Still in Limbo

Life has become sort of routine here at Tyler Junior College, but a change is coming. The evacuee population here is shrinking as patients from other nursing homes are farmed out to long term facilities, and soon we'll have to leave too. They aren't gonna let us stay here indefinitely. Not that I want to be here any longer than I have to. It's been an interesting experience, but really I just want to go back home.

Today I visited Pipa, our canine evacuee, at the home where he is staying (we are not allowed to keep pets here at the shelter). Turns out his accomodations are more posh than our own. He's being kept in a comfortable ranch-style home on a large country estate. Reminds me of those children who were evacuated from their London tenements during WWII and sent to stay at palacial country houses to escape German bombing. They have two ponds on their property and keep several horses in addition to the many pets they are sheltering for the evacuees. After the regal treatment he's received he might not want to go home with us!

Michelle met a Texas State Guard who once lived in our subdivision (Artesian Acres), and whose stepfather still lives there. I got his number and called him. He told me that there are many downed trees in the neighborhood, but the roads have been cleared and there wasn't any serious flooding. Falling trees had smashed his roof. He said that he would check on my place and let me know what he found. So hopefully tomorrow I'll have a better idea of what kind of damage to expect.

One of the ladies from Silsbee plays piano, and tonight we had a little hootenany in the volunteer's dining room. She played songs like "Deep in the Heart of Texas," "As Time Goes By," and "Nine to Five." She even knew the theme from Green Acres! Those who could - and even some who couldn't - danced and sang along. Some of the Texas State Guard troops joined in. At one point I was forced to do the hokey pokey, much to my chagrin. It was great fun and a nice break from the tedium.