Twenty years ago this week my girlfriend (now wife) and I scuttled around our little rented house in Covington, Louisiana taking stock of everything valuable. There wasn’t much.

Karen’s Curio of Curiosities, my laptop and cameras, and two cars rounded out the list. I photographed the curio for insurance records, not realizing that the newscast showing Katrina’s path was captured in the mirror. I would love to say it was an artistic choice, but just luck.

The next day we would be packing ourselves in our cars along with our rabbit, guinea pig and two gerbils to bug out to her mother’s house in Folsom.

Hopefully it was far enough.