Ice and venison

I think Katrina has affected us all. We hadn't heard from my brother-in-law in awhile and were starting to get worried. He's active in the Army Reserve and travels from base to base as an instructor, teaching soldiers how to safely and effectively handle their weapons before getting shipped out. Recently, he's been stationed at a base in Mississippi. He was returning from a shooting match in Louisiana to report back when Katrina hit. I guess they didn't have time to evacuate so he holed up in a hotel with other men in his unit. Afterwards, the area was pretty much deserted except for desperate people, who began looting and rioting. After a woman was shot in the head for a bag of ice, they decided to seek safer shelter. One of the men in the unit had access to a cabin a few hours away so they drove out there to wait out the crisis. Once there, the only supplies they had was a bag of ice they found in the freezer, which they were able to melt for water. Still, they had no food so they found a guy who had recently shot a deer nearby and bartered the remaining ice for some venison. They lived off off ice and vension for 3 or 4 days before returning back to the base where order and help had finally arrived to replace the chaos and anarchy from which they had fled.
I was amazed by this. It sounds like something out of a movie. People do crazy thing in desperate times (like shoot people over a bag of ice). It's good that some still have sharp instinct and survival skills in order to make it through these times. Anyway, we're all glad he's safe. Also, happy birthday, John! (His birthday was Monday).

As for me, I'm doing much better than all that. Lab is starting to pick up, and I'm getting very good results. Finally! My legs broke out in an itchy rash again. I'm putting my money on the laundry detergent this time. I guess I'll break down and go buy the expensive, hoity-toity stuff since I have such sensitive skin. Oscar figured out how to pull open the gate with his teeth. Smart guy. I had to barricade both sides.