blogging Hurricane Ike (part XIII)

Yesterday morning I received a text message from a neighbor that a utility truck had been spotted in the neighborhood. Please keep in mind that this was the first person from CenterPoint Energy or City of Houston (excluding Houston Police Dept.) that had been spotted in the neighborhood since tropical storm winds stopped on Saturday.

During the afternoon, I received several phone calls from neighbors that the power was on. While I was happy, I also felt sad. You see...

There are six of us in my office. Of the six, four of us now have power and the outlook for the other is not good. It could be next Monday (Sept. 22 or later) before they have power restored...and the storm made landfall on Sept. 13.

I did finish cleaning out the refrigerator and freezer. It was all good for 72 hours but that had passed.

There wasn't much at the grocery store. I was able to supplement my canned goods in the pantry.

I'm dreading Friday or Saturday when I have to start the hunt for gasoline. I'm still fine right now but Friday or Saturday will be the day to fill up. It's really just a matter of finding a place with gasoline and without a long line.

Through all of this I need to tell myself that this has been an inconvenience. There are people (including a guy on our staff) who has lost his home. He has been sleeping in his truck with a gun to protect what is left of his property.

It has been one day at a time for all of us.

I think the one good thing that came out of this is that I was given the opportunity to meet and visit with my neighbors. I don't have any family members in Houston but I am surrounded by a good group of friends and neighbors.

I have not had the opportunity to look at any of the pictures of the destruction that Ike created. I have a feeling it will turn my stomach.