Hurricanes

Not of the child variety, although Angelina is sometimes her own little hurricane, but I'm talking about Dean. Category 5.


Until last night it was expected to hit the Texas coast. Since I work for the state, we have to prepare for an emergency response. We're much better prepared than we were for Katrina and Rita in 2005. So we're on the plus side there. Teams have been working frantically for the past few days and I was preparing for a long week of many long days and nights, on the heels of another work crisis with long nights (and another urgent situation which had to take 2nd priority to Dean). Today we learn it's heading south instead, straight at Mexico. On the one hand I'm personally glad I now can breathe a bit and sleep more this week, not to mention get started on the other issue. San Antonio is still digging out from Tropical Storm Erin's flooding. But I feel for Mexico and Belize. Right now it's aimed at Chetumal and the Belize/Mexico border. I'm reminded of some lazy days spent in Xcalak, a tiny town just south of Chetumal on the border (no pics, that was pre-digital days for me). With 150-200mph winds, not much will be left standing. In a place where the people have so little to begin with.

So a short prayer and many thoughts for the people in Dean's path.