The man living next door just walked out wearing khaki's, a nice blue shirt and penny loafers. Any other Wednesday morning and that wouldn't have been anything to notice. Today though...Today I'm sitting on the front porch of Mikie and Adrienne's house and the scene is, of course, anything but a normal Wednesday morning.
I had taken Highway 6 yesterday hoping to get around the majority of traffic that was on 45 and to also give me a better chance of getting on the island a day ahead of the Wednesday announced opening of the island. Thankfully both worked just as planned.
About 20 miles from Galveston I started to see the first signs of the damage. Trash. It was everywhere. Paint had peeled off of the Jack in the Box, billboards were torn apart and traffic lights were either completely gone or hanging, left inoperable. In areas of the country that get heavy amounts of snowfall, they install fence line that collects the snowdrifts and moves it away from highways, buildings, etc. Down here there's a tree line instead of the snow fence.
I had seen the pictures of boats over Broadway, building damage, etc. and although the majority of the boats and debris has been removed from entering Galveston, it's not entirely gone. A few boats still lay in the slow lane and there is plenty of debris still left. Streets are lined with trash heaps for those who have made it home (the majority of which have not) and the major population of the island are contractors and utility workers.
The trees and grass all around town are turning a dark brown. The effects of the seawater getting on the trees. It lends itself to a feeling of fall or early winter, but without the cool temperatures expected. It's a little disconcerting to view, kind of like mother natures pulling one over on us.
I'm staying with my very good friends here on the island and there's no where else I'd rather be. Driving up to their shop yesterday wasn't too terribly different than any other day. My friends were happy to see me and the feeling was definitely mutual. Jane plays with their dogs, we sit around and laugh and eat dinner together and enjoy each others company. Aside from the hum of generators and lack of utilities it's not all too far removed in principal from a night a few weeks ago when we all got together to do much of the same thing.
They let people back on the island this morning. Mikie's brother and I were talking last night and both felt people would be shocked when getting here. The media has put the word out to warn people that it's a far different place now, and I hope they've listened. There's no power, no gas, and the water isn't drinkable and I don't think that's going to change for while.
Today we go to my house to salvage / trash and then back to the shop to work on that. I have so many people asking me how things are, what's going on, etc. and I'll keep everyone updated on at least my perspective here. Comments and questions from the peanut gallery are always encouraged.
In closing I'll say this (and more of this theme will become apparent in the future I'm sure). I'm proud to call Galveston my home. I'm proud to be here and able to lend a helping hand to friends and the community and I look forward to challenges that come (aside from going in my house this morning, in no way am I looking forward to that).
I had taken Highway 6 yesterday hoping to get around the majority of traffic that was on 45 and to also give me a better chance of getting on the island a day ahead of the Wednesday announced opening of the island. Thankfully both worked just as planned.
About 20 miles from Galveston I started to see the first signs of the damage. Trash. It was everywhere. Paint had peeled off of the Jack in the Box, billboards were torn apart and traffic lights were either completely gone or hanging, left inoperable. In areas of the country that get heavy amounts of snowfall, they install fence line that collects the snowdrifts and moves it away from highways, buildings, etc. Down here there's a tree line instead of the snow fence.
I had seen the pictures of boats over Broadway, building damage, etc. and although the majority of the boats and debris has been removed from entering Galveston, it's not entirely gone. A few boats still lay in the slow lane and there is plenty of debris still left. Streets are lined with trash heaps for those who have made it home (the majority of which have not) and the major population of the island are contractors and utility workers.
The trees and grass all around town are turning a dark brown. The effects of the seawater getting on the trees. It lends itself to a feeling of fall or early winter, but without the cool temperatures expected. It's a little disconcerting to view, kind of like mother natures pulling one over on us.
I'm staying with my very good friends here on the island and there's no where else I'd rather be. Driving up to their shop yesterday wasn't too terribly different than any other day. My friends were happy to see me and the feeling was definitely mutual. Jane plays with their dogs, we sit around and laugh and eat dinner together and enjoy each others company. Aside from the hum of generators and lack of utilities it's not all too far removed in principal from a night a few weeks ago when we all got together to do much of the same thing.
They let people back on the island this morning. Mikie's brother and I were talking last night and both felt people would be shocked when getting here. The media has put the word out to warn people that it's a far different place now, and I hope they've listened. There's no power, no gas, and the water isn't drinkable and I don't think that's going to change for while.
Today we go to my house to salvage / trash and then back to the shop to work on that. I have so many people asking me how things are, what's going on, etc. and I'll keep everyone updated on at least my perspective here. Comments and questions from the peanut gallery are always encouraged.
In closing I'll say this (and more of this theme will become apparent in the future I'm sure). I'm proud to call Galveston my home. I'm proud to be here and able to lend a helping hand to friends and the community and I look forward to challenges that come (aside from going in my house this morning, in no way am I looking forward to that).
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