Sep 2008

Robert phoned about 9:30 MI time tonight. They were comfortably settled in a motel in Jackson, TN, probably about 5 hours from Collegedale. They'd left the pets a little stressed but settling in. The cats headed for beds, but the dog cried when they left. But they figured the animals would be happier there than in cages with them all weekend.

Bob just phoned from Korea also. This weekend is Chusok, their equivalent of Thanksgiving, when everybody wants to head to their family home. People are being advised not to travel if they don't have to, as trains and such are full, so Bob figures on lying low. His Sunday class is canceled, too.

Jeanette asked me to update you here on Robert and Kathy. I thought I wouldn't have time for a while, so she said she'd post a brief word, but then I decided to give up on some work I was doing, so here goes.

Robert, Kathy, 1 dog, and 2 cats left Lake Jackson at 2:30 this morning, when they couldn't sleep anyway. Mandatory evacuation for their area was to begin at 8 a.m., and they'd planned to leave at 4:30. He e-mailed me their plans, as I'm their contact person for Dow and family. Then he phoned about 12:30 MI time that they were about 90 minutes from Little Rock. They would go to Kathy's sister's home there, leave the pets, and then drive on until they got too sleepy, stay overnight somewhere, and go on to Collegedale, TN, to visit James and take him camping. Taking their camping gear forced them to leave behind the 4-5 cans of gas they were going to carry on top of the car, remembering the traffic before Rita, but by leaving this early they didn't need it. They hope they will have a house to return to next week. As projected now, Ike is headed straight for their place, and even the National Weather Service calls it "catastrophic."

Bob went to Korea 2 weeks ago, and I promptly got the flu, but I am improving now. Yesterday I made reservations to fly to LAX Oct. 9, attend a concert at Disney Hall that evening (Lyndon's last weekend there, and I've never heard one there, though he's given me tours), and then on the 13th-14th fly with him to SF and Seoul. Beth and the girls plan to get there 4 hours ahead of us, from Wellington. Bob is arranging for a van to pick us up. They will stay in guestrooms at our university for a couple of nights, then move to a downtown hotel when the rest of the Phil arrives to begin its tour of Asia. I will fly home Nov. 4.

They sold their San Marino home, finalized the day before Beth returned to Wellington a couple of weeks ago. Lyndon and the girls had gone earlier, to get them into school. Then a few hours after Beth's return, he flew to Beijing with the NZSO for the Olympics Arts Festival--had a great time, but said he'd tell me more about itwhen he sees me.

Laura is having a great time in Denmark, though she is kept too busy to write. I follow her activities on her Facebook page. She is in Berlin right now, chaperon for a 10th-grade excursion.

I have been helping a 92-year-old woman seminary professor here to prepare her autobiography for publication. I have postponed getting my new compuer set up until I am done with that, so it sits in boxes beside me as I limp along on my failing laptop.

9/11/08 Robert & Kathy live very close to the project path of the eye, maybe will be on the 'dirty north side'. Per Madeline, the evacuated this morning to beat the rush. They will be staying with family in Arkansas, then maybe also visit James in Tennessee. They have a brick home, so wind damage may be somewhat limited (lots of tree's however). Flooding could be serious however, they live in a very low lying area close to the coast.

Becky & Family live in San Antonio, which is farther inland and is forecasted to get maybe 60 mph winds. Bad, but more tropical storm then hurricane. Becky says her hospital has taken in some of the patients evacuated from Galvaston and she's been instructed to keep an overnight bag at the hospital. Danny & Connie are now living in Austin, so are out of the direct path of the storm, but may still have kids in Corpus Christi. Becky thinks they have all evacuated to Austin.

This is all I know so far, hopefully others can post updates or more accurate info as it develops.