Ike

[Aggie_Ama]

200 miles inland from Houston and I saw nothing. I didn't want the wind or excessive rain but we sure needed a good 3".

I hope some of our Houston gals get power and can tell us they are ok. I know several of them are west Houston and should be A-OK. But Ellen? TXDoc? We're thinking of you guys!

[OakLeaf]

We were in Indianapolis for the MotoGP race. If you didn't watch - the race was red-flagged due to lashing winds, and the 250cc class was first delayed due to standing water on the track, then cancelled because of the wind.

The electric's out at home and they're saying it could be a week before it comes back on. The electric companies are having to recall all their service workers from the Gulf. We can't stay at home until it's on, since we don't have emergency power for the pump (and with a 300 foot well, there's no point even thinking about installing a hand pump).

[sundial]

I hope some of our Houston gals get power and can tell us they are ok. But Ellen? TXDoc? We're thinking of you guys!

I hope we hear from them soon. I've been wondering how they are holding up. Anyone around there have pics to share?

Dad is with a mobile relief unit that prepares meals for the Red Cross. They were in Hoama, LA yesterday and packed up all the stuff and are headed for Waco, TX this morning. He's getting to be a pretty good cook at feeding 5000 or so. Think I'll put him in charge for Thanksgiving, lol.

[TxDoc]

I'm ok thank you everyone. I stayed in Houston Heights and we had >90mph wind but we did ok. Minor damages to trees, fences, and many out of power. Downtown Houston was damaged much worse. Our power comes and goes so the wireless is mostly off, today I was finally able to log in.
I hope I still have a home when I go back to the island... We have watched all the video, but could not see any images of our house. The neighborhood was flooded but we have no clue about our house - we hopethat there is no structural damage at least.
Thanks everyone, keep sending prayers.

[Smilie]

Glad you are safe. Sending good vibes to all.

[Biciclista]

the damage to Houston is unreal!
most of the sky scrapers have extensive wind and water damage. and they can't fix them because it's still raining!

[DrBadger]

Checking in.... I am at work for the first time since last Wed, and this is the first time I have had real internet connection or power since Friday night. My apartment in the Houston Heights area is fine, and the friend's place in Montrose area of Houston is also fine, but still without power 5 days later.

It was pretty crazy during the storm....the eye passed just to the east of us that were near downtown, so we never got a break... in the eye-wall for about 3 hours. Had about 1 hour of solid 90-100 mph winds from the north/north-west and then like someone flipped a switch the winds shifted to coming from the west. The west winds on the back side of the storm were a lot stronger and had a lot more rain the the front side. We sat in those winds for about 2 hours. Things finally eased up in the late morning and we were able to get out and survey the damage. Lots of trees down and the bayous were all flooded. We lost power when the first strong band came through around 12:30 am on Friday night/Sat morning.

Luckally a cool front came through on Saturday night/Sunday morning and it has been really plesent here since then, so even with no A/C we can have the windows open. However, the 9 pm curfew put a damper on things... if you weren't in the door somewhere to get food by 7 pm they wouldn't serve you, so that was a pain.

I got a lot of great photos just after the storm passed of the flooded bayous and some of the down trees. I should get those uploaded either tonight or this weekend at the latest, will post a link when I get them up.

All in all, I am glad that I did things the way I did... they didn't need me and all the other people in downtown Houston on the roads evacuating when the people on the coast really did have to get out of town. If the weather hadn't cooled down, I probably would have gotten out of town after the storm when we didn't have any power, but it was fine even with out AC. I don't know that I would stick around for a bigger storm headed over Houston, especially if it came ashore just south of Galveson, which would put Houston on the dirty side of the storm...but hopefully that isn't a decision i will have to make anytime soon!

Thanks for thinking about all of us down here in Texas! And my thoughts and prayers go out to those who live in Galveston and on the Bolivar Penninsula and to all the people through the mid-west who also felt the effects of Ike.

Ellen

[Aggie_Ama]

Ellen! Glad to hear you are okay. I am not good on Houston geography, I knew Katy had power by Saturday evening, our friend's family in Cleveland is still without, our friend from Port Neches (Beaumont) hasn't been home and I saw Brennan's burned! I went to a bridal luncheon there and it was some darn good food, only reason I knew it. So I wasn't sure how you were doing because my geographic check ins were spotty. Glad you and your friend are safe.

This is random but anyone seen how the Bolivar Lighthouse faired? My Nanny is a lover of all lighthouses but I remember going to the one at Bolivar as a kid because it is her favorite lighthouse. It will break her heart if it didn't make it through, I won't tell her though.

ETA: Looked it up and the beautiful lighthouse survived. At least if my Nanny asks I won't have to lie. http://www.crystalbeach.com/light.htm

[bmccasland]

Just heard on the radio that the Air Force will be using C-130's to spray insecticide for mosquitos. VERY big plane, flying low (100 ft). The mosquitos are starting to hatch in the extra water from the storm surge.

[DrBadger]

Hey-
I just finished uploading a selection of my photos from Hurricane Ike..... http://picasaweb.google.com/ellen.mallman/HurricaneIke#

enjoy!
Ellen

[jobob]

Wow, those were amazing ! Thanks Ellen!

[Aggie_Ama]

Wow Ellen, thanks for sharing. I know some of those areas from Houston visits, crazy stuff.

[sundial]

Ellen, that sunset--just beautiful. And deadly. I'm glad you are well and that you are safe. Thank you for sharing your pictures with us.

[Meaux]

We live in west Houston (between the Galleria and Westchase, for those of you who know). We were without power for a week. We had lots of canned goods, but an electric stove. (A minor oversight! LOL) Our apartment did not sustain any damage, though. There is a retirement home across the street from us, I felt so bad for those people because they didn't have electricity either. We kept seeing ambulances going in and out of there when it was really hot. My mom lives in La Porte, a bit north of Galveston, she lost a tree and some shingles. Some of my friends in the Heights area and my in-laws who live towards Katy still don't have power.

[Meaux]

Hey-
I just finished uploading a selection of my photos from Hurricane Ike..... http://picasaweb.google.com/ellen.mallman/HurricaneIke#

enjoy!
Ellen

Wow. I just looked at those pictures. I lived really close to that area near where Buffalo Bayou had flooded. As much as I miss living there, I am glad we aren't there after seeing those photos. YEESH!