Ivan visits L.A.

Lower Alabama that is. And we, in North Alabama, a mere 400 miles away, are "bracing for impact" to quote a local news guy. School is out tomorrow. No ballet. Grocery store out of milk and bread and batteries. I don't know if it's really going to be bad, or if the local weather and school system people are jealous of the attention South Alabama is getting and want in on the action.

We are getting some outer cloud bands, and the wind has picked up a little. Some sprinkles. This is just one HUGE storm. I haven't been through a hurricane in almost 20 years. I had really hoped not to go through another one. And we are in the place alot of people are evacuating to.

I have alot of family in Mobile, and I can't get in touch with any of them. I've been trying all day. I take this as a good sign, that they got the heck out of town. They usually ride these things out as my aunt's house is high, has good, sturdy, interior rooms, and she has a generator. But she is quite elderly so I hope they took her and left town. We are supposed to spend Thanksgiving there this year, probably the last I'll have with one of my cousins who has terminal cancer. God, please keep them safe!

I will probably spend all night knitting the other sock, as I'm too worried to sleep. My dad used to procrastinate evacuating our house in Florida (on the water, lots of glass) and once we were even trapped on the Key we lived on. Though we ever only lost a few trees, it was still scary - the wind and then then the calm and then the wind again. Don't get me wrong, I prefer hurricanes to tornadoes (which are common here) because if you're smart you can get out of the way of a hurricane. Tornadoes just happen. But I don't actually LIKE hurricanes.

Another thing - I think I will forbid any of my children from becoming a weather person. Even the local stations have sent people down. I'd so hate to know that my child was in a hurricane ON PURPOSE. A fireman goes into a burning building to save a life, a paramedic into danger for the same reason. Policemen too. Dangerous things done on purpose because they need to be done. I don't view standing outside in a hurricane as one of those things. Also they put rescue workers at risk, because they have to stay around to help if one of these stupid reporters gets hurt. Pet peeve.

Prayers to everyone in the storm's path, especially Johnny, Nancy, Aunt Dotty, John, Sara Ann, George, Leigh, Daniel, Doty, Greg, Anna, Daniel, Patti, Johnny, and Caroline. And yes, John is a popular name in my family. As is Daniel.