Its been a busy few days making preparations..still not sure what is going on in Venice.. I hear hurricaine force winds and rain..I dont think the surge was near as bad as expected..we usuallyget water over the road in our subdivision but when I got up the morning the water had come up a foot in Lake Pontchartrain..Saw a live picture of Belle Chasse where EM's had anticipated the worst..looked like a typical south Louisiana rainy day..My family and I decided to stay in our house in Madisonville where I am now..the south and east facades are boarded up and we have enough suplies to stay 3 weeks..generator was wired into the house yesterday but we still dont need it..Scott Leger went home to Rayne, LA where he and his family did the same..I dont think they have any bad weather either..Ian went to Baton Rouge after leaving New Iberia Saturday so he should be fine as the storm came ashore near Grand Isle. I dont know what happened to Hunter or Bill after I saw them both leave Friday with thier boats. Bill's on a trailer and Hunters by water to a slip in New Orleans..The other boats are safe in the hurricaine hole off the Tchefuncte as of 615am. At 6am the eye passed about 60 miles from Venice last reports from hurricaine experts said the worst winds were tight to the center..I feel pretty confident that we are OK inside and outside the levee aside from minor damage..when I know more I will post it; it's gusting pretty good here at home but no signs of damage yet aside form all the screw holes I made in the trim and wood frames while boarding.going to be some caulking, sanding and painting this week…we'll venture out again this afternoon and I will gather intelligence from news and other sources for those concerned.Lastly I want to thank all those who checked on us and those who were thinking about us and most importnatly those who earnestly prayed for minimal impact and a weakened system and to the God who listened.

My only complaint is that I missed watching the LSU football game Saturday.

Sherrif Hingle reported that all the levees held in Venice and the rest of the parish..with 5 feet of freeboard on east and west banks..the Terrasond guys renting our place reported a surge of 6 feet at thier tide gauges..sherrif reported some minor roof damage in some homes in Venice..wind gauges at iklot station never saw sustained winds over 79mph..

PARADISE OUTFITTERS of LOUISIANA