We've, so far, have gotten off almost unscathed. Harvey is parked not too far away offshore and has been whipping up some wind and rain overnight. One gust evidently took out the top half of a very large southern magnolia sending it crashing to the ground just outside our bedroom window. I had just been stirred awake from a sound sleep by the wind noise when the treetop snapped.
I guess we are somewhere a little north of 20" of rain since this saga began. Just to our north, the rainfall totals go up into double and beyond of what we have received. I have relatives and friends in that zone, a zone bigger in area and population than some small states, and some have water in their homes, some are high and dry but marooned in waterlogged neighborhoods, some have self evacuated.
My friend with management responsibilities over a network of clinics distributed across Houston home is dry, but he can't open any of his sites because the doctors and staff can't get around with all the flooded roads or because they are coping with homes and vehicles damaged and destroyed by the rising waters. He's shooting for a Thursday limited resumption of operations.
My daughter heard yesterday that 8 cubic miles of rain and still counting has fallen just on Houston alone. Some of that water, actually additional runoff from west and north of Houston, is headed our way via the Brazos River. There is a mandatory evacuation order the Brazos and San Bernard River flood plains. The plain begins about 150 yards to our west. People in the potential flood zone have fled towards the coast and to the beach as escape routes north, east or west are non-existent or dicey. Ironically, the beach front homes should not flood providing Harvey doesn't strengthen again and gin up some storm surge or hang around too much longer. I have access to a beach house and that will be our last refuge should it look like our home is going to get water.
As convoluted as all that sounds, we've had it very good during this disaster. Schools been cancelled for this week, but the local district is serving up hot meals manned by volunteers in selected cafeterias. Stores have limited stock and hours, but there's still some food that's been getting in or maybe they are just running through stock. Most restaurants are closed, but a few remain open with paired down menus. Everyone seems to be sharing and helpful in various ways. My parents are right next door and we've been looking out for each other and other neighbors. We had my daughter's friends displaced by the evacuation orders over for meals. Yesterday, my dad and my uncle and another neighbor were working on the weir to help drain down the lake. I told my wife that if we run out of food (we won't) we could both stand to lose some weight (that didn't net me a smile).
The Navy has sent Helicopter Rescue Squadrons from both Norfolk and San Diego. My stepson is a member of one such squadron that is set to arrive at College Station today.
Anyway, we are remaining optimistic and trying to stay calm. My friend sent me a photo of a large shark that had been photoshopped into a scene of someone driving one of Houston's flooded freeways. I thought it was hilarious. I shared the photo with the my wife's family group text thingy with a comment like " I'm starting to get a little concerned about the conditions here". Unfortunately, some of the group thought the photo was of a real scene with a real shark. So I had to backtrack and calm them all down. Never a dull day around here.
