Thank Goodness....

Alvin is back to 99.99% power. The only people left without power are individuals who have problems on their property. Our Internet is back! The company who provides our Internet sent a repairman out today. He said that we were back up and running. I ask him to at least change out the modem. He did. Anyway we are back in the saddle again!

I broke the lid to our crock pot two days ago. I have had that crock pot for over 15 years. Anyway I am really happy to finally get to buy a new one. I am getting a 7 quart one. Hopefully I will be able to cook 3 or 4 roast at a time with one that large. Most likely the next appliance we will have to buy is a new coffee pot. The one we have is still going strong, but who knows how much longer it will last.

Speaking of coffee...my favorite coffee is Community Coffee. It's from Louisiana and it taste awesome. In New Orleans they have coffee houses called CC's. You can read about it here. I have been able to sway MSH to love this coffee also. We used to grind our own beans and that coffee was very good. Anyway now we are stuck on Community.

Speaking of New Orleans...I really miss it. It has been too long since I was last there. Plus, I want to go there with MSH and show him around. I want to show him my New Orleans away from the French Quarter.

OMSG (Oh My Stinkin Goodness)

OMSG

That's all I am saying for now.

I will blog more later. Hopefully a really good update about the hurricane and other silly little things that have been going on in our nearly perfect lives.

Until then...

OMSG...OMSG...OMSG!!

S.U.C.K.E.R.S.

I know that calling someone a Sucker is not very nice. But seriously that is what my coworkers are.

I will explain...each year we have a "Hurricane Pool". There are usually 3 or 4 catagories, such as...date of the first named storm, how many named storms for the whole year and how close to Galveston Island a named storm makes landfall. Well lady and gentleman (yes, I know I did not use the plural form of these words, I figure that there are just a couple of you that read this blog!) guess who won the last catagory? I did! I said between 0 and 44 miles. And I won! Hey this is not rocket-scientist stuff. It's just good guess work, just like meteorology! Over the years I have won a few times. Not bad for just guessing! Maybe I too...could play a meteorologist at work. It does not seen to be that hard.

Have a blessed day!

MSH

James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Unbelievable!

Just so I can not be accused of singling out certain people or minority groups....I will make up a new race. They will be the “purple-people-with-depression glass green hair”.

Where are the local and national minority leaders for the “purple-people-with-depression glass green hair” when you need them?

As most know we had a hurricane 12 days ago. There are still many without power. There are about one million people who are still waiting on their power to come back on. Some have had to resort to using candles to see when it gets dark. I guess candles do not have warnings on them....such as...

DO NOT BURN CANDLES WHEN YOU ARE SLEEPING

or

CANDLES LEFT BURNING MIGHT CAUSE A FIRE

I know that these things are hard to understand. Who would have guessed that a candle left burning after you go to sleep might cause a fire? If there is no warning on the candles...how are you supposed to know that they might cause a fire? Especially if you are a “purple-people-with-depression glass green hair”?. Where are your community leaders? I think that maybe this whole hurricane hitting the Upper Texas Coast is racially motivated. I think that when you leave a candle burning when you got to bed and you wake up and your house is on fire and you get burned is all racially motivated. You would never have been burned if your power was on. Some how this just has to be some one else's fault. How can it be your fault? The only role you played was that you were the one who actually lit the candle and you were the one who actually went to bed with a candling burning in the next room. How can any of this be your fault?

I am just rambling...I think you get the point. Last night on the news a “purple-people-with-depression glass green hair” person was interview. It was beyond believable. If I had gotten burned because I had been stupid enough to fall asleep with a candle burning, I can guarante you I would not be interview on the news. I am pretty sure I would not tell anyone that I had been so stupid.

Awesome!

The message below was our latest telephone message from the City of Alvin last night. We have a great communication system in our City. You can sign up and they have the ability to send out broadcast messages. They have done a great job before, during and after the hurricane.

I am posting this message because of the awesome thing that is going to happen tonight in our city. Please read down to the last paragraph. I feel totally blessed that we live in the town that we live in and that a Christian infulence is so strong. Many times before and after the hurricane I got messages that said "may God bless you" or that some one was keeping us in their prayers. This was very comforting. Well mostly, except maybe when BR from the NHC sent an email the morning of the storm that said he was keeping us in his prayers. That was kind of scary! Also the last message from the Police captain before the hurricane made landfall said "May God bless each and every one of us". That was also kind of scary but yet comforting.

Message from Mayor Appelt - Hurricane Update #27

Posted: 09/19/2008 07:04 PM

Just seven days ago Alvin was hit with one of the worst storms in this generation. All power was lost, our large trees scattered like tooth picks and significant damage to our homes and businesses. The City encouraged its citizens to leave the area if possible.

Today we were notified that 65% of our electric power has been restored, gasoline is readily available, debris is being picked up curbside, and the City services are back to normal. The majority of our grocery stores and restaurants are now opened. The rapid return to our everyday life was due to a lot of preplanning, investment in emergency equipment and the dedication of a lot of City employees. I also recognize how our citizens jumped in cleaning up, putting things back together, and helping their neighbors.

I would like to mention several things:

First-please help us get the City cleaned up. Ten large trucks began picking up brush and debris Thursday. They will be passing through the City over the next several days. After they have picked up each street, they will start over again. If you miss the first pass, or didn't get everything out, don't worry-they will be out again. Remember to separate the piles of brush debris and building materials. They are picked up by different trucks.

Second-while areas of town with little or no power line damage have and will be engerized in a short period, those few areas with extreme power line damage may take another week or so to be energize. Every effort by the City to expedite the repairs.

Third- this storm could have been much worst. While damage was done and losses have occurred, by the grace of GOD we have made it through. The Community will be gathering at the Krogers parking lot Saturday evening at 7:00PM to pray. The Lord says that where two or more are gather together in His name, there He will be also. I hope to see you at the Kroger's parking lot to pray Saturday evening.

My observations...

First of all I am having a hard time getting used to some of my male coworkers sleeping at the office. Picture me sitting at my desk and suddenly a male coworker who has been sleeping in the copier room right next to my office or the conference room also right next to my office, gets up and needs to use the restroom or go take a shower. They come out of which ever room they have been sleeping and walk past my desk. Their eyes are barley open and their hair is all messed up and they have sleeping clothes on. Oh my goodness, I am REALLY getting to old for this job!!

Second observation is that everyone wants something for nothing. People who have not paid insurance or taken care of themselves or their families want the GOVERNMENT to pick up the pieces. I am getting tired of all the people on TV crying, screaming and throwing fits because FEMA has not written them a check yet. Get real people. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES. I guess this is what most of America has been taught. Don’t worry...the government will come in and pick up the pieces. Don’t be responsible...the government will come in and pick up the pieces. Give me...give me...give me. I am sure there are those out there who got very little damage who will try to make claims with FEMA. Those people deserve nothing.

I heard someone who lives on Galveston Island in a beach house on the beach whining about how FEMA has not contacted him about his loss. Hello Mr. Whinner, they have not even opened up the Island yet for people to come back to it. YOU are not even allowed on the Island...much less FEMA.

There...you have my observations for today.

Sometimes I crack myself up!

We are safe and sound from Ike.

As it turns out, Ike was not nice to the Upper Texas Coast. Galveston Island is about 80% destroyed. I still can not believe it. We had very little damage here. We have been without power since we got back on Sunday. Our power is back on today.

There have been so many surreal experiences it's hard to remember most of them. One funny thing that happened yesterday. I had to go to work. I could not make coffee at home. I need my coffee in the mornings. I drove by Kroger in Alvin and it was closed. All the restaurants in Alvin were closed. I drove to Dickinson and the Starbucks in Kroger was closed. I went to Target and the Starbucks was closed. So I arrived at my office without having any caffeine. There were hundreds of people there. I had a hard time finding a parking place. I got into the building and there were people and stuff everywhere. I finally got into my office and BR walked out of his old office...I froze...I thought that maybe this was all a nightmare...maybe he really did not leave.....maybe we really did not have a hurricane...just maybe. Then GH walked out. Never mind. It's all true. BR is just visiting the office doing a storm survey on Ike.

We were so blessed and had very little damage. It's awesome to have a generator. MSH has just about every tool and device known to man and it is totally awesome. The only thing I could not do at home before work was my hair. I did it after I got to work.

Just two weeks ago was hotter than anything here. We were again blessed with picture perfect weather after the hurricane. It has been beautiful here. I have even been a little chilly at night. It could have been so much worse by being hot and humid. We are very blessed indeed.

Our evacuation was mostly uneventful. The traffic was moving considering there was a lot of it. We stayed with my brother and his family. My parents stayed at the AFB in Abilene. We took my Dad on the drive to see all the windmills. It is something that you can't describe you just have to see it in person.

For more details about our "Ike experience" see MSH's blog.

Here are a few pictures of our trip and the damage to our houses:

Yikes Ike!!!

This is not funny:

Freakishly weird...

CDM1 has this posted on his blog. This guy is Phil Keaggy (who is supposed to be a really great guitar player) looks freakishly just like CDM1 (when he is growing his beard for a beard contest he is in every other year) on this ablum cover. I keep looking at it and it is W.E.I.R.D.!!!

I do not like Ike!

I know this is very Americana just like Apple Pie. I can't help saying this weekend....I do not like Ike.

Dear Ike, do not come visit us. We do not like you and we do not want you to visit the Upper Texas Coast. Ike please go visit some where else.

Love, Kim (or as MSH calls me MDB!)

I am very proud...

I am very proud of the fact that after my separation and divorce from my ex-husband I have not talked bad about him to our children. I have not made fun of, belittled, put down, made negative comments about or pointed out anything bad, sad, or negative in any way about him to our children. I also have not talked to the children about what went wrong between him and I. I made it a point to not say anything about him to them. Period. I have kept my mouth shut.

The problems we had were between a husband and wife and not between father and children or mother and children. For all of this I am very proud. I believe I took the high road and I am very proud. Plus, I think that our children are old enough to form their own opinions. They are adults and I treat them like adults. Both children have a very good relationship with both of their parents and for that I am thankful and of course very proud!

Most people do not take the high road. They are too self-absorbed and too focused on themselves. They are scared of being alone. They think that if they put down the other parent then the kids will not like/love the other parent. This is pitiful in my opinion. Defination of pitiful: pathetic, distressing, miserable, heartbreaking, sad, deplorable, heart-rending and gut-wrenching.

So I will say it one more time, I am so proud of my children for being able to have great realtionships with both of their parents.

Finally an update!

We had another great weekend. Saturday MSH had to work, so I slept in a little and then worked around the house. We had a lazy evening watching movies and catching up on our DVR list. Sunday we had another Astros game. It was nice. We have found the perfect parking place and it's only $5. It's on San Jacinto, so it's easy to get to the freeway to get home. We have two more games and then the 2009 season is over. :(

Monday was spent working around the house and more just taking it easy. The yard got done here and at the Holly house. I did not fall asleep on Monday night. Not even for a minute. So I had to stay home yesterday because I was seriously sleepy. I only let myself take one nap from 8am to 10am and that was it. I went to bed last night at 10pm and was still awake at 11:30pm and then fell asleep shortly after that. Weird.

Today was a very busy day at work. I have tons of stuff to get done.

I can not wait to hear Sarah Palin's speech tonight. I like what I have seen and read about her. I heard someone being interviewed on the news that knows her and has worked with her say that Sarah was an excellent choice. She is a new champion, she is tough, she is smart and if she debates the other VP candidate that she will chew him up and spit him out!! We will see.

I love to talk to people who have know MSH for a long time. Today the person I talked to (whom I have known for about 15 years) has known MSH for a VERY VERY long time and she said that she always remembered him as being so nice, kind and easy going. How awesome is that? It's nice to know that he is the same now as he was then. I love these little insights to his life before we met. Also if you would like to remember this friend in your prayers as she steps into the dating world. Pray that she makes the right choices and goes with her heart and intuition.

The flower MSH sent me for my birthday are still beautiful. They are a week old and still going strong. Here are some pictures of them.