For the first time ever, I configured my cell to accept my on-the-road text messages for my first-ever evacuation from the path of a storm. The results are on my Twitter link, marked "from txt". Many, many other members of the blogpocheh are scattered to Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, north Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, Chicago, even New York City! A few folks have chosen to stay behind, and I wish them all the luck in the world. It is my deepest hope that we will all be able to gather together once again, face to face, without a storm to scatter us all once again.

I took one look at my parents' big galoot of a dog earlier, who seemed concerned about our dog, who is decompressing in my parents' laundry room with a comfy dog bed of her own, her food and water, and all the time in the world to herself. She hasn't barked yet for us to let her out - she needs this peace. "I know you're worried," I said to Max, who looked up at me inquiringly when we called him back from the laundry room door. "She needs some time, big baby. Let her be. She's been in the car for a while."

I then teared up when I realized I could just as easily have been describing myself and the many others like me who are having to flee their homes at this time.

My advice to all of you who are harboring the Gustav diaspora: let us be for a bit. Listen to us - we need to vent about difficulties such as contraflow insanity, serious problems with the city's 311 line, worries about what we might have left behind, whether it be stuff or good, good friends, and/or how exhausted we all are. Make sure we have roofs over our heads. Don't bring up 8-29-05 unless we bring it up first.

We need time. This is still a period of hurry up and wait.

And it hurts.