Do you remember where you were, five years ago today?

I remember standing in the Shell station at Carrolton and Earhart on Friday August 26th. In a remarkable moment of clarity, I told Bryan we should go to my parents’ house on Saturday, just in case. The storm was predicted to go over Florida but with my being on maternity leave, I did not think it would be a big deal to go spend the weekend with my parents.
I remember being in my parents’ living room, watching a black and white battery operated television, desperate for the helicopter camera to pan over Uptown. Christian was nine weeks old and very close by. He benefited from Katrina in that living with grandparents meant there were plenty of arms to hold and love him when I was tired.
I remember the phone ringing a lot with people calling, worried, and wondering if we were safe. We were fine, without power or air conditioning, but fine nonetheless. My sister had to stop my six year old nephew from watching the news; it was making him worried for his aunt.
I remember receiving pictures of friends’ devastated houses, viewing the pictures on my parents’ computer. Those pictures made it feel very real, very close and I wondered about our house.
I remember when we found out about our house. I was in my parents’ carport, washing my car, when Dad called to say he’d made it through the barricades. He reported that the water had been to our top step. Everything in the shed, the air conditioner and water heater were ruin but nothing in the house had been damaged.
I remember hearing Green Day’s “Wake Me Up When September Ends” every time I got in the car. The song described my wish to escape the sadness and wake up when it was over.
I remember sitting in the Sears parking lot, hearing Mayor Ray Nagin say come home. He would later rescind the offer due to Hurricane Rita. Even still, for the first time in three weeks, it felt like the nightmare would be over soon.
So, if you wonder do I remember where I was on August 29th, 2005, yes I do.

Lazy Summer Days

My last blog was after the end of our trip to Norway. Since our trip, we have not made any excursions outside of England. We have spent the month of August exploring different English sights.
First up, we went to York for an overnight stay where I registered to run the York 10K on August 1st. York is a medieval town with roots back to Romans and the Vikings. We saw York Minster, the largest Gothic structure in northern Europe, went through the Jorvik center, a Viking tourist attraction and stopped by the York Model Railway museum. The model railway museum had certainly seen better days but Christian and Jacob loved the rooms filled with model railroads and the special room dedicated to Thomas the tank engine. Christian's quote for the visit was "This is the coolest place ever." I finished the race in good time, even though it was nowhere near my personal best, but I was still happy that the course was flat.
Last weekend, we took the train to East Sussex and walked along the South Downs Way, one of the many walking trails in England. This part of the trail happened to be along the white chalk cliffs of the Seven Sisters. We walked four miles along Mother Nature's version of a roller coaster, up and down rolling hills.
Finally, this weekend, we went to Richmond Park, one of the Royal parks in southwest London. Richmond is a town along the Thames and the park is the most massive park you could ever imagine with hills, forests, grassland, lakes, and so on. We even saw herds of deer. All that outdoor space only a tube and bus ride away for London. Jacob even managed to walk most of the time in the park. It was very nice to let them run on the path and only have to worry about deer.
Looking back, even though we did not venture too far in August, we still had plenty of adventures. The best part is getting to see all these great places but still make it home in time for bed!