Friday, September 26, 2008
Ike...
Fourteen days later and I just put food back in my fridge last night,
albiet limited. It was quite a sight to see
Wal-Mart so empty. Very little produce and only a select few cuts of fresh meat. When you see a monopolizing powerhouse such as
Wal-Mart hit their knees, something clicks in your head and the instability of your reality becomes the one thought in your head pressing down on you all day long. Although the night of September 12 was one of the most terrifying of my life, it holds no grounds for comparison to the horror of the Rita evacuation. My families group of moderately unscathed houses in a sea of destruction remain to be one of the greatest blessings in my life. I never worried about my home this time. I bought my place 2 weeks before Rita hit, I couldn't get insurance at the time and hadn't moved in yet. Mom was hysterical over it, but I always had faith that God wouldn't have led me to something so perfect just to rip it out of my hands in this case. With the light of day on the 13
th, I was blessed with the sight of three very large trees down encasing my house, missing it by mere feet. Two of the trees within a 15 ft span directly between my house and shed. God reminded me yesterday he was still looking in on me when the entire city of Liberty lost power just as my checker scanned my last item. Thankfully, I was allowed to pay and leave unlike all the other unfortunate souls who spent God knows how many hours in line waiting to check out manually.
There are so many things we take for granted in life. For example, walls in our home, trees that offer us shade in our yard, the delicate glass that allows us to see outside our homes into nature, and of course the absolute miracle of being able to stay in touch with someone throughout a catastrophe. So much in my life is now changed forever. There will be no more fishing trips at the beach because there is no beach, no more taking the kids to
Kemah and riding the rides, and it will be a long time before standing on the seawall breathing the salt air will be a possibility. Knowing this is the nature of the beast does not make it easier. Change is constant, but it is usually gradual. It is traumatic when it is so devastatingly instant.
I spent my entire time off work working. Which ended up being awhile because we received some rather impressive damage in our building. Monday after the storm was crazy at the shop. People were in such good spirits though. I talked to a man who lost everything but the travel trailer he was living in. He spent almost all day waiting for a generator plug to be delivered. Not once did he complain, whine, bitch, or cry about
FEMA or anyone else not helping him. He picked himself up along with his family and made the best of his situation. As for
FEMA, they may go to hell and I will stay in Texas.
When I close my eyes at night I can still hear the creaking of my Mom and Dad's fortress, the pounding of God only knows what against the house, and the howling of the wind as it hammered us for hour upon hour upon hour. I will admit I was curious about the storm, being a science nut, but after experiencing the eye, I'm good for the next 75-100 years now on curiosity. After Rita everyone said, we'll never leave again, but after Ike, I'll be gone as soon as possible.
I just keep thinking...
It was only a 2.
But now, in the Aftermath I have a list...
Yard Duty for like the next 5 years
get my insurance adjuster out there
Burn the massive tree in my backyard
Cut down some massive trees in my front yard
unpack all of my treasured belongings
get back to normal
♥Oh, so vintage... 7:56 AM
update this b!atch..
oh yes I am 33 and oh so mature!
, at
4:20 PM