A case of cabin fever described.
Thursday, September 1st. Tropical Storm Lee laboriously made its way across the Gulf, stalled offshore, hovered and dumped band after band of water along with southerly winds driving water through the already badly damaged marshlands into bayous, rivers and lakes.
Friday, September 2nd. The day began with flash flood warnings, tornado watches and advisories to stay inside. Cabin fever begins. After strategically positioning candles and oil lamps, filling the car with gas and going to the grocery, I resigned myself to being housebound. Monitoring news and weather reports, keeping a watchful eye for any roof leaks or flooding and occasionally back-washing the ever- overflowing pool occupied the remainder of the day. By bedtime Friday I had finished one book and started another one.
Saturday, September 3rd. It rained all night and I awoke to huge flashes of lightening and continuing bands of rain. Surprisingly, the newspaper was double wrapped and completely dry. Back to the television and checking with friends in other parts of the city. Even with all the rain the smell of smoke from marsh fires that have been burning all week in eastern New Orleans is in the air. By now it’s deja vu and memories of Katrina. Here’s a video of flooding near the infamous 17th Street Canal which was the first canal to give way after Katrina. Be sure to watch the end of the video for a glimpse of the stoic nature and humor of people in this area. It’s quirky but helps maintain sanity sometimes!
Saturday evening I rounded up 6 friends also suffering from cabin fever and headed to a nearby restaurant looking forward to their steak night special only to find it closed. Undaunted, we proceeded to a nearby restaurant and had a nice meal watching the rain sheeting horizontally across the parking lot. But inside there was loads of laughter and camaraderie, which we needed more than sustenance.
Sunday, September 4th and still raining and still have cabin fever. I expected to see a big hand-crafted boat with lots of animals and a bearded captain in a long robe any minute! Needing cat food and milk I braved the elements and dashed to the grocery, adding to my list a box of Junior Mints, an 8 pack of mini Almond Joys and blueberry muffins (Weight Watchers, of course!). I changed out summer clothes and shoes for fall, paid bills, updated emails in all address boxes and deleted tons of pictures. I tackled Katherine Jackson’s paintings to try to select one to introduce next in the Katherine Collection. I began writing this post. And the day was only half over. Perhaps this should be the addition to the Katherine Collection.
Monday, Labor Day and it’s still rainy and gloomy. Is this system ever going to move out?! Winds are supposed to become northerly as the storm heads into MS, which will bring cooler weather and push water out of Lake Pontchartrain into the Gulf and ease the flooding.
Oh my goodness, here comes the sun and I see a shadow! Dare I hope? Now the wind is kicking up and it appears to be coming from the north. We are saved! Noah, there’s been a change of plans. You are recalled and I can get out of the house!
– Lorre Lei
P.S. All the Junior Mints and 4 of the Almond Joys are gone.
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