And Judy in Silsbeetoo.

Aisha

Laurie said...

Zina - Love you, too, cousin. We're fine. Kara and I are out of panic mode and into silly mode. You know how that one comes out. :)

Heather - We made it!

Aisha - Ah! Pat O's, now that's the good kind of Hurricane!!!

Ed - It seems there was both a nutcase turning people back and that there were also people being stopped from continuing west who misunderstood that they HAD to go north who were telling people they had to turn back. Big mess.
We have some of the best cooks in Southeast Texas with us on this trip. You are a smart man.

Marinade Bud - I hope your siste and brother-in-law are okay. It looks like Houston is doing pretty well this morning.

Old Horsetail - Weeeee're here!

Donna - I have some good ones stacked up just waiting for their moment in the limelight.

Al - Thanks!

Princess Wild Cow - I'm not in a drinking mood, yet. But, soon...very soon.

Tanda - Me, too, sweetie.

Susan - We made it!

Aisha - My dad is in Silsbee. We couldn't make him evacuate all the way to Arkansas with us. When I hear from him, I'll let you know what's going on in Silsbee.

Astrid said...

Laurie, I guess you are the one living my amazing adventures right now, I hope your endings are just as well as mine!!!

Laurie said...

Astrid - I'm sure everything will be fine. It will just take some time. I want some fun adventures like yours!