Ike-Please keep us in your prayers (Asheville: live in, fences, store)

[lovesroses]

Hi, I've posted here some as a Houstonian who plans to eventually move to Asheville. Everyone here has been helpful and informative, even humorous at times. I'd just like to ask you to please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we face this monster hurricane called Ike.

Thanks,

Diana

[lorriem]

Originally Posted by lovesroses

Hi, I've posted here some as a Houstonian who plans to eventually move to Asheville. Everyone here has been helpful and informative, even humorous at times. I'd just like to ask you to please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we face this monster hurricane called Ike.

Thanks,

Diana

Diana you are in my prayers. Stay safe.
Lorrie

[Catbirds]

All ya'll are in my prayers and I pray that everyone is in a safe place tonight. Please let us all know how ya'll are doing as soon as you are able. Catherine

[lovesroses]

Hi everyone, we made it! We are very fortunate compared to most people in Houston. We live in Katy, which is 20mi west of Houston proper,off I-10. Elevation 173 while most of Houston is 50. The hurricane track hit east about 20 miles from the forecast so the west side of town fared pretty well.

They told us here in Ft. Bend county to shelter in place and we had plenty of time last week to stock up on batteries, canned goods and water. Things started getting rough around 11pm Fri nite, but we never needed to go into our windowless "safe" room, ie closet. Winds out here got around 80mph and we only had 4" of rain. We lost power around 5am sat morning and it was restored 7:45pm sat nite. The storm passed for the most part by 7am on sat morning, but with the heat and 94% humidity its better to keep windows closed. We had some shingles come off and wood off the chimney. Several neighbors lost their wood fences but no broken windows

We had a battery powered radio and tiny tv to watch the local stations after losing power so that helped. We are no longer under curfew here in Katy, but our daughter who stayed with us needs to get downtown by 6:30 to the med center to relieve the nurses who have been there since Fri. morning. Turns out her apt near the hospital is without power and she left her uniforms there. I doubt the hospital will turn her way wearing jeans when they are in desparte need of warm bodies to tend to the preemies. We had another front this morning that dumped over 7" of rain downtown, so getting there will be difficult. Luckily all the hospitals in the med center maintained power but the generator didnt keep things cooler than 88 in the nicu where she works.

I really fear for the 20,000 who refused to evacuate from Galveston. Texans can be a proud and stubborn people and in this case downright foolish to ride it out. People who refused to evacuate were told to pen their social security numbers on their arms...

We have a grocery store out here opening but we have some thawing out meat we need to grill up today. Water never lost pressure and is safe to drink Its really a blessing to have power now and I pray for those who dont in this horrible humidity.

My husband may not have to go to work tomorrow as his high rise is one of those with blown out windows.

Thank you so much for prayers. sorry for the rambling but somewhat tired.

[Catbirds]

So glad you are okay. Looks terrible for so many folks there. My neighbors from Texas are summer residents and have friends that live in Houston, and also worked in some of those buildings that the glass blew out. I believe I would stay in a few days. Continued good luck.