Saturday NIght Post

'cause it's been a long time since I used that post title

so anyway, I'll spare you the whole "I've been busy" song and dance. The "election of our lifetimes" is at hand, and I'm focusing my efforts elsewhere.

Ike has past. I've heard from all the friends / family who were in the path of the storm; all is well, relatively speaking. Been there, done that. A few excerpts from family e-mails:

From 16SEP08:

At 3:47 PM CDT power was restored. Off since 5:18 AM 9/13/08.

It's really a miracle considering the devastation this storm has caused.

It was terrifying. I have four trees down. Three are on the house. They each fell in such a way that I have basically exterior damage and a horrendous mess. It's truly a miracle. Both sections of the house would have been smashed if they had fallen a bit differently.

Please go online to Houston Chronicle to see photos of the area and esp. Galveston/Bolivar/High Island area. Galveston had a surge of at least 18 feet and people are being asked to leave permanently. Those away are being told to not return - you don't live in Galveston anymore.

The return of power is a God send. Tomorrow the only food I would have had would have been Ramen noodles and pop tarts. With no power, nothing is open. Being in line a 6:40 AM to try to get ice was the big event of the day. The stores had very limited non-perishables. Cold franks and beans in cup for a week was a distressing thought. But, bless HEB. Their stores here were built with integral generators. There wasn't much, but without them I'd have had nothing.

Just to let you know by God's Grace I have survived pretty well. In time things will be better. Tonight I will not sit alone in the dark.

Thanks for your concern. Love, [Cousin K]

Emphasis mine.

From 15SEP08:

DEAR ONES ALL

We want to say thanks again for all your prayers and good thoughts. Looking out the window now one would not think we had just been through a hurricane. Sun is shining, high thin overcast, temps today in the mid 80's and forecast to be in the low 60's tonight.

Not all that bad. No reports concerning major damages here at [redacted]. Our blow (sic) out window has already been measured for replacement . The Maintenance people here at [redacted] are , in my estimation, some of the best.

We have had power since 6 PM yesterday, but still no TV signal. Must be that [redacted] is a Comcast customer. Battery radio is working well.

As we said at the Subject, this is the last of our IKE reports. After putting the blown out window section back in place, we have experienced no difficulty. We feel the Good Lord has been very good to us. So, go to church next weekend and say a thank you prayer to the Lord God for extending his good favor to and for us.

E & Z

From 12SEP08, from Cousin K:

All still pretty quiet here : light winds-no rain yet.

To see something almost creepy: Enter and click traffic.houstontranstar.org Then look at the freeway cameras!

Never believed roads could be this empty. (I live off IH45 N at [redacted] Parkway exit.)

Also from 12SEP08, from E&Z:

The storm is 12 to 14 hours from land fall, as reported by TV, and it looks like another Houaton day outside the window. Looking out the window we can see the tree tops swaying gently in the breeze. More to come we are assured. We are prepared to ride out the storm here at [redacted]. The [redacted] Orginaziation must feel ths is a safe building for it has moved 15 residentrs from it's Beaumont facility into [redacted] to ride out the storm. We have been advised that if worse comes to worse, the usual bill of fare might be altered depending on actual circumstances.

As of now we are safe, hail and happy. If it gets real bad,we will sit on the divan, hold hands and blow away together. JUST KIDDING !

Galveston, by all estimation, is no more. I'm just gobsmacked, so many good times were had on the island.

Like I said four years ago about Hurricane Charlie:

So if you can see your way clear to spare a few bucks; pony up at your local RedCross office......No cash? Give some blood. It's all good, it all helps.

If you have the time and are available, load the truck up with bottled water and diapers and cans of tuna and batteries and some bottled water and first aid kinda thingies and maybe a bottle of rum or two and some bottled water and your hammer and work gloves and sturdy boots and a couple of sheets of plywood and some bottled water and some 2 x 4s and some more water and some duct tape and some heavy gauge plastic sheeting and some bottled water and a couple of bottles of rum and head on down and help. Be sure to coordinate with the RedCross (do your own AltaVista search, dammit), they can direct you to the communities that need the most help. When you get there, find the neighborhoods that were impoverished before (the hurricane) and help there first.

BTW: If you ever wanted to know what a "hero's welcome" felt like, stop at a (grocery store) about 150 miles out and put a couple of dozen cases of popsicles / fudgesicles/ creamsicles on dry ice. Trust me, you hand a popsicle to an adult shortly after a hurricane and you'll be a hero. Just imagine how you'll look to the kids.

I should have posted this days ago.