But we made it through o.k., only minor damage. Our city was trashed, but we went right to work the very next day. Family & friends are o.k., some still w/o power, but surviving. The days are long and the work is hard, but our backs are strong!
Good thing too. Kemah got trashed. I don't think they had expected that much damage. I can't understand why some people didn't evacuate when they got the order. I know what happened before Rita made everyone hesitate, but the alternative is ten times worse. I'd rather spend another 11 hours stuck on the freeway than have to live in a devastated neighborhood for a week or more w/o power in this Gulf Coast heat. And the mosquitos are horrible now.
Thanks all. It's been strange. Yesterday the wife and I drove over to Pasadena, which is the city adjoining to the east. The freeway traffic is ridiculous at odd times of day now because traffic lights are down all over the city. Everyone is trying to avoid the surface streets, thus cars trying to exit the freeways onto frontage roads are now backing up all the way back onto the freeway. So 5:00 p.m. rush hour now lasts until 8:00p.m.! On the way back into Houston we saw one of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever witnessed in all the years I've lived here. As we drove closer to downtown I realized why. Most of the city is pitch black as night falls. Normally the glare of all the city lights and the smog obscure the setting sun. It was eerie. Here are some pics I took of our neighborhood park:
Those photos are haunting. They'd make good album artwork.
I really feel for you though. I can't comprehend what it'd be like. How are you getting back to normality? Is everyone back at work? Are more people managing to get to their homes? etc.
I was extremely lucky. I was at work the day after. By Monday morning the power was back up at our warehouse due to it's proximity to the Port of Houston. Then I had pwer at home three days later (I live 5 blocks from my job). So I'm pretty much back to normal, except for lack of phone service. Half of our employees are still w/o power at their homes. Many of our local vendors and customers still don't have power. I never thought I'd wait in line @ McDonald's, but there I was...
