The Way I See It

Isabel is Waiting

September 18, 2003

Isabel storm front...or is it a new Hoover upright?>>>

Hurricane Isabel peaked as a Category 4 and was heading for Langley (where I work) for some time. Two days before landfall the order was given to evacuate. I missed the hurricane that hit in July 1996 and thought this might be fun since my house was well outside the storm surge, but I had little Gizmo to worry about. You don't put your kids in the face of danger unless you're a moron. So I shot a photo of all my worldly belongings and left at 5am on September 18, just as the winds began to pick up. My mother had been wanting me to visit so rather than evacuate to a motel and pay a fortune, I drove to Indiana and hung out for a week. Although I was not able to shoot any photos of my own, here's what I missed...

Isabel approaching Langley Air Force Base>>>

Above you see the front of the storm approaching the edge of Langley Air Force base a few hundred feet from where I work.

The rough part of hurricane Isabel hits Langley's King Street Bridge>>>

Above is the King Street Bridge, a mile from my office.

Isabel pounding the Marina Parking lot>>>

Above is the marina which also happens to double for the parking lot I use...and not a very good parking lot either...grrr

1st Civil Engineering Squadron, Langley Air Force Base>>>

Above is the 1st Fighter Wing's Civil Engineering building. I walked here often in 2001 when I was the facility manager for the seven buildings of the Deployable Ground Station...my old office is that edge you see to your far right. I'm sure glad I got out of that freak show. I imagine they would've had me mop this parking lot.
Look closely and on the bottom left you'll notice yellow lines...the photographer was standing in the middle of Sweeny Boulevard, the main thoroughfare at Langley. Shortly after this photo was shot a school of tuna pulled the photographer underwater, molested him, and got photos.

Sweeny Boulevard, Langley Air Force Base>>>

Sweeny Boulevard, the main drag on Langley Air Force Base. I've been up to over 60K on this road riding my bicycle but on this day I probably would have been drowned by tuna.

Isabel deals with the Air Combat Command Headquarters>>>

Above is the world-famous Air Combat Command Headquarters, situated about 200 feet from my office. I take it no one was at work that day.

Indiana was fun...mother begged me to call Judy to see if my house was okay but I didn't care. I ran the "Race for the Cure" with my mother (she strolled slowly...I ran) and got 19th place out of 600 or so runners. I told them I was a breast-cancer survivor. Mom and I drove to Indianapolis to see my lousy brother and his lousy wife. Indianapolis drivers are evil. I refuse to live there unless I can shoot them.

Then on September 23, I was on my mother's patio with Gizmo, Mommy, sister Brenda and her family when a local kitten came by. He was so cute and small, Gizmo was begging me to let him sniff. So I got on my hands and knees, as I always do with tiny animals, hangovers and crotch-kicks, and after five minutes lured him to the fence and gently picked him up. He was scared. I slowly lowered him to Gizmo, anxiously waiting, tail wagging overtime. When the kitten saw this gargantuan dog (Gizmo is a massive Yorkie)he panicked. I tightened my grip and he took a big bite out of my left hand with claws flying. It was like a butter knife going through butter and after the fur and claws stopped flying I had blood splattered on my nice T-shirt with a nasty deep wound in my hand that would haunt me for the next three months.
I got sick on my last day in Indiana. My mother passed on a cold. Thanks Mom.