Once again, it's been awhile...

Hurricane Ike was an interesting storm that will be studied for some time, I think. While only a Category 2 storm in terms of wind strength, Ike brought a Category 4 storm surge (which was still not as bad as some expected it to be) and completely destroyed several coastal areas here in Texas.

We fared wonderfully, and while I have no idea how we were so blessed, I'm definitely grateful. Portions of our neighborhood were likely struck by a tornado during the storm and a few houses and buildings are still a mess. The apartments nearby really took a beating, too. As for us, we lost power for 3 days (a shorter time than some of my friends in Columbus who experienced hurricane force winds ... in Ohio, that's crazy), had to completely restock our fridge, a large limb fell off a tree in our yard (not anywhere near our house) and of course we had a lot of tree debris to collect for pick-up. Our only concern is roof damage that we may not be able to see, so we're going to have an inspector check it out later in the year once they've caught up with all of the major damage.

While I haven't been to Galveston Island or down in Kemah, I have heard a lot of horror stories from folks that I know. The historic areas were badly hit, but there is a great spirit here in Texas and many business owners and the Galveston Historical Foundation are already working hard to rebuild everything. I truly believe the Texas spirit of working together and helping each other will make Galveston better than it was before the storm. I have heard nothing of anyone waiting for someone to help them, but rather a lot of stories of people just stepping up to do their part. This area will be back to normal before anyone knows it.

Power and gas supply remained the biggest hurdles for most people not living on the Island or near the Bay. It took nearly 3 weeks for power to restored to some neighborhoods and several grocery stores were running on generators. Ice and water became hot commodities, as did pop-tarts and chips. For awhile, it was nearly impossible to find dairy products, frozen foods or meats. And gas stations typically had gas one day and none the next. Lines were long in the few days after Ike made landfall, but now it seems that the real gas issues are in Georgia and North Carolina.

Houston seems to be operating at a near-normal level now and efforts to assist those areas more affected by the storm are immense. From United Way and oil companies to local volunteers and churches, everyone seems to be offering their time, talent and treasure for the recovery and rebuilding efforts. I have never seen a greater showing of community involvement and activism, and all without question or expectation. It is truly remarkable.

Aside from hurricane recovery, the coming month could be a challenge for me. I have a growing list of proposals to submit by the end of October so work will be busier than ever (I'm not complaining, just recognizing and embracing the challenge) and my husband is out of town until November 1 at a training school in Virgina. I have no doubt that my weeks will remain busy, with a series of television shows to follow, volunteer commitments, work events and visits to the gym.

October also seems to be the month for activity - there are festivals and happenings every weekend of the month. The Italian Festival is this weekend, the Buffalo Bayou Downtown art show next weekend, and Galveston's "Ike's OverFest" (a revised version of the annual OktoberFest) the one after that and a hot air balloon festival at Ellington Field the last weekend. This doesn't include a myriad of church festivals (including my own), sporting events, Make a Difference Day, or Halloween. Needless to say, with my addiction to both college and professional football and all of these events, I certainly shouldn't find myself bored. I also have a friend coming to town on Friday, staying through Monday. It's her first trip to visit me and we plan to make the most of it.

At first I thought I would be scared or sad about spending 30 days by myself in a city I still don't know well, but I've discovered I'm stronger than I thought I was. I am enjoying some time to focus on things that are important to me, finishing some projects I've had on a to-do list for some time, and enjoying some weather that finally feels like fall. I know this time will pass quickly, so I'll just enjoy as much as I can and look forward to welcoming Mike home in November.

(And hope I still feel as strong and happy three weeks from now!)