Monday, August 29, 2005

A hurricane is nothing to trifle with. . . . .

I have a zillion cousins on my father's side, and I am right smack in the middle, age-wise. When I was a little kid, I thought all the older cousins were adults, because, well, anybody that much taller than me, just HAS to be grown up, right?

Uncle T and Aunt J's kids, M, K, and A, were some of my favorite cousins, even though they were quite a bit older than I was. They were always willing to play with the younger cousins, and there was nothing cooler than walking downtown with K or A to visit their grandparents (I always wondered why these grandparents weren't MY grandparents!) who lived in a great big house across the street from two huge limestone lion statues. K and A would lift up my sister and me and let us 'ride' on the lions.

Everything is made of limestone here.

Then Uncle T and Aunt J moved down south, where Uncle T worked for NASA in Huntsville, Alabama, for several years. For a while, they lived in Tuscumbia, right around the corner from Helen Keller's birthplace; I think that's why I've always been fascinated with Helen Keller, and did lots of school projects about her. Heck, I'd been to her house!

After leaving NASA, Uncle T moved further south to Gulfport to raise and show orchids, and his kids eventually followed him down there, except for M who is a professor in Florida.

A few years later, Aunt J's parents moved down there to be with their family.

In 1969, Hurricane Camille hit Gulfport, and their grandfather, who had refused to evacuate, was killed. Camille taught them that a hurricane is not to be trifled with.

My cousins, and my aunt and uncle, still live in Gulfport, right on the edge of the continent, with an awesome ocean view from their kitchen windows. At least, they did up until yesterday morning.

Nobody up here has heard anything from or about them since the storm hit. I am hoping, hoping, hoping, that they are safe. K and A have several children and tons of grandchildren, most of whom live in the area. I've never met most of them, but I have pictures.

I hope they're all right.