They've begun mandatory evacuations in Galveston, Sabine Pass and other coastal communities. Please pray for the entire texas and louisiana coastal residents over the next few days.

Here's the projected path:

http://www.weather.com/maps/news/atlstorm18/projectedpath_large.html

As of now, we're not going anywhere, we're not in a flood zone and the home is stable, that may change over the next couple days tho once we see what's happening. We have enough food and water for a couple weeks (for 2 people) if needed, ya'll come if you need a place to stay - bring some food and water tho, we tend to eat a lot

Hey Allen, my husband offered to host the site on our server here at our house ... until you get back

We're hosted in California, thanks anyways.

Praying for all of that coastline. Stay safe.

In all things God is Good! /

(...oh and...nice try Jenn. I would have paid ya for the key to the men's room... )

yeah, i know, it woulda been great. i tried to sneak that one in there, but it didnt fly. phewey!!

Hurricane Rita has reached Cat5 status and we may be directly in her path - we'll know more in the next 24-48 hours. Currently they are pointing it southwest of us, meaning we'll be getting the bad side of it with rain and wind. We may be heading north sometime tomorrow if they call for a mandatory evacuation.





HURRICANE RITA BECOMES THE 3rd MOST INTENSE HURRICANE
The pressure in dangerous hurricane Rita fell to 898 mb making Rita the 3rd most intense hurricane in the Atlantic basin. Katrina is now the 5th most intense at 902 mb behind Allen. Gilbert at 888 mb and the 1935 storm at 892 mb are the top two storms.


www.accuweather.com



The angle has been adjusted a bit our direction

OMG...all you Beaumont and vicinity people...do NOT wait too long tomorrow. Start out early and just keep driving North. I am praying for all of you. You are covered by the blood of Jesus. God is Good! /

Well come what may I won't be going anywhere...trying to get the kiddos outta here though...swallow my pride and let them go even though their dad is wanting gas money because it's my fault that I can't leave!! What part of "they're your responsibility too" doesn't he get?? I'm not left with any choice...the hospital has us on lockdown from noon on Friday for all employees scheduled to work the weekend...happy, happy, joy, joy...I would say to helblabla with the job but apparently it's considered abandonment and well there goes my liscense...so anyway, I guess I'll swallow the pride I don't have and "allow" my kids to go with their cheap blablabla dad and pay gas money and food money...just cause he had to pay for the divorce he wanted to get b/c "the grass looks greener in Austin" oops did I say that...and yes that's where he's taking them to Austin to his "lady friend's" home...along with my sister and her family...guess I'm not invited to the party...ok so I'm p.o'd that I have to stay and the kids don't want to go with him...and heck I'm just ****y...enough said...pray for us all that Rita will dissipitate into nothing...and that we can instead enjoy Rita's on the rocks with salsa and chips...hurricane party at Baptist Hospital this weekend...what else are we gonna do...maybe invite the chaplains to join us...especially...one last gripe...went to 2 groceries today and both out of cheetos!!!and btw administration at the hospital were so kind as to take the rest of the week off!!!sucks to be me...

My brother and his wife and kids phoned me as they crossed into Louisiana on their way to Pensacola to my brother-in-law's - I guess they didn't feel like calling before they left

Max sustained winds are currently 175 mph with gusts up to 215 mph

ps: I've spent the evening re-writing the disaster-preparedness plan for the new hospice

Mandatory evacuation called for Jefferson county called this morning - it's angled even more this way looking like even if the eye-wall doesn't pass right over us we'll definitely be in the worst east side of the storm.

We'll be boarding up today and heading out by this evening. If someone needs a ride, let me know - call my cell phone at 498-3792. We'll have a couple spots available.

where are yall going ? my husband's family was supposed to come here, but they are *rocket scientists* and think they can sit it out. if you have a place to go, and you had tons of time to go, why stay ? they dont have work demanding them to stay. wish i could kidnap you haze and leave a ransom note and then yall can run up here. forget austin. well, we are in frisco, just north of dallas, right off the tollway, super easy to get to. so any of you i know are welcome.

let us know what is happening.

Anyone heard from Steve? I left messages on both Steve and Dena's cells, but no call back yet.

Dear Jesus, I'm believing that Your faithful hand is upon all of my friends in TX. /

Hazel, offer to fly with a patient out and then both of you fly here. I've got room and my life is only half as scarey as Rita...

Spent the day boarding up windows at 3 homes - temperature 100+ all day - I musta drank 2-3 gallons of fluid and still cramp everywhere.

Rita has turned a bit more north and looks to be heading straight here now. We'll be headed out shortly as soon as I get a shower. Traffic on the highway is a parking lot and has been all day. We're hoping it will thin out a bit tonight, but if nothing else at least it will be about 20-25 degrees cooler.

I think we'll plan on coming back if they let us Sunday night.

We're in Pensacoloa at my Bro-in-law's home. Rita is headed straight at my hometown, should hit tonight sometime.

The levee's in N.O. have been breached again, please pray for level-headedness there and that people have went to safety.

yeah, we are in touch with our in laws who decided to ride it out at a shelter in silsbee. they say the winds are at about 45 right now, and they are told they should pick up this afternoon around 4. there are about 400 people at this shelter (at the high school) and they are pretty prepared, or as much as they can be.
i thought it was supposed to make landfall, the eye tomorrow monring about 4. i will keep yall posted as we hear from beaumont.

it's my hometown too. i hate to see this happening.

Did somebody move Beaumont? Geraldo on Fox news is doing a horrible job of pronouncing the names of places there, I don't recognize most of it and he's only 20 miles from my house

that is what you get when you send him there. what time is it supposed to be "hitting" ? they keep saying around 12:30 or 1:00. then they change thier minds.

talked to people in beaumont. they were already out of power at 6:30. keep praying. it is supposed to get much worse.

I left houston tuesday...we are in Kentucky we were on our way there any way doing a huge BBQ fundraiser...so we are safe...

Fox News was broadcasting live from Beaumont all night. I kept tuning in to see how you all were fairing.

Saw lots of "landmarks" from your town. Believing they will all remain standing when you return.

Stay safe. God Bless!

They keep showing video all around my house, but stay 2 blocks away Pretty good amount of damage, but it looks like places that never boarded up their windows. I imagine if something happened to the house they'd have it on there by now, you got to go down my street to get to some of the places they are showing.

Very thankful we headed to Pensacola when we did o/

They're not letting anyone back in yet, maybe tomorrow, probably Monday or Tuesday - lots of powerlines down across streets, emergency services are down to barebones while trying to dig out, etc.

Here's some cool satellite (and other) pictures of Rita:

http://www.brianrobak.com/rita.html

It was rather bizarre to watch the news on SVT (Swedish channel) this evening, as they showed a video from Beaumont! I don't think I saw your house though Allen

They also broadcasted live from another town close to Beaumont and let me just say I'm glad we don't have that kind of weather over here Poor reporter!

Stay safe everybody

Hey Allen,

Glad to hear that you're all safe. This sure has been a heck of a summer. I pray that this is our last storm.

Lots of damage here and there, Hazey is checking it out for us - someone else said Tinseltown is demolished (my fave movie theater).

Hey Aleina

Another said I-10 is out between lake charles and orange, so we may have to find another way home, when we can go there.

Yes'm cgreene, how are you guys doing in your new place?

Thanks for asking Allen. We are doing well. I start my new job this Monday. Tim is making some good business connections. It's a good thing that we didn't take you up on your offer to come to Beaumont. Not that we didn't appreciate it. One hurricane was enough for us. I pray that your home has been spared. If not you and your Mel have each other. That is what's really important.

We are hoping to hear from our insurance adjuster this week. We are hoping that they will help us with getting a moving truck to go back and get the rest of our belongings.

Please keep us posted on how things are going. And let us know if you need anything.

Will do, Hazel said there didn't appear to be much damage, but she couldn't see it all for the trees that had fallen on the side street. I cut down quite a bit this summer, hopefully that kept a few off our home

They're talking now like it might be 2 weeks before power is back on in the city So much was supposed to have started on Monday with work, now we're put off until who knows when.

At least Geraldo is pronouncing the area locations right now

sorry, bout Beaumont gang....
Glad posters around here are okay(praisecafe).
thinking of you and praying for you guys often.
nab

Thank you - hazey has been our spy in town.

We're headed back that way, stopping at my cousin's in lafayette for tonight, going through Beaumont to Baytown tomorrow and staying in a la quinta for the next week - hopefully power will be back on in beaumont by then. Right now they're saying electricity, water, and sewage will be off as long as a month - You don't want to hang out with haey right now

Hazel, you're welcome at our hotel in Baytown if you'd like some A/C, a shower and a working toilet. I'ma try to reach Forever and her man today and see where they are holding out. Amy Lou and hers as well. If you need a place for a shower, please give me a call and we'll hook you up - Baytown is about an hour from Beaumont.

people from Dallas Masters Commission have opened their homes to us for the night...the traffic was to bad to chance just to get back in Houston....this is Jusselin signing off....

love you guys

* CLICK HERE


Lord I am so thankful that all there are is a few trees down and things are mere nuisances that I thought were big a few days ago.

Pray for those not so lucky.

A friend checked on our houses, our rent house made it through but our other had minimal damage. A limb came through our utility room taking out the roof peak. Amazing that was the only damgage that we know of so far. We've been so blessed, a sweet friend has taken us in in Austin.
How is everyone doing?

Back in Beaumont - I know some people who know some people who robbed some people

I can see why they say it's gonna take 3-4 weeks - trees and power lines and poles are down everywhere - not a block in the whole city is untouched. Imagine a picture of a place where a tornado went through, then imagine that throughout the city

I've seen convoys of tree service trucks heading out to work, tractors are clearing roads for them to even access neighborhoods. My brother-in-law's home had huge trees laid everywhere but none hit his house - an underground water line in his backyard was broken tho due to a huge tree falling over and the roots pulling the line up.I turned the water off at the street, but no-telling whose line it was.

Anyways, not sure how long we're gonna stay. I'm at my parents right now, we have a large generator running (15k watts), but it sucks gas pretty quickly and it can be difficult to get more. Water pressure is off and on, depending on whether or not they're working on any mains or the pump house is running.

Stay safe, will report back when there's more to say The local posters aren't on much, either they are displaced or they have no electricity.

Hey folks...all is well...I've got some stories to tell...still processing..and I don't think it's sunk in yet what we experienced...but by the Grace of God we made it through..but it was truly an experience I hope never to go through agian...but when all is said and done I felt that I did some good..especially in getting our patients all out of harm's way even though it meant that we were stuck smack in the middle of Rita...there were times when the room ceilings started leaking and caving in, the water and electricity went out...and generators lighted only the halls...the walls were swaying...and metal awnings and trees were flying around everywhere...there was about 2 inches of water in our bathroom from the commode...the wind picked up and kept up for about 6 hours and then stopped for aobut 40 minutes....and it was calm and quiet...we went outside to view the damage..but then it picked up again and started in the opposite direction beating up on what was left....for several more hours...were we scared...well of course...now I'm showered and in AC..came into Houston last night...have worked about 60 hours in the past 4 days...with aobut 4 hours sleep...headed back tomorrow...will be staying at the hospital again...too dark and lonely at my house...I think we got water and AC on at the hospital last night...FEMA came in on Saturday night...what a welcomed relief...about 50 or more of them from Boston and Florida....we got hugs and kisses...umm worth it judging by the docs, nurses and medics there...some lookers..too bad I hadn't showered in days...but umm maybe tomorrow will be more presentable...lol...anyway...only our ER is opened the only hospital in the area..and we're swamped with everything..lots of traumas, heart attacks, respiratory problems, dehydrations...folks don't have water or electricity and no means to get their medications, dialysis, oxygen etc...so we're providing everything...we saw about 400 or more patients yesterday alone...all admissions transferred to Houston, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida...ok enough of that...my house is structurally ok I think...my new fence is gone...and my neighbor's tree fell into my pool..hopefully there's no structural damage...other than that I fared much better than many others...Al's right about the power lines being down...when I was scouting the area..I had to dodge dangling trees and lines...well gotta go get some sleep will update later

My heart, prayers and thoughts are with all of you. Thank you Haze for all you always do for others.

Hey UKC ) helping my dad cleanup and repair at his business (roof blew off) and in the evening on hospice stuff. Beaumont Texas in September isn't any cooler than July

For locals - there's gas stations selling gasoline at the Exxon at College and I-10, the Chevron at washington blvd and I-10, Sam's Wholesale on I-10 and Walmart on Delaware. You can buy necessities at Sam's as well. For FEMA disaster relief info, go to www.fema.gov - they can help with getting information, forms filled out, etc. You can also go to Ford Park and they'll give you ice, water, MRE's (not too bad if you're hungry ) and information. They're offering bussing to San Antonio to shelters there with shelter, food and water and a ride back when the coast is clear.

President Bush was here this morning

Huge C-130 transport planes and helicopters fill the sky, National Guard and their military vehicles fill the roads, with the police and EMS squeezed in between.

My friend's house in Beaumont was barely even touched while the rest of his block got really messed up. W00t for Valerus!

By the way, good luck with the clean up and everything.

Allen, you are such a super great guy. Thanks you so much for going by my parents house and checking on things. i know it was out of your way but it will alleviate lots of problems.

you are my hero

I wanna go home. We went back the night after the storm, but there is no power and very little water. It's so HOT. Everyone is on edge, and the stress level was a little high...but the only damage we really sustained was a limb in the pool and the roof of his carlot is across the street...one of his recently purchased houses has a tree in it, but that house was bad off anyway...

Billy shipped me off to San Antonio to stay with my dad's side of the family...we're headed to Alpine TX in a day or so...Gonna put Celeste in school till we go back home. It's nice to have running water and lights and AIR, but I miss my home and my husband. He stayed behind to help with relief efforts. I'm thankful that everyone is okay...I was worried about my parents who roughed it out and still refuse to leave...but they seem to be okay.

I'm getting a little stir crazy though...not quite sure why.

Just wanted to say howdy and feel like I was part of the real world. (Kinda funny that virtual reality is better than none at all, huh?)

Over and out.

There's a rumor that some electricity may be rolled out to a few neighborhoods this weekend - good news, tho I can see that it will take 2-3 weeks to get everyone on line still. Police stations, hospitals and traffic lights are the first they're gonna try to get up. The railroad crossing on Major and College had flashing lights and working barrier arms when a couple maintenance vehicles went by

They need power to pump out the flooded underpasses.

Drove around the west end yesterday evening - If I had something other than a 14,400 dialup connection, I'd upload some pictures I've been snapping. There's a gym on eastex freeway near the mall whose whole back wall is in the street - all the nice equipment is exposed to the elements World's Gym at Dowlen and Phelan has wood sticking up oddly from behind the facade across the front - not sure what that is. Rogers Park has maybe 70+ % of the trees down. Trees are lying like dominoes down all streets (Phelan, Dowlen, Folsom and Delaware, just to name a few). Power lines and poles as well.

Working on hospice stuff, hopefully we can take our first patient next week or soon after

Allen, and michelle, question .. my dad is staying with us and i would keep him four months if i could, but he is anxious to get back to beaumont. WHEN is a smart time to plan on going back? he cant get in touch with anyone from work and he is afraid that it will be up and running and he is supposed to be at the church working and he will be here. when are they saying they can come back ? when is smart to tentatively plan on going back ? anyone want to clean out his fridge ? eek !!!! haha.

just give us over here a heads up. thanks.

I would have him wait until full power is restored and all the water and sewage in his area is back to normal. Also, when the police department is pretty much back to normal, as it is NOT yet. People are still not encouraged to come back yet, although I hear they are ALLOWING it within the next few days. I would have him wait until it is encouraged, because as of right now he can receive very little assistance in the Golden Triangle area. Fema, Red Cross, Salvation Army, and charities of the like are all giving assistance to evacuees: gas vouchers, food stamps, cost of living reimbursment...etc. But there isn't much individual aid going on to the residents of Beamont aside from a bag of ice here and there...Billy was going door to door passing that out today and taking adresses of damaged homes and names of people who need assistance.

So, in short, I would wait to send him back until there is help available unless he is fully self supporting and can take care of his property without full utilities and access to police protection if needed.

On a side note, please say a little prayer for my situation. My car's air conditioner compressor went out on the way up here and it will cost over a grand to repair. We are not getting ANY form of income right now, and have not been able to receive any govt assistance as of yet. Hopefully, if my car is fixed tomorrow, I will be able to go to the necessary aid stations. I've allready filled out my FEMA app, but they are S-L-O-W.

Yeah, if he has a good place to stay now I'd recommend staying. It's awful hot here, police, national guard and state troopers are everywhere, it can be difficult to get around and if any health issues pop up you go the baptist hospital (st e is closed) and they send you to houston. Gas, food, and water are a bit difficult to get.

I imagine by next week we'll be seeing a lot of progress, there's HUNDREDS (if not thousands) of heavy equipment pieces working throughout the area - some will have power over the next few days, but it'll probably be a 2+ weeks before everyone has stable utilities.

We saw the first traffic signals (at I-10 and College) working yesterday and the first railroad crossing (at major and college) the day before They're supposed to have power to the police, hospitals, and a few businesses over the next few days.

he is planning on coming into bmt for monday, jsut to secure his stuff and move that one limb and drag two items from teh no longer back bulding to the garage and of course, clean out teh fridge and freezer.

do you think it would be safe for him to come home if just for a day to do that stuff ?

If he is in good health, probably so...

will they LET him in ? we are being told conflicting things. they say he CAN come in and then leave befroe curfew and then we hear that they closed the exits off again after they let people come yesterday. what is the story ?

Finally back home, our electricity was turned on some time in the last 24 hours or so

dial up? what isthat?
so glad progress is bein g made. hang in there
nabster

Big Fat Praises! /

Be thankful for what you have Cruel...you could not have any access at all...then how would you cope...

Actually they are still evacuating people from the areas without utilities still

Broadband came back online this morning

Slowly putting things back together, Melanie has been amazing through it all

Net connection is still up and down About 80% of the area has electricity now, big improvement from 0%

and so I thought I'd gotten off ok...so what if my neighbor's tree crushed my new fence and landed in my yard...and it's my responsibility to remove...ummm...ok..my pools a cess pond again...pool furniture a slimy mess fit to be burned...shed with the back roof in the pool...ummm ok...no biggie...lots of unknown junk everywhere...no snakes noted...yet anyway...got the AC repaired...electricity on, water semi-clear, cable's working..so I'm sittting here under curfew unable to do my night stalking ...and look up at my fireplace....two large cracks from ceiling to floor on both sides...separating the wall ...the wall over toward the garage...a crack down the middle from the ceiling...um..maybe that's why neither of my garage doors are working...they were working up until 2 days ago when I found the pulleys and chains in both laying on the floor...strange...so I go outside...and around the house and heck there are several cracks in the brick structure around the house....and I thought I got off ok.... ...I know nothing about this stuff...the adjuster's due out next week...any tips on what I should be looking for? I'm not house/construction saavy...and I don't want to get ripped off...Allstate's giving everyone a hard time too....

You might get a foundation company out to check it out for you... they can tell you if it's related, broken, etc. Without seeing it it sounds like there's an issue with the foundation - not sure what could have caused that, unless there's a change in the water level in the soil due to the tree/pool/whatever.

Oh well...went up on the roof a few minutes ago...and there went my chimney...tumbling over...now I have not just one hole in the roof but two!!!So it's off to find a tarp...or whatever to put up there...and lotsa cracks around the pool!!!Thanks Al...the adjuster's suppose to be out next week...and I know not to sign anything