Several of you from the list have e-mailed me asking how I am doing -- waiting for Lovely Rita. I am doing OK. In Austin the weather is beautiful, if hot. Austin is preparing for one of its hugest music festivals, the ACL. Brit bands Oasis and Coldplay are among the huge roster of stars and people have been flying in from all over the world. Yesterday city official did not even know if they would let it go on, not knowing the storm track. At 6:30 yesterday they said that ACL was on. We have a 30% chance of rain. I distrust, however, the projections of the storm track and we are watching it closely. Two days ago we were projected to have 100 mph winds here --- 150 air miles from the gulf. As far as my family, we are OK if displaced, at least temporarily. Two weeks ago Texans were in the role of good samaritans, taking in the displaced victims of Hurricane Katrina. Today many Texans are in the same boat, if you will excuse a bad metaphor. My dad has been in a three-car caravan all night long. He called me this morning from Tyler. It took them an eternity to go 150 miles. He is with my cousin and her family and they have paid rooms in Dallas. After he has had a chance to rest, either my sister or I may go and get him. However, I am concerned about I35 being clogged as well. Also, gas is short. There is an odyssey on the horizon after Rita, too. We are going to accompany him, of course, back to look at whatever is left. I never imagined that this would happen. I don't care about much about anything in the house, but I do hope the photos survive. I KNEW I should have taken those things before. Dad asked me to - because he never looks at them - but I kept saying next time. If any of us live to be 91, I hope that none of us live to see ourselves uprooted and blown away. The good news for me is that and the rest of my family in Beaumont are evacuated and safe for right now. Rita is 400 miles wide. To all mopo members in the storm's domain, good luck. This has been and continues to be the largest evacuation in U.S. history. I suspect in the world's history as well. The Houston Chronicle's science blog has been very interesting. I continue to watch it. Here is the URL: Kirby McDaniel MovieArt Original Film Posters P.O. Box 4419 Austin TX 78765-4419 512 479 6680 www.movieart.net
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