Just thinking...

The waves seen from a Galveston pier on a rainy day in March 2008 and waves hitting rocks on that same rough surf day
The Dolphin Statue that sits (still) by the seawall built in 1902 in Galveston

Rodney's unit returned today after leaving on Tuesday the 2nd to offer emergency assistance and management in Louisiana after Hurricane Gustav. Rodney did not go due to his ongoing medical status, but has worked rear-detachment at the armoury to assist in whatever the unit needed done from base. He has been doing all the paperwork and administrative work. He has been working 7 a week just like them so it was the kind of deployment that National Guard is supposed to do-help at home, in our country whenever needed. I don't understand why they didn't go from where they were over to help in Texas,but obviously it wasn't my call.

I have been following the devastation in Galveston and surrounding areas-I am taken aback by the destruction and havoc that is now the life's of residents that make their homes there. I am thankful that the death toll has been low.
I am so upset that I can't really do anything to help these people who will be in shelters indefinitely. There is nothing for these people to do but wait and all I can do is pray. I want so bad to do something-we don't have much but we have 3 beds that aren't being slept in-it makes me feel helpless.
I have looked for landmarks I recognize from Galveston or Surfside Beach (I have a park sticker on my vehicle for a year-don't think we will be visiting that beach anytime soon.)-there aren't many left-I did see the Dolphin statue. I know what the seawall looks like and I know how rough the waves are in that area even on a slightly stormy day.

I know what hurricanes can do-no I haven't lived through one-but a year after Katrina hit Mississippi and Louisiana-Rodney was training at Camp Shelby. On a visit over the 4th of July 2006-I saw what Gulfport, Mississippi looked like and I saw the devastation still in New Orleans. It breaks my heart-I love the ocean and it's beauty and mystery, I love the beach-the air,the wildlife,sand, sun,seashells-all of it,the Hurricanes make living on the Gulf and close to the shoreline-risky and unsafe every once in awhile-but it still doesn't stop my fascination for wanting to live there-I understand why the residents live where they do even though it doesn't make sense to so many.I grieve today for the people who are living thru this nightmare and I grieve for what can and won't be-rebuilt.

Trying to Keep Imagining!
Tracy

Galveston on my mind

I have been watching the weather and I am very concerned about Hurricane Ike's path right into one of my favorite spots to visit. We spent this last spring break there and had a great, relaxing time with my mom and Carley. I had visited there many years previous as a college student-not that I remember too much about that particular visit other than there was a beach and they sold beer.:)
I have read a great deal about the 1900 Hurricane that killed 6000 and destroyed a lot of the city. There are some amazing old buildings there I cannot imagine never seeing again. Luckily there much more sophisticated weather prediction now so people are safer, but it doesn't change the destruction ability of the storm. They built the sea wall-but I wonder if it is tall enough. I love this city!
On MSN news they said that this is the storm the people of Galveston prayed would never happen. I pray most people in the area have taken the advice of evacuating. I just can't imagine what the Texas Gulf coast(including Houston and Corpus) will look like when this horrible storm is over. It just isn't getting the media attention that anything going towards Louisiana has. We even heard yesterday that Rodney's guard unit was heading back today-seems like they should be moving closer to where there is going to be more people in need in a few short hours.
Praying Ike will fizzle out...If you live in that area stay safe and I am thinking about you and your homes.
Trying to Keep Imagining!
Tracy