Yesterday was the hottest day of our summer, topping out at 104°F. Last night, a cold front whipped through, with high winds, strong rains, and an amazing lightning show. Today, the high is 76°. Thank you cold front!
One place I should not be stuck during the passing of a cold front is Lowes. $396 later, I now own a new dishwasher (the answer to the question “Can a Mazda Protege5 fit a dishwasher inside?” is “yes”), hedge trimmers, jigsaw, drill/screwdriver combo, root killer stuff to dump in toilets, a new pneumatic thingy for my front storm door because the tab thing broke and I can’t make the old one stay open anymore, and tons of other stuff that I don’t even remember now. All stuff I needed. Now I just have to find the time to actually use it.
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A wonderful man came and installed DirecTV at the house yesterday. After six months of no TV, I have my TiVo once more! It has been nice knowing you, internet.
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After looking like we’d have four days of steady rain caused by the stalled-out remains of Rita, I’m quite pleased with how things actually passed. The storm went east of us, so far east that I didn’t see any rain at all. She’s also on the move, so not stalling out over Arkansas or Louisiana. Those areas actually received some much-needed rain, as they have been facings some drought conditions.
Here in Dallas, we had an overcast and breezy day most of Saturday. Towards the end of the day, the sun tried to peek out and the winds became more gusty, which created an interesting sight in the sky: the clouds turned a bright yellow-orange on top with a dark grey underside. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera on me at the time.
At the house, there are a lot of twigs down in the yard, but nothing damaging.
All in all, I think most people fared very well in Rita. She could have been much more devastating: landing as a stronger storm (like the category 4 or even 5 she was for a good part of her journey through the Gulf); hitting Galveston directly, burying the entire city in the storm surge; continuing through Houston, causing major damage through Texas’ largest city; striking Austin (the capital) as a category 1 or 2; and stalling over Dallas for several days, causing flooding. She certainly could have devastated Texas, impacting her three largest cities. We were lucky.
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I don’t know whether I should be relieved or concerned by seeing members of the California Urban Search and Rescue team shopping at Target tonight. Relieved because that means the government is staging Rita response efforts far enough out of harm’s way, but near enough to rapidly respond. Concerned because response efforts are being brought in from as far as California. Either way, it was an odd sight.
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All day, the forecasts have pointed to Rita stalling over northeast Texas. This is scary stuff because we could get three or more straight days of solid rain, totalling as much as 30 inches. Conditions will likely start deteriorating in the DFW area late Saturday.
Tonight I went and secured any loose items around the house. My plan is to stay at my apartment during the storm. The internet and tv and my pets are all here.
I’ve purchased a flashlight, 5 gallon water container, and several food items that require no refrigeration or cooking. I could probably last a few days without power if needed (though, they’d be quite warm). I also bought a weather radio — I’d wanted one for a while and now seemed as good a time as any (if you’re going to buy one, make sure to get one with SAME technology). The car is full of gas and I have some cash on hand.
I’m ready to hunker down here if needed.
Are you doing anything to prepare?
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I HAVE KEYS.
I HAVE TWO GARAGE OPENERS.
I HAVE A HOUSE.
I AM A HOMEOWNER.
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Because I’m so amused by the never-ending bounds of my cleverness, I present to you the e-mail I sent my AMAZING friends who will be helping me this weekend with the house:
Here’s the plan, with times slightly adjust because I need to sleep in
just a little bit:
9:00am - Destruction Assessment. The Destruction Assessment Response
Team (DART) will arrive at the house and assess needs for the day.
The DART will depart for Home Depot and any other necessary stops to
gather supplies, equipment, and refreshments.
10:30am(ish) - Destruction begins! The Carpet Removal and Elimination
Elite Posse (CREEP) begins to remove carpet. Parties not wishing to
be CREEPs can join the Cabinet Lining Installation Posse (CLIP), the
Can A Dogdoor be Installed in this Location Leisurely and without much
Angst Corps (CADILLAC), the SHower door Inspection and Removal Troop
(SHIRT), and/or the Spic-And-Spanification Squadron of Youallrockhard
(SASSY).
I don’t know where my tools are, so if you have any tools that might
be handy (box cutters, hammers, screwdrivers, crowbars, work gloves,
etc.), please bring them. The DART will also pick up some spares of
all of these. Does anyone have a shop vac? Can anyone think of
specific supply needs (contractor garbage bags, work gloves, etc.)?
I’m planning to be there most of the day. Any time you can give would
be awesome, even if it is just to stop by and say hi.
THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU for your help. I’m really excited about
getting to see all of you and doing this.
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71 signatures at the title company, 1 signature at the bank, and 8 initials later, I’ve done my part in closing on the house. The seller should sign everything tomorrow afternoon. People will get their money. I will get the keys.
Saturday, we rip out the carpet.
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I’ve been taking calls for the Dallas Office of Emergency Management the past several days. Here’s what we’ve been telling people who would like to make donations or volunteer locally:
To Volunteer:
Fill out the application form at the Volunteer Center of North Texas. This is the central point through which almost all volunteers are being coordinated. It’s going to take a few days before you hear back. There has been an overwhelming response — as of yesterday morning, they’d processed 4,000 applications and sent out 1,000 volunteers. Understand that efforts are going to continue for months, so there will be a way for you to help.
Monetary Donations:
Red Cross
Salvation Army
SPCA of Texas
Item Donations:
Salvation Army Drop-off Point at Texas Stadium, Monday through Saturday from 8am to 4pm and Sunday from 1pm to 4pm. Enter Gate 1 and exit Gate 2. Items go straight to the shelters. They are looking for:
- industrial-sized nonperishable food
- bottled water
- new underwear and socks
- diapers
- baby wipes
- work gloves
- plastic gloves
- baby formula
- hand sanitizer
- insect repellant
- personal toiletries, i.e. toothpaste, deodorant, soap, etc.
- flash lights
Gently Used Clothing:
I’m not sure if this information is still valid, as it was passed to us Monday, but Gospel Tabernacle Church at 445 S. Masters Drive 972-557-4905 was accepting gently used clothing, especially school uniforms.
Furniture Donations:
Dallas Furniture Bank, 214-215-2826
Non-Perishable Food Donations:
All Dallas Fire Stations (except #21) are accepting food on behalf of the North Texas Food Bank through September 18 from 7am to 7pm
To Open Your Home to Refugees:
Hurricane Housing
Open Your Home
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Through my connections as an Emergency Administration student, I was able to spend eleven hours working the phones today at the Fort Worth Emergency Operations Center.
It was my first time inside an activated EOC, and it was fascinating to watch everything that was going on from our phone bank on the other side of a glass wall. Representatives from Fire, Police, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, Health and Human Services, Parks and Recreation, and many more agencies all have seats within the EOC.
Everyone was busting their butts to try to find places for refugees, locate missing family members, arrange city employees to staff shelters, and coordinate with other area EOCs.
When the Incident Commnder came out and proudly announced that Fort Worth had reached their goal of finding shelters to accomodate 4,000, it was neat to feel that I was just a tiny part of helping those 4,000 people.
I hope to go back to Fort Worth tomorrow for more. I’m also scheduled to work Monday and Tuesday at the Dallas EOC.
Now I really know I want to do this.
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