Brazoria, Wednesday, September 21, 4:20 pm

NEAL: We've all decided to evacuate somewhere west, although we don't know where.   As things stand now, Ann, Lucy (dog), Willie (dog), Studs (turtle), and I will leave Brazoria and head northwest Thursday morning.   Sarah, Clint, Charley (resident dog), Sadie (guest dog), and Mojo (resident cat) will leave Houston and head west sometime Thursday.   We'll keep in touch by cellphone, and meet in some Wal-Mart parking.

We'll try to find some place to stay — maybe an off-brand motel in some obscure community.   Failing that, we may end up camping in Wal-Mart's parking lot (which Wal-mart permits, and even encourages).   Ann, the dogs, and I can sleep in the van fairly conveniently (as we did in 1970 when we went on our long road trip with Pooka).   Sarah, Clint, et al may have a more difficult time sleeping in two pickup trucks, but I guess that's their problem.   In any case, we'll have plastic screen fabric and aluminum duct tape so we can screen the vehicle windows (saltgrass mosquitos are in full bloom down here right now).