DENNIS

Hey, everyone. Just giving you an update on our plans for the hurricane. Adam still has to stay here like always, but my friend Melanie has a hotel room booked for us at a Motel 6 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and if it looks like it will be dangerous here, we will be heading out sometime tomorrow. She has a little boy named Logan about five months older than Anthony, so hopefully we can keep both of them occupied! Right now the base is in Hurcon 4, which means "winds greater than 50 knots will arrive in 72 hours or less". The military system is backwards from the Weather Service system (and every other system that makes sense!). The Weather Service counts up from 1 to 5, and the military goes dwon from 5 to 1. So Hurcon 4 is not that bad right now, although I'm sure they will lower it sometime today. According to the news I just finished watching, around 11:30 a.m. central time, they are predicting Gulf Shores, Alabama will be the hardest hit, but that can change at any moment if the storm speeds up or slows down. So, to recap,.......HURRICANES SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, well, that's life-gotta take it as it comes. We'll keep you updated.


1 P.M. - They just updated to Hurcon 3. Looks like Tuscaloosa might be out, I'm waiting for a 2 p.m. update....more to come in a few hours.


4:30 P.M. - Adam just called and said that shelters on base will be opening Sunday from 5 a.m. til noon, and we will be heading there. I know this will not make some family members happy, but just keep in mind that we would never do anything to endanger ourselves. If the storm shifts towards us more, we will go to plan B. It looks like Tuscaloosa is pretty much out because unless the storm shifts way to the east towards Florida, that will be the worst place to be because of tornadoes. But Melanie still has the room booked just in case. They said they would refund her money if we decide not to go. I stopped and got gas on base today, and realized I must be one of the few lucky people with the nozzle thingy on the passenger side, cause EVERYONE was in the other lane. I just zipped right through. Ha ha! But then I had to wait in line for a half hour at the drive thru pharmacy(grr...not fun with a crying, overtired kid). Anyway, that's the latest. If you plan on calling to try and make us more worried/scared/questioning ourselves, please don't bother. Just call and say hi, please. We love you and I will be updating again in a few hours. I know everyone is worried, but we are staying calm and getting prepared. Later



10:30 P.M. - Ok, not much new news. We are under a hurricane watch, not a warning yet. More info in the morning. Good night!