Hmm, let’s see: it’s the last week of August, so there must be a hurricane brewing in the Gulf. Twenty years to the week after Andrew, almost exactly seven years to the day after Katrina, four years after Gustav, a bum named Isaac is bearing down on the central Gulf Coast. It’s still too early to know how close Isaac will come, but the local gas stations are already running dry. A few minutes ago, I drove 7 miles to find gas, and I waited in a long line at the pumps.
Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, I’ve been making extra ice to stuff the chest freezer and checking out the canned goods selection. Olive oil packed tuna, Nutella, peanut butter, Bush’s baked beans, three different kinds of rice: I could probably live for three weeks out of my pantry supplies. Fortunately, I bought a 18-lb bag of lump charcoal a few weeks ago, and all three of my propane cylinders are full, so I can avoid the supermarket madhouse.
To all my friends within harm’s way: stay safe, don’t panic, and eat well tonight, as you may have anxious indigestion tomorrow and the next day.
Bouillie 
Other than being wet and feeling immensely sweaty and dirty for the last three days, my hurricane camp-out was a blast. I packed the essentials into my pack (pb and j, nuts, dried fruits, a bottle of Jameson and two bottles of wine) and rode my bike to my friend’d place. After the power went out, we and his friends in the building, played Risk and Scrabble, with the illumination of headlamps. My friend has an awesome dog too. It was an interesting change of pace and the experience was fun, but it is not something I would wish to happen EVER again. lol
If you don’t want to experience it again, then you’d better pack your bags. We’ve had tropical weather events four out of the last seven years on Labor Day weekend.