COTE DE TEXAS: Hunkering Down With Ike!

Hunkering Down With Ike!

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Greetings from Ikeland!   I've gotten so many great emails today with well wishes from you all,  that I thought I would do an update on "Life Spent Waiting For A Major Hurricane."   I hope to be able to answer all of your emails, but until then - here's the story of Cote de Texas under siege.  I must say that I have the sweetest readers in blogland.  I'm going to design an award and pass it out to each of you:  Bestest, Most Sweetest Readers!!!   Seriously, a person can get really spoiled from all the love.  Thank you, all of you, for your wonderful, caring, emails.  They are very much appreciated.

 

Evacuations  and Hurricane Ike:    There was a mandatory evacuation called for Galveston and outlying parts of Houston that border the Ship Channel.  We don't live in those areas and so, we aren't under a mandatory evacuation.  Because of that, Ben, Elisabeth and I decided to stay put in our house in Houston.    The last big hurricane that passed through Houston was Rita.   It came just days after Katrina so everyone here was terrified and just about the entire town  (except us, of course!) decided to evacuate Rita.  There was a traffic jam the likes of which have never been seen before.   The death toll of evacuees on the road was over 100.  The death toll from the storm was in the single digits.  Statistically, you were better off staying put and "hunkering down" than leaving.    This time around with Ike, there hasn't been that massive evacuation from Houston, and it seems like the majority of people have stayed, including my entire family.  

 

Preparing for Ike:   How did we prepare for the storm?  I have a hurricane fascinated husband, so we already had a lot hurricane preparedness items in the house.  Every time he sees a sale on batteries, he picks up more, so batteries and numerous flashlights we have.  We also have small, battery powered fans to help cool the house when the electricity goes out.  We have weather radios and battery powered flood lights for inside.  We even have a battery powered television - this purchase brought much personal happiness to Mr. Hurricane Man.  I took out all my old laptops, of which I have a few, and charged up the batteries so that I'll be able to use my computer for a while at least after the electricity goes out (hopefully it won't be off for days - or else I'm checking into a hotel with a generator).     We have lots of candles, unfortunately they are the scented, expensive kind, but that's alright - at least the house will smell good. 

 

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The eye of Ike - kind of looks like the head of a baby duck here.

 

What To Eat During A Hurricane:    Yesterday Mr. Hurricane Man announced he wanted to go the grocery store and look around for more batteries and other hurricane gadgets and get the last minute food items we would need.   Stupidly, I agreed to let him go.  He came back home, all excited about the food he bought that's going to sustain us after the refrigerator is off:  sliced turkey, assorted cold cuts, and cheese!!!!!    He was so proud, poor thing.  When I asked him about canned  goods like tuna and salmon, he had a blank look on face and wanted to know why would we need that?   hmm.    Don't worry though, I went to Wendy's and bought a few days worth of Caesar salads.  Plus our stove is gas, so we'll be able to eat noodles and soup and macaroni and cheese, lots of nice, fattening foods.  I'll probably come out of this hurricane with a 10 pound weight gain.

 

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Galveston, around 12pm this afternoon.  The waves are crashing up over the seawall which is 13' tall.  Imagine what will happen when the eye hits and the surge is over 20 feet.

 

News Updates, Always Updates During the Long Wait:       The storm is now just reaching Galveston.  It's 3:30, Friday afternoon.  The island city is going to flood, there is no doubt about that.  The water is now over the 13' seawall.   Ike is a Category 2 and is expected to be Cat 3 when it lands.  The Galveston Mayor just announced that 40 percent (2o,ooo souls) of the people who live there did NOT evacuate and are still on the island.  The city is going to be completely underwater  and these people will be forced up into their attics by tonight.   Wow.  That 40% figure shocks me and everyone else too.  The police chief from Galveston just announced that the last emergency calls they will take today are at 9:00 p.m.   Then they will be "hunkering down" at the San Luis Resort Hotel and everyone is on their own then.  "Hunker Down" is code word in a hurricane for being scared to death inside your home while the storm rages outside.    The chief also said a house just burned to the ground on the West End because they couldn't reach it to put it out.  Things are getting bad in Galveston.    They have opened a Shelter Of Last Resort for people who get too scared to Hunker Down and change their mind at the last minute.      At this point, I'm really glad that Houston is 50 miles away from the Galveston and the Gulf of Mexico. 

 

Humor in the  Face of a Hurricane:   My best friend just  instant messaged me with this - her last will and testament: 

GOD FORBID - I WANT TO BE BURIED AS CLOSE TO MY MOM AND GRANDPARENTS AS POSSIBLE- I THINK STAN WOULD CHIP IN FOR IT AND WHEN IM GONE -  - ALSO- THANKS FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE FOR ME AND SO MUCH AND I LUV YOU AND ELISABETH AND BEN!!     SO LONG TO GEORGIE AND SAMMY (my dogs) AND RALPH AND BETTY RAE  AND CATHY (my parents and sister) =  GOD BLESS!!!!    OK ==  SO LONG--FAREWELL-- YOUR BEST FRIEND----LISA----

(I'm just relieved that apparently Stan and Marcia are being asked to pay for her funeral - not me!)

 

Major Worries and Fears In a Hurricane:      It's the windows everyone is worried about.  Tornados and high winds accompany hurricanes and with that comes broken windows.  My parents are in a high rise and they've been instructed to go to their bathroom in case their windows start breaking.   Us too.  The only room in our house without a window is the powder room.  We'll go there if our windows start popping.  At least there's new wallpaper in there.  Very pretty wallpaper, Colefax and Fowler  Chinese Toile in brown and cream:  so I'll be happy. 

 

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My Powder Room with the Colefax and Fowler Chinese Toile Wallpaper - Refuge in the Storm.

 

Our biggest concern though, is that our huge oak tree will crash through the house as the tree  is "in stress"  and is weak.  That's our main worry.    Now, my personal main worry is coffee.  Starbucks closed last night for good until God knows when.   I  made a pot using premium coffee beans, but it's just not the same.  I even have a little apparatus that whips hot milk into foam.  Just not the same.  I've decided its the flavored coffee beans that are so terrible.   Why didn't I get just plain Folgers?      Pray for Starbucks, people. 

 

Hunkering Down and Other Boring Things:    At this moment in my house, we're all hunkered down.    Elisabeth is upstairs on the computer.  I'm still on the patio with my laptop.  It's not raining at all, just a little windy.  My neighbors are even BBQ-ing steaks on the grill outside.  Smells soooo good.    Mr. Hurricane Man is, of course, laying on the couch, monitoring the news, with a migraine.  He got one this morning - his eyes weren't focusing and he lost his peripheral vision - so he knew the  migraine was coming and managed to take his medicine correctly - before the migraine becomes painful, and it seems to have helped him a bit.  I'm hungry from smelling the steaks and can't decide if I should eat the famous turkey and cheese or just make a peanut butter sandwich.   I'm saving the salad for tonight.  SO exciting!     The storm will hit at 9:00 tonight.   Mr. Hurricane Man  just announced he thinks it's not going to be that bad.   He's "watching it" on the news  - "keeping an eye on it" -  and thinks he can see something in the radar pictures that the professional weathermen do not see.  He thinks that the storm is breaking up.    Help me, please.    It's going to be a very, long weekend.

 

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The eye of the storm is still hours away and look how flooded it already is near the Cote de Texas, or in  English, the Texas Coast. 

87 comments :

  1. Good luck to you and your family. I hope your house doesnt end up looking like this picture...yikes!...I heard on the news that you should put water in tupperware bowls and put them in the freezer....I guess it is supposed to help things stay frozen longer. Oh, and they said take a hot shower before the storm...just in case the power is out for awhile. take care, ~Cindy~

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  2. Oh dear Joni,

    In the face of such adversity and you still have your humor. God bless you and yours and may Starbucks reopen ASAP. :)

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  3. Wonderful to hear from you Joni.....The Cote de Texas "bookclub" is abuzz with concern and this is sure to settle your( Pasadena, CA.) fans downl. Funny as usual and always upbeat.....keep us posted and hugs from Earthquake land, Ginny

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  4. Hi Joni! I have been thinking about you every day this week! Every time I tried to comment, I was interrupted at work...who do those clients think they are anyway?!? I am hoping you and your family ride it out in safety. I remember when I lived in Louisiana for a year that I was terrified if there was even a tornado watch, let alone a warning! You must be used to it by now, but I am sending lots of good thoughts your way.

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  5. Up here in Dallas -- it is hot, sunny and bloody humid. Time for martinis. Skipping the coffee and simply heading straight for the liquor cabinet! Hopefully the whole thing will blow over (forgive the obvious pun ....) and we'll simply wake up on Sunday with horrible hangovers for brunch and Bloody Marys!

    Take care dearest Joni -- stay calm and we hope all is well for you and your family and home over the weekend! Let us all know how you fare! Bless your dear husband -- migranes are the WORST! Of course my DH now wants to know where he found his battery-powered TV -- sheesh!

    Jan at Rosemary Cottage

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  6. We're all thinking of you and hoping that you weather the storm.
    xoxo

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  7. Oh Joni! Keep hunkering, sneak a piece of chocolate, and have a glass of wine.

    One other goodie, you may or may not want to pass on to hurricane man. Back the cars in the garage right up to the garage door. Tends to be another "entrance point" for high winds...car against the door gives the door more stability.

    Those poor palms in that picture (and is that a house...or a boat?) look sooooo sad.

    Godspeed, Joni of the Cote!!

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  8. I will pray for you, your family, your windows and for your local Starbucks. :-)
    Your obsession with Wendy's Caesar Salads cracks me up. Can't believe you NEVER get tired of eating them! My husband is the same way with Zaxby's fried chicken. He would eat it every night if I would allow it.

    Look forward to hearing that ya'll are okay tomorrow night-

    Layla
    The Lettered Cottage

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  9. OMG how scary...no Starbucks?!?!?! How will you get by? LOL...You guys will be in my thoughts and prayers!
    ~Des

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  10. ok, ok, i'll quit bugging you, 'are you ok? are you ok?'

    i'm sort of jealous. i love crazy weather with loss of electricity {as long as no one gets hurt and no old trees come crashing through the roof, of course}

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  11. I hope you weather this fine, you are braver than me! I live in Chattanooga,Tn, and we just need the rain! I love your blog, my style is English Country, and I loved the libraries and Mario Buatta, especially! Connie

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  12. Thanks for the update, humor and all! Here's hoping you aren't without your laptop (good thing you have back-ups!) or Starbucks for too long. Stay safe!

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  13. My best to all of you. So happy to see your post and know you have complete plans on how to get through this huge storm. I'm thinking of you.

    Such a giant storm. I've read a couple of books about the Galveston devastation a hundred years ago - this could wash Galveston away!

    Post when you can, wish I could help you out.

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  14. I have been thinking of you and the girl who shared her lovely Galveston home with you to share with us. I pray you are all safe and your homes, too.We have lots of relatives and friends in Texas and are hoping all come through this well.

    If anyone knows what you feel like, it's those of us who live in coastal regions. We're in Florida. Any talk of those three hurricanes that crisscrossed us several years back still puts people on edge.

    My husband's aunt and uncle are in River Oaks and staying. His cousins have evacuated. I think they were in flood prone areas near bayous/creeks.

    Stay safe and let us know you're okay. We'll be praying. And your "safe room" aka bathroom is adorable. Great wallpaper!

    Sheila... who always buys peanut butter and crackers as survival food! ;-)

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  15. So glad you gave us an update. So many of us have been thinking about you and your family.

    Prayers are being said for all of those in harms way.

    Keep us posted on how you're all doing.

    Penny

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  16. You are one brave family!! I don't know if I would be brave enought to stay. Oh and I had tears in my eyes when I read Lisa's last will & testament. Then I read it was a joke...but not really funny! I'm praying for you & for GOD to lessen the strength of IKe! God Bless you & command his angels charge over you!

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  17. Joni, I'm glad to read your update that y'all are fine. It does look like Galveston's going to be hard hit. Crazy people those who are staying.

    We were sure hoping for some rain, but if Ike turns north and east once it hits land as the forecasters say, it looks like Central TX will stay dry. :-(

    Take care and enjoy your turkey. ;-)

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  18. My husband and I just got back from the mall and I was telling him about my friend Joni who lives in Houston and I hope she makes it thru the hurricane and he said "WHO"? I seem to think I know you and your family because of the blog and when you write I feel as if a close friend is telling me about her day.
    So on that note, I wish you and your family well. I hope the tree does survive and the food last (here in Philadelphia when they call for a snow storm the markets have a run on milk, eggs and bread. We all make french toast I guess.
    Please be safe and post as often as possible to keep our worries away! xoxo, MB

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  19. Stay safe and keep your sense of humor:)

    Bella

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  20. Be careful, Joni! We are staying put and hunkering down as well.I'm hoping Ike isn't too bad to us. Our main concerns are the wind and the possible tornadoes.

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  21. Thank you for the update...I have not e-mailed you today because I knew it was probably a very busy/intense day. Thinking about you, and will keep checking the updates on Ike...

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  22. I just heard something pop outside and my lights flickered. Seriously...I CAN NOT LOOSE POWER BEFORE THE STORM EVEN HITS!!!!

    Hoping we're both safe Joni. xx

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  23. Oh, good grief. You are so much braver than I am. I moved to Delaware after having been in the hurricane-free-zone of the Midwest my entire life and even nor'easters scare the bejesus outta me, let alone hurricanes.

    Here's to ya, honey. Hope all is well.

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  24. Here's the plan: get a French press, Starbuck's beans from the grocery store (grind a few beans ahead of time in the event of power outages). You've got the gas stove, so you can boil water. Now as far as keeping the cream fresh, I'm at a loss--unless Mr. Hurricane has found a battery operated refrigerator(then I'd be really impressed).

    Oh, and your powder room! I think I'd just pretend the windows were popping just to spend some quality time in there. I adore the wallpaper! Just lovely!

    In all seriousness, be safe and take care of yourself and your family. We'll all be thinking of you!

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  25. Joni: I've been thinking of you and all fellow bloggers in the path of Ike today and tonight. I hope you come through safely with very little damage.

    I just rediscovered the Houston House & Home mag you sent me which features your home. I drooled all over it again....your style and taste is magnificent (translate that into french for me, will you?).

    God bless and keep you!
    Judy

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  26. I've been thinking about you all day. We're on the road, heading south on vacation and unfortunately we're heading to a final destination that will be the recipient of Ike's rain wrath when he hits shore and turns to the east inland. Unbelievably enough there was a run on gas this evening in this small Missouri town off the interstate. Good gosh, the hurricane hasn't even hit and they're panicking in Missouri!!!

    I cannot even BELIEVE that people stayed on Galveston, knowing the history of what happened in New Orleans. Galveston will totally be under water by tomorrow.

    Be safe, keep dry.

    - Suzanne, the Farmer's Wife

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  27. I really enjoyed reading about your Ike adventures so far. Sorry hubby got a migraine. I cracked up pretty good when you talked about how he can see the storm breaking up better than the weathermen. Good gawd...these men sometimes! Hilarious! Okay, be safe, and please keep the updates coming if you can. This blog is way more informative, and a whole lot more fun than the weather channel.
    Hugs!
    Penny in Atlanta, GA

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  28. God bless you and your family.
    Be safe.
    Maria

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  29. I have been thinking of you all day! My girlfriend just moved to Texas and was supposed to close on a house...no can do without homeowners! She went to target at 8:00 a.m. yesterday and there were no flashlights left. She bought a meditation candle to light their small apartment as she, 2 dogs (the boarding kennel closed) a toddler and her husband hunker down. We pray for everyone's safety. God bless and keep that tree upright!

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  30. Thank God for this post!!! It sounds like you all are as prepared as you can be. I just love Ben...planning for every eventuality!!! I read all the other comments and now I don't feel so self conscious, talking to my hubby about YOUR family hunkering down in the path of the storm like I have known you for YEARS!!! The blogosphere unites us all! That was a great tip about backing the cars into the garage to protect the door(s). The powder room is delicious and would make ME consider hunkering down...and as always, you do it with SUCH STYLE!

    We love you all! We are praying for your safety!

    Vickie

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  31. Good luck! We hope you stay safe and dry.

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  32. i just heard from my girlfriend in Houston and her son and daughter have lost power already. Currently my girlfriend still has power, but she said that the winds are horrid right now and they aren't even hurricane force. As I have told her, I will tell you - I am praying for all of you in Houston and I'm watching The Weather Channel too. Praying for Starbucks goes without saying - LOL. Stay safe (and sane).

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  33. We're watching Houston on the news as I write---I hope you've taken cover in your little Colefax & Fowler jewel box. (So you to interject a great wallpaper find!)Your take on staring down a hurricane is great first-person reportage ---guess you did "Marry Adventure" in a way. Cheers and a little prayer for your family and fellow Cote de Texans. Memo to self: get French press fast---sounds essential to warding all manner of natural disaster!

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  34. Definitely freeze water, to make drinks with tomorrow in the bathroom. The lovely bathroom. The window thing is scary, so maybe move your swedish sofa into the tub and read awhile. Seriously, along with your many other readers I've been thinking of you and hoping you and your family are out of harms way. And remembering your Galveston post about all the people trying to save the city and hoping their efforts survive this storm. Wishing you well and we'll all be checking until we hear an all clear from Texas.

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  35. Joni,
    I've got one for you that I think you will totally understand.

    My husband cut plywood panels to fit over all of our windows. Bless his heart, he thrives on the excitement of preparedness and tends to become unnaturally animated when a hurricane forms in the Gulf of Mexico. Well, these enormous Home Depot boards are not the most attractive of architectural embellishments. So, between hurricanes, I had a "Martha Moment" and painted them to match my SHUTTERS. If I'm going down with my ship, that ship is going to be tasteful. Absolutely drives my neighbors crazy.
    Oh, and as a lover of Houston's gorgeously majestic oaks, I send good thoughts to your stressed fellow. I have one in my front yard that I affectionately dubbed GrandDaddy over 30 years ago...just enormous. Tonight, his beautiful upper limbs are taking a terrible beating, and he is groaning. Just as you indicated in a past post regarding your beloved oak, if GrandDaddy topples, I will be forced to move. He cannot be replaced. I realize that in the grand scheme of things, the loss of a grand old tree may seem a trivial matter to most people. Alas, not to me.
    Godspeed, Joni. Stay safe.

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  36. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, your family, your dogs and all those in the path of this hurricane. Be brave, be safe!

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  37. Hi Joni!

    Just heard that Sunset Blvd. lost power. We're still okay here in Tanglewood (a neighbor just told me we're the highest point in Harris County- will confirm that later...). Good luck with the oak! Our next door neighbor in Galveston at Laffite's Cove watched their house camera until 5:00 pm- water already to the top of their hanging jet skis... My Mr. Hurricane came home yesterday with a hand-crank radio... my biceps can't wait!
    xxooo + blessings + good luck!

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  38. Hi Joni
    Oh my Gosh I am glad that to this point in time you are alright, and that you didn't have to vacate your home. I know that your biggest deprivation will be Starbucks. I hope that Ike avoids you completely and that things get back to normal for you soon...(Starbucks that is). Say Hi to Mr Hurrican Man and I hope his migraine is better. My thoughts are with you!

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  39. Love love love that wallpaper!!!!
    You think all us hurricane prone gals would make one nice huge windowless room, all dolled up with pretty decor, for days like these!
    I was the tornado look-out during Gustav, and was to yell when I saw one so we could all scramble to an interior hallway. Yell what? YIKES! OH SHIT! HIT THE HALL!
    I never had to yell, and I hope the three of you don't have to squish into the powder room, no matter how cute it is.
    Really dear friend, you and yours are in my heart and prayers.
    xo xo xo

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  40. Oh I have to try to leave you with a smile at this trying time.... When you mentioned the questionable choice in you husband's food selection, it reminded me of.... six months after the completion of our dream home our community was evacuated due to a fire. My husband was home alone at the time and I was not aware of what was happening. When the order came to evacuate my husband grabbed a few necessities for both of us. The items he chose for me were my toothbrush and a pair of wool dress slacks that I had not been able to squeeze my behind into for years! Oh did I mention that it was June in the Arizona desert! I still have no idea what he was thinking!

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  41. Thanks everyone - especially the anons without email addresses!

    OK - its' 10:45 just starting to get really really windy now. not much rain? weird. we still have electricity which is a blessing! The lights have been flickering, but we're ok so far.

    thank you all of you for all your prayers and thoughts! So sweet!!! You guys are the best ever. I could never repay you. Thanks!

    Joni

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  42. Good luck to you! I'll be thinking about you all night. Post as soon as you can. Oh, and it's so nice to have such a lovely spot to hunker down.

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  43. So glad you are all OK, and you still have your sense of humor. :)
    xoxo,
    Mary

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  44. OMG...I am such a big chicken about wind...it's my mothers fault, she used to put me under the bed during regular old thunder storms. My very best wishes to you and your family. I will watch the updates.

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  45. My thoughts and prayers are with you. I have some family in the Houston area as well as South Texas. I guess this is Texas' year for hurricanes. Stay safe and dry!
    Look forward to hearing your updates.

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  46. Hi Joni,

    In the face of all of this you are keeping your wonderful humor. Although through all the humor, I detect how hesitant you are about the storm and can hear the fear in your voice (blogging). I hope the storm won't do any damage anywhere near your home and that people are safe in your area. Let us know how you are!

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  47. Happy to read your blog and amazed by your wonderful sense of humour!!! Praying for your safety and Starbucks...I certainly can relate!!! Stay safe!!!

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  48. By all means, darling.. save the cheese and turkey for a latter date, go for the pb sand!! Save the good stuff for tomorrow.

    good vibes to you and mr H!!
    Lisa
    coastal nest
    (cote de washington, har har har..)

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  49. JONI! I'm so glad to read this, to at least know that you are still with internet, and thus, not as anxious as you "could" be. I can't wait for this mess to pass. My thoughts are continuously with you and yours.
    artie

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  50. Hope all is well... good attitude and humor... once this passes you can get to your dds appt... lol... I doubt you have gone yet.

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  51. been thinking about you and your friends lovely home in Galveston. Be safe, I am hoping for a quick evening for you and a speedy re-opening of your Starbucks.

    I dont think we will get a drop of rain here in Austin, but our HEB sold out of bottled water today !

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  52. Good luck to you. Here in Dallas we're expecting wind and rains tomorrow from Ike(yay the Hubby can't play golf!)... My brother & sister-in-law live in Houston (near the Galleria) and they've packed up their air mattress & some food and headed to my brother's work office in The Woodlands to camp out as long as they have to. Scary stuff.

    P.S. Love, love, love that bathroom!!!

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  53. Hello Joni
    I didn't see this post last night. Woke up very early, this AM, wondering how you are doing.
    Thanks for this update. Hope your night was as uneventful as possible!

    Looking forward to further updates.

    Stay safe!!

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  54. Joni, I am praying for ya'.
    Great hurricane post-
    If I did that, it would be done every other week here in 'Fla Fla'.

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  55. Joni, Hunkered down with Colfax and Fowler! You are hysterical...I pray you will be safe. Please keep your devovted fans updated..Mary

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  56. Joni, here's a coffee recipe that tastes pretty darn close to Starbucks' sugar free vanilla cafe latte! Sending good wishes to Cote De Texas.

    One cup of coffee
    2 tbls Davinci or Torani syrup of choice
    2 tbls half and half or cream
    splenda (optional)
    Blender

    How To Prepare:
    Blend cup of coffee with syrup, cream and splenda if you like it a bit sweeter. Blend quick (10 sec)
    Pour in coffee mug. Will have a frothy top Just like a fancy coffee shop drink.
    Number of Servings: One
    Preparation Time: 3 Minutes

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  57. hey Joni, are you OK? Is the tree still standing?

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  58. Thinking of you, Joni. Hope you have power and minimal damage. Keep us posted.

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  59. Thinking of you, Joni. Hope you have power and minimal damage. Keep us posted.

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  60. Joni if you still have battery power we would love to hear from you. Love and prayers.

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  61. Glad to hear all is well and please keep us updated.
    At least you do have a pretty powder room!

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  62. What a great hurricane post! Love the powder room wallpaper, too. Our daughter lives down on Westheimer and Augusta. She just reported that Augusta is under water. She, as well, already has a severe case of 'cabin fever'. Not only no electricity but ever stranger is no water. Weird, huh? Hope you and your family are safe. Praying for your oak tree and Starbucks! Wishing you well!

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  63. Well, I stayed up almost all night glued to the live feeds from the local stations. It was interesting to see the coverage from the old neighborhood. It looked very dramatic! Hope everyone is ok and that the electricity comes back up soon and that damage was minimal!! XO

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  64. Hi Joni,
    I've been thinking about you and your storm. Blogs are so odd, you end up with a personal connection to someone you don't actually know. Normally I wouldn't have paid any attention - too far away, doesn't concern me. I have now checked all the major news networks for Ike news to see how you've fared.....and by the way, I prefer your reports to anything I've seen on CNN etc. just a bunch of guys standing in the wind and rain talking about their lost hats....so I hope everything's OK with you and your family (and your books)and I look forward to your next report.
    With love, Janet

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  65. Good luck to you, your family and all your friends. I hope you,your home, your fabulous powder room and your big old tree weather through ok!

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  66. Well, now that we've seen that Powder Room we can all breathe easily. Madame Cote is goin' down in style!
    Your take on hunkering down became an instant classic. Please keep safe!

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  67. Joni!

    How are things this morning?? I'm hoping the patron saint of Starbucks has deemed to have yours saved --anyone have Mexican candles for it? --girlfriend may need some ASAP!

    On a more serious note I have some more French reading for you (could you send me your address again?)

    Hoping to hear good news from you guys! Much love, Alex

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  68. Second the notion of blog-connectedness. As I'm watching the dozens of comments stacking up here, I hope it brings a measure of comfort/satisfaction/joy to see how deeply you've connected w/people all over the country/world through your spirited, knowledgeable, wonderful blog...do take good care and know that all over people are sending good thoughts your way. A testimony to your power as a communicator, connector, teacher...and lively virtual pal!

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  69. Wow. This was so interesting to read. Here in the land of no big hurricanes, just the rainy leftovers, we've never had the experiences of which you speak! We do have friends that live just beyond the Galveston island sea wall, first street I believe. So we are waiting to hear from them.

    I do hope your tree holds up and that your husband's migraine improves! A migraine sufferer myself, my heart goes out to him. It was most likely the drop in barometric pressure!

    Take good care and let us all hear from you soon!!

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  70. Joni - I've been thinking about you today and hope you all make it through fine. Best luck!

    -Lana

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  71. Hey, my other half is here!
    Joni, hope that all comes out fine for you and your family. I remember riding those things out...no fun, and the clean up was always interesting. Yeah, Starbucks french roast rules!

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  72. Joni- I hope you and yours are okay. And once this is over, clearly you're in need of a stovetop espresso maker (they work over a campfire/BBQ fire, too) to see you through the closure of Starbucks.

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  73. Here's hoping you got your Starbucks today! Keeping all our Texans in our thoughts and prayers!

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  74. Joni- You've got a lot of people who are concerned about you and your family's safety. Hope you didn't have too much damage!!

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  75. Please post when you can. I keep coming back to make sure you're okay. I just read where a woman died from her tree falling in north Houston. Oh no! I hate it that anyone died, but of course I'm thinking about your sick tree and crossing fingers you don't live in north Houston.

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  76. Joni, of course I immediately thought about you & some others in TX when I heard where this storm was headed. Hope you are still OK! Look forward to hearing about it first hand from those who were in it. Sounds like it is bad on the news.

    Rhoda

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  77. Thinking of you....... update us as soon as you can!

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  78. Again...only you would have a 'safe' room with such great wallpaper. If you're gonna go, you might as well go in a nice space. You are a class act extreme weather star!

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  79. Hi Joni.....Stay safe! I know you are hunkered down & riding the storm out. The wallpaper is gorgeous is the PR.....I am thinking of you & your family!
    Bonnie

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  80. Gosh thats a beautiful powderroom. I can't imagine how stressful it must be preparing for a hurricane or tornado. I'm thinking of you and your family.

    Anna :)

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  81. So glad you weathered the storm, IKE was horrible I can't believe the pictures on TV !!!

    God Bless,
    Kathy :)

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  82. Hello Joni,

    I got the last jar of peanut butter at Kroger's near you and had to get on my hands and knees to find one that had rolled behind some other food. During the storm, about 3:30 in the morning, while I was mopping up water in our laundry room and under three sets of French doors and my husband was in the attic with buckets of water coming in through a hole in the roof, I promised myself that if I lived through Ike, I would contact you to help me with my house...just a few blocks away from you. I don't have electricity yet and I am assuming that you don't either since you haven't replied to any of the comments. My neighbors across the street have electricity and all I'm wondering is.....where are the trucks that WU said they had contracted to help our little city??!! I will have very little funds left over after we replace the roof and the wood floors which are cupping!! But I would like your help. We bought this house a couple months ago and believe it or not, it is a "Something's Gotta Give" house, transoms, dark hardwoods. I walked into it and immediately knew it had to be mine. We lived 20 years in another WU house. Right now I am at a car dealerhip I walked into because I know they have free wireless!! I hope your house and tree were safe during the storm. I just found your blog about a month ago and absolutely love it, love it, love it.

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  83. Cheryl if you see this - email me
    mrballbox329@aol.com

    thanks!

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  84. just read your hurricane post after weathering the weekend with evacuees from Beaumont. The only thing I like about all this death and destruction is the bonus time I get with my brother and brood.

    You're hilarious by the way.
    So glad to hear you've weathered it all ...

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  85. I live in Houston and am sooo sad to see this city in shambles...please give us something soothing and pretty to look at....

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  86. I WANT that Colefax and Fowler wallpaper in your powder room!

    I just love it.....so classic.

    I am going to search for it.....NOW!

    MIMILEE<><

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