Katrina evacucation in Austin from MsHollie's LiveJournal

Safe and sound...road trip update again

Sep. 15th, 2005 at 10:11 PM

I'm safe and sound in Austin with infrogmation's friends Bonner and Robbie. I'm typing this from their computer.

So this will be home for a little while until we can get back to NOLA. Measnwhile, I'm just sitting back and enjoying things.

Mood: tired
Music:Yes, "All Good People" (in Bonner's car CD player)

Settling Down in Austin

Sep. 16th, 2005 at 3:27 PM

I slept until almost noon today. Froggy said I was snoring pretty hard. I must have needed it.

Today we spent doing domestic chores like laundry and groceries. Froggy and I ended up getting matching pairs of Texas sandals at Walgreens, and was amazed that I saw my first grocery store with its own tortilleria. I didn't even get to see anything like that in California.

We ate lunch at Las Manitas, a hole in the wall cafe on Congress. I had quesadillas. They were good, though smaller than what I'm used to seeing. Their salsa kicked some serious major butt.

Meanwhile, we're getting in touch with friends and family, and calling Austin our temporary home.

Mood: amused
Music:froggy's self-phone

"I've always depended on the kindness of strangers."

Sep. 18th, 2005 at 8:11 AM

It's amazing how much people are willing to help when I mention that I'm an evacuee. I was able to get another 30 day supply of my meds, courtesy of a couple of friends/family members of Bonner and Robbie's. One is a friendly pdoc named Elizabeth Taylor (no kidding!), and the other, Kim, works for the Texas health department. They've been fantastic. Girl power in action! :)

Meanwhole, I get a nastygram in my e-mail last night. I wanted to write back with the salutation, "**** you", but Robbie suggested I hand-write my response, then shred it. I must admit that's quite therapeutic.

Today froggy and I are going to a benefit concert for Katrina survivors (I hesitate to use the word "victim") with some New Orleans musicians. It should be fun. Froggy jammed with some friends last night at our impromptu gathering. It was fun.

I think I drank too much last night. I started to get sleepy, then depressed again. That sucked.

It's breakfast time. I think I'll have some.

Mood: awake
Music:the ceiling fan in the computer/guest room


There's no place like home...

Sep. 20th, 2005 at 4:01 PM

I talked to my dad this morning. He said we have some external damage to the house, but the inside is OK. We have power and water, but no cable. He advised us to stay put here in Austin until we know what Rita's going to do.

I sorta want to stick around for the Austin City Limits festival this weekend. That should be fun. Froggy's going to sit in with a band tonight, while Bonner and Robbie won tickets to the Ravi Shankar concert tonight.

In other news, the hot tub got fixed here. Yay. Now to get Froggy's tub fixed.

I wonder where froggy is right now.

Mood: complacent
Music:KGSR. "Radio Austin"

infrogmation replies:
Sep. 20th, 2005 11:17 pm (UTC)
Froggy's right here
Sounds like I have a downed tree to take care of and a fence to rebuild before getting the hot tub working.

But all in all, pretty lucky.

Especially to have you, evacuation buddy!

Oh, no...here we go again...

Sep. 20th, 2005 at 6:16 PM

First Katrina, now Rita. Mayor Nagin's got his hands full on this one, folks. He's advised people not to return to New Orleans. We don't know what this storm's going to do yet, but Galveston is already being evacuated and the evacuees from Houston are moving to Arkansas.

Meanwhile, I'm sitting here at a Schlotzky's with awesome wireless access. The only problem is not being able to plug the computer into a wall because I didn't see any outlets. I'm running on battery power. At least I was able to get my website work done. Go me.

Mood: confused
Music:"Dueling Computers" by Hollie and Froggy

Sep. 21st, 2005

11:00 AM

I'm not sure I want to go home. I'm afraid of what I'll see once I get there. A&P is open, but they're charging very expensive prices for things. Dad's been getting water and MREs from the military stationed near there. Froggy can't get home yet because the mayor has rescinded the repopulation plan. We're still left wondering what Rita's going to do.

Meanwhihle, my bottle of Rescue Remedy fell out of my purse last night and subsequently got run over/broken. I have a coupon for $1 off a new bottle. I think I'll take advantage of it this afternoon. I'm also thinking of buying a bottle of Holly essence. Just because.

We tried to find Froggy's gig last night, but it turned out the venue was closed...all this after we went driving all over east Austin to find the place. We consoled ourselves by getting cups of Amy's ice cream. I got Texas Mud and Mexican vanilla. The Mexican vanilla is awesome.

I'm not burned out on Tex-Mex food yet.

Mood: frustrated
Music:froggy singing in the shower

Don't tell us what kind of day to have!

Sep. 21st, 2005 at 6:22 PM

Today hasn't been very productive. Poor frog has been hassling with the folks at his cell provider about not being able to get calls into/out of our area code. They won't give him a temporary Austin number. That sucks.

I was able to get two large bottles of Rescue Remedy at Central Market. We'll both need them.

We were looking for wi-fi access. Both BN and Borders require that you PAY for wi-fi access and it's FREE at Schlotzky's. The food isn't bad either.

We looked for a bank to cash my check from the Red Cross, but the first place we tried wouldn't cash the check. We ended up at a H-E-B where they cashed the check with NO PROBLEM, and NO CHARGE! I think I'm beginning to like H-E-B.

I want to go home, but I'm scared of what I'll find there. No mail, no cable. Water, ice and MREs from the military. Dad said the MREs actually aren't bad. I'm not sure what to think of that. A&P is open, but they're very expensive. I want to be able to cook my own food, dammit.

(All together now...)
No phones, no lights, no motorcars, not a single luxury...

Music:the speaker system at Schlotzky's

Hurricane Update

Sep. 22nd, 2005 at 6:42 PM

Froggy and I got tetanus/diptheria vaccines today. He got a Snoopy bandage, while I settled for Bugs Bunny since they didn't have Spongebob.

H-E-B was a zoo this morning as people bought provisions for Rita. Personally, we'll just get some wind and rain. It may drown out ACL this weekend.

We went to a bubble tea place, Momoko, and then to the mothership of all Whole Foods Markets at 6th and Lamar. They were $2 cheaper on the large bottles of Rescue Remedy than Central Market was. I bought another bottle, along with a bottle of Holly essence, just because. That place is dangerous. We had to get out before we succumbed to temptation.

Went splashing around today.

I'm hungry. I want food.

Mood: hungry
Music:KUT 90.5FM

Here comes another one...

Sep. 23rd, 2005 at 10:12 AM

My dad has evacuated to Bowling Green. Again.

Froggy and I have evacuated. Still.

I'm tired of living out of a suitcase, even though it's a Vera Bradley large duffle bag in Bermuda Pink.

That is all.

Mood: discontent
Music:Beatles, "Lovely Rita Meter Maid"

Rita makes landfall, and other things...

Sep. 24th, 2005 at 7:36 PM

Rita made landfall near the LA/TX border early this morning. Lake Charles is trashed.

In other news, froggy and I went to Highland Mall this afternoon to take in some trad jazz. Rather, he took in the music while I wandered around the mall. I found a Crabtree and Evelyn with some Vera stuff...took all my willpower to resist buying yet another piece. I did, though, get some Godiva chocolate while froggy got a prepaid cheap cell (self-) phone with an Austin number from T-Mobile.

Went to yoga class with Robbie this morning. We both needed it, what with Robbie being stressed out and my being out of practice. The class was very relaxing. I should think about a regular class when I get back to NOLA.

Had lunch at Burger Tex. Good burgers. And fries.

So what's for dinner tonight?

Mood: content
Music:froggy's trombone

Various and sundry...

Sep. 27th, 2005 at 9:18 AM

We went and did refugee things yesterday. Froggy opened a second checking account, while we went to an optician to get my glasses fixed. They broke during yoga class the other day, and I'd spent the weekend pushing them back into place. The optician did a temporary fix; for something more permanent I would have to go to an optical lab. Gina, where are you when I need you? :)

The night wasn't without fun, however. We went to the Spider House for an a.r.k.p.l.e. (alt.religion.kibology party-like event), and had fun, despite their wireless Internet connection to be less-than-ideal. We then went to the Elephant Room to hear some jazz. Froggy was hoping to jam with the musicians, but they sounded too be-bop for him. Personally, I liked them.

And so today we call around to optical labs for a fix for my glasses, while I help froggy out with a new checkbook. What are friends for?

Mood: moody
Music:froggy singing in the shower

Bureaucracy, Texas Style

Sep. 27th, 2005 at 6:40 PM

We went to South Austin Optical to get my glasses fixed. The optician there replaced the nylon bands that held the nose piece together, but advised me to get polycarbonate lenses my next pair, and to go for a rimmed rather than a rimless style. Help...Gina?

We then later spent close to 3 hours at the Texas Departrment of Human Services waiting to be interviewed for Lone Star cards (the TX equivalent of Louisiana Purchase, better known as "food stamps"), I heard some very bad Spanish over the intercom system, and I'll probably spend tonight dreaming en espan~ol . (sorry; don't know how to type one of those cute "n" letters with the tilde over it on a Mac, which is what Bonner & Robbie have.)

I can speak better Spanish than the droids at TDHS did, and my knowledge is limited to futbol and concursos de belleza , and whatever else I can find on Univision.

Mood: bitchy
Music:the Don Adams Memorial Cartoon Festival

We have the necessities of life.

Sep. 29th, 2005 at 10:27 AM

We [Terrytown] have power. We have water, and most importantly, we have cable and Internet! This will make my webmastering a lot easier when I get home. Yay!!!

But I'll be staying in Austin through the weekend, as there really is no rush to go home. Besides, there's a party we've been invited to Sunday, and I want to do another yoga class on Saturday.

Happy belated birthday to Margaret. I almost completely forgot about it...hope it was a good one.

Mood: happy
Music:TV in the background

On going home...

Sep. 30th, 2005 at 9:44 AM

"I've traveled places where the water was unsanitary, but I'd never thought it would be my own home." : froggy, as he was talking to me last night.

We'll be going home after the weekend, to a whole different reality. I don't know how prepared we are for that eventuality, but I'm sure staying in Austin has taken its toll on our hosts, gracious though they are. I'm sure Bonner and Robbie want their house back to some semblance of normalcy, and we'd like for them to have that.

This is the longest I've been away from home since my college days at now-ULL. On the upside, it's the longest I've been together with froggy. If we can survive this, we can survive anything. :)

We have the basics over in my part of town, and Terrytown is functioning as its own little island. We have an open grocery store (A&P), a gas station (Terrytown Shell), and a few other neighborhood businesses. The nearest open Wal-Mart is in Boutte. the Hong Kong Market is set to reopen next week...meaning bubble tea!!! (I can keep my sanity by having bubble tea!!!)

We're considering returning to Austin for a short time, but we haven't decided for sure yet.

I wonder what will become of LSUHSC. Do I have to go to Baton Rouge for a pdoc appointment now?

*sigh* I wish this were all just a nightmare.

Can I wake up now?

Mood: profound
Music:froggy cleaning out the car

The Wurst is Over

Interstate 10, which had closed areas Houston through Lake Charles LA, is supposed to reopen Monday, which means we can take the shorter quicker route to go back home. Yay!

Got a buncha stuff from Home Despot to take back home for the cleanup. Depending, after I get home I may be needing to make more daytrips or 2 day trips back out for such stuff.

Yesteday night I went to Scholtz's, an old German immigrant Beer Garden from the mid 19th century. I was invited to sit in with "The Wurst Band". It was a big group, some 8 trumpets, 3 other trombones, 2 tubas, drums, assorted reeds, etc, that plays for beer Thursday nights (although curiously this was their last one, as they don't do it in October-- go figure). Apparently this is the closest thing Austin has to a Tumble. Who shows up varies. I seemed to be the only one who didn't know most of the pieces by rote &/or was able to sight read their part. I tried to beg off on the German polkas and marches which I didn't know at all, but was encouraged to dive in, and thus occasionally was able to make the Wurst band just a little worse. Ms. Hollie said the whole agravation had the sound of too little rehersal and too much beer. I had fun however. There were several music books which the leader called tunes from. A few were clearly beyond the band and fell apart and were cut short. We played some Wagner-- hey, I've heard this one in a Bugs Bunny cartoon, though Carl Stalling's arrangement was a bit diffferent. In honor of yours truly being a guest, a they called a couple of tunes like "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans" and "Panama". One of the musicians who also plays Dixieland warned that the arrangements were very square, which was accurate. On a couple I did my best to drag forward in temporal hepness to about 1916 or so. Some of the results occasionally reminded me of Tom Brown's recordings with New York studio groups. Each of the three sets ended with a very loud version of "In Heaven, There Is No Beer" to prompt delivery of fresh pitchers. It wasn't jazz, but it was fun, and the Austinites could hardly be any nicer.

Tomorrow Saturday is a music festival to benifit New Orleans musicians which will be iin South Austin.

Sunday we have our private jam & soak party at a friend's.

Monday, proably take care of any final errands, get some groceries for ourselves and for our gracious amazing hosts, and perhaps one last Tex-Mex meal.

Austin area internet aquaintances are hereby warned that chances possible IRL meetings are in limited supply; grab 'em while you can.