The Repo Man Strikes

Just when I think things can't get any worse. The Repo Man strikes.

Alma, my Sweet Songbird of the South, barely recovered from Hurricane Ike's various aggravations, got fresh, unnecessary aggravation yesterday.

Alma is down in Port Aransas, Texas. If you read my blog religiously, you already knew that.

The car she has been buying, that she needs for work, has had a major malfunction of late. That's why Alma's brother-in-law had to come get her off the island and away from any interaction with Ike.

Alma was slightly behind in her car payments on the car that did not run. Alma had communicated with her lender, who let her know they would work with her to get her back up to speed, so to speak.

And then, yesterday, Alma looks out her window to see no car. Her guitar and all her music stuff and other important things were in that car.

Alma ran out of her house and down the street and found the Repo Man stuck in the mud with her car in tow. She asked him to let her get her stuff. He told her she'd have to go to Corpus Christi to recover her possessions.

About then a Port Aransas cop, who Alma knew, showed up, assessed the situation, told the Repo Man that he made a mistake in not extending the courtesy of letting local law enforcement know he was going to take a car. The cop told Alma to get her stuff. The cop then drove Alma and her stuff back to her place.

In the meantime I'm thinking right now all these huge multi-billion dollar financial institutions, that have shafted who knows how many people, are now asking for bailouts from the Feds. While little people, like Alma, don't have that avenue of help. The Feds are not going to help Alma out with her car problem. Or the financial woes Ike caused her.

Who would order in a Repo Man days after a place is recovering from a hurricane? That just ain't right.

Alma Returned to Port Aransas Safe From Hurricane Ike

Alma is safe back in Port Aransas, her cottage on the gulf intact. Read on for Alma's account of her encounter with Hurricane Ike. And scroll way down if you want to see a photo of Alma's Boyz who survived Hurricane Ike with her.....

Hey you Guys,

I've posted all of the Hurricane Ike News from Port Aransas emails in my MySpace blog. The MySpace post includes emails I received in response and responses my long-time pal, Durango, received from posting them on his blog.... I've also included lyrics from one of my favorite songs by Blue October that was playing as I drove from Harbor Island to AP. I hope you like....

I woke up and went to the Stipes Store by the ferry and got my caffeine and ice for what has now come to be regarded as that damn meat and cheese. Why did I even bother? I just can't see food going to waste. Maybe I starved in a past life...who knows?. They were doing good business for the people getting ready to leave and the locals that were staying. They were selling massive amounts of ice, beer, sodas, gasoline, water, etc.

I got on Cotter to go home when I ran into my new "friend" from Oceans of Seafood who was waiting for the owner to come down from his residence next door and open the restaurant. They would be open for lunch. We chatted briefly and he told me I was the only left on the Island freaking out. But he did say that the Island was starting to flood from the West side at Shorty's Pasture. I don't understand how everybody could be so calm. I told him I would be checking out the beach and he suggested I go the Cotter Street way as Beach Street was already flooded. I checked out the beach by the Jettys and couldn't find a way to check it out so I followed a truck past the Marine Center and yo, there beyond some little Dunes you could see that the sea was already to the Dunes there. It looked like the sea would be over the Jettys very soon. After I took in the sight, I drove to the Beach St. access road and parked amoungst the surfers who had clogged up Beach Street in search of some good waves. I went home and my "new friend" was looking at my car. They weren't able to figure out what was wrong with it and left.

After mostly taping containers shut (mostly to make myself feet better) even tho that would have diddly effect on anything carried by the sea, I went to eat lunch at the Beach and Station Street Grill. They were doing fair, steady business to the locals who decided to stay and me. I was taking a brief lunch break at the only place that was open. I had a bowl of their killer gumbo with some toasted, crusty french bread and came back home.

I watched the news as they were now saying that Hwy 361 was flooded in places and that the road on Harbor Island (the other side of the ship channel once you take the ferry) was also flooding. I feared that I would be stuck here with the crazy locals who showed no fear or respect for the Hurricane. I then doubled my speed which resulted in discovering my deodorant didn't work and getting my nice white blouse filthy. I was now just tossing things in the car, crying and freaking out that I would lose whatever remained in my "cottage". I finally came to a point where I said, "it's in God's hands" and put the dogs in the car and hit the road.

The water in the ship channel was as high as I've ever seen it. The little ferry boats were valiantly taking passengers back and forth. I must say, it was one smooth ride considering. I thought for sure that we would be jostled about by "rollers". Rollers are large rolling waves. They are the kind of waves that could and might make you sea sick. When I'm outside on deck standing on the boats when there are rollers I instinctively reach out for something to hold on to. The deck hands laugh as they've told me that there are people who step on their brakes. As if that would do anything! It's kinda funny. But, no...no rollers, just a quick current of water filling up the channel. No dolphins. Just birds taking advantage of the disoriented fish.

As I drove past Harbor Island, past the Fin and Feather, past Hog Island, I could see that the fishing encampments and bait shops and RV Parks were all already flooded. I mean water all around them. I drove on past the ghost town of Aransas Pass. I drove on the highway and drove past North Beach and the sea had already flooded most of North Beach where I usta live. There was water already surrounding the little shack where I lived a year ago. Water was almost up to the Sea Lab. I drove over the Harbor Bridge, made my way on the Crosstown, tried to find a doggie crate at the Greenwood Walmart but they were out, tried to go to PetSmart but they were closed, went to the Everhart Walmart and they only had a large doggie crate. I had to leave the boyz in the car each time I went in a store. It was awful and I felt terrible. I was now $60 more in the hole. I finally made it to my sister's in near hysterics. It's all too much. I suffer from anxiety and got off my Klonopin, so by now I'm thinking that maybe I still need them. My hands are shaking and I hate this.

My sister was calm and I love that family so much. The kids were sheer joy to be around. My nephew is phenomenal. He's Pre-K but he can already read. It's amazing. My niece is so gentle and kind to animals and my dogs warmed up to her like I've never seen them warm up to anybody before. They actually loved the whole family. They were nervous, too. Even tho they were having the benefit of a backyard, all they wanted was to know where I was, laid by the back door whimpering and once we brought them inside and put them in the new crate I got on the way in, they calmed down. They had to be in a crate because Jack, my sister's little terrier didn't cotton to having 3 other dogs in his territory. It's only natural. We had to put my dogs outside when her dogs were inside and vice versa. We spent a nice day watching the Weather Channel and cartoons on Nickelodian.

My sister in Houston had it bad. It was scary and they lost power. They were debating whether to come down here after they learned they wouldn't have electricity for up to TWO WEEKS. I hope they do come down. It's intolerable without AC.

I tried to sleep but it was difficult. The dogs would whimper when they couldn't see me. So, at 1am, completely exhausted, I covered their crate with a Sponge Bob blanket, and lay down on the couch where they could see me. I turned off the lights and when they finally settled down, sneaked off to sleep in my nephews Harry Potter bed. When I finally slept, it was not a good sleep because I kept getting up everytime the dogs made noise. I didn't want them to wake everybody up. The dogs were just totally discombobulated not being in their own home. And I'm sure they could read "my energy" as I was worried I'd lost everything. When they settled down, I crashed so hard it seemed like 5 minutes when I woke up 5 hours later. I stayed up for an hour and went back to bed and slept til 9am. It seemed like 5 minutes.

I saw a report where somebody on some jettys in the area (didn't hear where) tried to help somebody in trouble, got swept off the jettys by a giant wave, and was washed out to sea. Wow. I read on my phone that a tree fell thru the roof and killed someone who was inside sleeping. I read where a 67 year old man refused to leave Surfside. They found him drunk in the morning. He drank his way thru Ike. A woman delivered a baby during the storm at a shelter. She was assisted by a specialist in geriatric psychology who hadn't delivered a baby in 20 years. The police reported thousands of calls from frightened people who had changed their mind about riding it out. And, of course, people were rescued from their attics and roofs.

Saturday morning, we mostly watched Sponge Bob and Mighty B cartoons and giggled and laughed. Drank good coffee and had papa con huevo tacos for breakfast. My niece and I tried to keep the dogs calm. We ate some good snacks. My sister cooked up some good stuff. And I tried to work up the energy to shower and get ready to come back to Port A. I was completely drained. I drank copious amounts of coffee but it did nothing. I was depressed and very tired. I tried to take a nap, but it just wasn't gonna happen. I started at 3pm to try to pull myself together. By 5pm or so, I had broken down the new dog cage, downloaded a Hannah Montana song (See You Again) into my laptop, gave the CD (it was the only song I liked) to my niece, rounded up my stuff and loaded it in the car. With her help, we loaded the dogs in the car and I was headed home.

I decided to pay my Cricket phone bill. Just remember, you get what you pay for. I stopped in AP for some chicken. Everywhere I looked I saw tired people. Many, I'm sure wondering how they would make up the money they spent making sure their families were OK.

There were reports of people en masse returning generators and other stuff they bought at Home Depot (and the like) since they didn't use them. The problem with this storm scenario is that people spend grocery, rent, utility, etc. money to survive the storm. To save their families. In other words, spending money they don't have. I would do the same thing. It's this kind of stuff that makes people decide they will hunker down the next time this happens. With our luck down here, next time, it will be "the Big One" but we won't listen to the hysteria mongering media. I am about $200 in the hole and my mental health took a beating.

Yes, I am safe. Yes, it could've just as easily hit here. Just 100 miles South and I would've lost everything except for what I loaded in the car. Yes, I am lucky. I have a home to come home to. I have a job to come home to. I still have all my crap. This great place to live is still here. The 1st cold front of the season blows in tomorrow so that signals the end of Hurricane Season. Yes, I am still alive. My family is alive. My Port A friends are gonna razz me good for over-reacting (in their eyes).

This Hurricane thing is terrible and I fear it will take me time to sort thru the emotions. I was just throwing stuff (literally) and now must clean house before anything comes back in the house. Maybe that, too, is a good thing. I can now set up the table for my desktop computer like I always intended to, at least for the next 2 weeks as I try to deal with this ginormous electricity estimated bill. I have an interview for a second job at a very nice resort hotel. I have gigs coming up at the Tarpon Ice House and Sips and my coffee work continues at Sips. I will probably just take all that damn cheese and meat back. There's no way I could ever even eat that much meat and cheese. I can see me constipated and farting for the rest of my life with that cheese.

My work is cut out for me.

To respond to the folks on Durango's blog...no, I don't know where the Mustang Towers are. I'm sure I've seen them, but I don't think I dropped papers there so don't know where they are. Maybe they're called something different? I dunno. I haven't see the beach today yet. I'll cruise by before I go back to CC to return my bro-in-law's car. I hope my boss, Joanne, did okay. They drove inland.

I would like to thank all of you with your kind words of care. I am so overwhelmed and touched by the concern. Robert, Chuck, Durango, Carol, and Nancy come to mind. It touched my heart that you care. Funny, Dallas got more Ike rain than we did. IT DIDN'T EVEN RAIN HERE. The mosquitoes, tho, are mutants and we could solve the energy crisis by saddling them up and riding them!

The Boyz are each laying down and sleeping soundly surrounding my sitting butt as I type this. They are exhausted. The cat, Selena, was howling loudly at the door a few minutes after we were all huddled in front of the AC. The heat index here today was 106 degrees. And people wonder why the locals wear minimal clothes. I look forward to the cold front and the change in season. We have a forecast of - get this - rain for the next 3 days. Oy.

So, I am eternally indebted to my sister. I regret that I had to be an additional burden to my sister who already has a family to care for. It was quality time with my niece and nephew that I adore.

I come from good people. I love Port Aransas and would be devastated if I couldn't live here. There's just something about this place.

And yes, I realize that I am lucky (all things considered)....

love,
alma

Hurricane Ike In Fort Worth Video

Hurricane Ike has been blowing and dropping rain for hours today. If you didn't know it was a hurricane you would think it was just any old regular rainstorm with a little wind. That goes on all day long.

So, about 5 or so I decided to go over to Miss Puerto Rico's and see if I could get some windy video. That didn't work out so well.

So, I decided to take a short drive. To the Post Office. It's a short distance away. So, the video below starts at my local Post Office and then I head back towards where I am now. On the way I went through the Albertsons parking lot and remarked that as long as I've lived here I've never driven through the Albertsons parking lot and not seen at least one obese Texan.

The video below ends with the windy view from the aforementioned Miss Puerto Rico's.

Saturday Morning Weather Service Hurricane Ike North Texas Update

I wasn't sure in the previous blogging if it was the outskirts of Ike I was seeing and feeling this morning while swimming. but the latest update, below, from the National Weather Service, confirms we are already experiencing Hurricane Ike here in the D/FW Metroplex.

A Hurricane wind warning is in effect along and east of a line from Athens to Hearne. A tropical storm wind warning is in effect along and east of a line from Jacksboro...to Stephenville...to Gatesville. A flash flood watch is in effect east of I-35. At 9 AM...the center of ike was just northeast of Huntsville. Heavy rain has begun to impact Robertson and Leon counties...and the rain will increase in intensity and areal coverage as ike moves north at around 20 mph. Rainfall rates may exceed 3 inches per hour. The center of ike is expected to be near the southeastern corner of Anderson County around noon. Outer rain bands have already reached the I-35 corridor...from Dallas/Fort Worth to Waco. These and additional rain bands will affect much of north Texas throughout the day...with intermittent rain and wind. Residents are urged to be aware of the potential for flooding even in areas outside the flash flood watch. Northerly winds of 20 to 30 mph have enveloped central and east Texas...and will continue to....

Alma Made It To Safe Harbor From Hurricane Ike

I got word from Alma, the Port Aransas songbird, that she made it to safety. She does not have access to a computer, yet. When she does she'll share the details of being an evacuee.

Hurricane Ike Has Arrived In Fort Worth

That's the view from my window this morning. We are not going to get a direct visit from Hurricane Ike here in Fort Worth. But his outskirts are already touching us.

I was swimming this morning about 8 and could see the clouds moving in the direction Ike was rotating. So, I assumed it was the outer edge of the hurricane.

After about 20 minutes of swimming it suddenly got a bit windy. And then with no pre-warning drips, a downpour started. Two hours later the rain has slowed, but the winds have picked up.

I believe it is several hours before the remains of Hurricane Ike get this far north. Watching TV a bit ago, Ike hasn't really totally moved out of Galveston and Houston yet.

It should be an interesting day.

Help Cuba Recover From Hurricane Ike

I was appalled to read this morning that the U.S. offered the Cubans a paltry $100,000 to help with their Ike aftermath. And to send in some damage assessment teams.

The Cubans said no thanks to the money and that they had the damage assessment under control.

But the Cubans politely asked, would you pretty please lift the trade restrictions so that we can buy lumber and other building supplies? And if you could also pretty please sell us some food supplies, on credit, that would also be helpful.

Our benevolent government said no to the Cuban plea.

We've had Cuba under an embargo for decades now. To what purpose? The Soviet Union is gone. Cuba no longer has a communist patron. China is still, supposedly, communist, be we trade with them like maniacs. And China has nukes. And an awful lot of Chinese. Cuba is just a little island that drives around in American cars from the 50s.

Cuba poses no threat to America. America does pose a threat to Cuba.

I think it's time to be good neighbors and even though we don't like our neighbor's way of doing things, they are still our neighbors. And they need help. And if we help our neighbors it is more likely we'll get them to think of us more kindly and be more open to our suggestions as to how they run their house, than if we treat them like the bad neighbors from hell.

Yes, I know the anti-Castro Cuban-Americans in Florida would go all ballistic if the U.S. suddenly adopted a more enlightened policy towards our communist neighbor.

But. It's the right thing to do. Any country that gave us Ricky Ricardo, I want to be friends with.

Below is video of what Cuba just went through with Hurricane Ike. I wonder if Cuba will offer to send in a damage assessment team tomorow to Texas? And $100,000.

Hurricane Ike Hitting Galveston Hard

That's the view from Miss Puerto Rico's balcony at about 3 pm here in Fort Worth. While watching the news about Hurricane Ike while I had lunch I heard a Fort Worth weather guy say the clouds we are seeing are Ike related, pushed ahead of the storm.

Twelve hours before Ike is expected to hit Galveston the storm surge is so strong and the waves so big that they are already over the seawall. And I was surprised to see Geraldo Rivera knocked down, so early into the storm, into what he described as very dirty water. Emergency workers helped Geraldo get upright. He assured them he was okay.

I've been to Galveston once. Loved it. But I was surprised to see so many structures built out over the water. I assumed, even though some of them looked a bit rickety, that they were built to withstand a hurricane. As usual, I was wrong.

Even before Hurricane Ike has officially arrived in Galveston damage is already being done. The pier to the fishing pier/beer bar you see in the photo has already been wiped out. Or so it appeared from what I was being shown on FOX NEWS.

I thought the seawall was supposed to protect Galveston from a repeat of the hurricane disaster of 1900. Maybe it will. But it doesn't look good with water already surging over the wall. That's the Galveston seawall on the right.

To see photos from my one and only trip to Galveston and some of the other structures built out over the water and now in danger, go here.

Hurricane Ike 11:22 AM CDT Weather Service North Texas Update

It's 1pm. It's getting a bit cloudy and windy. I've no idea if it is Hurricane Ike related. That map on the left shows the latest National Weather Service prediction of the areas of Texas that Ike will be felt.

The red zone is the Hurricane Advisory zone, the yellow is Non-Participatory zone, whatever that means. Dark green is a Flood Warning zone, light green means a Flood Watch.

Dallas/Fort Worth is in the red Hurricane Advisory zone. I've never been in a Hurricane Advisory zone before, that I know of.

Here's the latest Hurricane Ike warning from the National Weather Service....

TROPICAL STORM WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM SATURDAY TO 1 AM CDT SUNDAY UNTIL 5:45PM CDT

Hurricane Ike Local Statement... Corrected National Weather Service Fort Worth TX 1124 AM CDT Fri Sep 12 2008

Tropical Storm Wind Warning In Effect From 6 AM Saturday To 1 AM CDT Sunday...

... New Information...

Tropical Storm Wind Warning Issued For Areas Along And East Of A Bowie To Gatesville Line.

... Watches/Warnings...

A Flash Flood Watch Is In Effect Along And East Of Interstate 35 For Saturday And Sunday.

... Precautionary/Preparedness Actions...

Due To The Windy Conditions Expected... Light-Weight Objects Such As Trash Cans And Lawn Chairs Should Be Secured... As They Can Easily Become Projectiles In High Winds. Power Outages May Be Possible... So Have Flashlights... Batteries... A Full Tank Of Gas... Cash... Bottled Water And Non-Perishable Foods On Hand Just In Case.

... Winds...

Sustained Winds From 35 To 45 Mph With Gusts To 55 Mph Will Be Possible Saturday. ... Inland Flooding... Storm Total Amounts Will Range From 1 To 2 Inches Outside Of The Watch Area... With 2 To 4 Inches Possible Within The Flash Flood Watch.

Friday Morning Hurricane Ike Update From Alma In Port Aransas

Hurricane Ike is expected to hit land by late today or early Saturday morning. We are expected to have heavy winds and rain here in the D/FW zone by around noon.

Meanwhile, this morning I got a fresh update from Alma down in Port Aransas on the Texas Gulf Coast, on her preparations to deal with the incoming storm surge.

Alma's email.....

Hey there friends....

I just woke up. I was watching Lettermen interview Jessica Simpson (I like her. I don't care for her singing, but I think she gets a bad rap) when they cut in with an update. They scared me pretty good with this storm surge talk. So, there I was in the middle of the night putting my XP desktop and PA in the car and rearranging the clothes already in there from doing laundry yesterday. It was hard to fall asleep as my brain wouldn't stop and part of me is in fear for my life and part of me is in denial. YOU try to sleep with that in your brain!

I didn't sleep well. This morning at 8am, I woke up. I feel like crap. Tired. Sick. I need caffiene. I walked outside to see who was gone. All my neighbors are still here, probably sleeping soundly. I called a Stripes store to see which, if any were open. Someone answered! I thought everyone would be closed and gone. She calmly explained to me (like I was retarded) that the storm is not hitting here. They will have some high tides and dinky tropical storm winds but we are OK. We get tropical storm winds with just a normal thunderstorm. And folks, we do. The thunderstorms here sound like the end of the world. I've been thru some on North Beach (on the north side of the Harbor Bridge where I usta live) where we got 14 inches of rain and I had to wade to my car in knee deep water after a "thunderstorm". I will be heading there to a Stripes to get a much needed Vanilla Frappacino (my big weakness and indulgence - and substitute for booze) so I can think and wake up and get on with my preparations.

I don't want to be sitting here alone with my boyz freaking out in fear as the storm howls and I breath in uncertainty whether this little shack will hold up or not. I wish I could be as cavalier as my neighbors, but I just cain't.

Things I'm taking -

Papers like my birth certificate
My songbooks
the PA
my XP desktop and printer
Data CDs with valuable information
My guitar
My boyz (I can't find Selena)
Clothes
The Cheese and Meat in my ice chest (I will add water and maybe a coupla Fraps, a coupla burritos))
My laptop
Dog Crate and the Sherpa for Papi Chulo (he'll probably be in my lap, he scares easy because he's so tiny)
My backpack (already has stuff like driver's license, my Disaster Card so I can get back into town)
A bit of dog food
And that's about it....

I will unplug eveything. Turn off the AC. Leave the TV. Tape shut all the rubbermaid containers filled with stuff. Shower and pack the bathroom stuff. Turn off all the lights. Put Gorilla tape along the lower half of the windows (OK..that's just to make me feel better). Our drains on Oleander drain to the Bay, so conversely, I think water will be pushed back up those drains as the path of least resistence to the sea and flood us that way - that's just my thinking. The "locals" are not leaving the Island. I feel like I'm overreacting but I'm scared. I told my sister I will be outa here by 2pm. I will try to take the Ferry if they are still going. It's the fastest way to the mainland. I feel the irritable bowel kicking in. My boys are blessedly calm and sleeping right now. They normally sleep when I am at work and this is when i am normally at work I haven't seen anything on TV yet and I'm glad. Sometimes I think they like to scare us. Why are the Island people so damn calm?

I will bring everything in from the outside and stack it on top of the containers. My porch will be bare bones. This is the porch with the heavenly seabreeze. I never did get to sit out there and chill with a beer.

I have been living here since 05-27-08. Almost 4 months. I drove by Sips and they are all boarded up. Oceans of Seafood is boarded up across the street. Sips is right on the Marina. Maybe 100 feet from water. I will drive down Beach Street right after my Frap and see where the sea is now. I promise I will not set a tire on wet sand.

Well, that's all I can think of at this time. I won't write again until I am on the mainland at my sister's. I have to unplug everything and pack up the modem, etc.

I feel very nervous and still can't quite believe this is happening tho I've been writing about it for a coupla days now.

More later cuz this ain't over.

love,
alma

Another Trinity River Vision Opinion

This morning's Fort Worth Star-Telegram letters to the editor had another letter that tells me I'm not alone in noticing something is a bit askew with how this project has come to be.

I now realize I'm not the only one who noticed that this started out solely as an economic development. A plan to build a little lake at the north end of downtown Fort Worth.

Funding became a problem.

So, a scheme was hatched to turn the Vision into a flood control project. The Army Corps of Engineers signed on. Fort Worth's U.S. Representative, Kay Granger, helped turn the Vision into a classic Pork Barrel project after her inexperienced son was hired to run the Vision. There were some complaints of nepotism.

Eventually the Vision added canals, a flood diversion channel and wetlands restoration. The price tag, as in the $ the rest of America will be paying to build this, has increased from the original Vision.

As for the flood control part that got the Army Corps of Engineers involved. They'd already been involved and you already paid for giant flood control levees, built to protect the same area as the Vision, after devastating floods 60 years ago. The levees have done their job all that time. But now the Vision will replace them with a diversion channel.

Below is the letter from Layla Caraway of Haltom City. Haltom City is a suburb of Fort Worth where killer flooding and home destruction has taken place several times in recent years. So far no Vision has occurred to fix those problems, which is currently an issue due to the expected heavy flooding from Hurricane Ike tomorrow. Meanwhile millions of your dollars are scheduled to be spent fixing a non-existent flooding problem.

Layla Caraway's letter.....

Fix real flooding problems, too

I attended the “public” signing ceremony of the Trinity River Vision project last Friday — notably the public was missing — and watched with great sadness as very powerful and wealthy individuals praised each other for getting this almost $600 million project going with “lightning speed.”

I can’t help but ask why we are allowing a few people to affect so many others people’s futures? What about the hundreds of residents in our county still displaced because of last year’s floods? Many experienced repeated flooding, rapid erosion and a tornado.

No solutions, no help, no money, just stress, rhetoric and red tape. How do you explain to them we cannot help you move on, rebuild, or start over when a few miles down the road we are going to move bridges and levees (that have so far protected us for 60 years)? Reroute the river and build a city right in the middle of it?

Have we not learned anything from experience? Man doesn’t control a river, no matter who you are or how much planning you do. Calling it a flood-control project doesn’t make it one. It just gets you federal dollars. And combining it with one to get it pushed through lacks integrity. How does this economic development project, later dubbed as flood control, take precedence over the projects that all are aware are dangerous ongoing issues?

We have creeks that are out of control, causing havoc in many cities, but instead we will focus on revitalizing the river. Yes, the river that connects to some of those very dangerous creeks. But I have been told no one upstream or downstream should be affected. Nor any wildlife harmed.

We can no longer afford to neglect the waterways in our cities. I don’t have any objections to bettering Fort Worth. It just seems if that much money is available, the same amount should be for true flood control projects and for the residents whose lives and properties are threatened when it rains — the public, those who will probably never set foot on anything built at Trinity Uptown.

— Layla Caraway, Haltom City

Hurricane Ike Update From Alma Down In Port Aransas

I got an update from Alma tonight. She has not evacuated. She is prepared for high tides. Her account of today is good. Alma is a singer and a writer. She's good at both. If you want to hear Alma sing, go here. If you want to read what Alma's writes, scroll down.

The first refugees arrived here in Fort Worth today. Sandbagging is going on in anticipation of a lot of water in about 2 days.

Below, Alma's message from tonight, from the Texas Gulf Coast, awaiting Hurricane Ike's landfall. Towards the end of her message Alma thanks those of you who kindly offered her a place to escape to.

Dear Everybody....

Well, I woke up around 5:30am yesterday, got ready and as I stepped out the door, I laid down my laptop and grabbed Selena and threw her inside so I wouldn't have to catch her later. I walked to work, opened the door and damn...didn't have my laptop. So, I practically ran back home when I realized I had laid it down by my front door and left it there. I'm so nervous, I just left it there! It was still there. Most of Port A was still asleep. I was already tired and exhausted with worry so I called a cab to run me back to work. I didn't want to be totally sweaty before my day even started. The taxi driver (now we know they are a different breed subject to having unorthodox beliefs) was convinced that the storm was not going to hit here. Me, not being so sure, tried to convince him it was at least a possibility. He mentioned the Weather Underground as saying we were being fed misinformation by the press (he called it lies). I dunno... I've been thru a few hurricanes as a kid and they were scary and unpredictable. He said Ed at Moby Dicks was having a Hurricane Party that night. I dunno...I know that's the typical Port A mindset, but I'm not that much a "local" yet. I'm still scared. I don't wanna party.

All day as my boss, Joanne and I baked, frosted, and sold giant cinnamon rolls at half price (she figured the electricity would go down and they would spoil so we may as well sell them half price) people came in to get breakfast and coffee. The poorer of us were worried. The rich basta... I mean-rich folks would come in almost giddy that this storm appeared to be headed right for us...no big deal they would laugh. They had insurance. In the meantime, people like me were quietly freaking out. My boss had just unpacked her antiques into her new home. I had a broken car, a $700 electric bill forcing me to move, 3 dogs I am responsible for, and was in denial I would lose all the crap I own. It's mostly crap, BUT IT'S MY CRAP!.

I was already so worried and exhausted. As I baked and frosted, and waited on customers, my boss was out delivering/donating the giant cinnamon rolls to the Police Dept, City Hall, the Chamber of Commere and later in the afternoon, we tried to take a bunch to the Ferry Boat workers, but we were turned away by their security guard who said it was against State policy to receive gifts (this I know is a lie...this is policy only for the Port A Ferry guys all because I gave a newspaper to one of them and they were reading it on the boat in the wee hours of the morning and Mr. Howard happened to see him and he didn't like it...there were no cars on the boat but he just didn't like it). Anyway, I was a bit miffed because these are some of the most unappreciated workers I have ever seen. They work 24/7 in EVERY kind of weather. Should a Hurricane hit, they cannot go home and are shipped to safety on the mainland until just after the storm passes. They then go back to work to bring across rescue and infrastructure personnel back into Mustang Island. I almost cry when I see the skin on the ones that work on the "Death Shift" (from about 2pm to 11pm..the hottest part of the day and then they have to deal with drunk tourists who pee - yes they do - and vomit on the boats - don't ever walk on those boats barefoot...). I will fire off an email to Austin TxDot when this is all over and go over Mr. Howard's head. He's an inconsiderate basta...I mean...person who can't seem to get a grip on their staffing problems so they work to death the reliable workers they call in to work inhumane overtime. These guys routinely work 12 hour days in every weather and most inhumanely, the hot, brutal Port A summer sun.

Since we figured the food would rot when the power went off (we know this because the power sometimes goes off for no apparent reason and during silly little rain storms), my boss gave me a price and I benefited from some cheese and meat. And okay a little Champagne...I don't even really drink and may just take those back....But they also go to ruin if they get too hot.

In the meantime, a new "friend" from the Oceans of Seafood offered to look at my car. I was elated as no one had offered to do so before. He came by and chatted earlier in the morning, had some coffee and picked up my key. After my boss left for the day, I washed all the baking pans and normal day's dishes and since I hadn't heard from him, went across the street to see if he had an ETA. What had happened was that his boss had enlisted him to go board up his house in Rockport and he wouldn't be able to help me apparantly. He simply left the key there for me pick up, but never explained anything. He doesn't have a cell phone they said.

The workers at Oceans of Seafood saw me with 2 bags of cheese and meat and concluded I stole it. I could tell from the look on the face of the little girl who works there that still views me with mistrust in her eyes.... I explained (even tho it's none of their business) that Joanne and I had come to an agreemnt on price and I bought those things. I am certain they will be eager to report me to her (she's getting this email and I know she knows what's up). That's okay....they should tell her if they suspect thievery, it's just not what's happening here. So, I bought $5 worth of prawns (I got 2 meals out of it) and called a cab.

After I put all that stuff on ice in my ice chest, I came home and slept. Depressed, tired, and frustrated, I was not able to go on without some sleep. I woke up and called my sister, Clara, who said they still didn't know where this thing would hit and that they could lend me her husband's car. Thank God! They brought it over from Corpus around 7pm as I was throwing away a whole lot of paperwork from the Newspaper job and just crap I hadn't gone over.

After they left and after I threw a whole bunch of stuff away, I just couldn't deal with it any more for the day. I heard my pal, Luis the congero (he plays the congas) playing with new acquaintance Mark at the Tarpon Ice House 2 doors down. They sounded great! I decided to take a break from the worry and angst and go tell them they sounded GREAT!

So, I walked over and OMG there were a bunch of people I knew just laughing, drinking beer, and grooving on the sounds. I was greeted by the barking of Hanna, the bar dog. It's how she greets all the customers there. She usta belong to one of the pirates but he drinks a bit and Hannah decided one day she preferred to belong to Paul and she's lived at the Tarpon Ice House ever since. My pal, Phyllis said I should sing and even tho I protested that I was in the middle of packing to evacuate, well, before I knew it, I had a guitar on my shoulder and was singing into the mic. So much for packing.

After I sang, Paul, the owner, was very nice and complimentary and said I should play there in about 2 weeks. I couldn't just leave after that and stayed and relaxed and drank 2 whole Shiner Bocks and laughed with Phyllis and my neighbor, Sara, and her boyfriend, Jack (it was his guitar I used) and grooved to the music and around midnight, staggered back 2 doors down and went to sleep. Yes, I staggered after 2 beers. I don't normally drink much of anything.

In the morning, the storm had veered and they were saying that it would hit just South of Galveston/Houston. So, my sister had decided to wait. I was very happy about that and found it to be good sound judgement. Sara was telling me that the last storm, they evacuated and after $500 later in hotel, gas, etc, no storm ever hit. I slept for a coupla more hours and got up and went to eat breakfast at Cancun Restaurant. I don't normally eat there. I prefer Taqueria San Juan because I think the food's better, but I was in a quiet mood and I end up visiting with the whole family, kids and all, whenever I go to San Juan and opted to go where I could just eat and be still and quiet. I got sick on their food. I knew I shoulda gone to San Juan...

After breakfast, I decided to wash as many clothes as I could so that I could take as many clean clothes as I could when I evacuated. The Wash Board (the nicest washeteria I've ever seen...immaculate and the water is scalding HOT) was boarded up and closed. I rode the Ferry (the first time in about 2-3 weeks) and the Ferry workers told me the storm had slowed to 8 mph and they didn't know where it was going anymore. Great. So, I went into AP (Aransas Pass) but they were under mandatory evac and their washeteria was closed, too. I went to Ingleside and found my other washeteria open. I don't know how many loads of clothes I did, ate some fried chicken at the Good n Crisp, and came back. I had a nice chat with a TxDot Ferry Guy I hadn't talked to before, bought more ice for all that meat and cheese and the little bit of champagne in the ice chest and drove down Beach Street to check out the beach.

The water is already up to the dunes. I managed to carefully park for just a minute amongst all the surfers. The Gulf was wild, the waves were beautiful and furious. The day today was obscenely beautiful. Just like 911 seven years ago. That, too, was a beautiful day in Dallas. Clear bright blue skies. I was driving to my temp job at Doctor's Hospital on Forrest when an incredulous DJ told us of a report from the wire about a plane going into the World Trade Center. I got to work and by the time I got to my worktable (I was posting payments for Lab Corp - it was a terrible temp assignment, but when you're a temp, you go where they send you). I would sneak to the bathroom just so that I could sneak into the doctor's offices and watch their TV and their reports of the terrorist attack. It was eerie at home. I lived under one of the flight paths at Love Field. Those planes were a part of my life. They were just 1000 feet off the ground when they flew over my apartment so that it was plunged into shadow everytime a plane went over and that was about every 20 minutes. There were no planes flying over for some time. It was a quiet reassuraqnce that things were returning to a somewhat normal when flights returned to Love Field. But I digress....

So, I am home now. I am going over to my sister's tomorrow sometime. We are out of that "cone" of Hurricane trajectory for the time being but that could change. I will put everything on chairs so as to elavate it as best I can before I leave. They are projecting 4-6 foot seas here and that's taller than me so I am taking no chances. I will take what I can't part with (tho the locals here in Port A insist we have nothing to worry about and I will lose nothing, they say). Yea... we'll see.

So, we did not go to the Ranch in Blanco. If we did, we'd be heading right into the thing. I will pray for my sister in Houston as they look to be on the Southern end of the storm according to the latest projections. I don't worry that much about her because she has an unbelievably nice house made of brick and she lives about an hour inland. It should make landfall sometime between Friday night and Saturday morning. Port A is deserted. Everything is boarded up including my little "cottage". We are told we will get just tropical storm level winds. Hell, we see those during our thunderstorms.

On the way back from the beach, on Beach Street, all the restaurants are boarded up and closed except for the Beach and Station Street Grill. The Gaff, an un-air conditioned, pirate hang-out that's been here forever was busy with customers. The Stripes convenience store in front of my "cottage" was boarded up and closed, as was the IGA Grocery store. Luis sez it's all for real once the IGA boards up. I guess it's real.

So, I look forward to visiting with my sister and my adorable niece and nephew and riding this Ike out. My sister has a very nice house I feel totally safe in and I'm looking forward to the visit. And her delicious cooking. My sistah can cook I tell you! The traffic on the Ferry is light. Most boats have left the Port A marina. And the skies are so bright and clear and blue it's hard to believe there's such a storm out there.

So, that's the latest. We haven't dodged a bullet yet...

Many thanks to those who read my email posted in my long-time friend, Durango's blog. I so appreciate your offers of refuge. It does my soul such good to know there are caring people out there who would be so generous to someone they don't even know. You are good, kind people and you renewed my faith that people are basically good, especially when things get tough.

Me and Gomez, Viggo Mortensen (you can call him Viggo), and Papi Chulo (my boyz, the chihuahuas) are okay for now...we'll be headed for the mainland sometime tomorrow.

Thanks again! More later cuz it's not over.

love,
alma

National Weather Service Alert For North Texas For Hurricane Ike

3:56 CDT the National Weather Service issued a Hurricane Ike Alert for my zone, which I got via a croaking WeatherBug. Below is the Alert......

TROPICAL STORM WIND WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING

Hurricane Ike Intermediate Local Statement National Weather Service Fort Worth TX 356 PM CDT Thu Sep 11 2008

Tropical Storm Wind Watch In Effect From Saturday Morning Through Sunday Morning...

The National Weather Service In Fort Worth Has Issued A Tropical Storm Wind Watch For Central And Northern Parts Of North Texas.

... Areas Affected...

This Statement Recommends Actions To Be Taken By Persons Along And West Of A Bowie To Stephenville Line... Which Includes The Dallas Fort Worth Metro Area.

... Watches/Warnings...

A Flash Flood Watch Is In Effect For Areas Along And East Of A Bonham To Terrell To Cameron Line On Saturday And Sunday.

... Precautionary/Preparedness Actions...

An Inland Tropical Storm Watch Means Winds Of 39 To 73 Mph Are Expected Due To Ike On Saturday And Early Sunday.

Due To The Windy Conditions Expected... Light-Weight Objects Such As Trash Cans And Lawn Chairs Should Be Secured... As They Can Easily Become Projectiles In High Winds. Power Outages May Be Possible... So Have Flashlights... Batteries... A Full Tank Of Gas... Cash... Bottled Water And Non-Perishable Foods On Hand Just In Case.

... Winds...

As Ike Moves North Over East Texas... Sustained Winds From 35 To 45 Mph Will Occur For Several Hours... With Higher Gusts. Wind Gusts To In Excess Of 50 Mph Will Be Possible Along And West Of A Bowie To Stephenville Line... Including The Dallas Fort Worth Metro Area.

These High Winds May Result In Power Outages And Damage To Some Structures And Outdoor Property. ... Inland Flooding... Storm Total Rainfall Amounts From 2 To 4 Inches... With Isolated Higher Totals Will Be Possible East Of A Bonham To Kaufman To Cameron Line On Saturday And Sunday.

Houston. We've Got A Problem. Hurricane Ike Heading Your Way.

Watching the news at lunch it would appear that Alma's Port Aransas will be spared the worst of Hurricane Ike. I've not heard from Alma today, but I'm sure she evacuated last night, via ferry, as she'd planned.

The latest guess has Ike heading towards the Galveston/Houston zone. Once Ike makes landfall they are predicting he's going to take a turn east. I guess this will spare the Dallas/Fort Worth zone from much Ike action. I don't know about that for sure.

It should be an interesting weekend.

Meanwhile the freeways heading out of Houston are packed with cars moving slowly. You'd think they were already here. The freeway that runs by my abode, I-820, has been jammed all day heading north. Why? I don't know. I'm almost 100% certain though that it is not Ike-related.

Hurricane Ike Update From Alma and Port Aransas

Hey Durango....

I'm at work closing the store at noon. I'll be leaving here sometime during the night, tonight. A friend is looking at my car to see if we can start it, if we can't I will have to borrow my bro-in-law's car, but I will get off the Island no matter what. I'm hoping for a Northern landfall so we are spared the floods and winds. I'm hoping we have somewhere to return to. I don't want to wish it on anyone, but I just don't want it here. I'd write more but things here are quietly insane. Everyone's trying to be cool, but inside we are all freaking out. The lines to the Ferry are going to be terrible. There will be a mandatory evacuation for 8am tomorrow morning. Please pray for me....I plan to return here to live if it still exists. This is just a giant sandbar after all.

Love ya...thanks for being my friend.
alma

Hurricane Ike and Swimming in the Rain

This morning, early, I was swimming in the rain, swimming in the rain, what a beautiful feeling, swimming in the rain.

And it was cold. We only got in the 80s yesterday and 60s overnight, which cools down the pool water quickly. That and a lot of cold rain fell. That's the big rain barrel in the photo, looking through the trees and rain, this morning, before I went downstairs and got wet and cold in the early morning light.

More rain is likely to fall in the pool this weekend with Hurricane Ike now predicted to possibly dump up to 5 inches of rain in the Dallas/Fort Worth zone, along with up to 50mph winds. And possibly spawn tornadoes.

Evacuees from South Texas are likely going to start heading this way today and tomorrow. I hope Alma is okay and found a ride out of Port Aransas. Someone commented on the Alma Hurricane blogging of yesterday, offering Alma refuge in their condo in San Antonio.

Hurricane Ike Heading Towards Alma in Port Aransas?

Incoming from Alma, way down in Port Aransas on the South Texas Gulf Coast, regarding the possible visit to her town by Hurricane Ike.

It's an interesting Alma account of the mood of the locals as they fear the worst and hope for a good outcome for all of the coast.

Wow....here we go again. Please remember we live here because it's a wonderful place to live. I moved here about 3 months ago and have not been happier. It's not problem free, but I love walking everywhere, the clean air (my allergies have all but disappeared) and the fact that I already know so many of the locals and feel like I could retire here. It feels like home to me. Maybe I lived here in a past life...who knows?

I opened Sips Coffee & Wine at 7am today just like any other day. I had one weird, crappy customer first thing, so the mood set was not a good one.

He must be a local. The locals are um...different here. Mostly, you'll find they are rednecks, hippies, or pirates. There is a particular personality type that tends to move here. You have to be a little bit pirate to fit in. I mostly am old hippie and just a smidge pirate. But, I do love my old country music. Hank Williams and Patsy Cline rule.

St Jo's Island just on the other side of the Channel was in fact, a pirate cove and there is legend about a dagger buried with Jean Lafitte's treasure to guard it. Neither have been found. I believe many of those pirates' descendents have settled in Port Aransas and their families are the town founders. There is a Port Aransas accent I've noticed in the locals' men folk. It's a little bit Spanish, Texan, and something else I can't place. I've met some fo' real pirates and they talk with that "arrrrrr" sound you hear in cartoons and caricatures. I like them. They are true originals and have been nothing but nice to me. Make no mistake these people are survivors and no one wants to hear any whining. I'm a whiner.

Yet today, all the customers had the same question (as if I had an answer). "Well, what do you think it's gonna do?" We look at each other with worried faces and say, "well, it doesn't look good. All we can do is pray". It was the same everywhere I went today. I rode the local trolley car to the Post Office (remember my car died about 2 weeks ago) and the lady trolley driver asks me, "Well, what do you think it's gonna do?" I gave my standard answer.

After I mailed a payment, I walked down to the IGA Grocery Store in town, bought a few groceries and another pair of those $5 sandals they had on sale after the busy summer season and the woman at the register asks me...well I think you know what she asked. I gave my, by now, standard answer.

As for me, I am fixing to (that's pretty Texan of me to say) see what I can do to reserve a Uhaul or Budget moving truck, the little one. If that fails, maybe I can rent an SUV or some other kind of truck in case I have to evacuate. I have to bring my 3 chihuahuas, my music gear, my computers, clothes, and as much as I can load out of this little "cottage".

So, I am writing to ask each of you to please say a prayer for me, my dogs, and Selena the cat. We, here in Port A, are praying for it to go way south to some uninhabited part of the Gulf Coast. No one here wants to wish it on anybody else, so we are praying that it goes way south. If it hits north of us, rain (flooding) will not be so bad. If it goes far enuf South, the same results are expected. But it looks like it's headed straight for Rockport (a very cool, picturesque place to live just 10 miles from here) based on the latest maps. But as we know from all the recent storms, the damn thing could do many of a number of things. So, we are trying to stay positive as some of the town has already started boarding up buildings. The trolley lady has already made arrangements for her trailor to get moved to Corpus. Oceans of Seafood (the restaurant and fish market across the street from Sips) is having a Hurricane Seafood Sale. I may go get me some of that. There's a front headed here which could divert the storm. We just don't know.

So, I'd be grateful for any positive thoughts, prayers, chicken sacrifices, whatever you can do with your most powerful thoughts to help me and the boys and Selena.

Thanks in advance and I'll keep you posted on this latest misadventure.

Take care....
love,
alma