130 hours and counting without electricity. We have been told by local officials that our water supply may be in danger of contamination now, too. Thanks to the car charger, I’ve been able to keep my blackberry juiced up a bit.

Neighborhood still looks like a war zone, but the cold front that blew through Sunday has at least made the temperature pleasant given that we have no a/c. Most stores are still not open. Some grocery stores are running on generators and will let a handful of customers in to buy what’s left. Occasionally there is a rumor that a store will have a shipment of ice or a gas station will have some gas to pump… but usually by the time you hear the news, there are hundreds already in line in front of you.

Since we have to sleep with the windows open, we hear the chorus of generators humming in the night air. As each day goes by and more folks find ways to purchase generators, that chorus gets louder and louder.

Hoping to live-blog the entire event, here are the contemporaneous notes I jotted down during the storm once I realized I wouldn’t be able to post to the blog any longer.

Saturday - 5:00 AM - It appears the winds are slowing down a bit, perhaps this means the eye is arriving.

Saturday - 5:30 AM - Perfectly calm and quiet outside now. Definitely in the eye of the storm. Neighbors are out in the streets with flashlights. Other than their lights, everything is pitch black outside. Hard to tell whether there’s been much damage. Given the strength of the winds and the louds noises we’ve been hearing for the last several hours, it’s hard to believe there won’t be a lot of damage.

Saturday - 6:15 AM - Just got back inside as the rain started picking up. Got a few text messages from friends/relatives in other parts of the country saying the news is reporting the back half of the storm is worse than the front. Hard to imagine.

Saturday - 7:30 AM - So far, the reports were right. The second half of this storm seems much, much stronger. The only upside is that it’s starting to get light outside because of the time of day. Good news is we can now see what’s happening outside… bad news is we can now see what’s happening outside.

Saturday - Noon - It seems like the worst may be over. I’m surprised the house is still standing. That was by far the worst weather event I’ve ever lived through. I’ve been near tornadoes in the past, but those are generally over in minutes… this was like a 12 hour long tornado. The original gusts at the beginning of the storm were bad enough, but eventually the winds were a continuous gust for hours.

Saturday - 1:00 PM - Still raining, but the winds have subsided, with the exception of a few gusts here and there. Going to venture outside and survey the damage.

Officials are saying to expect no electricity for 2 to 4 weeks. Being without power really makes you appreciate the simple things in life.

Heck, I think I’ll climb up on my roof, wait for the gubmint helicopters and demand restoration of my cable TV. It’s my right as an American, afterall… isn’t it? Why does George Bush hate me?

Saturday - 11:00 PM… here we go again. As if Ike wasn’t enough, a cold front is now rolling in. While I’m anxiously awaiting the drop in temperatures, this storm seems as bad as the hurricane… high winds, tons of rain.

Sunday - 9:00 AM - The storm brought another round of flooding and damage to the house. Some of the trees that survived Ike decided to quit fighting the forces of nature and have taken refuge across the middle of streets and houses. More clean up coming.

Here are a few pictures I was able to get uploaded:

Line outside a grocery store:

1. Hurricane Ike photos

   Houston blogger Jason Smith and family thankfully survived the onslaught from Hurricane Ike, but as you’ve probably read by now, things are a mess in that part of Texas and it looks like there’s no end in sight. He’s uploaded some ph…

   Trackback by Sister Toldjah — 9:37 pm
   

2. Wow! Wet and wild times.

   Comment by benning — 6:33 am
   

3. TR, great commentary… under very unfortunate circumstances! You certainly have my sympathy in regards to being without electricty for such an extended period of time. I’ve been there on several occasions under different circumstances - it isn’t pleasant. My best advice is to be sure to purify your water to avoid deseases; amebic dysentary, or worse yet, typhoid is no fun!

   My prayers are with you! If there is anything I can do; …you have my email.

   Comment by Old Soldier — 9:34 am
   

4. Houston after Ike

   The Texas Rainmaker, who did not evacuate, has a good post on the storm, the aftermath, and the continued deprivations in the old (1830s-40s) capital of Texas. His photographs tell the story of downed trees and signage, blocked roads and long…

   Trackback by THE TEXAS SCRIBBLER — 10:57 am
   

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