There Be Sunshine!
This morning we awoke exhausted, drained, and weary to the bluest sky I’ve ever seen, fluffy white clouds, a slight coolish breeze, and a big ball of fire in the sky. There were moments to rejoice. I had coffee on the front porch, thanking God for a short reprieve to recharge and fight again. I would have had my coffee in the back yard but the swimming pool looks like we ought to throw up our hands and just stock it with catfish.
The second round starts today for Beaumont and small cities east. That’s where Houston Petrochemical companies supply most of America with gasoline. If you’re smart, you’ll fill up now.
My small town is still facing the rise of the Brazos River. It’s such a long river that it takes days for the water to hit us before it pours into the Gulf of Mexico. They really just have to get out their slide rulers and guess where all that water will end up because we have no idea what drainage ditches and tributaries are blocked with debris at this point. The best guess is that the river will crest on Friday morning and that the oldest parts of the city, about a two mile area, will remain a literal island for 3 – 4 days. We won’t be able to get in or out except by boat. The upside is that we have a small hospital, a grocery store, more taco huts than Mexico City, a movie theater, and more good folks than jackasses. The main downside is snakes, alligators, and fire ants seeking high ground.
Here’s what you can do to help. A few of you have asked me where you could donate a little money where it would do the most good. I am donating to the AFL-CIO Texas Worker Relief Fund. I know these guys. John Patrick, the president of the TEXAS AFL-CIO is a friend of mine and he’s meaner than ten acres of snakes. I know for damn fact that he will squeeze every penny you give him to do the most good. Click here to donate.
If I hear of any more in need, I will let you know.
The Greater Houston Food Bank gets great ratings from Charity Navigator. That’s where I sent my money. Miss Juanita, please stay dry and safe.
1Thank you for the recommendation, we all feel hopeless so this sounds like an immediate source of help. Done, stay safe. We are all thinking about Texas.
2Prayers that y’all stay safe. And as dry as possible. And while cockwomble was making an asshat (yet again) out of himself a REAL PRESIDENT, former President Obama tweeted a link to the Red Cross for donations.
3Thank you for the link! We’ve book marked it, as the recovery portends to be an extended effort. We’ll keep John and his efforts in our budget for as long as this takes.
4Elizabeth2, that is a good one. I don’t know anybody there but they do good work. Here’s the link.
5JJ, glad to hear you & yours are mostly OK so far.
Hope you manage to get through your days of island living too.
If the power’s on after a day of gator and snake fending, in the evening you might enjoy a change of pace watching “Heaven Knows, Mr Allison” starring Deborah Kerr (nun) & Robert Mitchum (Marine) stranded on a Pacific island in WWII. Or of course “Cast Away.”
6Thanks JJ and Elizabeth 2, donations sent and Tweeted out to the rest of the world that also searches for a way to help.
For those looking to help with technical skills and phone access there’s a group crowd sourcing shelter openings and shelter needs. http://swamplot.com/the-best-way-to-find-out-which-hurricane-harvey-shelters-near-you-need-help-and-what-they-need/2017-08-29/
7Hello, I have had so many tears. God gave me compassion when I wanted a humor like yours . Juanita, we are all so thankful you tell it like it is.I wonder if in all the hell …do people have internet service? If so, look at the facebook video of new sport in truck it is on my facebook.
8Now folks may tell me where to” put it”, but I have been thru Houston when there was no disaster and I abhor the traffic.Its kind of a disaster without the water TRAFFIC wise. SO HOW THE HELL DOES ANYONE TAKE THAT TOWN WHEN ALL THE HORRIBLE stand stills anyway? We go all the way to Galveston every year to avoid the roads. NOW THEY SAY IT WILL TAKE 2 YEARS TO REBUILD WHAT WAS ALREADY A MESS??? How on Earth can a place survive? No
Glad to hear you’re still safe, JJ.
Lyin’ Ted said he rejected the Sandy relief package because it was “70% pork,” which earned him three Pinocchios from WaPo. Chris Christie has been burning him over that, but it still didn’t wipe the smirk off his face. Ugh.
9What Ted calls “pork” is actually monies to cover damages in other areas that was suffered from the same storm. Of course, Christie did spend a nice hunk of the money on a film he had made that starred hisownself regarding the relief package.
Ted and Christie are both world-class porkers.
JJ, I’m glad you’re doing well, and I’ve written a check to your recommended fund.
10Thanks for the good news!
11I’m glad to say all my family members in Houston are safe and dry.
Afternoon JJ. Thanks for the hope. Here in the Beaumont area we’re reeeeealy hoping our tomorrow is your today. We got a little water in the house(1″or so), but
12Have been watching MSNBC and their continuous coverage of relief work. All those helping hands belong to angels as far as I am concerned. There are so many heartbreaking scenes intercepted by a few lighter ones such as the little girl riding in a pool flotation toy shaped like a swan (holy Bolshoi ballet!) and a high water transport carrying a bevy of senior citizen ladies all seated in chairs on the cargo bed making the most of their experience of being in some kind of parade. Very impressed as well with the rescue of all the pets! And how New Jersey is taking a whole bunch of them for fostering! This really works as an antidote to the sad scenes such as the van where an entire family drowned. And I have yet to hear anybody – thats ANYBODY – down there curse the deity for what has befallen them. They seem very buttoned up and stiff upper lip. I bet they could really wail and justly so if they wanted to but nope, they realize that such a temptation is a self-inflicted wound, and there is enough hurt already. God bless them all!
13As a former member of PATCO, I am happy to help my union brothers.
14And sisters
15Sorry, sorry everyone. Not a lotta sleep last night. But ceramic tile is a wonderful thing. Cleanup is pretty sucky, but no carpet or wood floors to replace. The thing is we’re really lucky compared to loads of others who had and still have it worse than us. As evidenced by the continuing stream of rescue helicopters. Port Arthur is the worst. When more of the roads are clear, it’ll be a lot easier to get around. Harvey was a sorry sumbitch.
16If you are in the Houston area and close to the local Houston ASPCA they are in need of dry newspaper (no shiny ad pages please) at their shelter on 900 Portway Drive.
17One more thing, if you want to help animals in Houston the ASPCA has an Amazon Wish List!
18https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1512KZKBGYJV7/
JJ:
19Glad for a place to donate to help the people, and the pets. O suggest you also contact the Houston Humane Society — for once the Keeper of the Vault let us put our money where my mouth was and sent a check.
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Also they are planning on trying to play the Mets games in Houston — no game Friday, double header on Saturday, and apparently the players will be using Friday to pitch in and do what they can for the relief effort. A series like this — if they CAN play it — can be an uplift for a whole city. U remember how important that first Mets game was — so I have no problem encouraging you to BREATHE and take time off to see at least one gam, before you start sticking the pool with catfish.
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Stay well, all of us NEED your voice and laughter.
so glad you recommended the Texas Worker Relief group, I gave to them yesterday, among 3 others.
20Can anyone corroborate the news that pets may go with their owners to shelters? or at least some shelters? I haven’t seen them on the coverage?
My nieces in Houston, their families, pets, belongings and homes have made it through safe sound! Hallelujah!
The Twitterverse is really savaging Oozy Croozy and Joey Osteen. It is a lot of fun.
21Hate to rain on everyone’s parade (pardon the bad pun), but just as you’re saying goodbye to Harvey, you can say hello to Irma. She’s growing in the central Atlantic, and by Tuesday, according to the Hurricane Center, should arrive as a major hurricane, in the same patch of water that gave birth to Harvey. And given that, in any given year, hurricanes that start in the same place, tend to end up in the same general area, this could be Harvey Redux for the Gulf Coast. We all hope not, of course, but what I’m saying is that the wise will keep an eye on Irma. May not be done yet with all this water.
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