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I am responding to your post specifically because you said sockmonkey had water. I didn't know that or if she told me I can't remember. My head ain't exactly been screwed on straight the last few days! But do wish I would have known and I definitely would have have over and helped to you clean up. So, when you get back from you trip, I will be more than happy to help you finish cleaning, repair anything that needs to be repaired that I am capable of fixing or help with anything you might need help with. Also, Terry told me last night that you are Roy's sister. Freaked me out! Roy and I graduated together.

I don't know if I will even be able to finish this post. Tears sometimes make it difficult to read and type. I am not crying for the loss of my stuff, but in gratitude and thankfulness that the Lord has blessed me so richly with so many friends - some of whom I don't even know their real names nor haveeven seen them in person. I am so overwheled at the outpouring of love I just don't have any words to convey my gratitude, appreciation and thanks.

I am fine and in good spirits. As I have walked around and talked to my neighbors, I more fully realize how fortunate I am. Just the next couple of streets over, there ware many homes with extensive damage. So many of those folks were low income families whose homes were not far waway from being tar paper shacks. Many elderly on fixed incomes - just so many people that were less fortunate than I before the flood. My heart breaks for them. I went through one of the houses today with a lady from the city and it just took my breath away. Mud up almost to the ceiling, entire walls gone , their beautiful antiques ruined. Over dozens of blocks there are huge piles of ruined carpet, furniture, vehicles. There were homes flooded that had NEVER even came close to having water in them before, homes not even close to being in the flood zone.

As I write this, there are thousands of homes, vehicles, and other lives being destroyed. The water is now taking out
Boerne, New Braunfels, everything belog Canyon Lake. They have been evacuating all day. Since my area was the first to be hit, we had absolutely no warning., but thankfully those folks have had time to pack up some of their stuff and get out.

We had no warning at all. My sister called a 7:30 AM to tell me they were flooded it and at that time the creek wasn't even overflowing. At about 9 I checked the water and it was several inches below the bottom of the bridge and I decided to move my car across the street to higher ground - that took maybe a minute - when I got home and checked the creek & the water was flowing over the bridge - not just the road, over the guardrails. The water still had 6 - 10 feet to rise before reaching my house - my house was elevated approximately 7 feet off the ground and been through numerous floods since it had been elevated after the 1978 flood and had never gotten water in it. So, I was feeling pretty safe. About 9:05 or so, my neighbor knocked and told me the water was coming up fast and did I need help - I looked out the back and the water had about a foot to go before it would be in the house. I still wasn't particularly bothered, but we started putting everything on closet shelves and I started trying to think of what I needed to take with me. While we were doing that, the water started flowing over my front porch. The house was hit by an uprooted tree and floated off the foundation less than 10 minutes after I got out. Had the tree not rammed into my back deck, my houoe would have probably made it thru.
So, I am very blessed with wonderful neighbors - had it not been for Danny and Charles carrying first the dogs out and across to higher ground and then getting me out, I would have been sitting in my recliner, drinking a coke, smoking a cig, and watching the coverage of the flooding in San Antonio when my house floated away. I really never even got concerned - knew I would have water in the house but didn't think it would be a big deal. So, I am very lucky to be alive.

My girlfriend told me today that she hoped that if I would have been in the house that I would have at least used my "beauty queen wave" and waved goodbye to everyone as I floated off. I nearly fell out of the chair laughing. When the water came up Sunday she called and told me to come to her house if I needed to and I told her I would rather float off down the river than have to deal with 4 TV's in the house blaring at full blast and three screaming kids (her grandkids are with here). She laughed and said I don'[t blame you. The day ofter my house met it's fate, she said something about me saying that, reached over and slapped me on the let and said "See what you get for being a b*^&h!" She and the friends I have been staying with have kept me in tears from laughing. So, between those two and know that so many people below me lost more than I and had no place to go, it's pretty hard for me to feel sorry for myself.

Several of you have asked about insurance. My truck had liability only - itwas 10 tr. old and had 115000+ miles on it and was just used for hauling rocks, dirt, the kayak and such My car was fully insured and I found out today that they may declare it a loss because it got about 10 inches or water in it and may have damaged the electrical system the operated the power seats, windows and top. Runs fine, but adjustor said he still wants to check it out and that if they don't total it and I have problems with it later, I will be covered for 5 years since I have filed a claim. I had full coverage on my house except flood insurance. Nobody has flood insurance around here - usually can't get it at all and those insurance companies that do offer flood insurance required your children in return. I did inquire about flood insurance and I could have gotten it - for about $500. a month over and above my regular premium. Since the house had been elevated after the 78 flood and had never gotten water in it after many floods in that 24 years, I figured I'd just have to take my chances .

I appreciate so much what ya'll are doing. I just can't believe I have so many people so willing to help me out and I just love you all so much. I just don't know what to say. Except please send up lots of prayers for those folks down river that are now facing the flood waters. Many, many of those people lost everything in the huge 1998 flood that missed us.

Everybody keeps asking how I can be so cheerful when I have just lost everything and have no insurance. I guess the answer to that would be that there are so many that had so much less than I before and now have less than nothing and also because in 1986 I lost my home and everything I owned to a fire . So, I have been there, done that - except I was insured then.

Thanks again so much everyone! May the Lord bless you richly in all your endevors.

Wonderful words from a real trooper.

The floods somehow seem a lot closer to these piney woods now. May God bless you and keep you in yet another time of trouble.

FGS

"please send up lots of prayers for those folks down river that are now facing the flood waters"

offering prayers for them and you.
I am sorry that you are going thru this.

Hey wild woman, great to hear from you. It is really wonderful to hear your story first hand. I can't even imagine what you went through and please know that I am very sorry. But you got it right, you see others and you think, wow I am not that bad off. That is a great attitute. Your first paragraph in your post to me I believe you are getting me mixed up with someone else. I think it is COB1. I met you at the Govenors mansion with Bandera. I had my 13yr old son with me and he had a sign that said HONK FOR BUSH. He was really getting into it. In any case I remember you because you were a HOOT! Don't loose that, you will overcome this and knowing you, you are going to help everyone else overcome it to before yourself. Keep in touch. My gift card will be in the mail tomarrow and hope it helps. You and all the others will be in our prayers.

By the way I am in san antonio and we have had no raid since 2pm and then the sun came out about 3pm. yippppeeee

God Bless You, you are an inspiration to me.

I have lost before and was always so self centered about it. "I lost- blah blah blah" (whine, cry). I never once stopped to think about the others who lost so much more than me. I will never be able to look at things the same self centered way again.

Your faith and courage are awesome. Prayers to you and your pets. I hope they all show up safe.

Blessings, trussell

A bump and prayers from Austin.

God bless you TexanaRED, and may He especially be with all those who are being affected by these floods. And Lord, please help the Medina dam to hold! Amen.

Bump for a fellow Texan, and a money order in the mail.

Ping!