Gustav’s First Gust
Posted: August 31, 2008 Filed under: New Orleans, Uncategorized | Tags: Hurricane gustave, Live blogging from new orleans, new orleans hurricane, upper ninth ward 10 CommentsAt about 7 pm cst tonight while my neighbor Lisa and I were chatting, Gustav came in with bluster. We were watching hundreds of birds chatter and line up on the phone lines in what was a nice sunny evening. I was headed for the hurricane party which I understand was broken up at about 6 pm by the National Guard. The mighty mustang is on higher ground and it’s tailpipe is duct taped up …precaution against rising water.
Here’s my first pictures:
- Looking at the darkness coming in over the East
Minutes later the first rain bands hit and it was quite dark. The first gust was at least 50 mph. I still have power and the TV stations say that Plaquemines Parish is under a tornado warning. That cloud definitely had the feel of a wall cloud.
UPDATE : we just have light rain now. some of us have been sitting on the porch of the look out inn having cocktails and misc. libations. only traffic we see is military and police. they just dropped a troop transport vehicle off at the back door of the hebert defense complex which is a few doors up from us. i could go give some good key around the block but am staying put for the moment. it’s quiet now. still not trusting the dog to NOT kill Em’s kitten… AC is here and down the street in the FQ. Seems like old times. I’m trying to hone up on my third world living skills while praying the electricity stays on as long as possible. have to tell you, found that i am much more motivated by gas service than electricity … gas service = stove works and hot water works which = baths at the end of the day. I’ll let you know if any of those cute national guard guys come by this way. One of my favorite post katrina memories was offering hot coffee to the national guard of washington state ( a bunch of babes from tacoma, mostly) who wanted more southern hospitality than the hot coffee. Ah, me, and here I am just off the busline named Desire …
Peace out …
oh, and did i mention how much I’d like General Honore to be Hillary’s VP choice?
peej
Carissa
bostonboomer
ecocatwoman
mablue2
Mama Lopez
peggysue22
quixote
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
please stay safe dakinat 🙂 from a fellow camillion kanaughty
Ditto, though not a fellow ck.
I hope you get to enjoy Nature’s majestic power without any negative consequences.
You’re in our thoughts and prayers. Stay safe.
Kat – you are one strong lady….sounds like you have it under control………. (like anyone controls hurricanes)
I thought I was the only one who really gets off on Nature’s awesome power. You and yours are in my thoughts – take care.
Really like your site – loved the pictures!
Stay safe Dakinikat. The group from Blue’s is worried about you!
cool, looks like you got to enjoy a little tropical storm action without the big bad behind it. I was wondering if anyone else if getting flooded with anti-Palin stuff. It has been like spam.
Dakinikat, are you okay? delurking cause I’m concerned.
Having read about the power outages in NO, I think Dakinikat is without power, because she’s probably got stories to tell and is dying to tell them and Gustav wasn’t as bad as predicted.
Dak-Hopefully you will have power soon. We miss you!
I am terribly sorry that Dakinikat is without power, especially with Ike looming, and hope she will think about leaving if this one takes the same course.
Still, there is something else that I wanted to share with all of you who may have decided to vote for McCain-Palin and are getting the “issues” flack.
I have thought of this for a long time, and had uncomfortable discussions with friends over it, and have come to a final conclusion..
I am voting on issues. On the issues that are so basic to me that they trump the ones that I have followed for the past decade or so.
Let me say that I am not easily led. I read some of what I get sent, at least the first time, then I check it out. I watch and listen and think deeply about what is out there. Even my gut feelings have to get checked out because they aren’t always right. And, I don”t mind apologizing when I find I am mistaken.
All that said, I will be voting for McCain-Palin on issues alone. I have to support honor, honesty, fairness, courage, compassion, and integrity.
Those are the differencesI have had to admit to between my party’s candidate, and the other guys.
I cannot imagine why I would trust a misogynist to protect women’s rights. I cannot see how a lier, caught a number of times, can be trusted to follow any position, no matter how good it sounds. I cannot see how we can put trust of judgement in the hands of someone who changes positions by the focus group they are addressing, or sends surrogates behind our backs to undo his public actions.
Our position in the world has been damaged. We all know that. How can we hope to improve it with a man who couldn’t even see his primary race through on a fair and equitable basis. Who manipulated representation of voters to edge the competition, and when all else failed, who staunchly supported the disenfranchising of two states worth of voters? Before anyone even says it, giving them back after you have replaced half the delegates doesn’t matter. If you rob me and then give back the loot, minus a little something later, do you really think I will ever trust you, again?
So, I haven’t stopped voting on issues, I have gone back to the more basic issues, in hopes of supporting someone who can actually be trusted, both now and in the future.