IKE PART 4: FLOOD!!!!

Although there is no power at my house, I went home and lit the oil lantern, put batteries in my radio, and went to sleep.  I was awakened at about 5:30-6 AM to very loud thunder and lightning.  When I looked out of the window, there was water everywhere.  We were flooded in!  I was very scared, because Pops wasn't home yet.  There were countless calls on the radio station from frantic Texans who were surprised to wake up to water in their homes, drivers stuck on the roadways and freeway because the exits and feeder roads were flooded, and even children who were frightened because of the rain and rising water.  

I called mom first, then Matt (who was on the way home), and the job to tell them that I probably wasn't going to be able to get to work today.  My co-worker told me that many of my other co-workers were flooded in, too, and couldn't make it to work.

When Matt came home, he pulled our cars up to higher ground.  I went back to sleep with him, and silently prayed for it to stop raining.  That heavy rain came out of nowhere.  We thought that the storm was over, but, just like Katrina, the aftermath of the storm can be much worse.  

It was about 10:30-11 AM when the rain finally stopped.  The flood waters didn't get into our home at all, thank the Lord (except for the water leaking from the gutters issue; the carpet by our window is still wet).  The three of us, one of my bachelor neighbors across from me, Ms. Lechter (a 67 y/o white lady who gets around better than I do! LOL), and I walked around pulling branches from the middle of the street and clearing the storm ducts so that the water could drain out.  I was able to get to work today, safely, and on time!

Pops has to pull a 12-hour shift today, and will probably have to do so until the power is up again, and all of the street lights are working.  We are still expected to be without power for awhile.  Mom and the girls aren't holding up too well.  I'm not off until Tuesday, but I will probably head down  there Monday night after work to make sure that they are straight.  I may have to bring Mom home with us, or try and find a hotel that has power for them to stay in for a few days.  We don't have power, but we do have gas and running water.  She doesn't have any of those things, and the situation at her house is bordering on the unsanitary.

Some official in Galveston was on the news fussing angrily because he was frustrated about the long wait for FEMA to bring help.  After three years and a new director, you would think that FEMA has their act together by now.  Damn shame.     

Adrian