Our niece called from her her home in Houston, and gave us an account of how its been going in the aftermath of Ike, and what has been used the most.
Before the storm, she gassed up her Honda Element, and bought some extra cans of Colman fuel for her camp stove. Water was stored in several clorax bottles and a few cases of bottled water. All her flashlights are AA, Several boxes of emergency candles.
Now after a few days, she says the drinking water, camp stove and canned goods have been the savior. Dried food took too much water to make, but she and her husband and young son could pop open a few cans and warm up and eat. They stocked up on canned goods before the storm hit. Now they are going to keep canned stuff on hand and rotate the stock, rather than have to use water cooking up dry stuff like rice, pasta. They have used the can opener on a sak a few times a day.
The LED converted minimags have proved totally adaquite for finding the way around the dark house, and yard at night. They each have one on them at all times.
A manual bow saw has let them saw up some of the broken off tree limbs in thier yard. No gas required. The gas stations that have reopened have long lines of people waiting to get gas.
Mountain bikes have proved very valuble. She or her husband has used them for local erands instead of burning the gas in the car, till things get a little more back to normal.
Her nieghborhood has been hit with alot of wind damage to roofs and windows, and plastic sheeting has been needed. They've used pre-packed disposable painting drop cloths from Walmart for tacking down over roof damage, duct taping the uphill side. Plastic sheeting and duct tape have been used alot. They plan to have more on hand in the future.
Rolls of twine have been needed for making bundles of debris to put out by the curb. Sawed up limbs, blown in trash, roof shingles.
Its very hot, no power=no air conditioning. To help keep cooler they wet down a t shirt and the slightest breeze feels very nice.
Last but not least; her .22 rifle was used once. She was making some tea on the camp stove in her kitchen while husband Steve was out in the nieghborhood helping a nieghbor down the street that did not fair as well as they, when 6 year old Torrin came running in telling her that there were men in the back yard, looking in their shed. They have a metal shed that the wind half tore off the roof, and the doors were hanging off. Inside were thier bicycles, lawnmowers, spare gas cans, and stuff. Bronwyn stepped half out the back door and told the men to get out of her yard or be burried in it. She has a fine Irish temper to go with the celtic family tree. The men ran off. Guess they didn't feel like arguing with a gal with a 10/22 in her hands.
Today she said they are almost used to camping out at the house, but hope power comes back soon. They are doing okay. Slowly but surely, Houston is comming back to life she says.
Before the storm, she gassed up her Honda Element, and bought some extra cans of Colman fuel for her camp stove. Water was stored in several clorax bottles and a few cases of bottled water. All her flashlights are AA, Several boxes of emergency candles.
Now after a few days, she says the drinking water, camp stove and canned goods have been the savior. Dried food took too much water to make, but she and her husband and young son could pop open a few cans and warm up and eat. They stocked up on canned goods before the storm hit. Now they are going to keep canned stuff on hand and rotate the stock, rather than have to use water cooking up dry stuff like rice, pasta. They have used the can opener on a sak a few times a day.
The LED converted minimags have proved totally adaquite for finding the way around the dark house, and yard at night. They each have one on them at all times.
A manual bow saw has let them saw up some of the broken off tree limbs in thier yard. No gas required. The gas stations that have reopened have long lines of people waiting to get gas.
Mountain bikes have proved very valuble. She or her husband has used them for local erands instead of burning the gas in the car, till things get a little more back to normal.
Her nieghborhood has been hit with alot of wind damage to roofs and windows, and plastic sheeting has been needed. They've used pre-packed disposable painting drop cloths from Walmart for tacking down over roof damage, duct taping the uphill side. Plastic sheeting and duct tape have been used alot. They plan to have more on hand in the future.
Rolls of twine have been needed for making bundles of debris to put out by the curb. Sawed up limbs, blown in trash, roof shingles.
Its very hot, no power=no air conditioning. To help keep cooler they wet down a t shirt and the slightest breeze feels very nice.
Last but not least; her .22 rifle was used once. She was making some tea on the camp stove in her kitchen while husband Steve was out in the nieghborhood helping a nieghbor down the street that did not fair as well as they, when 6 year old Torrin came running in telling her that there were men in the back yard, looking in their shed. They have a metal shed that the wind half tore off the roof, and the doors were hanging off. Inside were thier bicycles, lawnmowers, spare gas cans, and stuff. Bronwyn stepped half out the back door and told the men to get out of her yard or be burried in it. She has a fine Irish temper to go with the celtic family tree. The men ran off. Guess they didn't feel like arguing with a gal with a 10/22 in her hands.
Today she said they are almost used to camping out at the house, but hope power comes back soon. They are doing okay. Slowly but surely, Houston is comming back to life she says.
