OnRd0406

Thursday to Wednesday, Sept 9-15 (Best home, Florence, MS):
      We left as planned and came to Nita's to visit for the weekend. They now have over 50 Canada Geese who spend most days on their lake. They go somewhere else to spend the night, but are back the next morning. They have a pair of white swans, a pair of black swans and Jenna's "baby" ducks, who stay there all the time. The black swans are sitting on eggs, in a nest on the island, and the babies are expected to hatch at any time.   The racoon they raised has been living in the woods for several months but still comes back to visit. The bluejay Jenna raised never took to the wild and finally met with an accident. We always enjoy visiting with the Best family and their pets and wildlife. We didn't leave, as planned, because Hurricane Ivan was bearing down on the Gulf Coast, and we are waiting and see what it is going to do.
      By Tuesday, it appeared the storm was headed straight for us, so we decided to go back home to ride it out. Nita and the kids went with us since a direct hit could cause problems with their double wide mobile home. We left for home Wednesday afternoon. Bob Best has been on a trip to the Ukraine, with a group from their church, for the last 2 weeks and was due in Wed night, but flights into Jackson were cancelled. We all went to our house, Bob's group flew into Memphis and the church sent a bus to pick them up. Nita and Joe met the bus in Canton, at 4:30 AM and brought him to our house, to spend the rest of the night.
Thursday to Sunday, Sept 16 to 19 (Back Home):
      By Thursday, the storm had taken a turn to the east, so the Best family returned home. Ivan was a non-event here, but tore up some stuff in Meridian, 50 miles away. Mobile and west Fla really got trashed and the I-90 bridge in Pensacola is in the bay.   That'll make it harder on people going home in that direction. We MAY head east next week if Ivan is gone and Jeanne hasn't become a threat by then. This has been some hurricane season and they just keep coming.
      On Friday, Sue said she is tired of traveling and doesn't want to go, but Joe could go alone if he liked. Since Joe is tired of sitting home all summer and wishing for a cool mountain top, he will do that, but won't leave before Thursday or maybe next Monday. On Sunday, we heard some folks in Meridian still don't have lights or water.

Joe & Nancy Sue, Off the Road, at home