Hurricane Ike

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paddyinthepub
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Hurricane Ike

Postby paddyinthepub » Thu Sep 18, 2008 1:20 pm

Hurricane Ike took direct aim at Galveston Island last weekend. The island getaway for many folks in the Houston area and home to some 80,000 residents has been deemed uninhabitable for now. As folks try to grasp what happened to their family, friends, homes, and lives......please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

I've been in touch with a few folks in the Houston area. One friend reports his family's home will be without power for 2 to 4 weeks, since a tree fell on the power line to his home so even if power is restored to the neighborhood his will remain off as crews are stretched thin and these items are last on the list. He's staying at his sister's house where power remained on the entire time. His folks, getting on in years and stubborn as the day is long, remained in their home powered by a generator and refused to leave for fear of looters moving in. He hopes to send them off to his sister's in Colorado until power is restored.

I saw Air Force One on tv at Ellington Field outside Houston and George Bush meet with folks before taking a helicopter ride to view the damage leading to and on Galveston Island and beyond. Instantly thought of Ellis Pauls' song Hurricane Angel. Anyway, looks like FEMA learned some lessons from Katrina and have reacted swiftly and effectively this time around. Having said that, local news reported that 300 National Guard troops arrived in Houston only to find no arangements had been made to feed them as they went about the task of patrolling the area.....Houstonians, those with power on at the house, caught wind of the story and set up an on the spot donation center at a local high school to help remedy the oversight.

Stores closed, gas stations everywhere either out of gas or the power to run the pumps. Folks without food, water, ice, gas to run cars or generators. Long lines when the news would report a station with gas. Kudos to city of Houston mayor Bill White for being the voice of reason and face of calm as Houston found it's way on the road to recovery. He was extremely hands on and when a point of distrubution center erred and sent trucks away he got up at 3 or 4 the next morning and got out there to assure that things were done right. Ready to eat meals are being handed out to thousands....thank god.

For the most part, I think Houston, as a whole came out relatively unscathed, save the major hassle of living with the shortages mentioned above. Thoughts go out to the good folks in Houston who frequent Ellis' shows in Houston at the Mucky Duck. Hope all's well soon. And to the people hardest hit by this terrible storm, my thoughts and prayers are with you. There but for the grace..... :cry:

Another friend evacuated Houston for Austin before the storm came ashore. Her kids, students at The University of Texas, insisted. She waited it out there and watched, as most of did, from a distance. Her office in downtown Houston is mere blocks from Chase Tower that lost so many windows to high winds. Her office sufffered no such damage as the building is all of 25 stories. Back now that it's safe to do so, she just sent me a link to an online photo site with more than a few great pictures of Ike's wrath.....

It's hard to imagine.....

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/0 ... fe_of.html

note of caution.......picture #24 is particularly disturbing as it shows a cemetery scene with caskets unearthed by the storm surge.
"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy

paddyinthepub
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Re: Hurricane Ike

Postby paddyinthepub » Thu Sep 18, 2008 6:47 pm

Coverage of the Road to Recovery can be seen here. It's the ABC affiliate in Houston. KTRK Channel 13.

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/livenow?id=6384042
"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy

paddyinthepub
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Re: Hurricane Ike

Postby paddyinthepub » Fri Sep 19, 2008 8:02 am

I think we all remember this one.....well, if you're old enough. :wink:

Galveston -- written by Jimmy Webb and made famous by Glen Campbell.

Galveston, oh Galveston, I still hear your sea winds blowin'
I still see her dark eyes glowin'
She was 21 when I left Galveston

Galveston, oh Galveston, I still hear your sea waves crashing
While I watch the cannons flashing
I clean my gun and dream of Galveston

I still see her standing by the water
Standing there lookin' out to sea
And is she waiting there for me?
On the beach where we used to run

Galveston, oh Galveston, I am so afraid of dying
Before I dry the tears she's crying
Before I watch your sea birds flying in the sun
At Galveston, at Galveston
"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy

Patti
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Re: Hurricane Ike

Postby Patti » Fri Sep 19, 2008 2:40 pm

Yup, sure do Paddy.... did GC do Witchita Lineman too? JT just did a cover of that on an upcoming CD..

Thanks for the info. on Ike too.. it was a pretty devastating storm..

I think EP Fan BillE lived in the area, hopefully he and his family are safe and sound.
"Embrace what you have in common, celebrate what sets you apart" Ellis Paul

paddyinthepub
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Re: Hurricane Ike

Postby paddyinthepub » Fri Sep 19, 2008 3:15 pm

Patti....yes, indeed, Glenn Campbell sang Wichita Lineman....perhaps another Jimmy Webb tune. Not sure. I was thinking about BillE who I do believe lives in the Houston area. The friend I mentioned above that went to Austin returned to find no power at the house and it remains off as I type this. Course If that's all one has to suffer through, those folks, by all accounts, are the lucky ones! If you can call that lucky? :?

Another friend has a friend who lives closer to the coast and he suffered damage to both home and business. This person happens to be a private plane owner and pilot and has flown over a great deal of the storm ravaged area near Galveston and without going in to great detail here it's far worse a picture than words can paint or one can imagine. The general concensus is that some folks down there didn't heed the strong warnings to evacuate and may have paid the ultimate price with untold numbers reported missing and feared washed out to sea. It appears the Category 2 level number fooled them into thinking this was not a hurricane they needed to fear too much.

Heard on the news today that the affected areas along the coast and inland equals in size the state of New Jersey. :shock:
"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy

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KarenZ
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Re: Hurricane Ike

Postby KarenZ » Fri Sep 19, 2008 4:14 pm

Patti,

I spoke with BillE last weekend. At that time they were without power and lost a fence, but otherwise were OK. I actually left him a message today but haven't heard back. I assume they're still without power which has to be a bummer after this many days. :(

KarenZ
Patti wrote:Yup, sure do Paddy.... did GC do Witchita Lineman too? JT just did a cover of that on an upcoming CD..

Thanks for the info. on Ike too.. it was a pretty devastating storm..

I think EP Fan BillE lived in the area, hopefully he and his family are safe and sound.
"Some people are born to make great art and others are born to appreciate it. It is a kind of talent in itself, to be an audience, whether you are the spectator in the gallery or you are listening to the voice of the world's greatest soprano. Not everyone can be the artist. There have to be those who witness the art, who love and appreciate what they have been privileged to see." -- Ann Patchett in Bel Canto.

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KarenZ
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Re: Hurricane Ike

Postby KarenZ » Sat Sep 20, 2008 2:06 pm

Got a call from BillE last evening. As I suspected he is still without power. The Houston Arboretum, where he works, is also without power but employees have been out every day clearing trails. He makes a daily run to an ice "pod" to get ice to take home wher they are able to keep a few perishables in a cooler. They have one battery-operated fan. The wait at the ice pod is usually an hour - the same if you want to get gas in your vehicle. Sounds miserable...yet they are relatively lucky, of course, in comparison to so many others.

Bill says Ike is the worst hurricane he has personally experienced....having lived in Houston for many years.

Bill and his wife were headed to San Antonio for the weekend where they hoped to relax in an air conditioned motel room....

KarenZ
"Some people are born to make great art and others are born to appreciate it. It is a kind of talent in itself, to be an audience, whether you are the spectator in the gallery or you are listening to the voice of the world's greatest soprano. Not everyone can be the artist. There have to be those who witness the art, who love and appreciate what they have been privileged to see." -- Ann Patchett in Bel Canto.

Patti
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Re: Hurricane Ike

Postby Patti » Sun Sep 21, 2008 10:05 am

Thanks for the news.. I hope Bill and family are comfortable and get some much need relaxation and rest....

Ike has not been in the headlines up North for awhile now.. :?
"Embrace what you have in common, celebrate what sets you apart" Ellis Paul

paddyinthepub
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Re: Hurricane Ike

Postby paddyinthepub » Sun Sep 21, 2008 10:26 am

Standing in line for nearly 90 minutes yesterday at Penn State for ice cream (some of the best I've ever tasted :D ) after the Nittany Lions trounced the Temple Owls in a lopsided football game. Tailgating parties everywhere before and after the game. The general sense that, after another victory under the watchful coaching eyes of 81 year old head coach JoePA (that's Joe Paterno for those out of the loop :lol: ) that all was right with the world. We all seek escape from the daily grind. that's a given. It was easy to soak up the atmosphere on a beautiful college campus on a gorgeous fall afternoon where the weather could not have been better for football or any outdoor activity for that matter. No sign there was suffering anywhere in the world. It was easy to enjoy it all, and then the Ike story snuck in and reminded me all too well.....

Location..Location...Location.

and there but for the grace go I.

Happy to hear BillE and his will be okay in the long run and are well on their way to a respite from the lack of power and sense of normalcy in day to day living. Good to hear it...thanks for sharing that with us, Karen. :)

The Pittsburgh Steelers will play the Philadelphia Eagles today in NFL action. We'll enjoy watching on tv.

and yet......... :(

The woes of the world are many......the news of the day is political, economical. We lose track of stories almost as soon as they move on to the next big story. The media has moved on and it's to be expected. look at Katrina and New Orleans. The good folks of Texas will pull up bootstraps, put on a brave pace, and go about the task of cleaning it all up and getting things back the way they were.

My wife just complained it's too cold in the house.....I need to go adjust the thermostat........ :roll:
"once we're inside, it's a carnival ride" ~ ellis paul
paddy

Richard + Jela
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Re: Hurricane Ike

Postby Richard + Jela » Mon Sep 22, 2008 10:06 am

We are so lucky that we just don't get these sort of weather extremes here in the UK and our hearts go out to those people who have suffered. The photos posted are quite harrowing.

Glad that Bill and Margaret are bearing up and that not too much Ike related damage affected their home - must be really scary nontheless.

Jela


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