The Flood List...

It's hurricane season, which means...lots of rain here!

All this rain made me think of my junior year in college when Katrina hit. I went to a college in Southern Arkansas, only about an hour North of Louisiana. As a result, two things happened. One - our community opened up as a major relief center for many families traveling North to evacuate during/after the hurricane. Two - We got rain. LOTS. of. RAIN.

One Saturday morning (Yes Saturday...morning...as in...the prized day of the week which involved much sleeping in, playing outside, and avoiding all homework and other pressing issues - please note the time of receipt which was 6:38 a.m. on SATURDAY!), I got a phone call from my mother. Sounding a bit frantic, she quickly informed me that it WAS going to RAIN without stopping for days - and to check my e-mail as soon as possible because she had a list of things for me to get at Wal-Mart. (Yes it was so good I saved a copy in my e-mail just in case I ever need it again either for reference during major rain storms, or to send to my children one day!)

So without further ado (Is that how you spell ado? Oh well!) I give you..."The Flood List!"

From: Randy & Kristin [mailto:randyw@fidnet.com]
Sent: Sat 9/24/2005 6:38 AM
To: rockindrummergirl15@hotmail.com; Alicia Whitaker (whi38966)
Subject: Very Important


Our weather coverage shows Katrina heading north, through Louisiana, and hitting La. and Ark. with torrential rains.
Don't get out in super-windy/rainy weather, but if it's not that bad there yet, go to WalMart and use your charge card and get the following:
* 2 strong bags, canvas or whatever, or an extra backpack to put stuff in if you needed to go to the roof.
* ZipLoc gallon size bags - 2 or 3 boxes to bag up super-important items
* 20-30 chocolate/other candy bars, preferably the kind wrapped in plastic
or look for bags of minis and grab 3 or 4 bags
* 2 rolls/packages of clothesline cord, preferably not the metal kind
* 4 or 5 packages of granola bars/snacks wrapped in plastic
* 2 additional flashlights with 2 extra sets of batteries
* 5 or 6 large pool toys, inflatable, if they are available...the tougher skinned, the better...easy to blow up kind--you could link these together with the cord, and make a circle that would hold up 2 or 3 people if necessary, or throw them to someone who needed them, etc.
* Gallon bottles of water if available (or juice drinks in plastic bottles that don't have to be refrigerated...plastic bottles could be emptied and used for flotation devices if you had to) get 6 or 7
* drinks (juicy juice, etc.) in smaller bottles, several packages
* a small fire extinguisher like the kind we have in the kitchen (don't worry about cost) try to get one that says ABC if possible
* candles in jars, and matches
* radio--battery operated, with at least 2 extra sets of batteries

Don't worry about the cost, just get what you can find. Keep the food and candles, etc., in your room in a plastic tub or something, just in case you had to evacuate to somewhere in a hurry.

Did I mention I love my mom LOTS?!  :)  I think I also failed to mention the rain storm actually never happened, (possibly some sprinkles!) and my room mate and I ate well for the next few weeks with all the new snacks and drinks! Maybe this list will help you make it through all the rain this week...or at least give you a good belly laugh to brighten the dreary days! 

Here's a picture from college taken when my mom and dad came to visit on a weekend - at a football game during my marching band days! :)