[Howlin]

onyx and I made a list - sort of -- by keeping up with those of you who signed in.

This list is the ones we saw, not necessarily everybody; if any of you know some who didn't check in and haven't been heard from, please advise myself, onyx, or McGavin999, who has graciously agreed to help with our search for you all!

30 something american; AggieMama; Alkhin; Alexis the Bengal Kitty; American72; AndyMeyers; antivenom; anymouse; Arrowhead1952; austinTparty; BellStar; BlueAngel; BnBlFlag; bonfire; buickmackane; CajunConservative; Carlo3b; Carlucci; Chasaway; chesty_puller; Chong; CindyDawg; CnTXBobcat; COEXERJ145; DallasMike; dandelion; daybreakcoming; demkicker; deport; Diddle E. Squat; Disgusted in Texas; ditter; Dog Gone; drew'smom; Eaker; eastforker; Elderberry; el gato; ElephantinTexas; encm(ss); fatima; fhlh; fowb; freeperfromnj; Flyer; gab1279; GOP_THUG_MOM; gulf1609; gumboyaya; half-cajun; Helen; hispanarepublicana; hobson; hocndoc; Howlin; houstoncurmudgeon; humblegunner; hummingbird; Humidston; i_dont_chat; Indiana Jones; InfraRed; Iwo Jima; Jaded; john316; johnb838; JohnD9207; jpsb; JFC; Jrabbit; Just A Reader; kassie; Kate of Spice Island; katiebelle; Kingwood Kiddo; kingu; KingKongCobra; Leapfrog; Lemondropkid31; Liberal Classic; lonestar; LongElegantLegs; L,TOWM; Mac94; MEG33; MeneMeneTekelUpharsin; miztiki; mlbford2; monkfan; Motherbear; msmagoo54; nepdap; nsidetrk; N8VTXNinWV; Nita Nupress; OC_Steve; OffMyMeds; omegabea; onyx; padfoot_lover; Paleo Conservative; pbrown; PetroniDE; proud_2_B_texasgal; PurVirgo; RedWhiteBlue; Rheo; RichardW; Richard Kimball; Rightfootforward; RikaStrom; RonH; RoseyT; Ryan Spock; Sally'sConcerns; sam_paine; Sans-Culotte; SaveTheChief; seeker41; servantboy777; shield; sinkspur; Sooner Gal; stopem; TexAgg_IE; tex_gop_cruz; texsean; TexasCowboy; texasforever; texianyankee; Texas Mom; Texas Songwriter; tje; TXDeb; txroadhawg; TheMom; The South Texan; truthandlife; turtleman; TWfromTEXAS; TxBec; TX Bluebonnet; TXBSAFH; Txsleuth; webfooter; WhyisaTexasgirlinPA; Willie Green; WinOne4TheGipper; wolfhound89; Xenalyte; YCTHouston; Zacs Mom; Zechariah_8_13;

[PurVirgo]

PurVirgo checking in from the eastforker compound. We're faring well out here, thanks to eastie's generator :)

Any Kingwood-ites with a status report? I'm stuck out here till I can get some gas, and my apartment is in the back of Kingwood. I'm curious if the Livable Forest fared well through some of the gusts I heard/felt.

Will check back in a little... Mrs. Eastie wishes to get online :o)

[Iwo Jima]

We're fine, but no power since 9pm last night. Doesn't look like we'll have power for several days. But we're doing OK. Can't complain. We do have phone service and water.

Have had only moderate rain. Strong winds last night between midnight and 5am. Gusts up to probably 50MPH. No damage to the house. No downed trees or big limbs. Lots of little twigs, branches, etc. Weird sky and clouds. Kinda neat, actually.

I need to get off the computer now to save my battery. I'll check in from time to time.

Glad to see that as far as we know, no Freepers were hurt.

[wolfcreek]

Any road-closdure info for my elderly father trying to get back to SW Houston Beltway and westhiemer area

[The South Texan]

Never left town. She made the turn to north as she was supposed to and now we are baking in 105 degree heat here in South Texas. Is it fall yet?

[proud_2_B_texasgal]

I'm here with servantboy777. we never lost power and saw very little action. thanks for the prayers ..

deb

[Tex_GOP_Cruz]

Thanks for the thread, Howlin. Power never went out here. I know at least parts of the Heights (to my south) have power, but just less than two miles to my west they lost it about 2 a.m. We got a moderately strong rain band and some gusty winds about 5 a.m.

The old oak trees in the front only shed a few small branches. Thank goodness there was no real damage here. My thoughts and prayers are with those further east.

[JohnD9207]

Things are good here Thank God. Its interesting that the outer band of Rita is over my house right now, and looks like rain with wind gusts from 25-30 mph. I worry about tornado's spinning off from this band, but can't do anything about that. The Lake house at Lake Fork is ok according to the neighbor, just lots of rain. Drove into Dallas this morning to let Mayor Nagin know the 8th district was under attack by Mr. Bush again, but couldn't find him at his new digs. Guess he was out with Sheila Lee Jackson and Mayor Miller working on window treatments. Its a bitch to find just the right color scheme you know? My heart goes out to those folks on the coast, what a scary evening. I really live a blessed life...thanks to God and friends like you.

[OC_Steve]

Just got my power back in Cypress. It went out at 5:00 AM and came back on at 3:00 PM. CenterPoint Energy is awesome. Hope everyone else is OK.

Ahhhhh, air conditioning and cold beer!!!

The only damage I had was that the pole holding my wind meter fell over. Can I get a $2000.00 Debit Card from FEMA for that?

[seeker41]

Howdy from Houston Heights, made it through just fine. Decided to stay in town rather than take a chance on the highways (no gas, food or anything). It was not bad at all, winds in the 40 to 50 mph gusts-only extreme leaf damage to report. Some trees and limbs about, but my power and cable stayed on throughout. Life is good.

Regards, seeker41

[KingKongCobra]

Hi yall. Storm had little effect here in Sugar Land but the power went out for the last 20 hours. It's back, now.

[Dog Gone]

I keep losing my internet connection, but I kept my roof, all my windows, and my electricity. Once I clean out the pool and find some gasoline, I'm good to go.

[Tim n Texas]

We hunkered down in our house in Northwest Houston area. On Wednesday when Rita became a cat 5 with 175mph winds I was fully prepared to bug out... But the ever skeptical wife wanted to wait for it to settle into its final approach.

In the end, we made the right decision to stay. Still, I was a day ahead of everyone in getting bottled water, gas, cash form the ATM, etc... We had only tropical storm winds, no damage and no loss of power.

[DallasMike]

My brother and his family are fine. Thanks!

[cbkaty]

This is my damage assessment....yes we dodged a bullet, but I sent this to my insurance agent and FEMA.....just in case they are handing out ATM cards...../sarcasm

It is actual damage.....think of the tree and all its suffering....The local news would have used it had I moved it to the curb and provided at least a running water hose and fan to blow their hair....

[Brytani]

I need help locating a missing relative from the Beaumont area.

My mother-in-law was a patient at St. Elizabeth's hospital in Beaumont when Rita was approaching. We have been told she was evacuated by military transport, Friday morning prior to 12 noon. While this is known, where she was actually sent is not known. Basically the hospital has lost her.

Her husband, daughter and son (my husband) are very concerned. She was released from ICU just a day before the evacuation. I have spent all day calling hospitals in Texas, LA, Ga, Al trying to locate her but to no avail.

I know new and information is hard to come by, but if any freeper hears a report on where patients were possibly air lifted too, I would greatly appreciate any information.

I have registered with the Red Cross and Fema, along with numerous patient locator sites looking for her. So far no luck.

Thanks everyone.

[AlleyCat48]

Hi...I'm checking in...we made it through Rita good...damage was minimal...just branches down and alot of trash in the yard. Gosh, I'm glad it's over! I live to the East of where it came on land and we had some pretty strong winds. I hope that the Gulf coast can get a rest for the remainder of the seanson.

[Chong]

Thankfully, there's not much to tell except to say that we had a nice hurricane party Friday evening sitting outside with our neighbors. Then yesterday, we all laughed at ourselves for over-preparing. We are blessed.

[Lemondropkid31]

Hello!!! I am back home. I rode the storm out at work, in The Woodlands. We got about 40 to 45 mph winds and enough rain to uproot a couple of small trees and made a few other trees tip over a little bit. We really dodged a bullet I think. I am glad to be home so I can sleep in my own bed. We didn't loose any electricity at work, but apparently we did at the apartments, and a few areas in Conroe do not have electricity. All I saw in coming home from work up 45 was a couple of signs that fell down.

[webfooter]

Just got into the office this morning and was glad to hear that everyone made it through the storm okay. We had no problems except for a couple of strong gusts at about 2:00am on Saturday morning. I was happy we didn't board up the house. My girlfriend and I found a golf course open and played nine holes on Sunday before the 100 degree heat made us seek air conditioning again.

[JFC]

I am in West Texas so I never left, but the 900 from Baytown area who evacuated here... are leaving today to go back home. 9 hour bus trip. They flew here and were not happy about riding bus back home. Many of the ones we got were glad to be here for the past 3 days. They were fed good, given college football game seat on Sat.... most were kind, but the 18 or so who were rude sure did set off our help. They were fed 3 very good meals a day, sleeping was not so great.. all in an airplane hanger, and portable showers and potties, they had a.c. and even complained about out morning temps. I told them they would have to take that up with God. He controls our West Texas temps... It has been interesting... seeing the attitudes of many who are so used to being taken care of by gov't. The rude ones were less than the appreciative ones.