Monday, August 28, 2017

Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head

Hello Darlings...

I'm taking a break from whining about my cancer because something much bigger and worse is going on in my state and frankly my little bout with something trying to kill me pales in comparison to a catastrophic storm...

I've never liked the name Harvey...

It always sounded like a name that belonged in the past and wasn't a name of a cool guy you wanted to date.

I preferred to date guys with names like Chad---never dated a Chad but you catch my drift.  The Harvey's of the world never were likely to get my attention because...Harvey...

I mean how cool can Harvey be?

Well now I can unequivocally tell you that I hate the name Harvey forever...

Because Harvey showed up in Texas and he was far from being a cool kid...

Hurricane Harvey came with a vengeance and he has damaged so much...

first he destroyed my beloved Rockport---a small coastal town where I spent many a happy sunny day on the water...when I was married we owned a condo there with my mom.  I'm not sure the condo is still standing (it was sold by my ex after our divorce).

On Saturday morning I woke up to hear how Rockport and Port Aransas and some other coastal towns had been devastated by the storm and I knew we were in for some rain.

And rain we got...

Over the last 48 hours my beautiful city of Houston has gotten more rainfall than it usually does IN AN ENTIRE YEAR

And that rain has come to RUIN.

I am so incredibly blessed.

My house is safe.

The water has filled my street but only come up in my driveway a few feet.  My backyard has managed to absorb the water and not hold on to it.

I have not been without power for more than 5 minutes and I have running water.

I have plenty of food.

(I am, however, in danger of growing feathers from all the chicken I have been eating)

I have plenty of vodka for my nightly diet-breaking dirty martini.

(because what you consume during a storm doesn't count)

I do have horrible cabin fever.  I miss my workouts so much I could cry.  I love my house but I am kind of tired of being a prisoner in it (reminds me of post-chemo days) and the cats are sick of me.

My street has handled the water and even though there have been periods of time I could not safely leave my neighborhood for the most part this has been a non-event to my life.

I think God has spared me (if you do indeed believe God works that way) because He threw me a mighty giant curve ball in the form of very deadly cancer so I think He decided that after having me fight for my life I didn't need to fight for my home.

It would have made for a fabulous Lifetime or Hallmark movie ("the sweet divorcee takes on cancer and then faces a flood!") but life is NOT a Lifetime or Hallmark movie.

Life is real.

And shit just got real here in Houston.

I have friends who have lost their homes.

And by lost their homes I mean that their homes are no longer inhabitable because so much water has entered their homes and remained.

I will not list names but these are people I know and love and are IMPORTANT to me...

One of my dear friends just won "yard of the month" last week.

Yard of the month...

she was so proud of that!

And she had already overcome having her house flood once before.

And when I saw the photo she posted on social media showing off that "yard of the month" sign I cried...because I know how hard she and her hubby have worked to rebuild their home and earn that sign.

When all of this is over I have promised my girl that I will cook her whatever she wants for dinner and we will drink my "why did I pay this much for a bottle of wine" wine.

She deserves it

I have friends who have had to leave their homes in boats.

Yes, in boats...

They had to climb into the boat that a stranger was kind enough to put in the water to rescue people and leave their home and belongings and get into a boat and go to safety.

Think on that for a minute (and yes my "yard of the month" girl had to do the same thing).

Contemplate leaving your home and all your precious things like photos of your child when she was a baby and photos of your deceased loved ones...your wedding gown you hoped to pass on to your daughter...your son's college diploma...the artwork your child made that you were saving...your grandmother's collection of knicknacks that were passed on to you...your beloved aunt's ring...that piece of furniture that had been handed down for generations...

and you climb into a little boat with the clothes on your back and you leave it all behind...

(excuse me while I go cry for a minute....seriously)

and you grab your pets and/or child and you leave...

because the water is taking it away...

I have friends who were told to evacuate their neighborhood by the sheriff's department or by policemen driving down their street yelling into bullhorns that they needed to evacuate immediately.

So my friends (more than one family) got into their cars and left...not knowing if they will come back to a liveable home or not...

let that sink in for a moment...

I cried when I saw my friend's facebook post about the policemen with bullhorns because up until now my biggest worry in this storm was if I was going to get to watch Game of Thrones season finale

(I still haven't watched)

My friends got into cars and boats and left their homes...

and I was worried about a tv show...

puts things into a very terrible perspective

My ex called me last night.

He was at his girlfriend's house.

She lives in a very flood prone area.  And that area was due to have the nearby reservoir release water.  The streets will flood.  Her house might flood.  The larger streets that lead to the neighborhood have been under water for weeks at a time in the past.

She is out of town so he went to her home to secure it because his townhouse was safe.

Now he might not be able to get out and return to his place for a few more days...and his kitty is safe for now (she used to be MY kitty so I worry) but he assures me she will be ok.  And trust me I am a bitch enough of an ex that I will break into that damn place and get her if need be.

I have friends that are watching the water creep up their yards and driveways as they wait to see if it will enter their homes.  You can't exactly relax and work when you are wondering if you will have water in your home.

These are all people I know...

And as I watch tv I see so many many more stories just like this...people who are stranded in their homes and apartments by water.

I cry...

I cry a lot...

As I write this the flood control is giving a press conference about releasing water from the reservoirs and it will affect my ex's girlfriend's neighborhood and home...

I don't know her but she is nice to my kids...

and so I cry again...

for a woman who loves the man I once loved who now may lose her home she has worked hard for as a single mom...

There is so much tragedy and sadness

So much damage...

But there is one thing that I can unequivocally tell you about Houstonians:

WE ARE THE TOUGHEST STRONGEST AND MOST GIVING PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY

We will survive this...

it won't be pretty and it will take a while but we will survive...

We have been blessed by people from all over this state and Louisiana and other states coming here with boats and large trucks to help.  The Cajun Navy is here trying to rescue people.

Strangers are helping strangers...

neighbors are helping neighbors...

The shelters are filling and people are wanting to help (if we can just get out of our neighborhoods)

We are Houston strong...

We won't let this defeat us...

we are the 4th largest city in the country but we are first when it comes to heart

I moved to Houston in 1978.  I was born in Kingsville (which is my hometown even though I live here) and I went to high school in Kerrville (not my hometown but a place I love) but Houston is really my city.  I wasn't born here but like so many Houstonians it is my city and the place I will really consider my home.

I wouldn't live anywhere else.

And this horrific storm won't kill my city...

This storm will bring us together and we will show the world just what Houston is made of.

So for my friends who have lost so much---let me do something for you!  You all are friends who supported me during my cancer time and lifted me up when I was at rock bottom. I will never forget the love I felt from my "yard of the month" girl when I texted to tell her I was sick---I could FEEL her love through the phone.  I got you girl---this time it is MY turn to lift you.

All of you---all of you who have lost something let me help you!  Let me cook for you...or bring over wine...or wash your clothes...or give you a place to sleep...or drive you somewhere because you lost your car...or just let me wrap my arms around you and hug you...

And I am gonna wrap my arms around this city and love it...

The rain will eventually stop...and the sun will eventually come out...and there will be hard hard work ahead to get this place back on its feet.

But we will rise...

we will rise...

and it won't be easy

but we will shine...

Houston we have a problem...

but that problem will be overcome...its a horrific painful problem but we will beat it....

and when we do---LOOK OUT

because this city is going to show the world that Texans and Houstonians may be down but we are never ever out...

Houston I love you...

Inspiration Song: a no-brainer here: Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head by BJ Thomas...and just like the song says: "there's one thing I know...the blues they send to meet me won't defeat me...it won't be long until happiness steps up to greet me"...

Bye Darlings: if you are not from Houston please pray for us...this city is going to need a lot of help...







No comments:

Post a Comment