Great Winter Storm
During the Great Winter Storm of 2021, officially called Uri, I was stuck in Houston, when power outages left millions of us Texans without electricity, heat and running water.
By wearing woolen gloves, hats, socks, pants and sweaters around the clock I managed to stay warm (enough). And, because of the presence of a gas stove in my kitchen, I remained well-nourished. Still, my patience and survival skills, like those of others all over the state, were put to the test.
I hated the cold, of course, but I really struggled with the loss of electricity at night. With no TV or radio, no light to read by and the inability to use of my digital devices at will, I was (quite literally ) at a loss. If it hadn’t been for a couple of flashlights and the occasional calls and texts from friends (checking in on me), I would have gone stir crazy!
Fortunately, my personal ordeal lasted just three days. It could have been worse. Much worse. And, for many, it was!
While “roughing it” in Houston, I kept wondering how bad things were in Galveston and how my island neighbors were doing. As it turned out, their cold, dark days were even more challenging than mine and spanned even more long days and nights.
Neighbors on my street here were great about keeping me updated on how they were faring and the status of their homes - and The Bungalow. My next door neighbor, Jim, took it upon himself to make sure my place would fare as well as possible. He shut off the water and wrapped exposed pipes at The Bungalow, just as he had done at his own home. Jim also ventured out in the freezing weather numerous times and walked in and around my property to see if anything tragic was happening. And, finally, Jim let me know (as soon as he realized it) that some pipes under the house had, despite his efforts, broken.
As unfortunate as that news was, the early notification was a Godsend. It allowed me to call a local plumber to schedule repair work right away.
Today, my son, Matt, and I were finally able to return to the island and meet with Marcos who was at The Bungalow finishing up the tasks at hand. He led us around the property, showed us where the problem areas had been. In all, about a dozen pipes had cracked. Luckily, all were situated under the house, so there were no leaks or damage inside the house. (Gotta love a century-old Craftsman built on a pier-and-beam foundation!)
I knew the scrubs around The Bungalow would have been adversely affected by the Winter Storm Uri, but I was taken aback by the sight of my beloved oleanders in the front yard. All their beautiful green leaves had been replaced by ugly brown ones. Clearly, they will need to be dug up and replaced or pruned down to the ground so new growth can sprout forth near the roots. (Deciding which way to go will be a decision for another day!)
Alas, I really loved my pretty pink oleanders, and I am mourning their loss right now. At the same time, I am giving thanks for the survival of the boxwood hedges, colorful pansies and the 100-year-old live oak tree in the front yard, as well as the fig tree, crepe myrtles and palm trees in the back.
Looking at the lush, green “survivors” makes me smile - as always. But, today, more than ever!
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2022
- Mar 17, 2022 Ivy Dishes
- Jan 29, 2022 Grace Episcopal Church
- Jan 1, 2022 100 Years
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2021
- Aug 25, 2021 My Fig Tree
- Apr 28, 2021 Darlene's Shrimp
- Apr 24, 2021 Oleander Festival
- Feb 27, 2021 Great Winter Storm
- Feb 10, 2021 The Mourning Wave
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2020
- Oct 26, 2020 Crepe Myrtles
- Sep 18, 2020 Trimming the Palms
- Jul 19, 2020 The Dancers
- Jul 11, 2020 Postcards
- Jun 20, 2020 Resilience Flag
- Jun 19, 2020 Juneteenth
- Jun 10, 2020 Silk Stocking
- May 27, 2020 Tree Sculptures
- May 6, 2020 Babe's Beach
- Apr 22, 2020 Opera House
- Mar 2, 2020 Texas Heroes Monument
- Feb 15, 2020 Mardi Gras Parade
- Jan 19, 2020 St. Joseph's Church
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2019
- Dec 15, 2019 Celebrations
- Nov 6, 2019 Fresh Paint
- Oct 21, 2019 Jazz Age Series
- Oct 20, 2019 ARToberFEST
- Oct 6, 2019 Stingeree
- Oct 5, 2019 Pumpkin Time
- Oct 2, 2019 Sea Turtles
- Sep 29, 2019 Powhatan House
- Sep 24, 2019 The Dolphins
- Sep 5, 2019 Lucas Apartments
- Aug 24, 2019 Sandcastles
- Aug 9, 2019 The Daily News
- Jul 18, 2019 Beach Walk
- Jul 10, 2019 La King's
- May 25, 2019 Pleasure Pier
- May 1, 2019 Bolivar Ferry
- Mar 15, 2019 Saengerfest Park
- Jan 19, 2019 Moody Mansion
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2018
- Dec 18, 2018 The Vintage Suitcase
- Dec 17, 2018 Festival of Lights
- Dec 2, 2018 Sunday Brunch
- Nov 21, 2018 Hendley Row
- Oct 27, 2018 Island Oktoberfest
- Sep 20, 2018 The Strand Clock
- Sep 16, 2018 St. Mary Cathedral
- Aug 11, 2018 No More Shed
- Jun 10, 2018 Rosenberg Library
- May 7, 2018 Stepping It Up
- May 3, 2018 A Happy Hour
- May 1, 2018 Ashton Villa
- Apr 21, 2018 96th Birthday
- Apr 1, 2018 Seawolf Park
- Mar 27, 2018 Ball High School
- Mar 15, 2018 East End
- Feb 1, 2018 Tremont House
- Jan 26, 2018 Menardi Gras
- Jan 24, 2018 Mardi Gras Decor
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2017
- Dec 1, 2017 Miss Ruby
- Oct 8, 2017 Railroad Museum
- Oct 7, 2017 Tall Ship Elissa
- Sep 9, 2017 Star Drug Store
- Sep 8, 2017 1900 Storm Statue
- Aug 6, 2017 The Turquoise Table
- Aug 1, 2017 Bishop's Palace
- Jul 23, 2017 Garten-Verein
- Jul 21, 2017 Yard Work
- Jul 16, 2017 The Strand
- Jun 17, 2017 Stewart Beach
- Jun 7, 2017 The Original
- Jun 3, 2017 Murdochs
- May 27, 2017 Bryan Museum
- May 19, 2017 Firemen on Call
- May 13, 2017 Williams-Borden Neighborhood
- May 1, 2017 Oleander City
- Apr 28, 2017 God Winks