PLEASE make sure they set up and use that generator properly - my heart just aches when I hear about cases like the 4 year old who died because of an improperly used generator. :(

lol--He sounds like a good sport. I did 6yrs in the guard with one of those in Iraq. I kept telling myself that the power outage was better than being in the field. I had my roof & no bugs. I had my favorite MREs too. ;)

Got back very early Monday morning from working post-Ike recovery missions for CAP this weekend at West Houston Airport. The few ground teams that went onto Galveston Island mostly to silence ELTs (emergency locator transmitters) on wrecked aircraft at Scholes Field say that the damage is extensive; CAP aerial photography over the affected area shows not much was left of many seaside homes after the storm surge and winds came ashore.

I worked airborne radio relay on Sunday, flying a 10 mile racetrack pattern between Texas City and Ellington Field along I-45 at 10,000 feet, relaying messages between the ground teams on the island and mission base at West Houston Airport. At that altitude, the damage isn't noticeable until the pilot pointed out the boats stacked like cordwood on Clear Lake.

I'm in Atlanta, not Texas, but just thought I would update on how Ike has affected this area. First of all, I am praying for all of you in Texas and I do sympathize with your situation and I hope that you don't intend this as a comparing the misery sort of post because it isn't. Our situation is nothing compared to yours.
However, since Ike, Atlanta is experiencing a tremendous fuel shortage. Atlanta is not a place where one can get by without an auto so this is creating havok. On Saturday we had to drive around for about an hour to find a station with gas, and then we had to wait in line. Not too long of a wait, so we were really lucky. As of today I can't find gas anywhere, and the more I search for gas the more I use so it's a bit of a vicious cycle. Stations that do have gas have waits that can exceed an hour and many people run out of gas waiting in line. We don't know when we will be able to reliably find fuel again so there is a bit of anxiety about gas and that is making the situation worse. People are filling up and filling gas cans as well even if they are far from empty, thus adding to the long lines and the visual image of a huge crisis.
So this isn't that big of a deal in comparison to TxBelle and SrMom, but I just thought I would update none the less.

srmom---

It seems like you & your sons have a run of really bad luck lately. I can't imagine living in all that destruction and having an elderly parent to watch, too. My prayers go out to you and all those around Houston.

Chicago had some minor flooding not too far from my area, but your circumstances really put it in the correct context. When our area news talks about FEMA being up here, now I want to tell them to go where they really should be, and let our governor "Rod" deal with the problems here.

My dad's down their right now helping out.

He says that it's not as bad as the media says, but still pretty bad. Thankfully all of the brothers families and houses from Houston are alright, though one of their bay houses is wiped out.

Well, as to whether or not it is as bad as the media says - it depends where you are. Some areas you can't tell there was a storm other than the lawn debris bagged by the curb - in Seabrook, where my uncle and cousin live, there is extensive damage. Bolivar, High Island, Crystal Beach, West End - really, really bad.

Glad your brothers are doing okay - will they be able to rebuild the bay house? Lots of people will not, because the Texas Open Beach Act means that if the tide line has moved, that land may become the state's.

Barbino, Yes I feel like we've kind of been in the "bad luck crosshairs" for a while, but we are still so blessed and are much better off than many. (perspective, perspective - I'm trying really hard!:rolleyes:)

Still no power, but yesterday, I did see a Centerpoint truck on our street, and talked to the man. They are surveying the poles to see when they can start back up the lines. We have so many downed trees/lines that they are afraid that if they start it up, the fuses/transformers will blow, so they are going house by house. It is a tedious process, but at least there is some activitiy.

Last night was brutal in terms of the heat and the damn MOSQUITOS!! I tried to sleep in the den with the back doors open, but the bugs attacked!!! It was a choice of air circulation or keeping the blood in my body:o I'm thinking that if by tonight we still don't have power, I may pack up my family and sleep on the floor at the office where we have power. My son will be happy too because he can check facebook - he's going through withdrawals - 2 weeks with no internet - THE HORROR:eek:

Dad is doing ok, I'm heading down there tonight with his immense piles of clean laundry and (crossing fingers) the generator!

He is planning on using it in a safe place with plenty of ventillation (it is tragic the number of carbon monoxide poisonings), and having a fan running down there will make his life much more pleasant.

Pray for POWER (and a coldfront;)) I'm not asking for too much, am I??:p

The TRAFFIC today - OMG! I left 10 minutes earlier than Monday, and STILL was a few minutes late. Today the Sam Houston Tollway is free, and that combined with people returning to Galveston mean it was a big mess. On the plus side, we are getting a fuel stipend from Lone Star College (yeah!) and I'm hoping the traffic will be a little better on Friday.

eta - Is there any word on Dicken's on the Strand?

Found this, SWTX:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6003355.html

HISTORICAL FOUNDATION WAREHOUSE: This warehouse on Mechanic Street was inundated with at least 10 feet of water and sustained extensive damage. Much of its contents was destroyed, including equipment used during Dickens on the Strand, the popular holiday festival.

Thanks for posting, AGDee.

My mom and I were talking about trying to go down for Dickens on the Strand this year should it happen. *fingers crossed*

lol- My coworker sent this to me: Things Ike Taught Me
 

Things Ike taught me
Coffee and frozen pizzas can be made on a BBQ grill.

Hot pockets taste pretty good deep fried on the outdoor cooker!

My car gets 23.21675 miles per gallon, EXACTLY (you can ask the people in line who helped me push it).

He who has the biggest generator wins.

A new method of non-lethal torture- showers without hot water.

There are a lot more stars in the sky than most people thought.

TV is an addiction and the withdrawal symptoms are painful.

A 7 lb bag of ice will chill 6-12 oz Budweiser's to a drinkable temperature in 11 minutes, and still keep a 14 lb. turkey frozen for 8 more hours.

There are a lot of dang trees around here.

Flood plain drawings on some mortgage documents were seriously wrong..

People will get into a line that has already formed without having any idea what the line is for.

Cell phones work when land lines are down, but only as long as the battery remains charged.

Hampers were not made to contain such a volume.

If my store sold only ice, chainsaws, gas and generators... I'd be rich.

Waterfront property can quickly become someone else's fishing hole.

Tree service companies are underappreciated.

I learned what happens when you make fun of another states' blackout.

MATH 101: 30 days in month, minus 6 days without power equals 30% higher electric bill ?????

Drywall is a compound word, take away the 'dry' part and it's worthless.

I can walk a lot farther than I thought.

A MUST for all blackouts with kids... GLOWSTICKS! Cheap, fun, no mess!
A skateboard and a sheet make a great “sailboat” before the rain starts.
It is a great time to teach the children the fine art of gambling (penny ante poker) card playing.
You can never have too many gas cans!
If you fill the bathtubs with water, the water will not go off.
7 dogs that do not normally live together still do not get along during a hurricane…they have no comprehension of sharing.
5 gallons of sweetened iced tea a day is not enough for 9 teenagers.
Neighbors are much more sociable when they are sharing a generator.
Two-year-old canned beets taste better than you’d think.
Just because it is dark and you are in the privacy of your bedroom doesn’t mean we can’t hear what you are doing in there because our windows are open too.
What looks acceptable by candlelight in your bathroom will scare you when you look at yourself in the mirror at the office.
Coffee is possible without Starbucks.
Rather than campfires, you find families huddled about tiny battery-operated televisions to watch The Simpsons.
Peanut butter and jelly is a perfectly acceptable meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner in the same day.
Don’t shun those who use Tylenol PM or Advil PM to get through 11-hour nights.
That neighbor who knows how to use a chainsaw is your new best friend.
Ice is a form of currency.
It’s OK to let the kids keep their stick fort until the debris-pickup crews start rolling in.
Coming home from work with a pizza and a charged-up laptop so the kids can watch a DVD makes you a hero.
You run out of things to barbecue after Day 2.
We don’t want to hear rehashes of ball games we missed or be reminded that we may miss the season premiere of Dexter at 8 p.m. Sunday on Showtime.
Hair can dry without a blow dryer, but it may not look the way you planned.
The storm treasures your kids are finding really belong to your neighbors.
When George Noory’s Coast to Coast AM returns to KTRH’s late-night lineup, we sleep better.
Baseball caps go with any post-hurricane ensemble.
Grapes taste better in the dark.
You can’t train yourself not to flip on light switches when entering a room.
Lukewarm is the new cold.
You have neighbors.
It’s easier to ignore a dirty floor when you can’t see it.
A new opening phrase when seeing someone: “Got lights yet?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WHAT WILL YOU DO WHEN THE POWER COMES BACK ON?
Watch the video of Geraldo Rivera getting knocked over by a wave during pre-storm coverage.
Shut the windows and pretend you never saw your neighbor in those baggy shorts.
Turn on the DVD player super loud and have a mini dance party even if it’s 3 a.m.
Have a long conversation with TiVo about how he let you down.

LOL - so, so true.

I think we need to have a GC meet at Dicken's!!! Maybe even at Greek Fest (the one at Annunciation Orthodox) - it has been postponed to the middle of October, but that is some AMAZING food!

eta - Dicken's WILL be the first weekend in December!
http://www.galvestonhistory.org/Reme...n_Underway.asp

Yay Yay Hip Hip Hooray!!!

We got our power back - late Wednesday night!!!!!

I spent all day yesterday taking my generator down to my dad's and hooking him up. My husband painstakingly wired them up and taped all cords down so they now have a TV, a DVD player, a few lights and a microwave!!! Just a few electric items makes life so much more palatable, and it made my dad and his wife so happy:)

That list above is so totally true, hilarious and pathetic at the same time!!

We all need to remember our neighbors and how friendly we were during the storm.

I'm all for the Greek Fest - the food is amazing!!

Yeah, ELECTRICITY!

One of my students was told he might not have power until NOVEMBER because some part they need has to be cast or manufactured or brought from Mars. :confused: :mad:

As to ICE - it seems FEMA has trailers full of it, melting away, along with food and water that is NOT being delivered to those who need it (especially in Galveston and the surrounding area). :mad:

On the plus side, my big sis who lives in Kemah had NO damage - amazing.

Just wanted to let you Houstonites (or is it Houstonians?) know that you will be getting your grey squirrels back soon. Got a huge shipment in a couple of weeks ago (baby grey squirrels) and have been raising them (I have 4 living with me but that is just a drop in the bucket so to speak). They have such personality.

SQUIRRELS!
 

I'm sure all the Houston AGDs are relieved!

How about . . .Greek Chat at Greek Fest? Saturday, November 22nd?
http://www.greekfestival.org/about.html

OPA!!!

I'm up for it!! Great food, music and fun!!!

Update
 

I went to Galveston today for the first time since Ike. I was especially struck by the loss of the 6 - 8 ' walls of oleanders - they have replanted them, but right now they are just little baby plants. And the oaks! I could weep - the whole city near as I can tell has lost 75 - 90% of their oaks. Beautiful old oaks - naked and dead. How in the world is the city going to a.)get them all down and b.) replace them? The Flagship Hotel is a wreck - and no signs of rebuilding. I didn't realize how badly damaged it was. The Strand looks pretty good - and houses in the historic district look good.

No oleanders? :(

I KNOW! Galveston is actually the "Oleander City" - and I could just cry. Tiny little baby plants are there - but coming over the causeway and not be greeted by the walls of Oleanders is very sad.