Aftermath of a Hurricane

Well, as everyone knows Hurricane Ike came through recently.  I decided to blog my journal and so this is long and may seem boring.  The reason I am doing this is so that I can have a copy of it and maybe learn something for the next time.

Day 1 - Preparation, Thursday-

I checked out my water supply.  We have the barrel, the refrigerator in the apartment has 10 gallons and 24 personal size waters.

Went to the grocery store and bought extra tuna, Vienna sausages, bread, batteries, animal food.  I also got some extra cash.

Went by the gas station early and filled up the van.  The pick up is full.

Glenn arrived early and he asked me to go get diesel for the tractor in case we or anyone else needed it.  Word of advice: the first time I went, I was the second of two cars.  When I went back to get the diesel, it was a parking lot with people trying to fit into small spaces and others driving crazy.

Make sure all of your flashlights have new batteries and back up batteries.  Make sure you have several of the lantern type flashlights that will light up a small space.

Make sure you have an old fashioned land line.  All you do is plug it into the wall.  Ours worked the entire time.  Problem was getting hold of anyone on the other end.

Make sure your chain saw actually works, your camp stove is working and has fuel, and your generator is in working order. (No we don't actually have one of those).

Also, I washed all day and everything single item of clothing except what was on our backs was clean.

Day 2 - More Preparation, Friday-

We cleared the porches, yard, moved the basket ball goal (actually moved in and laid it on it side), laid the swing set on it's side and moved the trampoline.  We also shored up the chicken coop but only because it had a loose major board beside the main door.  (+Side note  here-Jeremy your chicken coop lasted through a hurricane!).

We filled up all four of our bathtubs the night before with water.  +Check out your bathtub.  Only two of ours actually held water beyond that night.

Everyone took a bath/shower because I didn't know when it would be until we had another.

I emptied the ice maker several times and stored the ice in gallon baggies.  I then put them in the freezers and above the refrigerator.  Next time, I would make more. 

We have a large Igloo container and before we went to bed we filled it with ice and water.  It was in a central location and worked great.  Since it was on the cabinet, we weren't going to the refrigerator to get water.

Day 2-3 The Hurricane winds hit us about 4:30-5:00 am on Saturday.

We lost power then.  It rained all day Saturday.  Glenn has never been here when it rained so much and he was a little spooked by how high the water rose and how fast it was running.  Because it rained all day we stayed inside and we didn't have TV's or computers to keep us entertained.  Anxiety was high.  Hot food is welcome.  I started using the camp stove Saturday for dinner and it worked out well.  It is a little slower but we had hot food the whole time.

After it stopped raining, we of course, wanted to go outside and look at the damage.  Glenn was afraid of snakes and so he went with Nathan !?  Finally in the afternoon, we all ventured out to see what had happened.  We were very lucky.  The only damage was to the kennel and the trampoline and about 10 very large trees.  Unfortunately, the trees all bounded our drive way.  We tried to get hold of anyone to let them know we had no way of getting out.  It was very frustrating to be able to call but no one on the other side could talk to us.  Finally, the Bishop called later and said a work party had been arranged for the next day and they should be out about 9:30am.

Saturday night was actually the scariest part of the storm and it wasn't really related to Ike.  The hurricane had moved on but a thunderstorm came rolling in and about 2:30am Glenn woke all of us up to listen to the thunder and so forth.  He was afraid of a tornado and thought he heard one.  He scared everyone but we were fine.

Day 3 - the aftermath-

We woke up Sunday and I cooked eggs, bacon and sausage, and toast on the camp stove and then we got dressed.  The work crew were here by 9:30am.  It was funny, I called Shelly to tell her they were here and her phone had clicked over and she was one of the work party.  Brett (rancher) drove by to check out the fences and told us a cow had been killed in the storm.  We had 9 people including Jason working with chain saws and it didn't take very long at all.

Shelly and family came in and we had lunch, the kids played a while and then they left for home.  While Shelly was here I did a very dumb thing.  I looked in the refrigerator freezer and the frozen rolls were defrosting.  I made the decision to go ahead and put them out to rise.  What a wonderful thing - hot rolls for dinner! Duh!  I didn't have an oven and Jason suggested asked if I had a Dutch oven.  Well, I have a deep, heavy skillet with a lid.  I still didn't do it right and forgot to take the rolls out of the pan they were in and put them in the skillet.  Anyway, I forgot about them until dinner time and then realized I had beautiful rolls but no way of baking them.  I tried to pick them up and put them in the skillet but alas rolls are not meant to be picked up.  The rolls smelled so good I didn't want to throw them out and so I took them apart and placed blobs of dough in the skillet and then opened a can of apple pie filling and put that in and then mixed bisquick and sugar and cinnamon and butter and spread it on the top.  I then turned the burner down low and let it cook.  It was great.  I will have to do that again but this time in the oven.

After all of the excitement   Glenn took a nap and then we held Church services in the living room.  It reminded me of Balikpapan and the services we held there.  Afterwards, we went for a

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bishop Stutz talking to the kids.

 

 

 

 

drive around Magnolia to see what there was to see.  There were lots of trees down and no lights in Magnolia or power but we didn't see too much damage.

For those wondering about bathrooms - we used the water that was stored in the bathtubs to pour water into the toilets.  It worked remarkably well.

Day 4- we are waiting for power -

It is Monday.  On Sunday night the cows kept coming into the yard.  Glenn would put shoes on and grab a flashlight and yell for the dogs and go running down the driveway.  2:30, 3:30, around 4 something and a final time around 7.  I stayed in my bed.  Glenn left around 7:15 for the airport - I fixed breakfast on the camp stove, took care of the animals.  By this time - Glenn and I had set up the swings and put the basketball goal back in place.  The trampoline is not usable.  Word here- the kids acted differently.  Nathan freaked out.  He doesn't like change and needed reassurance.  Glenn doesn't do well in that kind of pressure and he couldn't give reassurance.  It was not a good thing.  Mandy on the other hand, was a little trooper.  Never had a problem, no tears, she just did her thing.

 

I took the kids to the house on Golden Rainbow and started some clean up.  (Side note - the two big pine trees in the back yard closest to the house split and one hit the Lerchbakers house next door and the other hit their garage. ) I had remembered to take garbage sacks with me but not a rake so I called Shelly and asked if they wanted to have lunch out and please bring a rake with you.  We had a nice lunch at Willie's on 249 and then she went home and the kids and I went to the house and continued to pick up.  I didn't want the house to look vacant.  We filled trash sacks and put them on the driveway and then started back home.  I decided to go the back ways because 249 was basically a parking lot.  I am not sure why, it was open and no problems but I didn't want to drive that way.  Anyway, I did and round about drive, got lost (another story) and finally made it home.

We kept up the same routine of getting ready for bed, brushing teeth, etc and then scriptures, prayers and books.  Both of the kids had a small lantern-type flashlight beside their bed and that helped keep them in bed.

Day 4 - Tuesday and more waiting

We got up (I didn't particularly want to), dressed, made bed (important to keep house as clean and organized as you can.  It makes a difference in the way you feel as well as act) fed animals, fixed breakfast and decided it was time to clean out the refrigerator.  It wasn't safe to keep anything anymore.  What food in the top freezer tatha was still frozen went into the ice chest with the ice I had frozen earlier.  The chest freezer in the garage is still frozen.  Threw everything else away.

                              Cleaning out the refrigerator

 

  Drove to Magnolia (I am getting a little worried about gas as I have 1/2 tank).  I am worried because there are no gas stations opened in Magnolia or around here and I don't want to drive around looking for gas and run out.

By the way, it is important to look neat.  I know I have just had wash cloth baths but it is important I think ,to help ward off depression and frustration.  Sounds funny but I feel totally isolated with only a radio.  I know I can get out but I guess I am a visual person and needed to see as well as hear what was going on. 

We went to Brookshire Brothers grocery store to buy ice and hopefully D batteries.  They are the only ones that I am out of.  The grocery store is unbelievably empty.  No fruit, bread, drinks, the deli is all but empty, there are no hot dog or hamburger buns.  They do have water (which I do not need) and they have ice.  The rule is 2 bags of ice per family.  I did see some families cheating which is sad. 

(Another side note: None of the stores we visited this day and the day after had credit card capability.  I had gotten cash the day before the hurricane and I needed it.)  We next went down to the Dollar Store to see if they had D batteries.  Nope.  I did let the kids buy some cheap toys.  Nothing that was battery operated.  I know the kids have more toys than they need but to have something new when you are bored is great.  I did pick up a Bingo game - it is great practice on number recognition and we played it during school.  Mandy won.  Nathan was bummed!  The electric company has no idea how long it will be before we get power.  They said to call back Thursday.  Ugh.

Oh, today I went around to the bathtubs and toilets and poured bleach into each one.  The bathtubs have been setting there for 4 days with water in them. 

This is what the kids had to say about this week-   Nathan -I was scared when the hurricane was here.  I was scared by the big thunderstorm on Saturday.  It feels weird not to have electricity or running water.  Hope to have electricity soon.  We should stay in our place until this is over.  We should have lights that work and batteries.  I feel good when I'm not scared.  We had to put the couch in front of the doors and lock them. I forgot this.  When the hurricane winds hit - Glenn had locked all of the doors to keep them shut.  One of the doors in the living room kept blowing open.  We finally had to put a couch and the big brown chair in front of it to keep it closed.

Mandy - She wished the tree didn't fall and she didn't like not having running water and working bathrooms. Mandy is not quite as long winded as Nathan.

Day 5 - Tuesday, still waiting

Dawns very early as Glenn calls before 7.  Mike (owner of cows) should be out today to fix fences.  The day started well: when I let Duke out both Tiger Ann and Joseph ran out.  They have never done that before.  I grabbed for both cats and got Joseph's tail.  I swung him around and threw  him in the house but Tiger and 4 dogs went running.  I ran after all of them, screaming for Nathan.  It was strange 3 of the dogs lost Tiger Ann.  I looked over and Blackie was sitting quietly almost at point.  There was Tiger crouching in the grass.  Anyway, with a joint effort we got Tiger Ann back in the house without anyone getting scratched or bitten.

 

 

I looked out and the kids were looking at the clouds and "imagining" what the clouds were.  Spot came to visit.

 

Encouragement!  The electric company truck came by.  Interesting- the dogs didn't react much until he got out of the truck to walk to the house.  Blackie's tail went up and she went into attack mode.  Good dog!  They did say they couldn't guarantee anything.

It is 1:55 and we have power.  Hurrah!  At around 9:45 I was sitting on the couch watching TV and the lights went out.  I just sat there.  It came on a few minutes later and has stayed on.

 

List of things I had or needed:

Plenty of batteries, all kinds.

Plenty of water

Plenty of flashlights, including several that are lantern like.

A rope for a clothes line and clothes pins.  We had wet clothes and I didn't want them to mold and so I strung some rope on the swing set and hung the clothes to dry.

Camp stove and fuel

Several coolers to keep things cold once the refrigerator is gone.

Paper towels, paper plates, cups, silverware. 

A generator would have been wonderful.

We have a chain saw but couldn't get it started.  You have to take them out once in a while and start them.  Same as the generator.

Igloo container for water.

Make sure you have enough animal food as well as people food.

We did use the ponchos but it was so humid that you ended up soaked with sweat.

Cash - I got $80.00 before the hurricane and had to use most of it. Even some of the gas station weren't taking credit cards.