Flooded Freeper Could Use Help

"Also waiting to find out if my property has been condemned, lots of areas around me have been, and if so, will they pay me for it."

Check out the prices of lots in your area before the flood, condemnation under eminent domain must be paid for at fair market value.

They will always offer far less than what it's worth but pay more if they are refused.

We fought them when they comdemned our business property for the freeway and wound up getting 2 1/2 times what they offered. Although that was in California, all these goverment people are taught the same thing and rotate jobs between cities and states and all use the same formulas. In the private sector they are called cons and crooks!

Ping!

Hi, and thanks to everyone who kept bumping this thread, and who have provided prayers and the means for TexanaRed to try to rebuild her life.

I returned from my trip to Alabama Sunday, and couldn't believe it is still raining here. The Guadalupe and some of the other rivers here are once again a few feet from flood stage. The poor folks near New Braunfels, and some other areas were told to be ready to evacuate again. It is very disheartening to salvage what you can, clean up what you can, and then hear that rising waters may very well wipe out your good efforts.

I touched base with TexanaRed this evening. If the rain ever stops, I am going to take her out to the rustic cabin on 25 acres where, if she desires, she will be welcome to stay while she attempts to put the pieces back together again.

I know many generous freepers have offered their actual physical labor in various areas for TexanaRed..well, after she sees the cabin, she may be asking for those with expertise in plumbing or electrical things to help work out some of the kinks out at her new abode, so please keep your hearts open to that possibility. I think Texana & I are very capable as far as fixing things, but she has a bum shoulder, and I screwed up my rotator cuff when I slipped during the downpours here, so right now we are kinda gimped out.

Once again, thanks for your generous outpouring of prayers, bumps, and help for dear TexanaRed, the Gal in the Tin-Foil Stetson. Thank you, Jim Robinson, Our Freeper Father for allowing me to ask for help for Texana_Red. Freepers are the Greatest.

P.S. Big Bump for Basil, one of our fearless HOT freepers who is also in need of prayers, having suffered a heart attack.

Well, when it rains it pours. Hope you all come out of this thing ok.
Thanks, Jim

sockmonkey,

Glad you made it back. Hope your place is keeping dry. Let us know how TexanaRed is holding up.

Had lots of inquiries for TexanaRed's address for FReepers to send donations, while you were gone. Hopefully she will get a flood of a different kind in her mailbox soon. I'm sure she will be very busy writing thank you cards, once she gets settled down a bit. :)

Anymouse

sockmonkey, thanks for continuing to keep us posted on our friend TEXANARED. I know you had to leave town for awhile and glad you made it back safely. Yes you are right, it rains and then the sun comes out and then it pours again and then a little bit of sun and then another downpour. It is crazy weather. I will be leaving town for awhile and can't say I wont miss this stuff. Hope it doesn't follow me to south padre, my luck it just might. Family is packing as I write and we are off tomarrow at 6am. Will check back Monday when I get back to see how all are doing.

Hi All, (I can't seem to figure out how to send a post to everybody at the same time!)

Finally beat my sis to the computer this AM, but sure had to get up early. She is tracing her husband's family history and spends most of the day on the computer. Kinda like I used to do at FR!

First I want to thank you all so very, very much for all the donations and beautiful cards. Am wishing I had a mantle to put all the cards on! I know I would have survived this ordeal, but all your donations, cards and words of encouragement have helped so much. I also know that when I have finally quit running from early AM to evening trying to get everything done, I will probably fall into a "blue funk" and those cards and letters will be the things that get me out of that! How can I possibly be depressed when I have so many wonderful FReeper friends praying for me, giving me words of encouragement, offers of help and donations to help me get back on my feet!

As sockmonkey said, we are getting rain and more rain. I stopped watching the weather reports cause I was getting so depressed hearing about more rain heading our way. Yesterday it came down in bucketfuls in Medina and my sis wasn't able to get out. Last evening there was a huge, beautiful rainbow outside our front door. At first it was very vivid and bright then slowly faded away. I took that as a sign that (hopefully) the rain is over, but no sign of any sunshine this morning. My brother in law said to be sure and get a picture of where that rainbow ended, so we could get out and dig for that pot of gold. He is such a
hoot!

I have about gotten everything taken care of that I can do. From now on it is just wait and see. I will be getting $14,800 in grant money, which I have yet to receive. I was so happy when I got the letter telling me a check was on the way. I thought it was for my personal property loss and was amazed that they sent me more than my personal property was insured for. Then I discovered yesterday that it was for $7,000 of personal property and $7,800 real property and that's all I was getting! They asked me to send them the letter from my insurance company
denying coverage and said I may be able to get another grant, but they couldn't make any promises. Thus far no living expenses or anything else. I am really trying to understand how they operate. Many of my neighbors have received grant checks for living expenses and repairs much larger and have been told they will have more coming. One fellow got an $18,000 check for a new truck. I am trying not to complain or get upset about it, but I just don't understand how someone that lost everything only qualified for a $14,800 grant, when everybody else is getting money for living expenses, vehicles, food, etc. (I did get a $50 food voucher from Red Cross). I am just praying that when they get the denial letter from my insurance company I will be able to get another grant. $14,800 doesn't even come close to covering all my loses and I can't even think about rebuilding or anything else on that. And, if course, if I spend it for anything other than what they say I can spend it on, I'm in trouble and have to pay it back.

Or course, all the FEMA people I have talked to have encouraged me to get a low interest loan, and I have told them repeatedly that I cannot accept a loan when I know there is no way I can pay it back. Esp, since my shoulder and arm prevent me from getting a job right now. I have worked so hard to get out of debt and get some money put back, so that I would be able to not have to work if I didn't want to. Now it looks as if I will have to go back to work full time and use all my savings to rebuild (unless I want to live in an apartment the rest of my life.) And there goes my little nest egg for when I am old and gray and can't work. So, I am quite frustrated now and trying to decide what the heck I am going to do if I can't get another grant to help cover the losses. But, am trying to keep my spirits up. I do know the Lord watches over me and
that when He closes a door, He always opens a window. Just praying that window will open soon. It's difficult being in limbo and not being able to plan for my future.
Maybe I didn't "beg" enough for help or something.

I am beginning to think that my remark that I would rather live in a tent might just come to pass. LOL!

The city is trying to set up a buy-back program for those of us whose who chose not to rebuild in the same place. I was surprised to find out that the city would indeed issue me a building permit to rebuild on my property. They did tell me I would have to elevate the house. I told him the house had already been elevated to 7' after the flood of 78'. He was surprised to hear that.

Just the night before, my b-i-l, sis and I were talking about tree houses. I used to watch that show "Extreme Homes" on TLC and was telling them about the cool tree houses the show had featured. Said I thought it would be neat to have one. Well, turns out I could have one!
Unfortunately if I can't get another grant, I won't even be able to afford that. The $14,800 I am to get specifies that it cannot be used for landscaping, so any property repair will have to come out of my pocket. So, thus far I am up, or down, the creek without a paddle! LOL!

I did talk to a guy from the Texas Insurance Board and he gave me a complaint form to file against my home owners and car insurance. Said that most insurance companies would "screw their customers" if given a chance, but usually a complaint to the Insurance Board would solve the problem. He told me to take my car to the mechanic of my choice, have him put it on the rack, go over it with a fine tooth comb and give me a written report. Also said that if my mechanic recommended the car be totalled, the insurance company was required to pay, esp. since I already have four written statements from dealerships that my car has NO trade in value because of the flood damage. Said if they won't pay up, I should sue them. I have already thought about that, but just don't know if I want to spend the next couple of years in a court battle, then end up with the lawyers getting most of the settlement. I have studied the law for years and probably could do it all myself, but insurance stuff is not what I have researched and know something about.

Gee, I am sounding like all those whiners I hate! I do know that whatever happens, I will survive it. I have had nothing before and guess I can start over again with nothing! I may no longer have any "stuff", but I have been richly blessed with a wonderful family and friends and when it comes down to it, that is all that truly matters.

Alyssa, I have lost your phone number so haven't been able to call and tell you I found Dubya a home. And it never even occurred to me that I could send you a FReepmail! DUH! A friend of mine, the former animal control officer for Bandera County, adopted him. They live out in the country and he's a dog trainer. Dubya is a big ox (80+ lbs), stubborn as a mule and needs lots of room to run and a firm hand in training. I was not so good at the training part - he pulled me around like a ragdoll. Although Dubya is a really sweet dog and I don't think he would ever intentionally hurt a child (or anybody else), I was a bit concerned that he might be a bit much to handle, esp, with little ones around. First thing he would probably do is jump up on one of them, knock them down and give them kisses. Of course, they are too small to understand that he was just loving on them and it would have scared them to death! I didn't want to take even the slightest change of him hurting one of your kiddos!

Sockmonkey, remind me to tell you about the place I lived in Oklahoma City! I don't know if anything could be worse that that! So, I imagine your cabin will be just fine.
Just to give you an idea, everytime it rained hard the sewer would backup and come spewing out the drain hole in the cement floor in the bathroom. Thank goodness it didn't rain much. LOL! I was more interested in having a fine barrel racing horse and a trailer to haul him in than a great place to live. Spent most of my time in the barn anyway. So, I can adjust and be happy just about anywhere. It is just being in limbo that drives me to distraction.
Patience is not something the Lord blessed me with, but I am learning.

My arm is better. Seeing the choirpractor every day and he thinks it will be back to normal after just a couple more adjustments.

My neighbor down the creek found my 270 hunting rifle and returned it to me. I then sold it for next to nothing to a friend of his. I sure don't know how to clean it up and make it useful again, if that could even be done. I only lost three weapons, that poor guy had a gunsmithing shop and lost about 400 weapons and his carpentry shop. I lost my home, they lost their livelihood and had their home severly damaged, so once again, it brings to mind that I am blessed.

Well, whining over, sun is peaking through the clouds, and getting this frustration off my chest, has already inproved my state of mind. Am ready to hit the shower, get dressed and face the world!

I will ask that everyone send up prayers that my insurance company will reconsider and pay me. I would love to return the check to FEMA and tell them "thanks, but no thanks"!
I do have to say, though, that everybody I have dealt with at FEMA has been wonderful and really helpful as has the Red Cross.

Thanks to all for everything - and letting me whine and get it off my chest. Your donations and words of encouragement mean so much to me. I pray the Lord bless each and everyone of you and yours richly in all your endeavors!

Texana

ONE YEAR LATER: How are things going for you?