I'm getting very upset sitting here in the Caribbean of all places watching Hurricane Ike pummel my Texas coast. Since I don't have anything better to do, I've just been reading all the articles on CNN and the Houston Chronicle Web sites which are getting me in a near state of panic. I looked at all 103 photos on the Chronicle site. There were multiple pictures of flooding on Galveston Island. The Strand is already under water! That picture broke my heart. Here's what one article said:
"The storm surge at Galveston's Pier 21 has already reached 8.5 feet this evening, and we're still probably six hours from landfall, and nearly seven hours from high tide."
Oh Lord, help Galveston! I'm thinking of our dearest friends Jason and Karen who live on the island while she attends UTMB. I'm hoping they have a house to go home to. Jason's family has a cabin at the East end of the island that will likely not make it through the storm. And what will happen to the school and all Karen's classes? And Jason's job at the University. It sounds like the island is going to be in pretty bad shape.
Jason and Karen are with their families in Channelview which is not necessarily in the clear either since it is in Houston and not far from the channel, hence the name. So it may be a rough night and day tomorrow for them.
Then there is our family hunkering down at home near Beaumont. Although they probably won't get flooding their going to get some bad winds and be out of electricity for many days. I'm hoping they make it through the night without too much trauma.
It's sad to be so far away, even though there isn't much we could do. At least if we were there everyone would have a place to stay in Austin if they needed it. I'm also hoping the rest of the state doesn't get any severe weather or storms as a result. I hear they canceled the UT game in Austin and they are worried about tornadoes.
Just looking at the pictures makes me home sick too for the familiar places and big trucks and Texan faces. I have to stop writing now before I get any more dramatic. Back to my obsessive Internet reading. Hang in there, Texas!
2 comments:
let me know if you hear from keith and chantel. i talked to karen earlier and she said they were ok. we miss you here, but be glad, cause its craziness. i think we got about 30,000 additional people here in austin from galveston and houston. on level 3 triage alert at the hospital to help with evacuations. on call all weekend!
Hi Julie and CJ. What a neat way to keep your friends and family up to date. Doug called this morning and he filled us in about Ike. I have been glued to tv but it takes a call from someone living there. Sounds like a real mess. Keith and Chantel's home (and car) got a lot of damage. Doug said he would never ever stay again. And on top of this, they are waiting to bury Aime's father.Haven't heard from Diane since early this morning. Doug also told us your news. I will share your blog with Angie and Brant. James and I are going to Boston in Oct. Hardly got to visit with them during wedding. CJ probably saw more of them than we did!
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