1. Have you experienced living through an extreme weather event- what was it and how did you cope?
Hurricane Alicia passed directly over our home in Houston in 1983. We didn't try to evacuate, because it was a low level storm and we didn't live near enough to the Gulf of Mexico to worry about tidal flooding. Portia and Babs were 2 years and 6 months old, respectively. The winds had that eerie "howling" for about 18 hours before the storm hit land.
Afterwards there was a strange energy in the air. I remember how silent the neighborhood was since the freeway near our home was shut down and there was no traffic noise. El Jefe kept fielding phone calls from lawyers and bankers in New York City who didn't understand why the firm was closed. There was broken glass everywhere downtown and the police cordoned off the area until it could be cleared.
We had no power in sweltering heat for 3 days. Just as I was packing up the babies to go to my sister-in-law's home the lights came on. Glory Hallelujah! But our across-the-street neighbors had no power for 2 weeks. I kept my friend's perishables in my refrigerator for her.
Afterwards there was a strange energy in the air. I remember how silent the neighborhood was since the freeway near our home was shut down and there was no traffic noise. El Jefe kept fielding phone calls from lawyers and bankers in New York City who didn't understand why the firm was closed. There was broken glass everywhere downtown and the police cordoned off the area until it could be cleared.
We had no power in sweltering heat for 3 days. Just as I was packing up the babies to go to my sister-in-law's home the lights came on. Glory Hallelujah! But our across-the-street neighbors had no power for 2 weeks. I kept my friend's perishables in my refrigerator for her.
2. How important is it that we wake up to issues such as global warming?
I think people are concerned about it. But we need much more thorough "hard science" to determine what is the best way to address the issue than we have at the moment.3. The Christian message needs to include stewardship of the earths resources agree/ disagree?
Most denominations address this issue, as far as I know.And because it is summer- on a brighter note....
4. What is your favourite season and why?
I love fall, but we don't get much of it here. It's wonderful to get that first cool front of the season in late September and know the unrelenting heat is about to break!5. Describe your perfect vacation weather....
I loved the weather in Aruba--warm but not stifling, breezy and low humidity. Perfect for sipping margaritas and reading on the beach.
I loved the weather in Aruba--warm but not stifling, breezy and low humidity. Perfect for sipping margaritas and reading on the beach.
10 comments:
Thanks for playing- so glad you survived the storm- and bet your friend was grateful for your help.
Amen to #5!! We just got back from Aruba 2 weeks ago and I want to go back already!
On a weather related note, I kept reading that it never rains in Aruba. What a relief after all the rain in Houston this summer! We got to Aruba and it rained 2 days while we were there! Ack, it followed us!
Aruba sounds GREAT!
And the hurricane type weather is a familiar one to me, unfortunately. Thank goodness I have not had to experience a Katrina like storm. Praying for those that still are.
We have so much in common with 1,4 and 5. Although I didn't have babies in the hurricane I experienced. That must have been really harrowing.
I remember Alicia - we were up the road in College Station at the time.
We watched Charlie and 3 of his buddies rumble through Orlando - that wind sound is definitely unique to hurricanes. And never quite leaves the mind.
Okay, well now I officially feel old! Hurricane Alicia was the year I graduated high school, so how could your grown up girls have been BABIES then!? Ack!!
We were going to the Simon & Garfunkel concert that night, but it got cancelled. So we went out to dinner. On the way home, I found a billboard blown down across the frontage road just before my exit on the Katy Freeway. In an insane attempt to be a good citizen, I thought I'd get out of the car and move it.
Yeah, right. Me, alone.
Needless to say I drove around it and left it there!
My word verification is "durrty" which is what Houston was after that storm!
your story from #1 and the NYC folks just not understanding why the firm was closed... reminded me of that old salsa commerical...
I'm glade I don't live in a hurricane-prone region, although we've had a few trips to the basement over the years during tornado warnings.
Hot cup--
El Jefe had some VERY unprintable words for the New Yorkers. As you can imagine! If he'd only had a rope...
I think we lived less than two miles apart during Alicia. As you noted, there was so much variation in how long people were without power, even on the same block.
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