Hello there,
I know you are really wanting to know about the two new men in my life but....
You have to know the beginning first! HaHaHa!
On September 12th (My sister Judy's Birthday) I had to send my Horse Abby to the Woodlands, pack up my dogs and head to Houston to stay in the brick home of my friend and boss,Kay Mangott. WHY? Because a new man was coming into my life and his name.... Hurricane IKE... and he was on his way to visit. Now we all know how messy men can be and this one was no different...... WELL, he was very destructive to say the least. He was not kind and left small animals every where dead or to die or be orphans. He left people with out homes, electric, food,cloths, and even missing members of their families. He flooded all he could and totaled cars and boats.
Then, in no time at all he was gone..... Just left in the night, leaving us all to pick up after him. It has been three weeks and THOUSANDS, MILLIONS maybe, are still picking up after him.
On Saturday afternoon, I went out to my car, removed the tree branches and went home to see if I had a home. I was blessed and it is still there. After living and working so hard to have a nice place it is really hard to see it so damaged. I can not even try to imagine how those with out their homes could even find an acceptance
thought in their heart or mind. I feel for them and pray that there will be some sort of comfort found in each passing day.
I returned to Kay's home and started picking up fallen branches and found baby squirrels. THREE little babies. I gave them to Cassey who cared for them for a week and then turned them into wildlife. Things were getting crazy fast.. No air conditioning, water or sleep was making it hard on everyone to start believing what had just happened to us all. The radio had played all night telling us where and when Ike was doing his damages. I sat out on the covered patio for most of it due to the heat. Power had shut off at 7 pm I think. I decided to load up my things and my dogs and head for home. Three families and every ones pets were at Kay's home and I saw they needed more space. Others were on their way to stay there also.
At home, new problems. The skirting was off of my home and the kennels were all tore apart. I could not let China out of the crate she was in. The house was so very hot but the breeze was very nice outside. So, I untied the chase lounge from the fence, put it on my now empty patio, got me a sheet on a cushion, got a blankey and pillow and HELLO NEW BED ROOM!!! I slept so good. I slept out there for four nights.
The first day there was no way to get food, water, fuel, money, batteries, or anything for that matter.
The next day was spent trying to get batteries and fuel. I was able to get batteries so I could hear what was going on. Fuel was a lost cause and I had fifty dollars to my name. Headr that IF (no if about it) you had lost power count on 7 to 15 days with out it.
Day three was better, heard there was fuel down the road, sat in line for three hours and I was next in line...when they ran out of fuel. Tey lady in front of me had 15 large cans she had just filled before they ran out. I asked to buy one of the cans... She treated me so badly, I cried. Car on walk and phone almost dead, I called my GREAT neighbor David Brown.... He got the tiny bit of fuel from my lawn mower and brought it to me so I could get home.
The next day was better. David called to tell me the fuel truck was at the same station. I left to get fuel. One hour later and new friends met, I had a full tank of fuel.....WOW!!! Also a five gal. can filled. BUT, that took all of my money.
Then I heard about the food PODs. I went to get food. You are allowed to go one time a day and get two cases of water, two bags of ice and a box of food that had 12 meals in it. I had no cooler so I gave the ice away and while out gave fuel to those stuck in the road, hot, no water, no fuel and no food. One little girl was hungry and thought she was never going to eat that day. I told her God knew she was hungry and would help get her something to eat. I had worked for Kay the day before and she gave me some cash. I gave the little girls dad 20 bucks a gal of fuel and told him where there was fuel to buy. He got there and the little girl got to eat.
I spent everyday cleaning up trees for friends, getting fuel to them or food, ice, water or batteries. I did all I could do for others that were in more trouble than me. I slept very good every night.
David let me get a shower at his place as he had a generator. I WANT ONE....
I had been making my coffee over a can burner of some sort but I ran out of them. I went to the grocery store where you stand in line to get in and stand in line to get out. NO FOOD in there. NO any thing much.
Thought I better call home and get some things sent to me. My mother sent a care box of things I asked for and my Sister Judy did too. I never heard from my sister Tammy or my brother Butch. My sister Kim is having her own money problems and own burdens to bear. She sent word that if she could help she would but was not able to at this time. I understand Kim and know without a doubt you would have helped if you could. My brother Butch called and is sending money as that is the issue at this time. NO WORK, NO MONEY. Thank you mom, Judy and Butch, every thing helped more than you could ever know. Thank you to Lou from church who let me use his generator after he got power back.
So, as the days and nights passed on, day 10 came, At 4:30 pm. I was on my way to hunt more ice and saw David out in the road..... I asked what he was doing running the roads and he asked why I was leaving town when we just got out power back on.
WOW AGAIN....... Went home and YES...... POWER !!!
Took three days to realize what all I could do again. hehehehe, computer, A/C and microwave were on that list...
Now on this same day, Eddie, my sisters friend calls me up and says,,, HEY, I got something for you!!!
I asked what and she says HE in Houston......... A dear friend was sent to work in Texas for the hurricane relief program (turned out as security for Allstate).
His hotel was flooded and it smelled and had mold. Could he have my number and maybe come see me and go to eat and stay at my home..... I said yes. AND NOW ENTERS RICK..
Rick is from New York. Met me at Burger King in Manvel, four miles away.
We tried to get pizza but they were closed so we ate at taco bell.
Rick followed me to the house and stayed the night. I fixed breakfast at four am so he could get to work and had his cloths washed. He decided to come back and stay again. AND AGAIN and the whole week. I enjoyed having him to fuss over and I guess he liked it because he transferred to Texas!!!!
On the monday one week after he met me, he left back to Fla. to get his things and come back here... his new home. My new life. Tomorrow is Saturday and Rick will be home in the evening I hope.
