gustav, a day away

it is expected that gustav will make landfall sometime tomorrow (monday, sept 1) happy labor day! the news is saying that he could hit anywhere from east texas to the alabama/florida border. that is a WIDE swath. apparently ray nagin has called gustav "the mother of all storms" and technically i think he would be the "father of all storms," but who's counting. why is it that in times like this, the masters of hyperbole are those with the most power? do you think there is a direct correlation there? perhaps it really will be the storm to end all storms, but who knows? perhaps he just needed to put that extra oomph to drive home the point that you MUST leave new orleans. there are no shelters in new orleans. if you stay, you are on your own. there will be a curfew and anyone not on their own property will be subject to arrest.

the friends who were going to ride with me ended up on a city-evacuation bus headed to arkansas. "how far away is arkansas?" my friend asked me when she called from the bus. that was yesterday evening--hopefully she's there by now.

we met a woman last night at a restaurant in downtown jackson who had evacuated here from grand isle, louisiana. that's one of those towns on the tippy tip of the boot-toe of the state. she was really proud to tell us that we could find pictures of her wedding online. you wont believe your eyes!

this is a strange thing for me. it kind of feels like a long holiday weekend, but gustav has never been off my mind. there's no sense in worrying because that wont change the course of the storm. i'm learning that even jackson will feel some effects--high winds, thunderstorms, potential power outtages--but not enough to evacuate from here. i've never done this before and its a weird state to know that in a matter of hours your whole life could take a drastic turn. i'm with friends here and i am being well taken care of! i'll try to keep the updates coming as i can.

love, emily