Greetings from Hurricane Central!

It's amazing how life changes in one week. Oh, where to begin…as you have all heard by now, Hurricane Gustav is coming to Louisiana. I found out Wednesday at work, so that night I pulled my 72 hour kit out and went through everything to see what I had.

Work was quiet on Thursday (everybody was getting ready for the storm). I ran to the store afterward to get some more water and batteries. The shelves were already pretty bare. I packed a suitcase of clothes, then I packed my car, finally, I packed up stuff in my apartment. I took a break and Grandpa Bill took to me to eat my first Po-Boy sandwich at Bon Creole. It was a nice bit of normalcy during a time of uncertainty. I loved the Po-Boy (almost as good as the sandwiches from The Italian Place in Logan!) Daddy you would have loved this place…Inside, there is a wall and it looked like we were in a log cabin and there are deer and animal heads, etc. After dinner, we went and found a gas station that still had regular gas (a lot a gas stations were already running out and closing down) and I filled up my car.

Friday, I got everything taken care of at work-I cleared off my desk and packed everything away. I unplugged everything, got everything off the floor and covered the computer, phone, printer…(I decided it's very nice of Gustav to come on a Holiday Weekend, because I don't have to worry about work Monday!)

My Work and Apartment Complex Boarded Up

Saturday morning I locked up my apartment and left at 9am, praying that I would have a place to come home to when this is all over. I put air in my tires and then went to Stephanie and Jared’s to help them pack. I helped fill emergency water containers, ect. I had practically nothing in my car, so I told Stephanie that they could put whatever they needed in it (Stephanie usually has a van, but it's in the shop and she’s been driving a little Toyota and there's no space). So, we made a caravan-Jared had a generator in the back of his truck, Stephanie had all the food in her car, I had all the suitcases of clothes in my car) At 4pm, they had a mandatory evacuation for everyone south of 192, which is half way between New Iberia and Lafayette. We didn't get out until 5:30 pm and as soon as we got on I-90, traffic was bumper to bumper. It took 2 hours to get to Lafayette, which is normally only a 30-minute drive.

We had planned on going up to Alexandria, to the Stake Center. However, Jared's work called and said they would put him up at the Hampton Suite Hotel because they want him close to work (he works for PHI, flying helicopters out to the oil riges). I was so relieved when I heard we were only going to Lafayette. I wasn't looking forward to having to drive (I was afraid I would lose Stephanie and get lost). And if I have to go through a Hurricane, then this is nice place to ride out a storm! Instead of camping out on the floor, we have a nice room with a mini-fridge and a microwave (so, as long as we have power we can eat real food) and a shower and beds…I've never been more comfortable! God is gracious and merciful! That He is watching over and protecting me, I don’t have a doubt.

Home Away From Home

Today, we ran to the store to get a few more groceries. We went to Winn Dixie because practically everything else is shut down (It strange to see Wal-Mart, which is usually open 24/7, closed and boarded up and the parking lot empty…kind of erie.)

Gustav is suppose to make landfall tomorrow. Right now it's a Category 3 with winds up to 115 mph.

I love you all and I’ll keep in touch as long as we have power.

I love you, I love you, I love you!!!!!!!

Lonnie (and Miss Rosie)

New Orleans

What a week! Tuesday night was our Sisters' Club. We went to Lyndia's house and she cooked us a Mexican feast and we all shared our talents.

Saturday I went to New Orleans with Linda and we attended an Italian Genealogy Workshop for work. She picked me up at 6 am and it took two hours to get to New Orleans. We went to the Williams Research Center on Chartres Street, which is in the heart of the French Quarter. It was so neat! The buildings and architecture are amazing. The workshop was interesting and the lady mentioned The Church of Jesus Christ quite a few times because of the Family Search organization and all of the work they have done to film Italy’s Records, so that was cool!

The workshop ended at 12 and we wandered around a little. We walked through Johnson Square and went to Café du Monde to eat La Beignets(French Donuts) and I remembered Dad bringing home a box of mix, from one of his trips, to make them and I love them! It was fun!

Berrett Sibling Vacation

Note: I wrote this last Friday, but didn't get it posted until today...My pictures won't load, so I'll try and add them later!

I know it's been a couple of weeks since I've written, but I've been busy! First, the best news…For those of you who haven't heard, Elyse got a permanent job at a Radiology Clinic in Manhattan. Now she's an official New Yorker!!!!

Last week, I flew to Florida and met my siblings for vacation. It was so good to see Elyse, M, and Tedi! We spent a couple of days in Fort Lauderdale hitting the beaches. First, we went to Pompano Beach and swam. The water was perfect, and I actually got in and swam around and played. Then, we went walking along the waterways and the Fort Lauderdale Beach. Finally, we went to Hollywood Beach to see a concert.

Then, the next couple of days, we went to Port Everglades and got on the Royal Empress and took a cruise to the Bahamas. I was disappointed in the cruise, itself (the boat was old and small and there was nothing to do-I like Carnival much better), but Nassau was fun! We took a tour of the city, including Paradise Island and the Atlantis Hotel. After lunch, we were going to go find a beach and swim, but it started to rain, so we just shopped in the Straw Market. It was pouring, and Tedi and I had fun running through the flooded streets to get back to the ship (and laughing at people who lost their flip flops in the water!)

We got back to Florida and spent our last two days in Orlando doing Disney World (Thanks to Rob and Lucille for letting us get in for free!) It was crazy doing 4 parks in 2 days…we didn't get to do everything I wanted to (like Space Mountain). However, we got pretty much everything else! We did Everest and the Safari at Animal Kingdom, Big Thunder Mountain and Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom, Tower of Terror and Rockin' Roller Coaster at MGM (which is no longer MGM, but Disney's Hollywood Studios), and finally, Test Track and Mission Space at Epcot. We topped it all off with the Illumination fireworks around the World Showcase. Beautiful!!!

I flew home Sunday, got home Sunday night, went to bed, and then had to get up Monday to go to work-I was exhausted!!!!

Cockroach, Murder, and Vampires...Oh, My!

It's true what they say-troubles come in threes. Monday morning, I woke up with Pink Eye again! Then, my water started coming out of the pipes in bursts. Finally, Br. Harvey brought the couch over that they're giving me (which was great) but, later, a cockroach crawled out of it! Wonderful Stephanie brought me some Borax and Raid (for the roach) and Carpet cleaner (for the couch) and I spent the rest of the night cleaning.

Tuesday was Jane's Birthday and she invited me over to her house for a celebration. I followed Denise there after work (Jane is in my Branch and I work with her sister, Denise). It was so much fun! They have a big family and I met all but one sister. I tried more new food-I ate okra and crab gumbo with hot wings.

Thursday, I was upstairs at work, when Amy received the library's shipment of Breaking Dawn! She paged Sarah, our Children's Librarian, who is apparently obsessed with the Twilight Saga. Amy opened the box, and since I was already there, I beat Sarah and was the first person to hold a copy…Isn't that cool?! I got to see and hold the book before it was even available to the public! A nice perk to being a librarian…

Thursday night my Branch had an Adult Activity. It was a Murder Mystery Dinner. It was set in Hawaii, so we all wore lais and ate pulled pork, fruit, and pineapple cake. Each person got a clue, and each table was a team. We could ask the suspects certain questions and at the end, we had to determine who killed Winnie, the hula girl. It was probably the best church activity I have ever been to!
The Comeauxs and Linda

The Cottons

Lonnie and Tina

Friday night, at midnight, Sarah and I met at Wal-Mart and bought the first available copies of Stephenie Meyers' Breaking Dawn! I bought a copy to surprise Stephanie with. It was fun-they had a table set up front, right when you walk in the door, with stickers and buttons. Warning to all those reading it: Do not cheat and read the end first (Mom, this means you!!!)

So, Saturday morning I stopped at the Davis' to drop off Stephanie’s present and they invited me to go to Baton Rouge with them. I promise I didn't plan on spending another Saturday with them, it just kind of happened that way! Stephanie says as far as she’s concerned, I can just spend every weekend with them, but I don’t want to wear out my welcome! Anyway, I love Baton Rouge! We, of course, went to see the temple. It beautiful (Elyse and M, do you remember the Memphis temple? It looks just like that one, but even smaller). It’s right next to our Stake Center, which actually sits higher then the temple. The temple is tucked away in the corner, and I kind of like it that way-very peaceful.

We then went shopping. Stephanie wanted to show me Whole Foods Market, which she got addicted to in California (Elyse, did you ever go to one of those?). They have specialty foods, restaurants, and bakeries. I could have spent hours in there wandering up and down the aisles and sampling the food. Then, we went to the mall. Finally, we had a late lunch/early dinner at the China King Buffet (which the Davis' discovered because it’s in an old Red Lobster Restaurant!) It was good (Daddy, guess what I ate-biscuits, or Sweet Donuts, as they call them down here) and I saw my first crawfish!

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Lonnie