Still rained yesterday but much more sporadic, further rainfall estimates now lowered, today should be better.
Went to work in a building that had elevators out of service, plumbing was not working and no air conditioning. But duty calls!
At our office alone we took about 60 claims in one day, there will be more as people get to a phone.
Thousands still being rescued, more homes flooding as bayous and streams continue to rise.
We watched our local networks who are going 24/7 with coverage, it's just hard not to watch, and we shed a few tears on occasion.
Our baseball stadium is housing jail inmates due to flooding at the downtown facility.
Our convention center was holding 5,000 evacuees but that swelled to 10,000 yesterday afternoon.
Our basketball arena began handling the overflow.
Our football stadium was added as a new refugee center late last night.
Our soccer stadium has now become the staging area for all donations.
A citywide curfew was put into place by our mayor:
Midnight - 5:00am effective immediately.
After rescues are completed, it will be changed to 10:00pm - 5:00am indefinitely.
Stores are reopening but many supply trucks cannot get through our flooded highways so most grocery stores are out of items such as bread, produce, meat and other perishables. There are special truck convoys coming in today to restock. Currently a lot of stores have lines around the building and police/security only let in groups at a time.
Scattered ATM's are down around town, stores can't take credit cards, so it's cash only at many places.
A water treatment plant has been shut down and a boil order is in place for those residents (not us).
Airports still closed, longest period since 9/11.
River near the farm is expected to crest this morning and it is completely cut off from all roads except one.
Did not volunteer, just too tired, but we did take over two contractor size bags of supplies, clothes, toiletries, etc.
The apocalyptic documentary continues.
And now, sleep beckons...
Thank you ALL for the comments and emails of support for our city it is appreciated more than you know. I'll catch up answering soon.
So many of us are thinking of you two, and all the other poor sufferers at this time. We appreciate seeing the news from you each morning and knowing you are safe and dry. What an awful thing, and each of us who follow your blog feel like we have a stake in it since we all care about you. Rest well, and stay safe.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this. It's really just surreal. No other way to describe it.
DeleteStay strong. This, too, will pass and will, hopefully, leave behind authorities who are more knowledgeable and better equipped to handle future similar scenarios. Climate change is a reality, I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteYes, and we'll all be stronger and even more prepared. Sadly, you are right, we'll see more of this.
DeleteSending prayers and hugs. Be safe and hope for better days ahead.
ReplyDeleteBreaks my heart to see what is happening. Donated to some organizations.
Take care, Janie
Thank you, so many great places to donate. Better days will come!
DeleteOMG! People must be in a dumbfounding state of shock. What we are seeing on TV is horrifying. My heart goes out to everyone.
ReplyDeleteYou know our local coverage has been 24/7 now since Friday night, so I haven't even thought about what the rest of the world is seeing. I need to watch CNN and MSNBC to see what their perspective is for showing the rest of the world.
DeleteIt's heartbreaking even here in Canada to see such devastation. It's just unimaginable. What I find infuriating is that billionaire pastor with the mega church not opening his doors to the poor and displaced. Compassion?
ReplyDeleteYes, it is heartbreaking indeed. And yep, Lakewood Church.....he flat out lied about being flooded as the reason for not opening the doors. Then said he was worried about flooding, then said it flooded before. Now he finally opened the doors after much shaming in the media and online. His church used to be Houston's basketball arena it holds 50,000 people. LOTS of Houstonian's talking about it and not in a good way, ha.
DeleteSo many awful, sad stories shown on TV. Now the devastating floods have moved to Port Arthur and other areas in East Texas and into Louisiana. This is one terrible storm that just won’t quit.
ReplyDeleteGlad that you and 2nd Man are okay. Hoping that your Farm and 2nd Family will be safe also.
In addition to the heartbreaking plight of the humans, the pets and other poor animals are hurting also. All the wild creatures have had their habitats and food sources disrupted by the storm. A hummingbird came to my French door yesterday, looked in, and kept buzzing around the door. It was like it was asking for help. I quickly mixed up the sugar-water solution and put out my hummingbird feeders. The feeders are buzzing with hummers now. It's one little thing I can do to help - and it's a bit of sweetness in the midst of all the sadness.
Thank you so much! Yes, the stories on TV, that most of the world aren't seeing only because there is no time, it has to be whittled down to a few segments on the national news. But these local stories are SO saddening.
DeleteThat's so cool what you did for the hummers. I read online in our neighborhood forum that some people were going around with birdseed because birds have lost their natural seeds because it's been washed away. Will remember that and get some. We could always use some sweetness in the sadness for sure.
Holding you two and everyone affected in my heart.
ReplyDeleteThank you, we are blessed, we really are, keep everyone else in your heart as well, so so many sad stories.
DeleteI keep up with Houston by checking MSNBC off and on throughout the day, and I'm so grateful for your updates. It means a lot to me to know that you two are okay. Thank you for anything you can do for your fellow Houstonians.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Yes, they've had some good coverage. Thank you so much. We do what we can and the outpouring of support is incredible in Houston.
DeleteI worried that no news meant trouble for you two. I was unsure about your access to internet. I am quite sure you are grateful you are high and dry. One guy said all he wanted was a pair of clean underwear! Osteen said the reason he did not open his church was "No one asked." Thankfully, Mattress Mac and others did not wait for people to ask for help. How do people work without a working bathroom? The five gallon buckets would be full!!!
ReplyDeleteInternet and power working fine here. We are lucky, living in downtown we're on the "downtown circuit" which means they keep power up (for the office buildings) as much as possible and same for cable/internet/etc. Osteen is in trouble here in Houston much negativity toward him. Mattress Mac is AMAZING (as always). LOL about the buckets, we were the only ones there so it was just four of us, 2 guys and 2 ladies. So it worked for while we didn't have it. Working now so we're good there, ha.
DeleteGlad you and 1st man are ok. My husband says he hopes you got some good rest.
ReplyDeleteAww, than you for that. Tell him we have gotten some good rest lately, finally. Just wish I could sleep all day and not have to go to work, ha. But this weekend for sure!!
DeleteThank you for your updates to this horrible situation. Thank you guys for volunteering. It is tiring. Wishing you all sweet dreams.
ReplyDeleteTiring for sure. Sweet dreams will come, in time.
DeleteThere are no words I can utter to make any of this better but know the rest of us out here in blog land are praying for you, 2nd man and 2nd man's family plus all the others impacted.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, we can all use it, the entire city of Houston and surrounding communities. Thanks sweet lady!!!
DeleteHugs. Xoxo
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!!
DeleteSending positive vibes & keeping y'all in my prayers. Be safe, Men.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for this. We're safe just trying to deal with the chaos in our beloved city.
Delete