Well, I'm taking this time to break the rules again. We remember those who are in the path of Rita. I have a 1st Cousin [DETHROW] who wrote the following.. they live in Sugar Land, just south of Houston, TX.: Roberta, I have a 1st cousin with his family who live in Sugar Land, just south of Houston. Would appreciate prayers for them and others down there. Here is his report: >> just a note to a few friends and family who don't >> live in Houston. some of >> this is a repeat so bear w/ us >> When Rita looked like it was headed straight toward >> Houston and 135mph >> winds, we left Sugar Land on thurs morning at >> 3:30AM, headed for Betsy's >> new apartment in Waco. After driving 14 hours and >> roughly 65 miles, we >> turned around and came home. 14 hours to get north >> of Houston and an hour >> minutes to return home. Like one guy on the radio >> said: we were told to >> evacuate on a road to nowhere. >> 4-5 of our friends did the same thing - turned >> around and came home. Now, >> let's make sure we get this straight though - if >> the hurricane hadn't >> taken a bend toward Louisiana, we'd still be trying >> to get to Waco. >> >didn't know you could drive for 14 hours on 1/2 a >> tank of gas but when >> you only go 65 miles, I guess it's possible. 101 >> degrees mid-afternoon. my truck and Martha's SUV = we were loaded. >> The >> girls wanted to take >> everything they owned but we had a nice conversation >> about what couldn't >> be replaced and what could. >> Fri, 3pm: wind about 25mph & harder gusts, out of >> the NE. looks like >> we're in for 65 to 75 mph winds where we are. Having left town >> yesterday, >> we didn't stock up on much food but did get a bunch >> of water. Our best >> friends and our next door neighbors all went to >> Austin so we went >> 'looting' before the storm. came back w/ milk, >> fruit, a few other >> perishables. everything in town was closed when we >> got back at 6pm last >> night = looks like Christmas day. no cars on the >> road, everything locked >> up therefore, no groceries, gas, etc. there's not a >> gas station w/in 10 >> miles that has any gas. all the people from >> Galveston and surrounding >> area were evacuating thru Sugar Land on hiway 6. When we left >> yesterday >> morning, we were stopped in all the traffic and >> since everybody had their >> windows rolled down due to saving on gas, Betsy >> struck up a conversation >> with a man who said he had been on the road over 8 >> hours and made it from >> Alvin to north side of sugar land - roughly a 40 >> minute drive on a normal >> day. >> back to the present, Betsy's boyfriend just arrived >> from Waco and brought >> other groceries. apparently since we couldn't get >> there, he didnt have >> anything else to do and hadn't been thru a hurricane >> so he came here. He >> said there were lots and lots of abandoned cars >> along the road he came in >> on. cars broken down, out of gas. >> We're 'hunkered down' for the duration. should >> start raining in 2-3 hours >> w/ heavy winds starting about midnight. clouds have >> come ashore since 7am >> with rotation, it's prett wild. going to grill come >> fajitas and chicken >> before it starts. all 4 cars accounted for w/ 2 >> here and 2 at mothers in >> garages. hot tub full of water and staked/lashed >> down. moved mattresses >> out of the girls bedrooms and put in our room >> downstairs - looks like >> we're all spending the night together. >> As time and electricity allow, will keep you posted. >> Lanita, please >> forward this to your folks - I've got your Dad's >> email at the office but >> not here. Tell him we appreciate the prayer and >> short visit this morning. >> thanks to all who have offered their houses or barns >> for us to stay in = >> we just couldn't get there with our other 2 million >> friends on the road. >> and, of course, thanks to all of you for your >> continued prayers. >> love to all, >> Jeff et al. > Thanks! Lanita Sconce Smith I looked at my family tree...there were two dogs using it