Things Are Getting Back To Normal After Hurricane Ike

Things are getting back to normal. We are cleaning around the house and resting fro the busy week. It is amazing how the neighborhood came together this week. I am proud of everyone.

We talked to neighbors we had not talked to in months (or years). It was very gratifying to see everyone pitching in to help each other.

I will post some further thoughts (and photos) about the hurricane. I think people can learn from any situation. I know I learned much about myself and other during this trying time.

"God allows us to experience the low points of life in order to teach us lessons we could not learn in any other way. The way we learn those lessons is not to deny the feelings but to find the meanings underlying them." - Stanley Lindquist

Hurricane Ike-Update #12

OUR POWER CAME ON AND STAYED ON ALL DAY!!!

Things are getting back to normal. We contacted our insurance earlier this week and they said they would come our as soon as possible. One of our vehicles' battery died and I will go to get another tomorrow. Some stores are opening up and things are getting back to normal.

We got an e mail stating school will most likely start late next week. They are trying to get all the schools up and running. From reports, about 50% of the Gulf Coast are is still without power.

We are very lucky. Well, I need to get some sleep. Many things to get done around the house tomorrow.

"We were lucky. Luckier than most." - Texas Truth

Hurricane Ike-Update #11

(Posting via battery power on the computer. The Internet is working)

Power came on today (for about 3 hours), then we lost it again. I drove to Hempsted, Texas to get gas, as the lines anywhere in the Houston area are a 2-3 hour wait to get gas, if it lasts.

The water is now on and so it the gas (natural). We were able to take a hot shower for the first time today. My Lovely Bride cooked up all the meat in the freezer today and we had friends, neighbors, and anyone else in the neighborhood over to eat. "Share the wealth," we always say.

Cleanup is going very slow and we finally have gotten most of the neighborhood cleaned up. School is on hold until further notice and I think we will not go back to work until next week, if even then.

"We will make it through all of this. I know we will." - Texas Truth

Hurricane Ike-Update #10

(Posting via battery power on the computer. The Internet is working)

We spent most of today cleaning up around the house and assessing the damage. Our neighbor was correct on our damage. We were glad we got ice, gas, and water. We are sharing with our neighbors. I am running the generator 24-7 and sharing the power with the neighbors.

There is no electricity, gas or water. We are under a "boil all water" order for the city. We are glad we brought 6 cases of water with us. We have given away most of the ice and water and are getting by pretty well. Our neighbors offered to pay for the ice and water and we refused. After all, what are neighbors for.

Not much else is going on. We are running the refrigerator and freezer, as to save as much food as we can, a portable black and white television to keep up with the news, a fan and one pole light. We do not want to use too much power as it may have to last a long time. The reports say we may not have power for two weeks.

Oh well, life goes on. After all, this experience will be the basis for many blog posts for the future.

"Expect the best, plan for the worst, and prepare to be surprised." - Denis Waitley

Hurricane Ike-Update #9

(Posting via battery power on the computer. The Internet is working)

My Lovely Bride and I spent most of of yesterday looking for supplies for our return to the Gulf Coast. Our neighbor called and said we had some roof damage, fences blown down, damage to our house's gables, trees and bushes knocked down and blown over. There is no power, water or gas (natural) in the area.

We found a generator at about midnight and bought a new 60 gallon ice chest to bring back ice for the neighborhood. We also loaded up on gas for the generator, bought some water and food for us and our neighbors.

We are going to get a few hours sleep before we head back. Things are going to be hairy for a while but I know we can get through it.

"That which does not kill you makes you stronger." - Neitzsche

Hurricane Ike-Update #8

We are in Austin and are keeping updated on Hurricane Ike via "The Weather Channel." It looks like Ike is going to hit with all its force early this morning. I hope everyone has left the area or is hunkered down for the storm. PLEASE STAY SAFE!!!

"Take care everyone and be safe. You are in my thoughts." - Texas Truth

Hurricane Ike-Update #7

Ike is coming and we are getting out of here. The house is boarded up and we are headed for Austin. I will post more as I get time.

"We am getting out of here"- Texas Truth

Hurricane Ike-Update #6

Hurricane Ike is headed for the Houston area. It is coming. Houston and surrounding areas are going to get hit. There is nothing that can stop it.

Texas Truth's house is boarded up and we are ready to go.

My Lovely Bride went through Hurricane Carla in 1961 and Hurricane Alicia in 1983. I have been through a few minor storms: Allison-2001 and Rita in 2005, but nothing like Ike.

Luckily, we saved our window boards from Rita and had them stored on the back porch. We boarded the windows and got the yard picked up in about 30 minutes. It sure is nice when things come together and prior planning pays off.

We have a hotel waiting in Austin, as we had a previous engagement scheduled for this weekend, and even though the event has been cancelled, we still have the room.

We are going to decide whether we will take off Friday morning (before 5:00am). Most of our neighbors are staying put and said they will keep us posted (via cell phone and text messages) as to the situation in out part of Texas.

I have been glued to the television and the Internet all day long. Our school district decided to have school today, and attendance was about 85% when the day started. As the day progressed, we had students signing out of school in droves. By the last period of the day, my class had only 50% of the students left.

My Lovely Bride and I are keeping a positive attitude and have taken the approach that if our house floods, we loose the roof, we receive storm damage, or anything else that we cannot fathom occurs, well, that is what why we have insurance.

In either case (stay or leave), I will continue to post as long as the power stays on and the Internet signal stays strong.

For now, take care and if you are in the storm's path: BE CARE AND SAFE!!!

"My message to Texans is, in the projected impact area, finish your preparations because this is a storm that can have extraordinary impact on them, on their personal belongings. It's on its way." - Texas Governor Rick "Zoolander" Perry.

Hurricane Ike-Update #5

This is a clip from Hurricane Ike hitting Cuba. CNN got the vieo from Cubavision.

"No matter where the center makes landfall, a significant portion of the Texas coast will be affected." - Tony Merriman, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service

Hurricane Ike-Update #4

The latest track of Hurricane Ike has it path still heading for Texas, but with a path for the middle Texas coast. We are preparing for the hit and will head for Austin long before it arrives.

I will keep everyone posted as the week goes on.

"It is still too early to be evacuating certainly, but it is not too early to be making sure you've got food and water and batteries. It's not too early to be checking your car." - Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal

Hurricane Ike-Update #3

It looks like Ike is headed straight for Houston. The 2am prediction has it zeroing in on the upper Texas coast.

I am planning that the suits will cancel school on Thursday and Friday (or as early as Wednesday) to give people a chance to evacuate.

Can't we ever catch a break?

"Perhaps this one is the actual mother of all storms. Gustav was just a nanny." - thisisnotmyname (as posted in the commments section in an article about Ike in the Houston Chronicle

More on Hurricane Ike-Update #2

At 5:00pm eastern daylight time (4:00pm in Texas) the National Hurricane Center released a revised track for Hurricane Ike.
Its five day projected path has it headed into the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday afternoon and its continued path as heading for the middle Texas coast.

These are just predictions, but I am going to be very aware of where this storm is headed.

If it stays on its current projected path, southeast Texas is going to get the brunt of the storm.


My Lovely Bride and I will not be waiting around for this thing to hit. For us, it will be "Get the Hell our of Dodge as fast as we can."

"Fasten your seat belts. It's going to be a bumpy night." - Margo Channing as played by Bette Davis in the movie "All About Eve."

Hurricane Ike Heads for the Gulf of Mexico

Here we go again. Hurricane Ike is headed into the Gulf of Mexico and is currently listed as a Category 4 storm.

I guess I better get ready for another possible storm. Just another day in the life of living in Texas.

View the Ike Tracker on "The Weather Channel" here.

"Ike is now an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane on the (level one to five) Saffir-Simpson scale." - National Hurricane Center spokesman