Surviving Ike

So, what happens when a Cat 3 hurricane hits you? (they say it was one mile less per hour than a cat 3 and thus a cat 2, but I say that's quibbling)

Well, the good news is that our house and our neighbors' houses sustained little if no damage. There was one dicey 30 minutes where someone's pool sort of backed up into our back yard with lots of sludge and husband and neighbor Rod had to get out shovels in the pouring rain and dig a trench so Ike didn't end up in our kitchen. But they dug and water flowed out onto street rather than into our house. There was the long night of wind and things hitting the house. A little squabbling - "Joy - you can't scream every time something bangs into us!" Me: "I'll try..."

And now... no power, no land line for reasons I can't fathom since that's why I kept the old wall phone in the first place..., spotty cell service, and lines for ice, food, gas - whatever there is of it. Houston is coming back on piece by piece. Obviously, I'm typing this in a piece that is lit up. It is better known as husband's office. I just drank hot coffee. I'm in ac. There's a working McDonald's across the street. I'm trying not to be a baby about this. I got excited when the at&t store opened up yesterday and I was able to score a car charger for my cell. (cash only; let into store only if bouncer in front deems you as someone they could actually help; my Russian genes have kicked in at this point - "Is line. Go stand. Maybe something good at front. This pogrom won't stop us...")

I've emailed my editor. We're supposed to move on line edits now. (wasn't gonna blab about that quite yet, but I need to talk about something positive, so yes, I nailed the macro edits and get to move on and Ike or no Ike I want SPARK to stay on schedule. Fall of 09!!)

People have endured worse. Right now weather is unseasonably cool and dry. 60's? in Houston? in September? Crazy talk!

Ike sucks! Long hair and no ability to blow dry and flat iron sucks. (okay, I'm still a shallow gal) But we are alive and kicking and have great neighbors and lots of water and hot showers and the promise of power... some day...

Til next time..