Houston - November 1st.

Lets get to the devastation.



i cant begin to explain what that city is like and it is shameful. Houston is almost completely repaired, yet Galveston doesnt even have fresh water to all homes yet

Fema tarps are everywhere and as you drive down the streets you can see spray painted names, dates and Fema cerial / tag numbers of those they found dead

What they do is spray paint FEMA in big black letters. then a first and last name if they have it, a date, and if no name is given or known, it is just a 5 digit number
then if the home is going to be used by anyone, they put a blue tarp over the roof top. That way they know they found live people there and they are staying. So IF the water comes back, they can always see the blue tarps on the roofs and know by air , where they should land to save people.

The basic commercial structure for the city is in tact.
You can get gas, you can get some groceries, and get basic needs. Electricity is supplied to the city and if you are wired for it, you can get it.



If you call this in tact..

housing is a different matter.
some peoples homes lost their foundation and literally crumbled on themselves.
Other travelers lost their RV , or were blown or swept right off the coast into land.

There were HUNDREDS of boats washed up along the road ways MILES inland from the shore.






Names and addresses are spray painted outside on walls of houses where people were NOT reached by FEMA. Or not found alive..

Let me amend and explain something about this statement.

A) I did not know that the blue tarps were from Fema until after I left the beach and Pdiddy told me so.
But, while sitting on the rock area with the fisherman, I learned that the taprs I saw on the houses in Houston were "signs" of who was where.

In houston, the tarps seem to have been put on buildings to cover gaping holes in the roof tops and on the walls.
That very well could have been what was going on in Galveston too.

Two semi-conflicting ideas there.. But I just wanted to make sure that it is known that I am not stating the tarp idea as fact, just repeating what I was told.
I truly have no idea how Fema really works these things. BUt I have seen enough spray paint, tarps, numbers, birthdates, names, and addresses spray painted on walls and boards along the city to have an idea of how FEMA communicated in such a mess.

You can tell where the pull of the water stopped, and where it finally began to get shallow because there is quite literally a LINE of washed vehicles, RV,s semi trucks, trailers, boats allll along the side of the city.
My friend Perry said it was reported that inside closed houses, the water level was a minimal 9 feet deep.




The debris in the streets is just piled off to the side so that vehicles and pedestrians can get by .
There is no where for this trash to go, so there it sits... rotting.. and more and more being piled on top.
Sanitation is questionable.

Why, can someone tell me, is it ok for people to live like this.
Houston was hit too.. and it has been repaired. Its clean. Its in business and ready to go


Yet the people of Galveston just sit..








No please dont hear me say that this is the ENTIRE city..
Like I said, the major commercial aspect is up and running. Your walmarts, gas stations, targets, chain restaurants.. THOSE are all nice and spiffy.
Houses?
Schools?
Streets?
Water supply?


Maybe I am jumping to conclusions. I mean, I have never SEEN destruction like this so i very well can be just assuming based on my emotions. But listening to the locals gab, I dont think I am far off the mark.

I understand some people dont HAVE insurance, or have too little..
Isnt there a support system in place for those people? Or dothey have to be homeless?

Flood control is stoping me from posting as much as I need to. So I apologize for the pause.

I need to get back to making lunch and cleaning house.

I will post more later on

cool...

Amazing pics, shewolfie. It's very sad, isn't it?

Thanks for sharing your pics, thoughts, and feelings, shew.

should there be?

I open my mouth to say Yes, there should be...

Then it snaps shut because I realize there are places already around that help people. Do they help to the extent of rebuilding? yes. Are there resources severely limited? yes.
There are everything from churches to companies that will help with food.
Shelters for sleeping, showering and even storing a small amount of stuff. Those same shelters are there for clothing, counseling and assisting with connections one may need to seek help.
We have Red Cross , FEMA, and other companies like that who arrive at the time of disaster and help people get out safely and securely. And those people are not handed a bill afterwords.

So yes . there are places in line to help these people. They are just not visible to those who dont need them I guess..


But I still want to answer Yes, there should be something lined up for those people......... But how? what? I dont know..

A side note though.. beyond seeing galveston like this..

This was one of the best weekends I have had in a LOONG time.

I am already planting bugs in peoples ears about going back and really soon.
I can not wait for Jillian to see " the big water" as she calls it. I cant wait to see her feel the gulls because I can already tell you how it is going to happen.

She is going to get all giggly and excited because they take her food,.... then one of them is going to peck her and she will chase that bird with in an inch of her life trying to hit him back.... .. and Im going to die from laughter.

Those are some of the most amazing photos of Galveston I have seen (and I've seen a few). Your real talent is that you make the mundane remarkable, stirring, emotional.

Come back the first weekend of December, when the "Dickens on the Strand" festival is underway.

http://www.galvestonhistory.com/Dickens_on_The_Strand.asp

That's the best street festival of the year in Texas, and one that will really put you in the Christmas spirit, with all of the "Christmas Carol" costumed revelers mixing among the street scenes and smells and sounds.

A weekend day at the festival and one at the beach and you'll be entranced all over again.

Next weekend, the 22nd, Jillian, myself and my friend Rose will be in Houston
With plans on going to Galveston and anywhere else we please.

Cool! I have plans on the evening of the 22nd, but I'd love to see y'all if possible any other time.

Saturday may not be possible.
A friend of mine is in abit of a pinch and I will be at her house with Jillian in tow trying to help her out.
IF- we get done early enough, we will head out on Saturday still..
If not, we will just drive out early Sunday morning and spend the whole day.. possibly the night and return home Monday..

Hey ladies!

Pardon my interruption but I think I'll be in the Houston area next month. It looks like the Christmas party for the kids in Bridge City and the peninsula will happen on either 12/13 or 12/20. I plan on flying into Houston and then driving over to be on site for the party. It would be great to meet for lunch or ??? with those in the hood while I'm passing through. I'll keep you posted as it gets closer.

Shewolf, I hope your friend's ok. I'm fine with spur-of-the-moment plans, as needed.

JPB, wow! I'm excited! I'll be around and I hope I get to see you.

i wanna go too

But a side comment,,,
I severed my finger pretty bad today. 2 internal and 6 external just to keep my skin+muscle on the bone.
Yes. it was tat bad
Driving for long periods of time this weekend is out of the picture given the fact that I have a stick shift and it is my right hand that is destroyed.

Next weekend.. depending on how well this thing heals.

My hand feels like fire so I am not going to write the entire story of how just yet
maybe tomorrow..