Harvey

    After Harvey, nearly 6 months later....  Hundreds of high-end boats either stacked or piled up like Cordwood.  It looks like a Salvage Company has only recently taken up this project.

   
 That being said, much has occurred this past year.  On top of the list is that our adopted Texas home was devastated by a Hurricane.  One that made landfall squarely on Rockport, Texas.  Everything about this has been weird talking to those who stayed or came back right after.  The Storm moved from a 1 to a 4 in the space of two days.   Most of the folks here opted to leave for places in Austin or San Antonio.

We were in Oregon as the thing blew in as a Cat 4.  It's really difficult to not feel guilty when so many here lost so much.  But its also truthful to say that our more personal belongings were left in a brand new Cargo Trailer we'd bought to empty out a storage unit, while I'd also just bought a boat that I had high plans for.

It's also hard to describe what it feels like imaging your substantial investment waiting patiently for a storm bearing winds of over a 130 mph to barrel in, in real time while you're a couple of thousand miles away.  That if you were just there,  but you aren't and you're just going to have to live with that.  Can't get there in time if you set out now, and would likely be blocked from access very far away anyhow.


We cut our trip short and started the two thousand mile trip home mindful that if we arrived to soon, we'd be, in fact, blocked from access.  Initially our understanding was nobody could get in here anyhow.

About a week earlier I'd found an NOAA flyover sight that allowed you to magnify over the area your House, Trailer etc was located in order to assess the damage.  Though we could only see a small section, it looked like we might have had a bit of luck.   Harvey Imagery We'd also found some FB postings about the condition of the RV park.

I had visions of all of our personal possessions either destroyed by water or missing entirely.  The brand spanking new 14 foot Cargo Trailer we'd also purchased a few months earlier, utterly destroyed.

The boat I'd purchased that Spring sitting upside down in the road, or maybe in a Tree.  As it turned out there existed a bit of damage but we were vastly more lucky than others.

We'd driven that day from the North side of Waco, stopped to check up on Danny in College Station.  Though we'd thought we might stay overnight, a conversation with the Park Mgr, Owner, whatever convinced us she was attempting to gouge us beyond belief for simply one Night. So after a brief but nice visit, we opted to head for Rockport to find out once and for all how bad this was.

Fifty or so miles from the Coast, even in the Nighttime, we began to see the damages from Harvey.  Even that far inland trees were laid over and some buildings had collapsed.

    A few miles from our destination, we began to wonder if even after these past couple of weeks would it be possible to get to our lot.  

    Driving by some  parks where entire rows of RV's were still lying on their sides.  A Class A Motorhome on its top.  It's difficult to describe the level of damage or the impression that leaves on someone just arriving.  Debris piled twenty feet high on each side of the road in some places.

   The road was clear and we managed to drive right up to our lot.  The temp was hovering around 90 with almost the same level of Humidity.  Mosquitos the size of bees, even at that time of night.  I began to try and comprehend how miserable the night was to be until damn, if the Owner didn't roll up on his four-wheeler and told us Power had been restored that day and turned it on for us.  When you hoped, but really thought that AC would be unavailable, this was a godsend.  Not so lucky for the many it seems who were residing in tents in front of demolished homes.

Even now months later, not a viable apartment is available anywhere in the area.  

    One of the first things that struck me on my first drive around the next day. 

    Complexes containing tens and maybe more, as well as high end Condos, all destroyed.  Not to the ground but with Roofs and Walls missing.

     As it turned out we were unbelievably lucky.  For some weird reason, the only damage the boat incurred was a bent Hand Crank mounted on the Tongue.  The Cover, (ordered from Walmart) had even remained on throughout the Hurricane.  Remember, these were 130 MPH winds.  The collapsed Boat Barn is in the background.

Harvey Tested

   This Oak Tree snapped off just a few feet from the boat.



   
    The Rv survived, where about a third of those in the park were totaled out.  Some of these Parks down here were completely wiped out.

   Things were a bit shaken around inside the Cargo Trailer leading to a few broken pieces of China, otherwise everything else was bone dry.  "Harvey tested" is the joke around here. I've tried to get the picture out of my mind of someone sitting inside an RV during this time. It really must have been terrifying. There actually were residents of two RV's here who refused to leave.  I've since discussed this with a lot of folks who rode it out.  It's not for me.  Even the most substantial buildings collapsed.  Two that were entirely made of Cinder blocks.

Somebody next to our outfit actually rode out the Hurricane.  The second picture is a rather modest picture of debris leading to our Park.  Much of it has already been removed. This is a Higher End Neighborhood. 

    Benefits to residents seem to have been mostly haphazard, according to the local News Outlets.  I suspect they have a system of some sort.

Roughly 75 yards away this 5th Wheel was rolled over a few times.

What was left of a Boat Barn about 80 yards upwind during the Hurricane.  A 20X20 piece of the Roof weighing several hundred pounds flew that distance to land about 25 feet to the South of the Boat.

We'd tucked our outside Chairs into the Cargo Unit.  But we'd left the Fire Pit outside.  It was missing of course and I considered the possibility that it was swimming with the fishes in the Bay located a half mile South of us.  But a week later we noticed somebody had aquisitioned it to hold assundry shit.  So we reaqusitioned it back.  Bent up a bit but still works.

There are a lot of mysteries about Harvey, just in our little space.  This Decked Stairs weighed at least 200 lbs, was situated next to the Boat.  It was lifted into the air and slammed into Trees about 15 feet away with enough force to snap off one side.  I spent two days repairing it.

                           Picture taken the night of our arrival

                 The condition of our Boat the Night we arrived.

   We managed to get it up and going and the first few times took it out in Port Aransas.  Where still many million dollar Yachts had sunk in their moorings.  Nothing but a Radar mast above water.  Or going by one half sunk.  Pictures I'll never get out of my mind. 

       End of day along the Shrimp Channel

           This is just a small blurb of what it was like coming back here.  I could have taken pictures all day long of damage. Thankfully I didn't.  

 I'm struck though, by the almost supernatural characteristics of these things.  I have been told by a number of folks that sustained winds of a hundred MPH  was bad enough.  Like a cruel game one might see only in a movie, Tornado's, over a hundred of them dropped down from the sky as if mounted on a drill press, did extraordinary damage, and then dissipated into the wind.  The fate of the fifth wheel that had been rolled over and over near here.  And likely the fate of a completely destroyed new home sitting high on piers amongst others just like it.  While the ones on either side sustained little or no damage.  

I'd like to say that we jumped in to volunteer to reconstruct the community, but just putting our small space back together took time and energy.  We helped as we were able.  And we've continued to live while this little town put itself together.  And while Citizens assure us all the time that this is a once in a lifetime event, I don't  wonder if that isn't Naivete and denial of the changes that are occurring in this World.  Something to ponder.....Anyways......

And finally, I feel humbled and a bit pious at the number of folks here who rolled up their sleeves and just went to work rebuilding, helping and restoring.  FEMA gave out some checks but there are a million stories there.  Just as there are in Florida and Peurto Rico, just sayin.  


Something to enjoy here.

            

         

Really?

        The sky is pretty gray outside.  So's my mood.  Couple of days ago I heard that there is a Flu and Cold epidemic going on.  I started worrying about Lisa, because ,I, got a Flu shot.  She didn't.

       She, for perfectly irrational reasons that only she can understand, will not do so. And to the best of my knowledge since living in Texas I have not so much as had a Cold.  So being invincible and all, I decided she should probably hang close to home.  And, I thought, I'd best start washing my hands and using Purell a lot more.  As well as those disinfectant wipes they provide at the stores.  

      So for one whole day, I practiced impeccable hygiene.  That was four days ago.  The last three I've been laid out sick as a Dog.  Only a nasty Cold though, nears I can tell.  And all I can think of is "Every damn time".  So that's it.  Lisa is fine though.

      Here's a Kitten

Monday, February 5, 2018. The Monday after Super Bowl

    Tough Night.  Mostly for gastrointestinal reasons.  Ate the equivalent of two or more meals last night. Hangovers used to be becuz of reasons I consumed somewhere North of a case of Beer.  Anyways.

Can't decide which is worse.  Each have their more unique aspects.  I'm kinda leaning towards too much Food being a little less irksome than Alcohol. Thats what I thought before Noon.

Anyway, did not set well.  Mostly the Hot Wings I suppose, intermixed with the Super Pizza and Super Bowl.  Hard to distinguish which was more exciting.  These nights always leave Lisa a bit miffed as she is a snuggler, and constantly tells me I have amazing skin.  If only my "all the time fragrance" was just as amazing.  And I say: Everything has it's downside".

    Juan and Carisa were going to come over last night.  But Lisa called me during my bi-weekly, once weekly, and sometimes more than once weekly gym visit and told me he'd canceled.  These are young people who I question why they'd want to party, Super Bowl wise,  with folks twice their age anyhow.  Turns out they didn't.

     So after my early rising, near round Ten, and while recuperating from a gastrointestinal hangover, Lisa, who's been up several hours already,  proudly proclaims "I'm registered" as she taps the keys furiously on her brand spanking new Computer, simultaneously "slut shaming" various politicians she's been looking up.  Probably doesn't help that I completely support her in these efforts.

    Anywhooo, my mind is going "registered" damn I'd best be looking that up.  I'd sent in the Card I'd gotten in the mail a couple of weeks ago,  signed the wrong side, scratched that out and signed the front. Deducing from the microscopic print of which I could only discern every fifth or so word,  that, that was the right thing to do.

But living in Texas the last five years, if it didn't teach me one thing, it's don't trust DMV first.  And second, any of the other Bureaucracies in Texas either.

 So, just on the side of caution I reasoned, best check this out.  "When's the last day I asked Lisa?"  "Today," she said.  And in my mind:

"Fuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhh", wait this wasn't so hard last I checked it out. 

 So I fired up my old and not so new Computer,  takes a bit longer.    Didn't take long to find the right website and punch in my information.  And sez not only am I not registered, no record of me exists.  The first response is Outrage, second is meh, easily fixed.

 But then the website offers alternative searches from punching in more info.  Aha! Nope.  This one? Nope. Any of em? Nope!

 Finally, I decide to call, which is a big decision considering I have to drive a mile or so to get service.      Armed with a fresh hot cup of Coffee I bravely face the Fog that is one of the bennies of living here.  I  Hop in the Silverado and head to a gas station that seems to be the stopping point of everybody without service where they live.  Which seems to be everywhere within a three-mile radius, particularly when there's Fog about. Three other vehicles were already there as I arrive, the drivers busy with cell phones held to their head.

   So  I'm the cheerful sort.  I subscribe to the philosophy that Honey works better than Vinegar.  Take a sip of the oh so strong Coffee I make, and I call the County Tax Office I'm registered in.  

I describe my plight to the cheerful clerk, who cheerfully answers the phone and, cheerfully tells me she needs to do a bit of research.  I say fine, and she disconnects about five minutes or so, then gets back on the line and says, "nears I can tell you've been removed cuz you are deceased" she says, cheerfully.  I say " No I'm not".  Well, she says, you must be unless you want to call the United States Postal Service a Liar".  No, all I'm saying is I'm not dead", I say.   "Well (a little snippy now), you'll have to call back in about 30 minutes and talk with the person who handles this".  "That is not my department".  In my mind I think "Supervisor"!  AUGGGHHH as Claxon alarms go off in my head. I should have deducted that from the very first moment someone picked up the phone.  These people are all powerful.  I could be froze out forever! These were dangerous waters I was swimming in.  I instinctively drop into survival mode.  "Honey not Vinegar", "Honey not Vinegar", Clerks are friends not the mean Stepmom I never had. "Thank you, I'll call back ."

Well as it turned out I was listed accidentally as dead.  And the helpful Clerk told me she reversed it.  But in an ironic ending, she told me I'd done something wrong with the Card by mailing it back.  That even though it said to return it, that was the wrong thing to do. In fact, I wasn't supposed to do anything with the Card. I should have known that. K, I said.

 Though that had nothing to do with me falsely being listed as deceased.

   And that's the way it was, Monday after Super Bowl, February 5, 2018.
  2018.

,

And Life Goes On

     Love taking pics of the Super Moon.

November 8, 2016 while parking overnight in a Walmart parking lot,  in an unmemorable town somewhere in New Mexico after driving well over 500 miles to watch election results.  We had good reception and well over 5 hours battery life.  I'd open'd up a boxed vintage of unknown month/year Merlot and we settled in for the Night following a splurge of a nearby fast food.   What occurred that evening is something myself, and a whole lot of other Americans are still processing.

The other side won.

Not just the other side, but a president who is proving to be the worst in my lifetime, arguably maybe the worst in US History.  But that's the point.  One has to look away from the Shitshow once in a while


  We'd left Yuma that morning and while driving by Election locations we'd seen one with a number of folks hovering around an old pickup.  A second glance and it seemed some were armed, though I'm unsure at this point.  All dallying around a large Pennant with TRUMP in large white letters.  Not only likely illegal but should have been a prediction of things to come.

And for us it was.  We joined the Democrats, Marched a couple of times and I've been a copious complainer to my Reps.  Unfortunately, I'm sure given that they're of the opposing party, most, if not all of my complaints, I'm sure to have fallen on deaf ears. I just get the canned reply.

    But my enthusiasm for writing this blog was encapsulated by Anger, likely the kind promoted by Putin when he set out to interfere with the US Election.  So I'm a bit guilty on this front as well.  So for now, for my purposes, I'm leaving politics behind on this blog.  That's something for Facebook anyway.

     But the happenings occurring all around me now indelibly standout as something I should be giving some attention to.  Its History damned it.  For their quirkiness, for their significance to our lives, that will be completely forgotten in a matter of years, maybe months, but maybe shouldn't be.  If looking at a record of that in five years brings a smile to my face, to Lisa's.  Somebody else maybe.  Google stats indicate nearly 10,000 views occurred of this blog.

   And much has happened this past year.  With the good comes the bad.  The generation before me is seeing some rough times.  Good people all.  Carl, my Dad, my Mother, my Aunt, weathering challenges of a time of life I'm well on my way into.  Incidentally what used to be a large family can now be counted almost on one hand.  This is the case for both my Mother and Father's family.  Ours muddles along.

In addition, we are now living in a 5th Wheel.  The TT is stored for now when we travel East next spring.

      All this stuff is ours.  Downsizing seems to only be a temporary situation.


    And Lisa as well, having never fully recovered from a 12-day job of nearly a year ago.  When we left that job, it was decided that we were done working in the Oil Fields.   The changes and unreasonableness of it solidified our resolve.  Early this AM, I woke to see my wife in such pain that she couldn't walk.  She's doing better now.  Blamed on something else, but she, and I have lingering effects of twelve,  twelve hour days in a row.

    We traveled last year to escape Texas Heat, only to have the trip cut short by a Hurricane of all things.  That's a separate post.

    From the mystery tip somebody at the Harmonica Festival, given me by a young boy on a bicycle who told me a man had given him ten bucks to do.  Lisa promptly bought Carmel Corn. To Juan and his SO, my Neighbors.  A big-hearted, gregarious, noisy young father of an Infant. By noisy I mean he talks several Octaves louder than most folks.  Interspaced with copious MF'er. We joke that, that particular profanity is just likely to be his Daughters first words.  Where some would think he's shouting in a Cubano slang, when he's around his infant daughter, she just quiets right down.  "Dads Home".  Damndest thing to see. 
Fishing with Juan is like fishing with the Head professor of Fish U.   A young man of Cuban descent who has spent a lifetime working on Charters and other fishing boats.  Repeating here but fishing with Juan is like being on a guided fishing tour.  Hell, he even drives the boat and poles us into where we need to be.  So far I haven't had to clean a fish.  Though I envy how this kid goes through them like a surgeon.

Pictured here, in his mood. Awnry little MF'er

A lot has happened.  Too much to go into detail, so I'll just throw up pictures.

Juan's a bit miffed right now because of fun as it is.  I can take only so much fishing at a time.

   First Snow in a decade in Rockport.  This is a big year for that stuff.

Cruel Postal Worker Tricks.  Couldn't get this package out with a Crowbar.

                            Fishing's been decent.

We spent three weeks in Salida, Colorado.  This is Dave the Host and Obie who dropped by for Coffee and conversation most mornings. Obie for the Dog biscuit.  Though nearly 8000 feet high, the temp climbed to well over 90 almost every day.

Stopped in Hawthorne a couple of days in early September.

Grandma in Heaven

      

      Lisa presented $50.00 to the Young Democrats in Corpus Christi                

Yellow Pine at Harmonica festival in August.  Mountains behind are occluded by smoke from fires.

Attend the Workshop, you have to belt something out on Stage during opening ceremonies.

Me belting something out.

                             Salmon River during our Hot Springs Safari.

Fibark is an event in Salida, Colorado where loony boats are created and floated down the Arkansas River.  While this looks like a monstrous act of littering, in fact, preparations are made to collect the Trash as it floats into a reservoir.

Little Salida Mexican Restaurant we ate in

Left a Dollar with Blog link under glass at table.

We remained through the 4th of July

The blog has gotten a bit dilapidated.  So I'll likely work on it a bit.

And fittingly, or I wouldn't know because I was out during it all. I got a rating of AA on my Colon.  Doc said see you in five.  Wouldn't know from this picture at a Motel in Corpus where we'd gone for the pleasure of the Prep.

                    End.........Get it?