Hurricane Rita please be kind to Houston

We're glued to the news and thinking good thoughts for all the people in Texas and Louisiana today. Will Ed, David, and Kate - we're keeping our fingers crossed that you guys come out of this with only minor wind damage and a story to tell our grandchildren. For those who aren't related to us: Part of our family is trapped in Houston and can't get out because the roads are completely gridlocked. And they'd rather take their chances in the house than risk getting stranded on the freeway in a hurricane with 3 adults, 2 kids, 5 dogs, and a cat. A good choice, we think. TubaDad's dad spent 12 hours in the car yesterday and only made it about 40 miles before giving up and heading to TubaDad's brother's house. So now they're settling in for the duration. In California news: Today is the last day I will make the commute to work. I meet with HR for a few minutes at 11am, turn in my badge and blackberry, and walk away a free woman. You can count on a post about this a little later. Heh heh. Update on 9/24/05 at 11am: All relatives have reported in and the people, pets, and places we love are in good shape. In the end, Rita didn't do much damage to Houston and the surrounding areas, so the family is breathing a sigh of relief and feeling thankful and turning our attention to relief efforts for areas that weren't so lucky.