we had our spare little freezer filled with ice & frozen gallons of milk & turned down to the max - it served as a great cooler after the electricity went out, everything in the yard picked up & brought in, 2 cars squeezed in the garage with another parked sideways in front of the door, tubs & containers of water all filled up, food & drinking water all stocked, batteries galore, all the laundry done, lawn done -
I started preparing on Monday. I knew Ike was coming to Galveston. Then Wednesday my family realized I was right and jumped into high gear. Then ya'll remember the rest - my dad suffered a massive heart attack Thursday and was rushed to Methodist hospital at the medical center - where he stayed for 6 weeks.
THe NHC had it wrong - the forecasters had it wrong. I remember I was prepared because I knew on MOnday the storm was coming here - had all my supplies - gas for generator (so glad I was because I was without power for 17 days). No one knows not even the models. I remember being at work and everybody but its going to Mexico and all the forecasters and NHC said the same thing. I said no its not. Then Thursday at noon - we are finally let out of work to go and prepare for a storm that would hit within 36 hours. I left but my house was already boarded up - my supplies bought and I was ready.
Ticka, I didn't know about your dad, I'm sorry. I can't imaging what you went through.
I was up early that morning. My elderly dad had been evaced to Houston from Galveston, then on to San Antonio when the power
went down. I live in Galveston too, so I was busy putting things out of the reach of a potential flood. while following Ike on TV and the net. I went to my girlfriend's house and helped her secure her yard. We were in her living room when the mayor of Galveston called for a total evacuation of the Island. my girlfriend and her elderly mom evaced to central Texas, while I followed my brother and his family to central Louisiana. I was one of folks who was astonished at the surge produced from a storm that was "just a Cat 2"
and was glad I didn't stay to ride it out.
My hubby works for DPS so he was working and I was at home w/ my mom, who does not get around well, so I was trying to prepare plan A,B and C in case we had to move. We were prepared so things went well, but I had never been though a storm w/ family so separated. My son and hubby were alterately calling all night, but it was still a very isolated feeling. I hate night storms. They're scarier.
Oh and ticka, I didn't know about your dad either. After the storm we went so long without internet I guess I missed that. That must have been awful!
I too was like some of you....I knew it was coming this way. Everyone made fun of me when I got the Generator when Gustav was coming this way. So I was ready. We plyloxed the windows. I also read about using sticky back velcro tape and foam board to cover small windows...i did that and they all held! Better than the plylox! We also squeezed cars into garage that are never in the garage.
But what I most recall: I made a huge dinner of my kids favs. We even took pics of us eating. I had a feeling it would be our last hot meal for awhile.
My main concern was falling trees. We live in heavily wooded Memorial NW. I cleaned out Harry Potter closet under the stairs and lined it with my new outdoor seat cushions to put my kids in. Well they were 18 and 16 and did not really fit so they slept in the entry hall.
At midnight we still had power and my son was turning 18 on Sept 13th. He will ALWAYS remember his 18th! We took a video of us giving him present with the door open the wind howling.
Power went off around 2-3AM.
I watched the trees spin in a circle, not just back and forth. At 5AM a massive pine fell in my neighbors yard. All the trees fell South in our area. It landed on the power lines. On Sunday somehow my brother got thru to us and told me my company had been sold to another. I had been trying to hold it together, but after that I fell apart.
I realized on Monday I was becoming depressed. I was so tired of not having my machines! Washer, dishwasher and mostly vaccum.
I had to spend the whole day figuring what we would heat up on the propane burner and grill. It was like camping in your house.
Went back to work and thank G-d I still have my same job to this day, just different company head.
I did take notes daily on observations, good and bad.
BEST thing: Getting to know neighbors more, seeing how friends and family helped each other
WORST thing: no power for 13 days and did not store up enough gas for generator.
Wow...I sound real whiney...I should not. I had my house, no damage. I had my family unhurt. Who cares if the floor is dusty? Who cares if the food is lukewarm? I learned how to make coffee quick and that is all that matters!
