Hello, Dolly

Everyone see the weather news the past couple of days? South Padre Island got hit, but good. And Brownsville, Matamoros, Harlingen, etc. If you all remember, South Padre Island is my old stomping grounds. It is where I finally found my "out loud" voice to match my "inside voice," it is yet another small town that I fell in love with(except during Spring Break), it is where I made many small and insignificant stands in my life that turned out to mean the world to me, it is where I walked the beaches every single morning and every single afternoon with my very best friend.... it is where Michael and I met and fell in love...it holds a special place in my heart. In the four years I lived there, I evacuated twice due to hurricane warnings, and sat through one storm, trying to hold my front door shut while the wind wanted to pull it off. It hit so fast, there were no storm warnings. Technically speaking, it wasn't even a hurricane, but a straight wind of 100+ miles per hour, creating a couple small tornados....and a whole lot of damage...once I watched a water spout hit the causeway, the only way off the island. Just after 9/11(so it barely got any news coverage), a barge ran into the support beams of that causeway, collapsing a large section of the bridge. 11 cars fell over the edge. 8 people died. Some of them, people I once knew.
And again, people I once knew are facing the hazards of gulf living...and I hope they are all well and safe. My prayers and wishes are with you all.
This was my first(short-lived) job in Padre...at the Radisson.

This is a couple blocks from my apartment on the bayside...although, it's hard to tell. It may actually be the corner of my street. It's been a while, and I don't technically "recognize" that building, but the docks look right. When I stayed through the one storm, those docks were flying debris in the air, and the guy who owned that building(which may be the same one with a facelift) had just brought in a pontoon boat for doing dinner cruises...literally. It had been tied at the dock for one day. That storm picked it up straight out of the water and put it back in....upside down.

This was Padre Boulevard yesterday, the main road. The whole island is a barrier island. Maybe 6-8 blocks wide, at it's widest point. Hightest elevation is about 25 feet above sea level. Obviously a lot less yesterday.
The hotel where Michael and I used to go watch Big Band Phil play once a week for date night got hit pretty hard. By the way, Sandyfeet, that's her photostream there with Big Band Phil, is a bit of a local celebrity. There's bound to be some good storm photos on that sight soon. Once the power is back up.

Anyhoo, I have been a little ocd with the news today... trying to catch of glimps of anything I recognize...or anyone.

So, you all take care out there.

Stay safe and dry.

Be well.