Rita
I am on team E3 at UTMB in Galveston. That means that I was called Tuesday evening to go to work early Wednesday and stay until the bulk of the work was cleared up. The E2’s came in at their regular time to stay until the E1’s arrived at 2pm. They will have to stay until the hurricane is over and evacuation rescinded. During the night, at 12:30, I got a recorded call from City of Friendswood advising me that as of noon Thursday, we will be under a mandatory evacuation. I was directed to this web site for more info http://www.ci.friendswood.tx.us/ (thank goodness since I was still asleep when answering the phone). I was able to leave work in Galveston around noon Wednesday, but because of evacuation traffic, didn’t get home until 2pm to start readying my home. Helen and I got the boards to the windows that fit, taped the remaining windows and packed. That evening Alan (a friend who’s company put up my roof last year, he and his wife are also in my bible study) came to the house to see if I was doing all right, we had not figured out how to put up the boards, so he said that he would come by later that night or the next morning with a crew to install them. Later, Michelle came by to also check on me. She saw the same situation and within an hour, her husband, Victor, came by and had those boards installed in 10 minutes! What a blessing to have such good, caring people for friends and neighbors.
Helen had a flight to Charlottesville to visit the University of Virginia at 2:50 Thursday. So, the plan was to leave at 8am (traffic was already being reported as horrible all over the city), drop her off at Intercontinental, take 1960 to 90 to Beaumont, then 12 to Opelousas and if it was still feasible, go down 49 to New Iberia (if not, stay with realtives there). The round about way was devised because of the reports of totally grid locked traffic departing Houston on all major roads.
I woke up around 4:30am Thursday, watched the news, and finished loading the car. We were prepared to sit in traffic for hours. I woke Helen up at 6am since the traffic had worsened and we left at 6:30. We made reasonable time, getting her to the airport by 9:45. It was a relief to us both that we had accomplished that and I felt that she would be safe.
I went north and was immediately in barely moving traffic. Managed to make it to 1960 and was rolling along slowly, but moving. As I approached Denton, traffic became worse. 1960, 146, and 90 all converged there. People were mainly trying to get to Lufkin. Philip called and informed me that the friends he was with were also approaching Denton on 90. There was no gas around there, I stopped at a station to use the bathroom, but it was locked. A Texas sheriff was there and told me that there was no gas until Liberty. I didn’t have enough to get that far (he thought they’d probably be out in a few hours any way). Philip and I found out that we were only a few miles from each other. He sounded a bit like he would like to come with me at that point. So, I went back against traffic on 90 about 5 miles, picked him up then turned back around. At that time, we were only about a mile from the 146. We knew there were several gas stations at 146 and I-10, so we went south on 146 thinking that we could get gas, then go east on I-10 and hope it had cleared a bit. There was no gas anywhere. At that point, I had been on the road for more than 11 hours, was not even halfway to Beaumont, and was now concerned that with the change of direction of Rita, we would otherwise be stuck on the road with no gas and the hurricane could potentially hit us dead-on. We decided to go home - knowing there were two cars with gas in my garage (Philip’s and one of his friends cars). We figured that we could siphon the gas out of one of the cars, rest for the night, then decide what to do in the morning.
I spoke to Helen about a half hour before her flight left. It took her about an hour for her to get through security because so many of those workers didn’t show up. At least her flight took off on time. The baggage people also didn’t show up, so her bag didn’t arrive with her but did Friday morning. It is nice to know that she is safe and well instead of having to go through this mess.
We decided to stay home in Friendswood as it appeared that the hurricane was going east and there was still no gas on the roads. It was so wonderful having Philip here all day yesterday (Friday). He took down the TV antennae and found a few more things that needed to be tied down around the house. It also has been heartwarming to hear from so many friends who have been concerned. The wind grew increasingly strong during the night, but had not rained when we went to bed.
This morning (Saturday), it was still very windy and light showers occasionally. There are lots of branches and leaves everywhere, but we have power and water and the ditch in front of the house doesn’t even have water in it. I called a few neighbors to let them know how extremely blessed we are in being spared the brunt of Rita and to tell them the conditions here.
This morning, I spoke to Shawn in Baton Rouge and he is OK, lots of wind and rain - worse than they had during Katrina. He lost the tops of his pecan trees. Shawn was able to contact New Iberia. Mom and Dad went to Davids house when their power went out. He has gas, so they can still cook but they don't expect to have electricity back for a week.
Philip went to check on friends and his father’s homes. He’s told me that there are no stores or businesses of any kind open, no gas or food. The public safely officers are out with road blocks checking everyone out to prevent looting. He says that he'll come back, possibly this evening or tomorrow to help get the boards back off of the windows. It is still too windy and wet to get on the roof to put the TV antenna back up or get the boards off of the windows above the front door. We have fared well.
I feel so sorry for the people of south Louisiana. First the toe was kicked by Katrina, now the heel by Rita. All I feel I can do for them at the moment is to pray.
Helen had a flight to Charlottesville to visit the University of Virginia at 2:50 Thursday. So, the plan was to leave at 8am (traffic was already being reported as horrible all over the city), drop her off at Intercontinental, take 1960 to 90 to Beaumont, then 12 to Opelousas and if it was still feasible, go down 49 to New Iberia (if not, stay with realtives there). The round about way was devised because of the reports of totally grid locked traffic departing Houston on all major roads.
I woke up around 4:30am Thursday, watched the news, and finished loading the car. We were prepared to sit in traffic for hours. I woke Helen up at 6am since the traffic had worsened and we left at 6:30. We made reasonable time, getting her to the airport by 9:45. It was a relief to us both that we had accomplished that and I felt that she would be safe.
I went north and was immediately in barely moving traffic. Managed to make it to 1960 and was rolling along slowly, but moving. As I approached Denton, traffic became worse. 1960, 146, and 90 all converged there. People were mainly trying to get to Lufkin. Philip called and informed me that the friends he was with were also approaching Denton on 90. There was no gas around there, I stopped at a station to use the bathroom, but it was locked. A Texas sheriff was there and told me that there was no gas until Liberty. I didn’t have enough to get that far (he thought they’d probably be out in a few hours any way). Philip and I found out that we were only a few miles from each other. He sounded a bit like he would like to come with me at that point. So, I went back against traffic on 90 about 5 miles, picked him up then turned back around. At that time, we were only about a mile from the 146. We knew there were several gas stations at 146 and I-10, so we went south on 146 thinking that we could get gas, then go east on I-10 and hope it had cleared a bit. There was no gas anywhere. At that point, I had been on the road for more than 11 hours, was not even halfway to Beaumont, and was now concerned that with the change of direction of Rita, we would otherwise be stuck on the road with no gas and the hurricane could potentially hit us dead-on. We decided to go home - knowing there were two cars with gas in my garage (Philip’s and one of his friends cars). We figured that we could siphon the gas out of one of the cars, rest for the night, then decide what to do in the morning.
I spoke to Helen about a half hour before her flight left. It took her about an hour for her to get through security because so many of those workers didn’t show up. At least her flight took off on time. The baggage people also didn’t show up, so her bag didn’t arrive with her but did Friday morning. It is nice to know that she is safe and well instead of having to go through this mess.
We decided to stay home in Friendswood as it appeared that the hurricane was going east and there was still no gas on the roads. It was so wonderful having Philip here all day yesterday (Friday). He took down the TV antennae and found a few more things that needed to be tied down around the house. It also has been heartwarming to hear from so many friends who have been concerned. The wind grew increasingly strong during the night, but had not rained when we went to bed.
This morning (Saturday), it was still very windy and light showers occasionally. There are lots of branches and leaves everywhere, but we have power and water and the ditch in front of the house doesn’t even have water in it. I called a few neighbors to let them know how extremely blessed we are in being spared the brunt of Rita and to tell them the conditions here.
This morning, I spoke to Shawn in Baton Rouge and he is OK, lots of wind and rain - worse than they had during Katrina. He lost the tops of his pecan trees. Shawn was able to contact New Iberia. Mom and Dad went to Davids house when their power went out. He has gas, so they can still cook but they don't expect to have electricity back for a week.
Philip went to check on friends and his father’s homes. He’s told me that there are no stores or businesses of any kind open, no gas or food. The public safely officers are out with road blocks checking everyone out to prevent looting. He says that he'll come back, possibly this evening or tomorrow to help get the boards back off of the windows. It is still too windy and wet to get on the roof to put the TV antenna back up or get the boards off of the windows above the front door. We have fared well.
I feel so sorry for the people of south Louisiana. First the toe was kicked by Katrina, now the heel by Rita. All I feel I can do for them at the moment is to pray.
posted by Theresa | 10:17 AM
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