Mr. R and I have returned safely to an intact house. Rita missed us and all is well. We spent the last few days in College Station, the stomping ground of our college days. A drive that normally takes 2 hours took us 18 hours. We averaged about 7 miles per hour, but at one point we went less then 2 miles per hour. It still does not seem real. Here are the highlights of our escape:
- Mr. R and I decide to switch drivers, so we slowly get out of the car, stretch, shake our legs, and walk lethargically to opposite sides of the car, while we are in the middle of the road.
- We saw a car pulled over on the shoulder of the road with its occupant sleeping on top of the trunk.
- Everyone had their air off to conserve gas and one Camero with a hatchback had the back opened up while it was driving.
- People would get out and walk their dogs up the road and come back to their cars, which were only a few feet from where they had left them.
- Every once and awhile, you would see someone dart out of their car and into the bushes on the side of the road.
- At one point I went to sleep for a long stretch of time only to wake up and realize our surroundings had not changed, at all.
Once we got to College Station, we holed up in the M Refugee Camp, run by my sister and her husband which sheltered, at the highest point, 8 people, 2 dogs, 2 sugar gliders, and 1 cat from a non-storm in a very small duplex. We spent all day Friday at the Chicken playing bones and drinking too much beer. Saturday, we tried our hardest to finish off the contents of Mr. Rochester’s liquor cabinet. Though we were not successful, a good time was had by all.
The boards still have to come off the windows, but I am thankful we have windows. We did not lose power long so almost all of our shows were recorded by the DVR. A small thing, but it makes me smile. I do not have to go back to work until Thursday; I have until then to get everything back in order. I owe some people phone calls, but give me a day or so before you start hounding me, ok?
–Jane, *le sigh*