Friday and Saturday a number of Pearl River County residents participated in a Gulf Coast region task that only we know, hurricane prep.

Now, the weekend is over and what was projected to be a category two hurricane that got us all off our duffs to ensure we were ready passed us by with minimal fanfare.

Residents in Pearl River County may have felt let down after so much hype and work to ensure we had food, water and gasoline. But, we also most certainly took in a sigh of relief when by early Sunday morning it was evident that Hurricane Nate brushed by us.

The only major effects of the storm in my neck of the woods was a small squall Saturday afternoon that didn’t even amount to so much as tree limbs to pick up in the yard.

So, if you, like me, took time out of your Saturday morning to tie up some loose ends around the house, you may also be a bit perturbed that all of your efforts were for naught.

Because, before Hurricane Katrina, I did little in the way of preparing for what turned out to be a major storm. I had no extra gasoline, barely bought extra food and had no way to keep my refrigerator going when the power went out. I fell short on preparations that time because only a month or so before Katrina, another storm threatened our area, but turned at the last minute, much like Nate.

As a result, for Nate some extra effort went into the hours before the storm made landfall.

I have supplies on hand for the next storm, which will inevitably come our way. And, I also have a bit more experience in preparing for the next natural disaster.

And so, as I lunch on leftover sandwich meat and prepare a newly purchased generator for storage, I am keeping a glass half full outlook. Because, while we dodged a bullet this time, next time we might not be so lucky.