<p>Oh yeah – Wednesdays! Back in the day (college days, that is) the weekend definitely started on Wednesdays. The local pubs had reduced prices on pitchers of beer and the celebrating began. Not me, of course – I was diligently studying the night away in the Reading Room of the Library. :)</p>
<p>I could use a stiff drink about now… D (and a friend) took off in her car for her first “road trip” back to school…a 7-hr-drive. I told myself to be calm cool and collected about her driving (I’ll see her on Friday when we take all her crap, so this isn’t a tearful goodbye thing). Then I turned on the weather channel and realized that she’ll be driving through the remnants of Fay all the way up to D.C. Stay calm. Then she CALLS…had to exit the interstate because it was raining so hard. I’ve told her to be prepared to stay somewhere other than her planned cool hotel in D.C. tonight. Somehow, I’m thinking that Dinwiddie, VA isn’t quite what she had in mind. So now, H and I are anxiously watching the weather radar. If course, we knew it would rain…we were in Florida last week in the middle of it, and it rumbled through our parts last night, dumping up to 6" of rain. Just didn’t particularly need to have astrogirl drive 7 hours in it. Ugh. Maybe there’s a drink called Stormy Weather? If not, let’s make one up. I’ll take 2 of them.</p>
<p>SYMPATHY to you!</p>
<p>At least she’s off the road-- and how much trouble can she get into in Dinwiddie?</p>
<p>Hang in there, astrophysicsmom. I believe the remnants of Fay are now mostly bands of rainstorms, not constant severe downpours. We drove through 2 bands of it on our way back from driving DS to college this past weekend, and had some of the passing storms here in our city the past 2 days. So hopefully your dau will just have to pull off the road briefly while the worst of the storm passes, and it’ll just delay her a bit. Not sure if there are too many exciting eating establishments in Dinwiddie VA, but hopefully she can get a cup of coffee and fill up the gas while they wait.</p>
<p>LOL at all the mentions of Dinwiddie! I’m from the area and believe me, there’s nothing in Dinwiddie. Hopefully she will soon be on her way or else make it up to Chester or Richmond for decent food & a room. :)</p>
<p>OTOH, I’m sort of happy to hear the area is getting some much-needed rain.</p>
<p>well while we’re talking weather – are you there, jym?? – just saw the CNN headline about Gustav and NOLA right in the middle of projected landfall. Can this really be happening? Daughter is just settled in at Tulane and sounding really happy after a rocky first year. I can’t see calling and saying, “Oh about that evacuation plan…” So let’s all blow that baby back out to sea… and set up a round of – no, hurricanes won’t work, ditto cyclones – how about a beer, barkeep?</p>
<p>Yup-- IvoryK-- just got the first alert from the presidents office too. And, to make it worse, we will be out of town part of next week. This cant be happening!</p>
<p>D got past Richmond, with a couple of stops when it got really bad. Looks like she’s just got rain (and D.C. traffic) ahead. Whew.</p>
<p>Now I’ll start pacing and worrying about ivoryk and jym’s young-uns… Couldn’t believe it when they showed that it’s headed that way.</p>
<p>Thanks, astrophysicsmom. I could use a break. Marmots, please do something about that !@#$$%%% storm. I KNOW DS does not want to come back home.</p>
<p>Hey jym…you getting all the rain from Fay? We sent her up to you to fill those lakes.</p>
<p>Thanks, p2n, but would have preferred you have kept Fay down there and fill your own @#$%&%(& lakes!!!</p>
<p>Hey - I’m happy we got some water from Fay - Lanier is up over a foot in the past 2 days. Gustav looks menacing, though.</p>
<p>georgiamom-
While its nice to have lake levels rising, I coulda done without having to drive through Fay on the way back from dropping off s#2 last weekend, having almost gotten stuck in a flooded road yesterday morning (all cars were creeping along, going as far left as possible to the lowest level of flood, and the car in front of me decides to SLOW DOWN as much as possible… ack!) then our office bldg has a faulty fire alarm and we get sent out in the rain not once but <em>twice</em> yesterday… and now NOLA is considering evacuating because of Gustav and we might have a replay of the “get the kids out of Tulane a week after they arrive” college experience. NO mas!!!</p>
<p>jym626:</p>
<p>Wine. Lots of it. (Or whatever it is that will soothe)</p>
<p>Okay, I went outside and cursed at the sky. Then I threw the leftovers from the chicken bucket into the volcano down the street to appease Madame Fay. She should be moving along any time.</p>
<p>Move it over, girls, and let jym in here. She needs the orange booth. There is something to be said for having a neurotic daughter who finally gave up on a driver’s license after her eighth learner’s permit. Except that now, she wants a motorcycle. Move on over, jym – I’ll join you. :)</p>
<p>I think we have a few pork rinds that I can toss in for Gustav…All males like pork rinds, right? :p</p>
<p>Thanks, mafool and sluggy. The orange naugahyde is lookin’ pretty good right about now. I think this mess calls for bourbon. Lots of bourbon.</p>
<p>LOL about the learners permit, sluggy. DS’s gf finally got her license, after two or so learners permits, just before she left for college,and, conveniently, right after DS totalled his car. But, no motorcycle on her horizon.</p>
<p>Well, heard from DS#2 and went ahead and booked a flight outta NOLA on Sat. just in case. Maybe thats like packing an umbrella to keep the rain away. Worth the $250 investment to know he has a seat on a plane. Of course, DH and I are supposed to go out of town ourselves from here on Weds- so not sure what will happen with that. Guess we’re in a wait and see mode. Please throw a few more pork rinds at Gustav, sluggy.</p>
<p>$250 – where did you get that? I’m asking Tulane D to ask around and find someone who has a car going someplace! this is certainly not what we needed right now – but I’m glad to be riding it out with the SA gang. Not to be morbid here in the bar, but I keep thinking of LTS – a reminder always to keep things in perspective. Drinks on me – all around.</p>
<p>Ivory–
Actually it is $224 plus junk fees-- but thats just one way! Maybe I’ll make him walk back!</p>
<p>Jym, I found some Maker’s Mark hidden under a pile of pretty fairy hats and boas. It’s got your name all over it.</p>