Let there be light. Please

So we made it through the storm without killing each other. It was close, people got a little cranky. Stress? Nothing like the wind screaming while the candles flicker and water drips through the ceiling and under the refrigerator. Make that pours. We mopped up five gallons that was somehow coming in through the side of the house. At least we had something to flush the toilets with! But it was scary. You'd hear things rattling against the side of the house and not know what would hit hard enough to break through. Then you'd think the wall or roof was about to peel away.

Anyway - did you know you can get blisters from wringing out towels? Try doing it for two hours. At least it was cool on the kitchen floor sitting in a puddle of water. And it took my mind of that claustrophobic feeling... Or perhaps it was the bottle of wine. One or the other.

Power went out early, 9 pm. Out of 2.2 million Centerpoint customers, 2.1 million are without power. All together it is 22 percent of the ENTIRE state of Texas. That's a lot of folks, y'all. Up to a month to bring it all back. Hopefully ours will only be a few days as we aren't in the flooded area and this is the only time I'm happy we don't have a lot of trees. For us no power = no water.

Then the eye passed and the wind changed and the water came in through the study instead. Carpet in there is soaked. Oh well. After seeing the rest of the damage we got off lightly. Our barn is short a roof and a couple of walls, but the livestock survived (haven't seen all the chickens yet but haven't really looked). And thirty percent of my shingles are scattered on the floor but nothing that can't be fixed.

I'm sitting in my van, parked in the driveway, with dh and daughter watching TV in the back. I have a full tank of gas, a/c, and a power outlet. We may camp out here tonight! I said it was our Lunar Module a la Apollo 13.

Inside it is dark. We took down a few strips of plywood but the sun is down. I still walk into rooms and forget I'll be blind.

In-laws left and son went to stay with a friend as he has to work and really needs a shower. (We all do but still.) So it is just the three of us and a mountain of animals. But we have flashlights and a few candles, water and iPods. Tomorrow I think stores thirty or forty minutes away will be open and hopefully trucks with ice and water will arrive.

And who knows what the next few days will bring. If there's anything else brewing in the tropic please don't tell me...

Okay - daughter is whining for the data card.

Take care everyone!