Carport Kitty settled on a mat at the bottom of our kitchen steps to weather the disastrous Hurricane Ian this week – our home in West Columbia, South Carolina was spared the devastation our neighbors in the low country of the state experienced for the past two days – we are two hours inland from Charleston. We realize we dodged a dangerous bullet by a few twists and turns on the large weather map that showed the destinations Ian reached; for that Pretty and I are immensely grateful.
This morning CPK shared her space with ?
Bully Cat who gave me a stare
The costs of catastrophic weather events like Hurricane Ian are immeasurable today in the losses of lives and property, these costs will linger in the memories of so many people for all their tomorrows. To anyone who struggles to rebuild and restore their dreams for themselves and their children, whether from a blow from nature or a blow from another personal loss or disappointment, I hope you will find your own mat to weather the storm like Carport Kitty did. Maybe you can even comfort someone else.
Sheila Morris is a personal historian, essayist with humorist tendencies, lesbian activist, truth seeker and speaker in the tradition of other female Texas storytellers including her paternal grandmother.
In December, 2017, the University of South Carolina Press published her collection of first-person accounts of a few of the people primarily responsible for the development of LGBTQ organizations in South Carolina. Southern Perspectives on the Queer Movement: Committed to Home will resonate with everyone interested in LGBTQ history in the South during the tumultuous times from the AIDS pandemic to marriage equality.
She has published five nonfiction books including two memoirs, an essay compilation and two collections of her favorite blogs from I'll Call It Like I See It. Her first book, Deep in the Heart: A Memoir of Love and Longing received a Golden Crown Literary Society Award in 2008. Her writings have been included in various anthologies - most recently the 2017 Saints and Sinners Literary Magazine. Her latest book, Four Ticket Ride, was released in January, 2019.
She is a displaced Texan living in South Carolina with her wife Teresa Williams and their dogs Spike, Charly and Carl. She is also Naynay to her two granddaughters Ella and Molly James who light up her life for real. Born in rural Grimes County, Texas in 1946 her Texas roots still run wide and deep.
I’m relieved to hear you are safe from the worst effects. Strangely, in my part of Pennsylvania, we were hoping for rain from the hurricane to break our drought. We got a little drizzle, which helps … but … I don’t wish such devastation on anyone.
Carport Kitty and Bully Cat appreciate sharing a port in the storm. Maybe they’ve worked out their differences.
I saw Ian was moving in your direction and wondered if you would feel the effects. Wish we could have sent you some of our rain yesterday!!
Sorry for the drought – could you possibly blame Dr. Oz?
Hah! I’m happy to blame Dr. Oz for any misfortune our state faces.
By the way, the rain finally drifted over. It’s a nice, steady, gentle rain. I wish so many others didn’t have to suffer.
I'll Call It Like I See It 
I’m relieved to hear you are safe from the worst effects. Strangely, in my part of Pennsylvania, we were hoping for rain from the hurricane to break our drought. We got a little drizzle, which helps … but … I don’t wish such devastation on anyone.
Carport Kitty and Bully Cat appreciate sharing a port in the storm. Maybe they’ve worked out their differences.
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I saw Ian was moving in your direction and wondered if you would feel the effects. Wish we could have sent you some of our rain yesterday!!
Sorry for the drought – could you possibly blame Dr. Oz?
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Hah! I’m happy to blame Dr. Oz for any misfortune our state faces.
By the way, the rain finally drifted over. It’s a nice, steady, gentle rain. I wish so many others didn’t have to suffer.
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Amen, Sister Girl. Thanks for the rain for you, though.
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Great to hear that CPK, and hence all of you, were safe from Ian. Deeply scary. Here but by the grace of whatever. xAx
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Exactly, and thank you.
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