What follows is the journal of my week after Hurricane Ike. While I wasn’t able to see most of the coverage on the storm in real time, I did catch snippets of it from the radio and after the fact via the internet. While there was a great deal of damage from the storm, it did seem like things were greatly over hyped.

The aftermath of Ike, to me, was a classic example of Texan self-reliance meeting Houston’s business-like attitude and southern hospitality. Most everyone was prepared. Those who were in need were taken care of. There was no looting. Cutters got their asses beat. Power still hasn’t been restored to the traffic lights and no one seems to mind. Honestly, the storm brought me and my neighbors together. People I’d only seen once or twice before are now friends that have stuck with me through hard times. We’ve had a few beers together, pooled resources, and gotten through the storm.

The recovery is not yet complete. Power remains out for a third of the city. Perishable goods remain hard to find in parts of the city. Gas prices fluctuate wildly, but it seems like most of them are open, finally. The curfew is still in place. Galveston is a total write off and will have to be completely rebuilt.

But unlike New Orleans, Houston is a city that did not buckle under the pressure. No one is fleeing the city. There isn’t a flood of refugees. There is no doubt we will rebuild. Houston is, despite the damage, a city that is stronger after the Ike than it was before.

Friday, September 12, 2008

My preparations for Ike are complete, one way or the other. The pantry is stocked, the beverages are loaded up, the ice is frozen, my batteries are charged, my bathtub is full, and I’m eating the last of my meat. If I missed anything, it’s to late now.

I’ve never seen so many neighbors out and about. All of the upstairs tenants are out on their patio, most of the first floor tenants are standing around the stairs. Everyone is drinking something. Only one family from my apartment block evacuated. The rest of us have battened down and are ready for a show.

The storm seemed really weak until after 9 pm when it picked up significantly. It looks like we’re going to get out of this relatively unscathed.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Post script: The power goes out shortly after 4 am. I’m not sure exactly when the water goes out, but when I awaken, it’s off.

I slept until 11 am. With no power and continued rain, I didn’t see the point of getting up. When I finally did, I went to make sure my car wasn’t flooded, pulled some choice pieces of debris (like my lamp covers and the cover to the cable housing that runs around my apartment), and took some pictures. We had relatively little damage. The other apartment blocks made it with varying degrees of success.

Someone lost the cover to their block’s breaker box. There are a few large branches down. The ACs on the roofs moved and damaged spots resulting in water getting into apartments. My own apartment block only had one report of non-cosmetic damage. There was a roof leak when the gutters couldn’t keep up with all the water and the standing water started leaking in through her window.

For a direct hit, we did well, I think. I’m not in the mood to go wandering around for a survey just yet. The weather is still nasty.

My phone is charged but I can’t make calls. Text messages get out after a few minutes in the queue.

Everyone is outside. I’m really getting to know my neighbors

Thanks to my battery backups I’m eating hot leftovers tonight. I can put my lights on, but I don’t see the point. I’m not in a reading mood tonight.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

The power is still out. Thanks to the ice I made Thursday morning, my fridge is still cold. Still no water pressure. I’m flushing and bathing with what I put in the bath tub before the storm. It’s slightly bleachy, but I’m not trying to drink it. I have cereal and milk for breakfast.

More talk with the neighbors. Someone needs water from the next apartment block over. We have plenty and he got sent away with a 5 gallon bucket full of it. It seems everyone in my block got the memo about making sure to stock up on consumables.

Someone got a couple racks of ribs from the national guard before the storm hit. I still have half a bag of potatoes from a few weeks ago. Someone has a pot of green beans. I’m apparently the only person who knows how to work a grill, but the ribs were well marinated. I don’t mind bragging in my own journal: they came out perfectly. I’m eating better than before the power went out.

Water has been restored, kinda. It’s at maybe a third of the pressure we usually get. The radio is telling us to boil it. I took a bath with what was left over of my good water and then filled the tub again, just in case. God, cold baths suck out loud. Plopping yourself down in water so cold it could shrink Ted Nugent’s balls to take a bath that isn’t refreshing just so you don’t feel like you’re covered in grime seems like a harsh way of life. I can see why the medieval people only bathed once a year.

A couple neighbors came over. We’re playing cards by candlelight.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Slept late again, just because there was nothing better to do. A neighbor behind me has been running a generator since Saturday. It’s off now. I don’t know if they have power or if they’re out of fuel. Either way, I’m hopeful. Generators are loud and don’t help me get any sleep.

The first stores and gas stations are open today. I hear stories of 3 hour lines. They say those who cut in line have had their asses beat until the cops show up. The cops then drag them to the back of the line and don’t press charges. I love Houston.

My girlfriend has power again. I think I’ll spend the night there.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Came back. Still no power. Still no panic. Actually, things look like they’re starting to return to normal. The apartment maintenance crew is cleaning my yard. My girlfriend and many of my neighbors were called into work this morning. Today was the first day I was able to get a phone call out and I’m the only one with a charged cell phone battery. That’s ironic. I love my battery backups. I got some food together and went back over to my girlfriend’s place.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Came back. Still no power. It’s a rather lazy day. I could get used to having no power, if I could get a gas water heater and a gas stove. Hot food and hot showers are humanizing. I miss them. Besides reading, there’s not much to do but work on my book and play cards.

I made some rice crispy treats on my neighbor’s propane stove. Rice crispys without milk just aren’t the same. I’m glad I had some marshmallows.

Tonight I got together with all of my neighbors and we got drunk. Very drunk. I’m going to have to make another batch of margaritas the next time I can find some limes. It’s good to be on a first name basis with them. Before the storm, I might have kinda known half of them if I saw them. Now I know them all by name – and I suck at names.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Crisis! Catastrophe! Danger, Will Robinson, danger! Dare I say it? Houston, we have a problem. Today I woke up with only 24 fluid ounces of caffeine bearing beverage. Now we have a problem.

I went to the grocery store, half expecting to wait in horrendous lines for the opportunity to pick over empty shelves. The radio people were certainly not giving me any indication to the contrary, the parkinglot was packed, and I’d seen the lines at the points of distribution, so I certainly wasn’t optimistic. Fortunately all three of the grocery stores in my neighborhood were open, so I got to go to my preferred one. When I went in, there was no meat, no refrigerated food at all, but other than that they had a full selection. There were no lines (actually, there were more people on staff than I’ve ever seen). There was plenty of ice. There was plenty of everything.

In addition to a bunch of other stuff, I got a new cereal. I’m getting tired of the kinds I have. I also got cake. Just because. I’m beginning to think that there’s nothing really wrong with the power going out – and then I remind myself I’m going to take a bath tonight.

I hate cold baths.

There was a crew from the power company inspecting the lines tonight. There were two trucks and a helicopter circling the leaning pole on the street. They didn’t do anything, but it’s encouraging to see them in the area.

Friday, September 19, 2008

I woke up late again. There’s no point in waking up early when you’re a self-employed computer guy and there’s no power. When I went outside for my morning walk, I saw four CenterPoint trucks sitting on my curb. They had a new pole on one of the trucks and they were looking at the leaning one they were interested in yesterday. I have a warm, fuzzy feeling about this.

I went to pick up my girlfriend from work and when I got back the trucks were gone and still no power. Bummer.

We have electricity! We have running water. My air conditioning works. My cable works. Awesome.

I’m gonna go take a shower.