Road to Recovery from Ike

[Janet]

Well then Sandy....you just go ahead and complain sweetheart!!! We'll all yell and complain with ya...lol. Hopefully it won't be much longer....darn hurricanes anyway.

[celstu1]

I don't blame you! Its a disruption to your life that has gone on long enough Im sure! I would have complained about 15 days ago! haha

[Janet]

Hey Sandy, have ya all thought about moving more inland???? Would it help? I would think as many hurricanes you've had to deal with...it would be a priority for me...lol.


Oh and I wonder why they can't explode a bomb or something inside a hurricane while it's out in the ocean to break it up....I'm sure they've thought of it, but I was just wondering..

[Tiramisu]

I would love to move farther north, but Hubby is velcroed (is that a word?) to this little patch of land. But, as seen from Ike, we'd have to move too far from place of employment to get away from the big ones. Bombing couldn't hurt. Actually, it looks like a bomb landed in my back yard.

The latest report is that they are at our house working today and she promised me that we will have power tonight.

[Janet]

Oh yay!!! I'll keep my fingers crossed!!!

[pope1982]

My deepest sympathies, thoughts and prayers are with you and yours!

[Marilyn]

Hope your power is now restored!!! Enough is enough!!!!

There are how many million people living in Houston now??? Whenever we go there we can't get over the urban sprawl. There are so many suburbs now that city, the big Houston metroplex, is about 100 miles (N to S) x 100 miles (E to W). City begins well before you reach the Houston city limits in all directions. There are huge subdivisions, apartment complexes, shopping centers, car dealerships all over what used to be fields and pastures. Cities outside of Houston have built-up and all the land inbetween them so that it's just one huge mass of buildings and concrete, now. Lots of people have moved down from the north for the climate, lower cost of living and also their jobs.

Sandy may be near the coast, but she has lots and lots of company!!

[Tiramisu]

Marilyn, is the port and your workplace getting back to normal?

NO POWER - 19 NIGHTS - Different story every time I call them, which is about every 4 hours. Yesterday, at 2p, I was told that they were at my house working and that I would have electricity last night. I blessed the girl that told me that! Not a stick was moved. A neighbor said they did see a truck pull into the driveway, sit a few minutes, and leave. Guess that counted! I wonder if they'll pay for my divorce?!

Really, it's not that bad because it's not steaming hot and humid right now. Maybe the worst thing is that I can't do much to anything on these crutches, like clean house, do laundry, clean trees, cook, etc. No, the worst thing is that they are automatically going to raise our electricity rates to recoup the repairs and I don't understand that.

I'm actually fairly depressed with several things right now - family, finances, economy, etc. and the storm only added to it. My oldest daughter can't get a break on vehicles. My son's coming home from Iraq on Friday, and that is GREAT, but he'll be unemployed, and his wife's job doesn't offer insurance. I miss my Mom so very much. We've taken a royal beating with savings and I won't get to retire next year. I'm not sure my foot is healing up and it stays so swollen, I wonder if I'll ever be able to wear good shoes again.

Didn't mean for this to turn into a vent! I am thankful for my family and what we have.

[gja1000]

Sandy,
You have every right to vent, rant, rave, or even commit some evil act upon someone. You've been through so very much these past weeks and the pileup is going to get very very heavy! Saying, "take care of yourself" won't do much good, because you are frustrated that you can't take care of everything and everyone.

This will pass, and you will have some tales to tell for the rest of your life. Right now though, it just sucks!

<<<<<<<<<<<<BIG HUG>>>>>>>>>>>>

[Ponyup]

I guess I'm going to offer some tips hopefully they'll help. Is your foot wrapped or in a cast or anything? I was having a lot of trouble with my ankle swelling & wearing a brace really helped. The compression was what did it.

Maybe you could buy a camping shower. They have these bags with solar panels on the outside that you fill with water & then leave them in the sun to get hot. It's pretty nice and I don't think they are super expension.

Could you maybe heat up water for the doggies bath in the microwave(using your generator) or something & at least bathe & brush them? Do you have a grill, maybe you could heat on a grill.

I think it's just aweful that your rates are going to go up that's totally crazy.

Pear trees are nice, but I don't think they get much over 7 feet tall.

I'm praying that your son is able to find a job very soon. Did he have a job before he left? Isn't there a law that you have to hold jobs with people serving? If not there should be. Doesn't the service offer some kind of insurance?

I'm sorry if I wasn't much help. But I'm thinking of you & hoping you get electricity soon.

[celstu1]

Im thinking of you.... I remember a time in my life that I was very overwhelmed with everything going on. My fiance and I broke up (3 years ago) and we were together 10 years it was devastating, I had to sell our house and cancel the wedding UGH, our puppy died in the middle of all that... right after that my little brother got deployed to Iraq (at 25 years old) for 8 months, then my other younger brother was diagnosed with a brain tumor and had to have brain surgery at 28 years old. Then my father was diagnosed with prostate cancer, then my mom and her hubby up and moved 2,500 miles away to New Mexico, then one of my best friends from HS, we are sooo close for like 15 years now, got diagnosed with thyroid cancer at 29 years old. It just went on & on like it would never end with all the bad stuff.

I know how bad this year has been for our country in general, but for me its been a year of peace in my heart and life finally. My brothers are well and good, my father is well and good, my friend is well and good, I met an amazing man and my broken heart has healed. My mom and her hubby are still a million miles away but Ive gotten used to it and we make the most of visits and stuff!

hang in there.... there is always times in our lives that the going gets tough and times in our lives that are peaceful mentally and emotionally (even if they are not financially)! (((HUGS)))

[Tiramisu]

Gayle's right - this will pass and I'm not talking about it any more! Thanks for all your support.

[Marilyn]

Sandy, sweetie, I'm sending you a huge hug right now!!!! I know it has to be hard. The economy will get better, I promise!! Our retirement savings will come back, I'm convinced. When they do, I'm doing something to make them more bullet proof. Home building, even here where things are still good, is taking a hit, because people and bankers are afraid to lone even to people with outstanding credit. Hubby is only building for people who already have loans or are paying cash, so hubby's business is down. I had hoped to retire in a couple of years and work with him. He may end up working with me before it's all over. We are so blessed that my business if doing extremely well and hopefully will continue.

Things have kinda settled down for us after the storm. Still some supply issues, but it's much better.

[Janet]

Sandy, I wish I could be of more comfort for you, but I'm feeling like crap myself right now. I don't feel my situation is quite as stressful as yours, but it's still disheartening for me. I hope they get your electricity on soon...enough is enough.

Please don't feel that you can't vent....we're here to help as best we can...so if you need to vent....then please vent!

[Tiramisu]

Still out - 20 nights - they left a new transformer and pole in the front yard yesterday. They're down to 4605 people out, 56 in my zip code. I just know today's the day.