Hurricane Ike - During The Stom

Today: 1:00 Sunday - September 14th.. Never take for granted what you have around you. When I posted my last picture to photobucket http://www.photobucket.com/hurricaneike - I never thought "the unexpected" would happen.. The moment I clicked and uploaded the photo.. there was a large "explosion" around.. everything stopped.. I mean everything.. even me breathing for a moment... Note: Never think things will go according to plan.. always have a backup plan..! The P.D. did have a backup plan.. as I blogged about the hurricane.. we were running on a backup generator. A huge one!! So here I sat in the dark and breathless... I didn't want to run down and ask what was going on for being at a P.D. you just expect things to be handled.. So without thinking (another thing I should do : ) I decided to take a shower.. I am very thankful to be able to have water.. I am taking my shower (I won't go into details ) I hear another large boom and the building shakes.. Ya know.. this is not the last place I want to be, nor the first place to be found.. Before the boom, I was thankful to Online Sweepstakes. Why? All the freebies that are listed I have kept in an emergency box... Thanks everyone!!! In the dark, I reached out for a towel.. (REMEMBER TO BRING A TOWEL NEXT TIME!!!!) I reach out and hope that I do not feel the outside air.. I have no clue if there is a floor 2 foot in front of me.. I pray .. God at least if I go.. let me have some clothes on.. His reply: You are wearing what I brought you in the world with" .... I reply: Uh God.. not really.. I have more skin and pounds.. What are ya going to do but laugh and hope for the next moment.. I am finally able to find the clothing I had on.. put them on.. (I do not care at this point that the shirt is on inside out and backwards!!!! I just want to get out.. I am on the 2nd floor... Finally I crawl.. literally in hopes of finding a door.. ah.. found one.. Where does it go.. I have no clue... Don't think hubby is not looking for me.. the officers have an emergency going on and are doing their best.. I open the door and crawl a few inches and then nothing.. no floor! Now what do I do.. I reach up and by the power of God I feel a railing.. I am in the stairway.. Inch by inch.. I make it downstairs.. I am a soaking mess. but alive.. I see a flurry of activity around me and the last thing I need to do is say.. "What happened?" ... I have ears and if I listen close enough.. I can put two and two together.. The backup system blew up... No phone, no electric.. no nothinig.. the world has come to a complete stop... yet, people are rushing to restore order as much as possible.. For those who think that a Police Department is safe from a hurricane.. it's not.. Ike does not care about the welcome sign on a door. which I did not welcome him!! A hurricane has hit.. the backup system is out at an emergency hub.. what are you going to do?? Call the Governor?? Well.... Guess what.. If you have breath, a floor under you and water.. You are at the "bottom of the totem pole" and will have to wait for you turn.. People are floating around in Galveston and each moment is literally their life.. they come first.. Ellinton field has a fighter jet for emergencies.. uh, Hurricane Ike flipped it and it is not of use... O.K.... What do I do... I get on the cot (Gosh it is hot in the building) and decide to get a little shut eye.. I can do nothing to help.. and would only be in the way.... The next thing I remember is a smell in the room.. and a voice.."Honey, can I get you anything?" My reply.. "Are you my husband?" *lol* He says the operations have been forwarded to the a Police Station nearby and he was going to the Fire Department to get updates... He asks.. "Do you want to go?" ... My reply.. No thanks, last time there was a hurricane I ended up sleeping in the firemens locker room.. sorry... not bashing the firemen... but, I prefer the smell of hot air than that of dirty socks.. I fall asleep and I am exhausted.. I open my eye and look up.. It is a little sunshine peeking though. Wow.. I never noticed that hubby's.. window has a frame that appears to be a cross (I will post a pic soon) .l thank God for allowing me to be awake... a little battered.. but alive.. Even though I can see the light.. it is pouring like cats and dogs.. (oh, I miss my kitty... our home has damage.. but we can't go home now.. other's need us) I look out and the roads are flooded... great.. now we can't get out, no electric, nada.. nothing.. just a building after the storm.. I am a little hungry and open hubby's "suitcase of rations" It is actually a bag of food he was to take on a hunting trip... (not happening this year) .. Thankfully the light and a shakable flashlight (Remember to take everywhere you go from now on!) lets me look into his rations.. hhuumm.... Oreo's, Little Debbie Snack Cakes, Chocolate cake, Spaghetti (no can opener), Chunky Sausage Soup.. No way!, peanut butter bars.. allergic to nuts.. Oh nuts.. Man, is this what he takes hunting I think to myself? I am a diabetic.. I can't eat hardly any of this "junk"! Oh well, I will get some water.. Dang.. The water is outside under the sallyport where the officers are working as a team to get the generator working.. Suddenly hubby comes in and says.. You have to move.. Huh? Where am I gonna go? To the city hall.. o.k.. I grab my bags and have no clue to which city hall I am going to.. We arrive.. we set up a sleeping bag.. oh.. one room has electric.. *yeah!!* it's a kitchen... oh wow.. I see a phone cord... I can get online and blog... NOT!! Did you know that an analog phone line will not work for a dial up connection.. But, I was smart (so I though) .. I brought my DSL box.. no problem.. I hook it up and NOTHING!! huh.. Oh I need to get to the outside world to let them know what is going on.. Hubby walks in and laughs.. Honey he says.. You have to be at some to use the DSL box for it connects via phone number.. Why didn't he tell me that when I left home.... He leaves and here I am.. in a room... I get everything settled and decide to see what is happening in the world... I have a little t.v.... to watch... (Until Feb... That is another issue I am not happy with.... I do not think they should make people go buy a box to watch t.v. because they want to update the world!)..... I turn on the T.V. and it is a mess.. for the first time.. I break down in tears.. I look out the window and see the officers in the rain trying to do 20 things.. they do not have thier family with them, no way to get through... people on t.v. are crying out for water... literally.. I am seeing life through the eyes of many... I just sit and stare... I wish I could explain the feeling I have right now.. it is numbness... A person can only see so much trauma... eventually it can break you down to tears.. no matter how strong you think you are.. I have seen it in the eyes of the officers and residents.... Suddenly the door opens.. A man walks in.. I have not a clue to who he is.. i wave hi... (He is on the phone and I can tell it is official.. so in respect.. I open the door and walk into another room.. Hum, what is this.. IT IS A COURTROOM! I see the gavel on the desk.. and the chairs in front.. I sit in the Judge's chair. and look upon the empty chairs.. I imagine how in one day.. life can go from one of timely movement to a sudden stop... I am to find the man is one of 3 mayors for where hubby works... Again, even though he is a Mayor.. he is so down to earth in his casual khaki shorts and button up shirt.. He is not a Mayor!! (Yes, by title) He is a man on a phone calling various places asking for help (not for him.. but for the community he represents) I wish I could film all this, but you must remember I am in a place with strict rules and in respect and under authority of utmost privacy) I do not so so. I will never place myself, my family or friends in that position.. I know people want to know.. but there is some things must keep confidential.. I hear a door open and it is the Mayor leaving.. I see through a window Hubby, the Mayor and the officers standing in the rain "getting things together" ... Finally the rains slow down and the officer look into the huge generator... They find the problem is a broken belt... Anyone know of a good electrician?? Oh yes, they are in more important places.. The officers work as a team and after 12+ hours.. They get it to work.. I jumped up.. grabbed a camera and took a pic (coming soon) I was so excited... TEAMWORK!!! God truly worked a miracle (no, this is not the miracle I mentioned yesterday.... I will post than when given the o.k.) I grab my 4 bags.. run to the door and then SNAP!!!! not the door.. My wrist... Typing has been hard due to me having extreme carpel tunnel in both hands.. and the broken shoulder is not feeling too well.. But the snap has literally taken my breath away... Broken.. possibly.. painful... You can't even imagine the pain!, can't get to the local hospital because it is shut down.. Their generator exploded also!) ... I grabbed a hanky. I see a bone popping up and it hurts!! Thank goodness.. the door opens and it is Hubby (to my rescue!), I am in tears and tell him what is going on.. He says.. The generator is fixed... (for the moment) ..we need to move you back to the PD... O.K., you would think I would be glad to go back home.. What is my first thought?...I ask.. Is the internet up? *lol*... He says they are working on it.. O.K... I will take a shower then see if I can get online.. Yes,, I took the flashlight and a towel this time ! After my shower.. I get dressed.. (I just grabbed some clothes..) I put them on and head towards the mirror.. I grab the brush and after 3 strokes.. it breaks.. Having hair to your hips is not always a fun thing.. I break down in tears again due to the pain in my wrist.. then it happen.. I look in the mirror and hadn't really noticed what I had chosen to wear.. I am in gray sweat pants and a gray shirt.. the shirt Has test on the front .. I think it says Ebay... I look again.. (AS GOD AS MY WITNESS I DO NOT KNOW WHERE THE SHIRT I AM WEARNG CAME FROM) It is gray and on the front is text (colors like ebay logo) ipray - Do you pray? ...... That's what is on my shirt.. I know it is God telling me things are going to be o.k..... even though we have not heard from our children.. the phone lines are horrible here.. Houston is a mess.. but the Mayor and others are going as fast as they can.. Rome wasn't built in a day and nor will Houston be done in the same fashion.... So here I sit.. hubby just came in and said I needed to eat.. I just turned and said if I lose all this stuff I just typed to my friends.. I will not be a happy camper *lol* He got the message and said they are looking for a brace for my wrist.. The fire dept has more important thing to do then look at my wrist.. I have not proof read what I wrote above to fix spelling or other errors.. this is my rough draft.. I am going to go downstairs and see what is going on.. I can hear a fait sound of laughter.. things will be fine.. Thank You Jesus for my family and friends.. I pray for all and ask everyone to do the same..