Hurricane Edouard

A nice little Hurricane is always good to clean things up. Blow out the dead leaves and junk and then wash it all away.

I have straightened up my patio and swept the porch and all of the bicycles and plants are secured. Other than that, there really isn't much else to do except watch the Weather Channel for major changes.

Brian is in Galveston covering the story. Of course he has his Spark and Rehydrate, some ThermoPlus and a few Snack Bars.

I kinda envy him. It's an exciting News story. You get the facts with the weather and tracking coordinates. And then there is the personal aspect, how are people feeling and reacting?

Since my days living in the Pacific Islands, I always have thought these big storms are pretty awesome. On Guam we would meet in an old WW2 quanset hut with Civil Defense, First Responders, Government PIO's and other Media outlets. Thinking about it again, it's difficult to describe the buzz and intense calm of so many capable people coming together to make sure that everyone is safe and informed.

I have been in Super Typhoons with winds 180 to 200 mph. I actually have seen pane glass windows bend with the wind. The day before is just so exciting and you can feel it when the barometer drops. Everyone getting things in order, and then just waiting and watching for the storm to come in. Most would watch from the beach, with a big BBQ. I mean, you know the power is going to go out so you have to cook up everything in the fridge and drink all the beer before it gets warm. Then you stand at the shore and watch the surf and try to fall into the wind and take crazy pictures of your clothes and your hair blowing all over the place.

It's a bit different for me now, I have another little person that I'm responsible for. She knows that the storm is coming into Galveston and that is where her Daddy is, but he's OK and he won't get blown away because he takes his vitamins everyday and it makes him strong. And we can see him when he updates tonight and during Good Morning SE Texas.

By the way, I am aware that storms are not all fun and games. I have seen and been affected by some incredible devastation. Be prepared, be safe and then be Wow'd by the power of Mother Nature.