Bad Weather

Flipped on the news just now to see where the forecasters think Hurricane Isaac is headed.  Not looking too good for the Gulf Coast at the moment.  I lived in Houston for a long time, actually not too far from the Astrodome, and watching the aftermath of Katrina and Rita on TV made me physically sick.  So hoping that the infrastructure holds up this time around and that the impact of this storm is not so deadly and dramatic and uprooting for the poor souls in its path. 

A few days ago, Ms. Moon wrote a post on her blog entitled Tell Me Again Why I Live Here? that got me thinking.  She was reflecting on the fact that Floridians have not only hurricanes to contend with, but also alligators, snakes, and other various and sundry disagreeable forms of wildlife including massive mosquitoes. 

I know why I live where I do (a combination of my husband's job and Murphy's Law), but I ask that same question of my parents regularly.  It is possible to see the San Andreas Fault line from the front porch of their home in Southern California--I am not exaggerating in the slightest--and their homeowner's association runs regular earthquake preparedness and other disaster-related drills.  I have to admit that their town and the surrounding area are staggeringly beautiful, which I presume is why people would be crazy enough to live RIGHT ON TOP OF A MAJOR FAULT LINE, but still.  Their thought process is that everyone has to go sometime, and they might as well be in a place that they love when it happens.  Can't argue with their logic, at least when I'm being rational.  It happens on occasion. 

That said, I hate earthquakes--and tornadoes, for that matter--with a fiery passion.  I prefer my natural disasters to come with warning, preferably a lot of warning!  Surprises are not my thing, never have been.  Having been through several earthquakes in Japan, small ones but big enough as far as I was concerned--it felt like the four corners of the room had been taken up by some malevolent giant on a sudden whim and vigorously shaken on each occasion--I will cheerfully avoid those as much as possible.  I have also seen the sky turn pea green and then dashed headlong for the basement during summer Midwestern storms.  Can't say that was much fun either.  At least with hurricanes, you do know where they are and when they are coming.  Stressful enough waiting for them to arrive, but there is time to prepare with batteries and water and the like, or alternatively to board up and get the hell out of Dodge.

Thinking tonight about the people waiting for Isaac, those with battened hatches and stockpiled supplies and also those who have boarded up and sought safer harbors. 

Rain, rain, go away...