Surviving

[Hilde’s log]

Blessedly, the rain has let up. It is still gray, still raining in bursts and spatters, but nothing like the sustained downpours of the last several days. The news is that they will open the reservoirs north of Houston today. God knows what that will do. Make the Houston swimming pool deeper, I guess.

The water level on the channel is down significantly. This morning I could see the grass on the berm in front of the boat for the first time in two days. The water is still rushing by, but it’s lower, for the moment. We are no longer in danger of having to resort to Plan B. At least we have Plan B. Those on land just have to wait and hope.

I have been texting friends in Dickinson this morning, and it’s heartbreaking. So many have lost everything: houses, contents, cars, businesses. Our former church is underwater. So are my doctors and dentist offices. Thankfully, I have heard of no injuries or fatalities, but the loss of property, especially your home or the private business you have spent years building up, is almost as devastating. I’d say this is easily as bad as Ike nine years ago.

Harvey, meanwhile, is meandering SE, and hasn’t decided whether to wander into the Gulf and back ashore here or not. So for the moment we are fine (depressed, irritable, and bored, but fine).

Psychically, I am picking up on the swell of upset throughout the region. It’s pretty deafening. I find myself mentally pacing back and forth to escape it. Being confined on the boat is not helping.

This afternoon, assuming it finally does slack off, we will dinghy ashore and see if our storage area is flooded or not. I am so sick of things, I am of two minds… Our RV is on a lot in the middle of Houston off I-59. I have no idea if it survived or not. Again, I am of two minds. The chain of possessions is heavy.

I have a big case of survivor’s guilt as well. We never even lost power. We float, we are high and dry and comfortable, with plenty of food and water and all the comforts of home, and other than yesterday morning, which was pretty tense, we have not been fearful. Others are stranded in motels or at friends’ houses, wondering if and when they will be able to go back to homes that aren’t there.

Just heartbreaking.