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September 23, 2005
Hunkered down and fine
Good morning. My body is so set for five am wake up that even when I can sleep through, I don't.
The highways are cleared out in Harris County, BUT there are motorists stranded all along the way. In Conroe on I-45, they have an estimated 1,000 cars stranded at exit 118. In Columbus on I-10, there are an estimated 5,000 cars stranded. The problem is that there is no gas available. Huge tank trucks in Austin are being retrofitted with refueling lines adapted to individual cars, and hopefully they will be on the road toward these areas by eight this morning. We are still staying, because although Harris County is cleared out, along about Ennis, Texas, the traffic jam starts again due to I-45 construction. And it starts again on I-10 at Seguin because that is where the contraflow lanes end and everyone gets back into three lanes going west.
Last night, Mike and I went to a site near the house to help with a project to get water out to people on the highways. Along with several hundred other people, we helped unload a trailer truck of its load of 24-packs of pint water bottles. Then we helped load them onto buses. A number of volunteers hopped right on the buses to ride out and personally deliver the water. It killed me that we couldn't do that, too, but Mike's torn rotator cuff is really hurting him, and I sure didn't want a relapse of the flu -- especially in the middle of the hurricane. This dang laryngitis and throat and chest stuff is hanging on. ppffft.
At least I got to do something. Eventually, 40,000 bottles of water were delivered to people as far north as Shenandoah, west to Katy, and northwest to Barker Cypress. What is particularly heartwarming is that the mayor issued just one announcement at seven in the evening for this project. And thirty minutes later, people from all over town just started showing up to help. We weren't sure what we were going to do, but we were willing to do it. Every race and every age, just jumping in to help. I am still ready to take in anybody who is too tired to go on, but i don't know how to get to them. We will get wind and rain, but we will be fine. It looks as if Longview, one place we had considered going, is now going to get a lot of rain, too. That's where Mike's mom lives, but she has lots of family with her now.
Our neighbor, Laura Beth, whom we have known for as long as we have lived here (I think she was two years old when we moved in), may come over tonight with her dog to just ride out the storm with us. Her mom and dad now live in Brownwood.
Mike hates chihuahua dogs, but bless his heart, he is out on the street now trying to rescue one that is wandering around looking lost. What is it with us and lost dogs? We own cats for heaven's sake!
Posted by susan at September 23, 2005 07:23 AM