Katrina

Katrina blew past us quickly and without doing any permanent damage. Not even a tree down. But we did lose electricity for 3 days and only today, when I could watch television again, did I begin to grasp the enormity of what this hurricane did elsewhere. I watched the news and specials this evening with increasing feelings of horror and helplessness. I covered my face and ached for these people. Then I saw an interview with a man who was sobbing and apologizing to his dogs for not just evacuating with them when he had the chance, and then I broke down and cried. My next-door neighbor, and friend, is from New Orleans and all of her family is there. Their homes are under water now. Most of them are accounted for (they left early and are staying with other relatives in northern Louisiana) but some of them neither she nor others in her family have been able to get in touch with. Are they missing? She doesn't want to think of it that way. She prefers to believe they got out early, too, and just haven't been able to, or been bothered to, get in touch with anyone. It is frightening.

And just to show how infertility has completely warped me and infiltrated every aspect of my being: when I saw the poor, frightened children on television who had been separated from their families I did wonder whether they would be available for adoption soon.

***Updated to say that my neighbor's family has all been accounted for. They suffered some devastating losses to their homes and property, but all managed to evacuate before the weather got too bad, so they are counting their blessings. Some of them may be coming to stay with my neighbor for awhile.