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Author Topic:   Score: Zephyr 1, Katrina 0
zephyr
Member (Idle past 4549 days)
Posts: 821
From: FOB Taji, Iraq
Joined: 04-22-2003


Message 1 of 16 (247233)
09-29-2005 9:37 AM


Just dropping a note to let y'all know I came through just fine. I was on leave in Hawaii when the storm hit. I had been there a few days visiting family, and basically got told to hang tight for what turned into another 3 weeks. Aside from worrying about my friends and my house for a while, it was a great time. I eventually heard from everyone, and they're OK, but a lot of the folks from the western side of the coast have lost everything. Many of them have already left the state permanently.
I came home Monday of last week and found my own place in pretty good shape. A lot of my fence got blown down and my roof got chewed up around the edges, but it's all DIY-able. Red Cross money should cover it. All in all, I was so lucky that I almost feel bad.
Living here now is pretty lame, to be honest. Late September and temps are still topping 90, and there's dirt and debris everywhere. I'm still dodging the top of a huge tree every time I hit the freeway exit to get home, because other things have taken precedence. Two of the main arteries into Biloxi will be out for months or years, and the most direct one remaining is marginally functional due to storm damage. My 20-minute commute has doubled, and that's if I leave in the wee hours to beat the worst traffic. The base hospital, commissary, and BX are out of commission till some time next year, and they still haven't let my people bring their families back due to this lack of services.
The worst part about this all is that Walmart is practically the only place to get a lot of your basic needs, and I EFFING HATE WALMART.
Hehe.
At least things are improving gradually... Keesler is throwing up temporary replacement facilities, the garbage in the roads is being hauled away a truckload at a time, and little by little the houses are starting to look whole again. With that, I gotta run. Take care, all.

Replies to this message:
 Message 2 by jar, posted 09-29-2005 9:41 AM zephyr has not replied
 Message 3 by Asgara, posted 09-29-2005 9:55 AM zephyr has replied
 Message 4 by berberry, posted 09-29-2005 10:01 AM zephyr has replied

  
zephyr
Member (Idle past 4549 days)
Posts: 821
From: FOB Taji, Iraq
Joined: 04-22-2003


Message 5 of 16 (247254)
09-29-2005 10:46 AM
Reply to: Message 3 by Asgara
09-29-2005 9:55 AM


My cousin was in charge of the BX facilities down there (if I've got my family info correct). His house in Gulfport was demolished and he and his wife are living in a camper.
I'm really sorry to hear that. It's happened to so many people here... that's why I feel weird about coming through so well. What are you gonna do, though
I guess the obvious answer is to get out and help. The aquarium where I used to volunteer had its contents blasted all over Point Cadet, so I need to find something else anyway.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 3 by Asgara, posted 09-29-2005 9:55 AM Asgara has not replied

  
zephyr
Member (Idle past 4549 days)
Posts: 821
From: FOB Taji, Iraq
Joined: 04-22-2003


Message 6 of 16 (247255)
09-29-2005 10:47 AM
Reply to: Message 4 by berberry
09-29-2005 10:01 AM


It's great to hear you're okay. Don't worry about the weather, a cold front's passing through today and temps all over the state are going down about 12 degrees or so, at least for a couple days. Maybe you can get more work done in the improved conditions.
Maybe so, maybe so. Did you get hit much in Vicksburg?
This message has been edited by zephyr, 09-29-2005 10:48 AM

This message is a reply to:
 Message 4 by berberry, posted 09-29-2005 10:01 AM berberry has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 7 by berberry, posted 09-29-2005 11:15 AM zephyr has replied

  
zephyr
Member (Idle past 4549 days)
Posts: 821
From: FOB Taji, Iraq
Joined: 04-22-2003


Message 8 of 16 (247330)
09-29-2005 2:16 PM
Reply to: Message 7 by berberry
09-29-2005 11:15 AM


Wow, I knew Hattiesburg got whacked (after seeing Gulfport, I can imagine the damage only 50 miles inland) but to hear that it reached Meridian with such force surprises me. The thing really was a bloody oversized tornado.
Rita slapped us with outer band thunderstorms for what seemed like an eternity... blow, rain, then dead calm and heat again, even at midnight. The first one was around noon on Friday and the curving path kept us on the perimeter through Sunday. I'm glad you didn't get any more water in your place. The sight of post-flood houses is so disheartening, even after seeing hundreds. If you walk downhill from my place, you start to see carpets dumped outside from minor flooding. Further down, the piles grow to include insulation, drywall, appliances, furniture, clothes, and just about everything else you can imagine. I've seen heaps 10 feet high and 50 feet long, just waiting for somebody to haul away. I see beautiful mansions, gutted because nothing was worth saving.
Yeah, it's a downer. I'm glad you beat that one. It's a shame that so many didn't.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 7 by berberry, posted 09-29-2005 11:15 AM berberry has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 9 by Nighttrain, posted 09-29-2005 11:12 PM zephyr has not replied
 Message 13 by Phat, posted 09-30-2005 9:34 AM zephyr has replied

  
zephyr
Member (Idle past 4549 days)
Posts: 821
From: FOB Taji, Iraq
Joined: 04-22-2003


Message 12 of 16 (247608)
09-30-2005 8:56 AM


I have friends in D'Iberville who got flooded by heavy spring rain this year, and you'd never know it. They tore out their carpets, knocked all the drywall off and replaced it, and took the opportunity to repaint all their walls. The place looks better than it ever did, and I've never noticed a smell. Then again, I do tend to live in my own filth

Replies to this message:
 Message 15 by berberry, posted 10-01-2005 2:37 AM zephyr has not replied

  
zephyr
Member (Idle past 4549 days)
Posts: 821
From: FOB Taji, Iraq
Joined: 04-22-2003


Message 14 of 16 (247644)
09-30-2005 10:50 AM
Reply to: Message 13 by Phat
09-30-2005 9:34 AM


Heh.
Yeah, insurance rates will just have to go up a little... how about 50% of the home's value, every year....

This message is a reply to:
 Message 13 by Phat, posted 09-30-2005 9:34 AM Phat has not replied

  
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