Labor Day

Well, I slept in but didn't really log any additional sleep hours. I stayed up until almost 2 am reading a trashy novel. It was great. I was horrified, though, when I turned on the television and ended my news boycott for the week-end. Two massive hurricanes, where was I when all this was going on?? Oh, that's right, boycotting the news.

I never really used to notice hurricanes. That all changed with Katrina. I was in Slidell Louisianna helping clean up after Katrina when Hurricane Rita slammed into Texas. We followed the outer bands into the Golden Triangle area of Texas. The destruction was horrifying first-hand. We were actually one of the only groups let into that area because we had two emergency-room registered nurses and were a chain-saw crew, so we could and did clear roads. We spent one night in Port Neches the night after Rita hit. It was so still and quiet and suffocatingly hot. We used up all of our gasoline supplies and gave away all of our food and water so we were headed back when we passed all of the FEMA and National Guard units heading into the area. Yes feel proud, the Methodists beat the Government into the disaster area.

So anyway, I am very aware of hurricanes now. We have went back several times, both as a church and as a family to help hurricane victims. I think that all of my military police training came in handy when trying to organize and execute these mission trips. I remember asking one of my old D.S.'s how to handle organizing the food. He said, "well you assign a team to it." I thought to myself, "Man, I am the team." He was also the one that when asked what the Methodist Church was going to do to help said, "Call the Red Cross."

On the homefront, I actually got up and did my Pilates work-out this morning. Hurrah for me. I didn't lose any weight overnight. I cant' believe it either. :)

Ryss is getting her room cleaned. She has taken out three bags of trash so far. Yes, I said it "TRASH". Plus, a bag or two for Good Will. I have moved the bed frame into her room and the mattress will follow when she is done cleaning. I supposed a good mother would be in there helping instead of blogging. However, she doesn't want me in there and, frankly, I don't want to be in there. Because she wants to get rid of stuff that I want her to keep and she wants to keep stuff that I think she should throw away. I don't understand why a 12 year old and a 43 year old wouldn't agree on what is important!?!