September 2, 2011, Lafayette, Louisiana, 9:15 p.m., D.S.T.~

Dear Journal~

Really grateful for the rain during this season of drought; we needed it badly!  Raining lightly now outside, but the rain is fixin' to get heavier.  We could get upwards to over 5-10" of rain (and possibly even more than that), thanks to Tropical Storm Lee, which is starting to drift northwest at a very slow pace.  This is because the storm is moving so slowly; we could have flash flooding the next couple of days.  Hope not, but it's a distinct possibility ...

The weather didn't have to tell me twice:  my body let me know.  I'm in some serious pain.  My body never lies.  Michael kiddingly teases me; he calls me "The Human Barometer".  LOL

Just checked the radar.  Lit up like a Christmas tree.  Louisiana is gonna be Lousy-Anna when Tropical Storm Lee pays us a visit.  Sure wish it was Lee Greenwood the singer instead of Lee the Tropical Storm!  LOL  I pray we don't get any flooding or worse, damage (or power outages) as a result of the severe weather!

Time to break out the pirogues ... LOL  At least I can swim, but I don't think I would want to swim in nasty, dirty, yucky swamp flood waters!  Ewww!

Geez, thanks, Britnee:  she just informed me that tropical systems spawn tornadoes.  Just what I wanted to know ... NOT!!  Now where do we go if it really comes up a cloud??

They say the safest place to be is in a basement.  We don't HAVE a basement here in Louisiana; even if we did, with this tropical storm, might as well be an indoor swimming pool!  Gonna have to clean out the interior closet, just in case.  UGH!

Called maman; told her about Lee.  At first, she was like, "What happened to Michael?"  LOL  I told her it wasn't a person; it was a storm.  A tropical storm, no less.  LOL  Then she was like, "Oh, my word!  Chere', please be careful and get to safety when you can!  I will be praying for y'all!"  She sounded rather upset.

Guess I won't be sleeping too well the next few days ... if the power goes, good thing I have battery backup for my laptop, so I can keep up to date with the latest updates on Tropical Storm Lee.  I may be in the dark, but at least I'll continue to be informed! :)

Emergency provisions gathered, extra batteries bought, weather radio on the ready, and pils at hand.  Good thing I have a laptop.  That way, I can take it with me if we need to go somewhere and I can remain online ... that is, if the battery pack holds out.  

Oh, snit!  Gonna have to order an extra oxygen tank.  GREAT.  Just remembered that.  That way, if I need to take a snort, I'll have it with me if we need to evacuate.  Good thing there are 24-hour medical supply stores around here; if not, I'd be in TROUBLE ...  Don't EVEN want tto think what would happen if I didn't have it in case something would come up ... EEK!!

I just told Michael to call.  Hopefully we can get it sometime later tongiht or tomorrow before it really gets nasty outside.  He's on the phone now.

Guess there won't be much fais do-do'ing going on this weekend if Lee sees to it.  Gonna be a lot of unhappy Cajuns around, including yours truly ... Oy vey!!  LOL

And what if Louisiana-Lafayette is scheduled to play?  In the deluge?? YUCK!!  That's gonna be NAAAASTY .... :/

I wonder if I could put water wings on the Bug in case I have to go to work.  That way, if I do, I can float to work.  LOL  Don't even relish the thought of driving in the wind-driven heavy downpours.  Guess I will have Michael or Britnee take me instead.  Besides, I'm not the fastest thing on the planet ...Their vehicles are much bigger than my teeny tiny Bug.  LOL

Brit has a truck (a Ford F-150); as for Michael, he has an Hummer H3.

I would watch the MDA Telethon, but it will probably be interrupted repeatedly with the latest Lee-related weather bulletins.  Guess I will sleep unless we have to be evacuated ...

Hope not.

Now I kinda wish I was back home in Tennessee with my family.  They don't  usually have to deal with hurricanes or tropical systems, unless it's the remnants (we had the remnants of Katrina six years ago; we got dumped on! LOL).

I miss them.  My family.  I am sure they must be worried about me ...

Well, Michael just told me that the oxygen delivery service will be here in an hour.  Great to hear.  That is one less huge worry off my skull!  :)  Thank God for small favors ... :)

Glad I got my checks this week.  I can pay for the oxygen, and also get caught up on my bills.  Not that I was late or anything, but I still try to pay my bills as soon as they come IF I have the money.  And then there's the gas.  YUCK!  That always goes up.  GRRR!!  Went up six cents today; I was NOT a happy kitty!

Poor Cajun, speaking of kitties: she knows something is gonna happen.  She is furred out, pacing nervously, and yowling.  She is making me a nervous nellie!  She doesn't like storms.  (Kinda like her maman! LOL)

Great! I have a storm phobic for a kitty!  LOL

Well, I am gonna go.  Gonna try to get some sleep before the spit hits the fan.  I will write in  here probably in several days; just pray, pray, pray for us here in Lousy-Anna!  Pray we don't have any devastation, in terms of damage, tornadoes, flooding, or loss of life!  I would greatly appreciate it, as would all of us here in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama (they are also in line for Lee to visit, but they're on the dirty side of the storm; things will probably be worse that way)!  God bless and talk to you again!

~Love, your friend, Ronee' Le-Anne.  :(