Watching the Tropics (Again)

Yes, I am watching that blob to the west of Florida. Especially because we have a roofer working on the house right now, so there's a veritable arsenal of objects ready to be hurled by the wind. Depending on what happens with the wind speed, we may have to call him to come collect the roofing materials.

Folks will hate me for this, but I would kind of like the storm to give our levee system a little test. I'd alos like our soon-to-be new house to be given a test, as well. That way we can avoid the pain of actually buying it if we know it is in jeopardy in even a tropical storm.

In all of my ten years (in just a few weeks) of living here, I can't recall there being a topical system in the Gulf this late in the season. Maybe I'm wrong, but it does seem as though weather patterns have been changing in the past couple of years. Or perhaps it's the ppost-K 'tude that has me more wary of what happens out there.

I've had to tell a few of my students to shut it in conferences this week. They are already so stressed out by all of their work that they seem to be wishing something serious on us so they can get out of writing their essays. Don't. Even. Go. There, I say.


But in the meantime, I ask it to go there, too.


It's just that if the agony of the levees breaking is to happen again, I want it to happen sooner rather than later. At first, I couldn't undersdtand why T and B, who bought a house in Gentilly after their former one flooded, would buy a house there again. I mean, I know we are buying in Holy Cross, but HC is not in a floodplain, and Gentilly is. T said, "If what happens after Katrina happens again, this city is finished, no matter where you live." He had a point.


So, if the storm could just give us a tiny kick--a little brush. Enough that our homes and the levees could survive and inspire confidence. Oh--and enough that the insurance rates could come down, too...