Our Texas Abode

Our house is really coming together. We've had some painting done, have installed new hardwood floors and carpet on the first floor, and have bought a lot of furniture. We're still in the process of hanging pictures, but we're finally at a point where we can share some shots.

Great room: (with my little buddy peeking out!)


Master bedroom:


Kitchen


Kitchen



View into study:

Front entry:
Study:
Dining room:
Great Room:

The start of Fall where there is no Fall...

I have always loved Fall. The changing leaves, the cool air, football, chili in the crock-pot, pumpkin patch, gourds...the whole bit. Well, here in Houston, Fall doesn't really exist. Today at the library story time, the theme was "Fall" and the leader kept saying how the leaves change and you can rake them and jump in them and it's so fun...yada, yada, yada. And I wanted to yell out to her, "Don't give these kids false hope, lady! The best chance they have for leaf jumping is rounding up debris from Ike and going to town that way." But, the spirit of Fall is not totally lost here. I have set up my little hay bale and scarecrow by the front door, decorated with orange, gold, brown, bought a mum plant (that promptly died), and researched all the Fall Festivals. Here in Texas, you just have to fake the Fall a bit. I guess this is fine by me considering it means we have to fake the snow, ice and wind of winter, too. Now that won't be hard.

Zones: 1, Ike: 0

Clearly, this score is better than the ND/Michigan score from today. We didn't get to see the game (a blessing, I think) because we just got our power back. We lost power at 9 pm last night, and it came back on around 6:15 pm. It's been a long day, but we have a lot to be thankful for. Our home and neighborhood didn't suffer damage. The winds picked up around 10 pm, and then at 5 am they were strong enough to inspire us to get Henry out of the crib and head for the master bedroom closet. Henry thought that laying in the closet was a total gas, and, of course, he wouldn't sleep. Luckily, we got him to take a 3 hour nap this afternoon. Overall, we did fine through our first hurricane. It's not something I'd want to deal with often! Houston is going to be a mess for awhile, though, so send your prayers this way! Thanks to everyone for checking in on us!

Under Curfew

Our county is under curfew. As of right now, the skies are an eerie shade of gray and pink, as the night falls. The wind is picking up quite a bit, and it's howling. We could lose power at any time, so say a little prayer that we don't! It looks like Galveston will be totally submerged. Please send your prayers that Ike moves a bit East. That's the best our county can hope for now.

Ike Update

We're hunkering down here in Katy, as the effects of Ike are starting to be felt on Houston's coast. So far, not much has changed in our neighborhood, save the cloudy skies and few neighbors who have boarded up. We are hoping the storm does not strengthen to a Cat 3; although, we've learned the difference between a high end Cat 2 and low end Cat 3 is nearly the same. Our concern remains winds more than rain, and, of course, the loss of power. We are hoping that any power loss will be remedied quickly. If not, we will head to Austin. Those in Galveston will be most affected, with the news predicting "certain death" to those who stayed behind due to the anticipated storm surge of over 20 feet.

Check the latest updates on The Houston Chronicle's website.

Bottled water, canned goods, and lines at the pump

We're in the midst of preparing for our first hurricane. It looks like Ike will make landfall early Saturday, and Houston is in the path of the storm. As of right now, we are not evacuating. Actually, our county has been asked to avoid the roads to allow for safe passage for those coming in from the coast. The biggest issue for us will be a loss of power, which affects water (think toilets being able to flush), cooking (even the gas cooktop won't work), refrigeration, A/C (it's currently 92), etc. I've learned some interesting survival tips from Texas and Louisiana vets, such as filling the bathtubs with water for flushing toilets and bathing, buying canned goods that can be heated through on a gas grill, and more. Our plan as of right now is to remain at home, with the option of heading to Austin if it looks like our power loss will last awhile. Luckily, we have some friends in Austin, so we have a place to stay. (All the hotels in Austin and San Antonio are booked).

So, that's the latest from Hurricane central. Let's hope Ike loses momentum and power as the day wears on and that he shifts further South.

Missing My Great Lake

We have just returned from a glorious trip to the homeland. Erie is a great place to be in the summer. We enjoyed beautiful, humidity-free weather, cool evenings, cheap drinks, and fun times with our family and friends. It is hard to compare Erie to Katy. They are very different places. But, what stands out the most is how much I miss the trees and water.

I've been on one Great Lake or another my whole life. Being landlocked is new for me. (I know I can get to Gulf, but we're on the West side of Houston. It's not like I can walk there in 10 minutes!) For one thing, I never know what direction I am going. In Erie, the lake is North and in Chicago, it's East, so it's been a bearing for me directionally, and emotionally. The lakes most dear to me, Erie and Michigan, look beautiful late in the day in the summer, when the sun is low in the sky. Of course, Erie has the best sunsets in the world. I've seen the sunset over the prairie here in Texas, and trust me; it's not the same.

Most of all, what stands out to me when I visit Erie is how steeped it is with a sense of place for all who grew up there. Good or bad, Erie leaves an indelible mark. You feel it when you walk into a smoky bar on State Street, when you talk to people who have literally known you your entire life, when you drive by every moment of who you were, and are, in a completely organic way. It's a place where you are all at once a person of a past life and living in the present. It's odd--slightly disconcerting and comforting at the same time.

But now I am back to Texas--a place so different from what I know. And I wonder how I'll find a sense of place here. Where will I turn, with no lake to guide me?