Hello everyone. I'm using my DIL's computer briefly. We are still in New Roads, LA, with no power. The storm was bad here. The eye-wall passed over us. Lots of trees down, but the two houses here are fine. All my family are safe, and all our houses came through with minor or no damage. Thanks be to God!
The eye of the storm passed over Houma, LA, and inflicted major damage. My town, Thibodaux, LA, suffered a lot of damage, too. We do not have power, and the water goes off for a brief period each evening, but comes back on pretty quickly. It's hot and raining still. We are beginning to run out of supplies, but no stores are open yet.
The FEMA blue tarpaulins that Fran mentioned were in Texas until this morning when 50,000 arrived in Louisiana. I don't understand why they were not in Louisiana before the storm. Many folks have roof damage and could have used them earlier I can't verify this either, but there was a trailer on Channel 9 out of Baton Rouge yesterday, saying that no tarps had arrived in LA yet. That delay makes me angry.
Our governor is getting his baptism by fire. When he was told that it could be weeks before power could be restored in certain areas, he said that was "unacceptable". I had to laugh. That's like stamping your feet in a temper tantrum. If anyone is truly working it's the utility people, clearing away fallen trees and branches so they can work to restore power. It's a roll of the dice to decide whether New Roads or Thibodaux will have power restored first, so we may return to Thibodaux tomorrow.
So. Here I am hot and cranky, with only one local TV channel, not knowing what's going on in the big world out there. Thanks to all of you for your prayers and concern. The prayers worked!
I posted by accident at OCICBOV and decided to leave it there ans post here, too.
Mimi,
ReplyDeleteYou're one tough broad, and I'm impressed. I hope you can return home and to something like normal home life soon.
Still thinking of you.
ReplyDeleteThanks be to God and continued prayers
ReplyDeleteIt's great to hear from you directly, grandmere. I really feel for you with regard to the "hot and humid" thing. I hope there's someplace you can go swimming!
ReplyDeleteMimi -- So glad you are well. Fran is doing yeowoman duty but we miss you.
ReplyDeleteBe well and may you find a way to clean dry clothes.
Glad to hear you're okay! I was glued to the Weather Channel and NWS website, looked you were getting it pretty good at New Roads!
ReplyDeleteBlessed Be! It is wonderful to hear from you. Glad you and you family are all safe!
ReplyDeleteMimi, dear, I think this hurricane is earning you your official Lesbian Credentials. I am so proud to say I know you.
ReplyDeleteI pray that the damage done to your home and the homes of others is minimal, that you can return home soon, and that your new young governor emerges from his "Baptism by Hurricane" with some real government. assistance for recovery.
Hello Mimi! I'm so glad you've resurfaced. Now let's all hope and pray that you are pleasantly surprised when you get back home.
ReplyDeleteLove ya, Mimi; take care.
ReplyDeleteThanks be to God! We're on vacation, staying in a little cabin on Orcas Island. Moments ago, I realized I had not tea for the morning, raced to the little store here, found my Earl Grey, and a computer for visitors to use. Yea information age!
ReplyDeleteContinued prayers for you, your family and the people of LA.
Glad to hear from you. We hope you can return home soon and begin to get things back in order.
ReplyDeleteyes, glad to hear from you.
ReplyDeleteGrandmere!!! Yippeee!
ReplyDeleteI like Elizabeth bestowing you with official Lesbian Credentials. What an honor for a straight dame like you! Good on ya!
Be safe. Hope you get dry and cool soon. Many blessings.
Thanks for surfacing.
ReplyDeleteTwo comments--if you're lucky enough to have either house, at New Roads or Thibodoux, on the same part of the power grid that serves a hospital or major public safety facility (police or fire HQ, for instance, not just a neighborly precinct station), go there. Those sections of the power grid are usually restored first, unless there's major major damage to that sector. Next in line are the sections that are most easily restored, or that are the most populated. The sections with the worst damage and those on the fringes with relatively small number of users are often the last to get power back on. And it can be very quirky. My house is on the part of the grid that serves the local hospital, so after Wilma I got power back after only five days (which was relatively quick). A coworker who lives two blocks away from me had to wait two weeks, and had to wait one whole week after the houses on either end of her own block got their power back. (She lives in the middle of the block.)
Comment two--Texas was the right place to store those tarps, by the usual system. You want tarps and other emergency supplies, and all rescue teams, to be out of the area of immediate danger. That way they don't risk being damaged themselves by the storm, or being marooned by floods or destroyed bridges, and other such fun things that hurricanes can bring. And besides, FEMA has apparently speeded up operations. It took them the better part of a week to start giving people tarps and sending out teams to install tarps on damaged houses after Wilma--although of course I don't remember if there were any supply problems in the wake of Katrina and Rita. And in at least one incident I know of, the FEMA team took off a high quality tarp purchased by the homeowner at Home Depot the day after Wilma passed through, threw it away, and replaced it with a FEMA tarp of considerably less quality.
To those who have never had the eyewall of a hurricane pass over them, count your blessings. My house only lost a patio gate and some shingles, but my chief memory of Wilma is watching the wind rip off the roofs of the homes across the street from me--and wondering when I would start to hear the ominous ripping noise from my own roof. But thank God, I didn't.
Mimi,
ReplyDeleteGlad your safe! Hot and cranky?
Hi "in there"
ReplyDeleteGlad to read you...I don't know why those blue tarps aren't in LA either...but if they'd been RED tarps they would have gotten them there immediately!
Happy recovery!
Good to hear from you and good to know that you are safe.
ReplyDeleteMimi,
ReplyDeleteit's so good to read from you!
You're brearing up remarkably well, and I hope and pray your food supplies will hold out and that you'll be all safe, settled and powered up again soon.
Very happy to hear from you! Glad all is as well as can be expected, and more importantly, everyone is safe and sound.
ReplyDelete