Batten down the hatches, Here comes IKE

In Abilene when one finished a transaction, it was not unusual for the clerk to say, "Have a nice day."

It is a friendly benediction on one's purchase and patronage.

In Livingston, last week, the benediction was, "Be safe."

Why would anyone say that? Hurricane Ike was coming.

Every hurricane is a different experience. It all depends on where one is in relationship to the eye. If one is in the path of the eye, it will be wind, rain, calm, wind, rain, and then it is over. We ended up on the dirty side of Ike. That meant we were on the east side of the eye and there was no relief from the wind and rain and wind and rain. Because of that, the area received a lot of damage.

In the yard where we are staying, five trees succumbed to Ike. Curious the way trees can fall. Some looked like they were toppled by some giant moving through. Some were missing their tops but the rest of the tree was intact. Some were snapped at the base and others were laid over with huge root balls protruding from the ground and great craters left where roots once laid. Then there were the trees that looked as if the giant had reached down and twisted the trunk of the tree until it unraveled. I was told that was evidence of a tornado.

We were without electricity from Saturday morning until Wednesday afternoon. However, a generator helped us keep a modicum of comfort and life in place. The generator ran fans and refrigerators. Blue Bell helped us deal with the discomforts of post storm life. But then the Blue Bell ran out. Good thing my sister-in-law thought to buy "Jiffy pop." This old technology
popcorn can be accessed with a simple propane stove. So when the ice cream ran out, we did jiffy pop. Now these were not our only sourcees of nourishment. =They were our only source of comfort food which is equally important to surviving a hurricane.

Weather cooperated after the storm and the Monday night after Ike left town, we were sitting out on the deck, roasting chicken and feeling like we were in the mountains. In the air was cool breezes, the smell of pine and the smoke from pine branches. I could close my eyes and believe I was in the mountains of Colorado enjoying the atmosphere only the mountains could provide.

So, the hurricane isn't the worst experience I ever had.

That is still held by any number of kidney stones that decided it was time to exit the scene.