A Week Without Electricity

On Saturday after the storm blew over we decided to head back to our apartment to see if there was any damage. We didn't have electricity (to be expected), but thankfully we didn't have any water or wind damage - even to our car that we left (without thinking) under a flimsy metal awning. We remain so grateful as we know of many people who were not as fortunate. This is a building that we passed on our way home where the whole first floor completely flooded. People were walking around the balconies on the second floor and rescue boats were being sent out from the highway to bring them onto dry land. ***Note - I don't know why this is underlining but I don't know how to make it go away. Hopefully it won't keep doing this!!

It was much cooler outside than it was inside so we spent most of the day catching the breeze that was left over from Ike.



Helicopters (big ones!) were flying over for a couple of weeks! Graham loved watching them.
But he hated cold baths :o( How sad is that face?!
Aslan was so hot that night that he didn't want to even get up for water. We gave in and brought it to him instead.
Trying to boil water over a small alcohol stove covered by a cut out coffee can. It worked...kind of.

The next day we stood in line for over an hour at the Lowes and we were able to buy some small propane cans for our camp stove!
Poor Aslan... "I just want to be outside!"
What a breakfast!!
We came to a point where the grocery stores were not selling ice and we had already cooked all of our meat and other perishables but we didn't have a way to keep them cold. So after listening to the radio (and calling my dad to look online for us) Graham and I made our way to the FEMA distribution center that was close to us. I was amazed at the line of people waiting in their cars. This is a picture of a portion of the cars that we were trailing around a big sports complex.
And then we made it to the trucks - We were so thankful for the ice to last us until the next day when the stores started getting ice in again!

Graham loved the wind up radio
More camping meals :o)
Nat went back to the church to work for most of the week. Graham and I thought of fun things to do while he was away... Like eating.
Playing in the open windows...
Loving Aslan

and building forts out of couch cushions!
We also received a call from a friend from church (Traci) who lives in Kemah and had water damage in her house. We were able to go and help her with some work in the house (pulling up carpet) and outside of her house too. She amazingly had electricity so I even took a hot shower and she was gracious to offer it to us the rest of the week as needed! Traci cleaning up her yard.
Nat and Graham playing around :o)
Since we were in Kemah to help her out we took some pictures of some of the damage that was still left over right near the bay.
Supposedly, all of these boats were in the median of the road after the storm. I think that these models from Johnson Space Center started out in the same position they ended up...
The week continues on without electricity...
And Graham and Aslan continue to love on each other in front of the open windows.
Nothing like music and dancing to wind down the evening!
The following Friday afternoon our electricity turned back on -- hooray!! We were at the point of taking up an offer to stay with someone else at the church who did have electricity and I was about to start packing our bags when, voila! There it was! Despite it being a little annoying, we really don't have anything to complain about and enjoyed the days and nights we had camping out in our apartment! It did help that the temperature during the day never went above 81 degrees, though - it was in the 90s the week before and the week after this ordeal! We were also very thankful for the encouragement and prayers of our families and friends!