Rita on The Mind....

I guess you just can't get away from Rita. No matter where we go, everyone is still talking about it, and I imagine that's just a natural thing to do.

My husband and I went into League City today, both getting haircuts, then going to the post office and out to lunch. I had a bunch of packages to send to eBay buyers, some of whom had been waiting for over a week. The mail was held up due to the hurricane, so their payments didn't reach me till yesterday. Everyone understood the situation down here, of course, and the buyers have been very patient.

The ladies at the post office were asking everyone how they fared during the storm, and everyone was asking everyone else how far they drove and how long did it take to get where they were going. More often than not, people didn't even have a destination in mind... they were just driving to get away from the coast.

We went to the Greek restaurant in Kemah for lunch. We've been going there for well over ten years now, so we're friendly with the owners. He asked us where we went during the storm... and told us that he stayed right at home. We're hearing that from a lot of people... they just waited in their homes and listened to the news. When they heard that the storm had taken a different path, they just stayed right where they were. Which is what my husband and I are planning to do the next time. Get ready to leave, but don't plan on leaving till the day before it's supposed to hit, and just hope that the path it takes doesn't cut through Galveston and Clear Lake.

I think running away from the hurricane was just emotionally exhausting. I still can't believe how drained and worn-out we all are feeling. You'd think we'd been walking for 15 hours, instead of driving for 15 hours. Nearly everyone we've spoken to feels the same way, so it isn't just us.

Most of the small businesses are still closed, most not opening till tomorrow or the next day. My husband doesn't have to be to work till tomorrow, and the schools are all closed till tomorrow. The larger stores are open, and I'm sure the Mall is up and running with business as usual. Last place I'd want to be right now is the Mall...... not in the mood for shopping, and I'm not in the mood for much of anything else. I'm just taking things slow and getting every last little bit of things looking right and normal here at the house.

Mickey Kitty is back to his cute little self.... running around and chasing the other cats-- something he hasn't done since before the hurricane. While I was blow-drying my hair this morning, Mickey Kitty had a little adventure which involved the rose-covered topiary that I had filled with miniature teapots and teacups. I didn't hear the crash, but when I walked through the dining room this morning, I saw the little teacup tree on the floor, and there was Mickey Kitty, just sitting there next to it and looking at the remains.

He saw me looking at the mess, and all I said was "Oh Mickey Kitty, what have you done?" He sat right down next to the little tree and looked me square in the eye. I just picked him up to make sure he didn't cut himself on the broken teacups and then kissed the tip of his nose and told him not to worry. Silly tree was always a little lop-sided anyway. I took everything off the tree that wasn't damaged and threw the rest in the trash can, tree and all. This afternoon, I took another little table-top tree out of the holiday closet and decorated it with the little teapots and teacups.... and tucked in all the little pink roses to make it look less like a Christmas tree and more like a topiary. This one looks better than the one that Mickey Kitty knocked off of the buffet, so my sweet kitten did me a favor.

From now on, till Mickey Kitty gets a little older, I will have to remember that he has a fascination with silk flowers. Either that, or he thought the little teacups on that tree were just the perfect size for a seven-pound kitten.