A Texas Sized Storm

Thanks Sujatha, for putting up the post about Ike - that was very accurate reporting.  Thanks also to everyone who had called or emailed to enquire after our safety - many of them fellow bloggers.

I have access to the computer today. So a quick update on Ike and Me. Most of you have seen the devastation on TV or read about it in the papers or on the Internet. The damage is vast and cost of recovery is going to be extravagant. Houston area city officials and Texas state authorities have to be congratulated on the methodical and timely preparation before Ike came barreling through here and the quick response in its destructive aftermath.

We are actually very much better off than many, particularly those who evacuated from the coastal  region.  In fact, most of our neighborhood is up and running, with electricity restored in homes. Our problem is that the transformer that feeds our house is blown due to a neighbors tree branch falling on the lines.  With only 4 homes affected by that, we are now at the back of the line for repairs - the utilities company must get to the big problems first. No saying when our electricity will come back.  So we are thinking of checking into a hotel and fortunately have found a Holiday Inn (most hotels in the Houston area are either damaged or booked solid with people whose homes are unlivable due to storm damage) close by which has a room available from Thursday onwards. Until then we must make do in our home which is otherwise unharmed. 

Meanwhile, we are surviving by using our neighbors' kitchens to boil water, fry an occasional omelette and by raiding their coffee pots. We can at least go out to eat now as restaurants are opening up one by one. Also, we have run an extension cord from our neighbor's house and can run a fan, the freezer and a few  other gadgets as necessary. The weather in Ike's wake has been marvelously cool.  Sleeping with the windows open has been not uncomfortable for the past two days. We also have hot and cold water in the faucets, so showering is not a problem. But this can't go on for more than a couple of days - "borrowing" our neighbor's electricity and the house covered with extension wires. So we must leave on Thursday for the hotel if the power is not back up on by then.

Ike was a monster storm. Its eye passed over our area.  I have never experienced anything like this before.  I am amazed that our house and all others around it are still standing relatively unscathed.

I will get back to blogging as soon as I am feeling a bit less distracted. Meanwhile readers must depend on the kindness of my co-bloggers.

Comments

[manoj]

Ruchira I think you and Sudhir should consider setting up a battery of small wind-powered generators on your house. I read an article in the IHT about this. Wind-power will actually increase with the storm and can take care of the breakdowns.
That is a better option than the one we have at home in Delhi-- an inverter that gives power (not enough to run a fridge though) for six or seven hours. You could, of course, get a small portable genset, but the wind-power turbine sounds cooler, and is, of course, greener.