Saturday, September 24, 2005

I'm Here

Well, the storm's effects in Alvin, Texas, have been minimal so far. We still have power, which is amazing, considering that we often lose power in just a little rainstorm.

We had high wind last night, but it never got near hurricane force, and we had some rain, but not a whole lot. We were very, very lucky.

And all the good thoughts and encouragement from people who read the blog were a big help to me. I was seriously worried at one point last week, thinking that I'd made the biggest blunder of my life by deciding to stay here instead of leaving. Now I'm feeling pretty good about my choice.

What worries me now is the future. Four major hurricanes in Florida last year. Two major hurricanes all too close to me within a few weeks this year. That doesn't bode well.

Thanks again for your support and encouragement. Believe me, it made a difference.

9 comments:

ShellyS said...

Glad you're all right. May you continue to be so. :)

JD Rhoades said...

Excellent news, Bill. Glad the worst of it missed you.

Anonymous said...

Bill--

Glad you made it through! I've been checking in on your blog a couple times per day to hear from the "font lines," while assuming our Bro Joe & family were safe and dry! I suspect your concerns about the future are justified; I've heard enough experts blame the severity of these storms on global warning. When oh when are some of you good guys going to move out and become neigbhors with this ol' sunshine boy? Worst you can say about the weather in southeastern Arizona is that it gets too dang hot for 3-4 months every summer...which is actually quite conducive to writing, (staying inside all day to keep cool, etc). Anyway, well done, Bill. I hope the worst is behind.

mybillcrider said...

Arizona's sounding better all the time, Steve!

Andi said...

Bill, I'm forever thinking "where to move" because while I love the Pacific NW, the dampness and chill don't love me. But we tend to avoid many of the worst of North American weather dramas - hurricanes, tornados, fires. We get quakes, yes, indeed, and flooding, out yonder, and yeah we've seen funnel clouds on the news, but we tend to have less drama (the last big volcano thing was years before we relocated). Every time that a friend is in a nasty area, like where you are I DO wonder (don't we all) what would I do?
And while Stu and I fretted about your decision, after seeing/hearing the stories of people TRYING to evacuate, I realized why you chose to stay put and understood just how smart that was - you DID have a place to go to if you had to and I know we all would have wondered about 15 hours in traffic with no gas, no services, overheating cars, overheating tempers.
We're SO glad you're ok - and that news about Joe Lansdale? That's just not fair. Sheesh.

mybillcrider said...

Thanks, Andi. Stan Burns has suggested that New Mexico is the place to go. Not as hot as Arizona, no earthquakes, tornadoes, and so on. Maybe he has a point.

Cap'n Bob said...

I'm all for Andi leaving the Pacific Northwest.

Too bad about Lansdale's house, but I can see the irony in it.

So, was there ever a moment when you thought you had just enough time left to read one more book? If so, which book would you choose? One of your own? One you haven't read yet? An Avallone? Inquiring minds want to know.

mybillcrider said...

I think if I had time for one book, I'd have to finish the one I'm reading now, even though I know pretty much exactly how it'll end. (Fighting Horse Valley by Murray Leinster is the one.)

Juri said...

Great to hear you're okay. Send Joe Lansdale my regards, even though with 99,9999999 % chance he's never heard of me.