Hurricane Ike

that's what I've been doing all day today myself...clean up. But we're one of the lucky few to get power back quickly, within 8 hours after losing it.... most of the rest of town is down still.

 

We're actually getting the remnants up here in the Northeast overnight and today, which doesn't happen too often. No damage to speak of, though a 40-foot aspen tree uprooted and is leaning on my power line -- that could get interesting.

 

The transformers up on the poles are usually step-down units, to drop the high transmission voltage down to the 220-volt supply that goes to your house. Around here, anyway, there's one for each house. So, your neighbor lost power.

 

I'm glad everyone's ok.

TB, tell your family that is without power to take pictures of everything in their fridge and freezer before they throw it away. Insurance will cover that cost and if they sustained wind damage, might as well tack it on to the claim.

We got lucky this year and didn't see much other than some moderately high winds (can be scary with 80 foot tall trees all over the place) and rain from Hannah. We needed the rain.

We've been without power for over a week before. The transformer box broke for our street and so many had been broken in the storm due to large trees that they had to order parts from out of state. We were low on the priority list.

We used to drive around looking for places to buy ice and clean water. In the summer, everyone had to sleep with their windows open in the heat but unfortunately one guy was enjoying his air conditioning powered by a gas generator ...all night long -like a freaking chainsaw in bed next to you. -Even drowned out the sound of my husband's snoring!

One neighbor with a gas stove made coffee for everyone on our culdesac and brought it around in the mornings.

We had a couple of neighborhood gatherings where we brought the most expensive food from our freezers before it went bad and grilled everything. You will become an expert at the art of the grill.

Guy across the street owned a pizza restaurant and brought home pizza for everyone a few times. Someone you know in town will have electric and may offer to let you take warm showers at their house.

Those were good times.

 

my mommy told me that she couldn't even get gas or go to the grocery store because they have no power, but she has power at the house...but she said that the wind and stuff from the hurricane ruined her garden and the yard

 

I'm sad to hear about your mom's garden. It takes so much work to put things back in order after a storm like that.

 

Anyone heard from Wester?

 

I am glad to report that the crazy old man in Houston is alive and well and his entire family. I lost power before Ike reached us Saturday mornnig. Saturday afternoon, I fired up my 15 KW generator that has been a source of amusement and ridicule from friends and neighbors. Fir the next six days, I was enjoying air conditioning, refrigeration, and lights unlike all the pundits that think I am crazy (incidentlaly, my family acted like my IQ was higher last week also). We lost water for a while, but I have barrels of it on hand so there was no inconvience there. Communication was the weak link in my storm plans, as both my land land and cell phones were intermittant and unreliable.

The thing that was the worst for me was the loss of cable and internet. All that playing time for free cell and mine sweeper!!!!!!! Comcast is not telling me when service will be restored other than soon which I have been hearing for over a week. I am dropping them as soon as get an alternative installed. Currently, that looks like AT&T Uverse, but still to be researched more.

Lots of cleanup has taken place already by the residents, and more people helping each other than I have ever seen in Houston. The residents have removed and cleaned up the streets right after the storm had passed. My 20" Poulan chainsaw has worked sweet! Lots of tree limbs and fences down, some trees and roofs in my area were damaged, but my home survived intact.

It was funny going to stores as they re-opened and watch the people frantically buying supplies that should have been purchased in advance! There is no excuse for failure to prepare for a hurricane, and I am astonished at how many did not even have a flash light or drinking water!

Obviously, the people on the islands in the direct path took a beating from this storm. Some of the damage will take many years to repair and replace, but this type of natural diaster has occurred before and will occur again. Preperation and planning are always prudent regardless of where you live. Nature will always have surprises for us during our limited life spans as some of the real world cycles are measured in centuries.

My biggest concern now is cleaning up the neighborhood and commmunity which will be on going for a time, and getting internet back to game with ya'll again! I am currently back at work in my hated cubicle so gaming will be non existant for an unknown time period. Cursed Comcast!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Welcome back, and glad you are safe, Wester!

 

Good to hear you're ok Wester. Which part of Houston are you in?

 

I leave in the NW side of town near Hwy 6 between 290 and 10...... a long way from any tidal surge! Another day without cable <sigh>

 

I'm glad you're alright, Wester. Sounds like you weathered the storm pretty well.

 

Just an update from my many new friends at Comcast. A service tech came by yesterday and confirmed that I had no signal at my house.......I thought that was what I had been telling them for 12 days. He will turn in an order for someone to check the line at a later date. No idea of when, but...... Called the customer service repeatedly last night, auto disconnected without talking to a human being. Early this morning, the customer service agent said that someone was scheduled to check the line today.......no idea when it would be fixed

AT&T internet ordered to be installed next month.

 

lol! Good thing he came by, huh? And nice that they are re-checking their first check of your line. This is a great service they are providing to insure you are not crazy when you tell them your cable is out. It probably serves dual purposes of preventing many unnecessary trips to mental wards while at the same time creating a very necessary need for mental wards. It's all part of the ingenious attention to detail you would only find in a finely run company.