Since my last post we caught a glancing blow from Hurricane Ike. Ike knocked out our electricity we just got it back today at 2 pm, so we were out of electricity for 2 and 1/2 days. For Rita we were out of electricity for 3 weeks and I am sure that there are many people in and around Houston who will not have electricity for at least 3 weeks. I know what they are going through and I do feel for them.

The little bit of good news is a cool front came through last night and we will have cool weather for the nest several days and nights. The three weeks following Rita were sweltering misery, so this cool front will be a small blessing.

I spent the week and a half following Gustav at the refinery, trying to get my part of the plant back up and running. We got it things up and running on Thursday and Ike came in Friday. I worked over 15 hours on Friday, and left the plant some time after 9 pm. I did not leave on good terms with that nights shift supervision, but that is not something that I will go into detail about here.

I had to work Friday, so I knew I could not evacuate with Lisa and the boys. I got them a hotel in New Orleans and Lisa and I ran to Sam's and bought her a Tom Tom (GPS) system so that they could get around N.O. and to the hotel. They took time to go to the Aquarium on Saturday. The boys had not been there before and they loved it.

I fell asleep at about 11:30, while watching the Weather Channel as Ike closed in on Galveston. I woke at 3 am. The power was off and I could hear the wind whipping outside. I closed my eyes and went back to sleep. I woke a 6 am. The wind was still blowing hard. As soon as it was light enough to see, I got in the Jeep and drove around the neighbourhood to see how things looked. There were lots of branches down, but no large trees like we had in Rita.

The one thing similar to Rita was the flooding. Ike flooded everything that flooded three years ago when Rita crashed into the coast. Ike's flooding was worse and the water was higher. Lisa and I are just now finishing post Rita work. I am sure many of those flooded by Ike were also just finishing getting there homes back together. I feel for them also.

Lisa and the boys came home Sunday evening. We all slept in the living room, because I borrowed a window unit from Gary J. and put it there and ran it by generator. I was able to keep the refrigerator, AC (small window unit) and some lights running.

Later,
Kenith

Things are getting back to normal. Lots of people are pouring back into town today (we got back early yesterday afternoon) and the local Market Basket and Kroger are both open, though Walmart and the fast food joints are still closed.

Lisa and I "celebrated" our twenty-fifth aniversary yesterday. The morning was spent watching Hurricane Gustav coming on shore via the Weather Channel. Once the eye of the hurricane was on land, we loaded up and headed for home. I led the way in my truck, followed by our daughter in her car and then Lisa in her Jeep.

We did learn that almost all of East Texas has NO Sprint cell phone service. There was no service from just north of Dequincy, LA until almost I-20 by Marshal, TX.

We were back in town a little after noon. Woody had never left and we joined him for a fish fry.

Later,
Kenith

Far SW Louisiana dodged the Gustav bullet and to celebrate we had a fish fry with Woody and a friend of his. We had one strong line of wind and rain come through yesterday afternoon and it is drizzling this morning, but all is well.

I am expecting people to start coming back today. I would hate to have to fight the traffic that will exist with all the people trying to get back into Louisiana.

Kenith