drains 'r' us

Agra, India

Last night I made one more phone call home. Message to parents: "Please fill up the bathtubs with water." My parents agreed, not because they were worried about becoming stranded in New Olreans with no water, but to humor me.

Their house lies on the westbank of the river and was not affected by the levee breaks from Hurricane Katrina. It isn't affected by the levee breaks happening again today thanks to Hurricane Rita.

Any flooding they would get would come from debris clogging the drains. They have apointed themselves official drain uncloggers for their area. The rain is falling in waves and they plann to be outside, clearing the street drains in-between showers.

One thing they said was that they were actually grateful to get some rain. The skies have been bone-dry for the past three weeks and the piles of dead trees piling up everywhere are very dry as well. All the dry timber has started making people nervous.

They have food. They have friends nearby. And they should have two bathtubs full of clean water. Just in case.