After the Storm: Not Exactly Calm Yet

Hubby and I are among the most fortunate in the area to have power back to their homes. About one-half of city residents still are without. Some people have had their power come on only to go off again. In the surrounding area, the percentage of homes and business without power is much higher. Of course, other areas, including just one-half hour away will need complete rebuilding. Houston will be several days getting everyone up and running and of course, Galveston is really in bad shape. 

For Astro fans, we took an extra hit in that they went to Milwaukee to play their home games and lost. Now, if they had just called, I think they could have played during the day in Toronto and you know how at home they would have felt! 

We will tell you a little more about what we feel about this experience at http://grey-approach.blogspot.com when we post our story there. 

Utility and Law Enforcement vehicles have been going up and down in front of our home and we can hear the “outside voices” of children still home from school. (Some schools and churches are being used as Evacuee Centers.) 

Because evacuees have not been authorized to go back to the Texas Coast, or even worse, perhaps because they have nothing to go back to, we have about 4,000 extra people in town. Our population is about 33,000 so that is about 12% more people. That makes for a lot more traffic than we are used to and puts a bigger burden on our supermarkets and restaurants than usual. 

Water and ice has been offered at various locations but there were long lines and National Guard was on duty to keep things orderly. 

With tragedy like Hurricane Ike also comes crime. It is very important for all residents to keep their guards up. So, it is not exactly business as usual yet. 

Be Prepared!

Well, the town is busy, some gas pumps are empty, and we’re a bit edgy. Even though people have been evacuated to our area, we ourselves must be prepared as Hurricane Gustav moves toward Texas. As noted yesterday, a big problem here is power outage, causing us to be pretty hot. Police had to be called to Wal-Mart in one town yesterday because chaos broke out at the bottled water display. Could that be why our supermarket has the water outside the front of the store? There must be some humor to this whole event!

One couple has gone up to Dallas to visit their son but I think they will likely be back by Monday. Another, whose home is in a mobile home park are on their way north to their daughter’s. So, they will be missing from church in the morning. Perhaps some out-of-towners will stop in to pray for themselves, their friends and what they left behind.

People from the Texas Gulf Coast are now headed here and the hotels and tourist homes are solidly booked. Some people will be here from Louisiana. So, it’s busy and a little rude out there.

We just came in from dinner at Catfish King and it seemed very loud there. On the loop, people were sort of rude and rushing. So, a good place to be is home.

We have everything we need and we will pray that as the branches fall during the high winds, that nothing falls on our house.

When people told me about gas stations running out of gas last night, I thought of Hubby and me on 9-11. Back then, I was not yet an American citizen and we were headed to Terre Haute, Indiana for Hubby’s college reunion. Hubby is that Engineer that my Daddy always said you needed for just about everything. (Daddy was right about that!)

As we were preparing to leave, we saw on TV what most people saw happening in New York City that day.

There was one specific thought that came to my mind and any of you from Toronto can relate to that thought.

When I was young, Dad always said if there was any threat, we would just get in the car and drive north.

Well, Daddy’s been gone 46 years and if we drive north from Texas, we’re still a long way from Canada’s northland.

So, what I went back for was my passport, because once you are in Indiana, well you could be headed north . . .

As we drove up the interstates, every time we would stop for gas, we would see signs that there was none or long lines of cars.

Long story short, we made it to Terre Haute and the reunion went on as usual.

When we arrived in Terre Haute (“High Land”), we went to the church Hubby attended when he was there and we prayed. And we read Psalm 91.

Although 9-11 is never forgotten, we made it through as did many others.

We will make it though this storm too – with good planning, a little luck and lots of praying.