Randie

[Guest guest]

Yes the new contest started this past Sunday. I believe you are on Team # 6.

Welcome back.

Ann Randie wrote:

Thank you, Willie !!!!! Am I on a team ? Has a new contest started ?? I've been 'out' for sooooooooo long !!!!! We had already originally planned to not have a meeting on Sept. 22 since the church we use was having camp programs. Then RITA hit !!!!! Please send me the rules, whose team I'm on, etc. !!!!!! Thanks !!!!! Since my inbox was so full many messages couldn't come through !!!!!!!! Happy to be back with you on a team, Willie !!!!! Hugs, Randie

FINALLY!!!!!!!!!

I didn't realize how BAD computer withdrawal was !!!!!!!!!! We FINALLY got power back late yesterday evening and I started going through the over 1000 emails in my box -- I had several 'over quota' messages !!!!!! But I 'm back and thank God we're all ok !!!!!!

We went about 50 miles inland to outside of Kirbyville -- to stay at family members' homes. Took all of our 6 dogs with us !!!!!! HAD to do that !!! Then we found out that county also had a mandatory evacuation !!!!!! But we stayed -- my sister-in-law wanted to go out to Fort -- and she, her husband and granddaughter took off Friday morning for there -- but we stayed at her son's -- our nephew's place. Also, had about from 3 - up to 12 people with us at times !!!!! Slept on the floor at night -- thank goodness for a generator since we lost power after the first night. My nephew works for the electric co there so he had long hours out working ----- we cooked over a propane stove --we were able to hook the generator to the well at night to shower. Didn't really 'feel' Rita as she hit -- but the next day a BIG cedar tree was down in the front yard -- thank God it

went parallel to the house -- and a pine tree also fell that just brushed our vehicles. It was quite an experience. My sil and them returned from one night at Fort with a story to tell --- they were gone a total of 5 nights (I believe - all the days ran together). Brought another generator they bought in Odessa -- and had to travel back and forth from Odessa and Monahans to get a trailer and back again for the generator. We were then able to wash clothes.

One of my brothers lives in Marble Falls and had called to offer for us to go there - -but then said he was glad we didn't cause it was jam-packed with evacuees - some people had to go into Arkansas and Oklahoma to get rooms !!!!! Plus northern LA --- we finally came back home on Sunday (I believe) and stayed for over a week with no power or water -- there were different places set up for us to go for hot meals (we just got a couple) since we knew others were more needy, water, ice ------- we had a stove to cook on here. Trucks from Missouri, Florida, North Carolina, Michigan and all over Texas and many other states have been here helping to get our power back on.

We were so lucky here --- just minor things to our home -- and our 'shop's' roof was pretty torn up -- but we needed a new one --- plus a shed where we kept things to just keep them undercover was totally demolished. Gorgeous oak trees down all over !!!!!!! We lost our only short leaf pine tree when a cedar tree fell down on it ---- our oak trees (that my dad planted ) have broken limbs -- hubby wants to clear everything at once and now has a dislocated shoulder ---went to dr this morning --- businesses are finally opening here --- so many others have been destroyed !!!!! I have NEVER in my 55 years had to evacuate during a hurricane -- and we kept saying that we have been past due --- and I hope it will be another 55 years before another one like Rita -- we were blessed that she didn't have the strorm surge Katrina had --- or my house and many others would have been underwater ---I'm glad to hear that my other fellow southeast

Texans made it through ok -- and that the TOPS members from LA made it ok --- Rita didn't take the human lives as Katrina did -- but there is so much destruction !!!!!!!!!!! Trees down !!!!!! Will take us quite a while to get them all down and holes filled up where the roots came up -- I wouldn't have thought that a big tree could have been uprooted as they were !!!! We had a VERY dry Sept. for us -- and actually not much rain came with Rita -- I saved the water from our ice chests to water them !!! And having an above ground pool helped us to flush toilets !!!!!! Just know y'all wanted to hear that !!!!!!!!

BUT we're physically (mostly !!!) fine and our homes are fine. God was good !!!!!!

Thank goodness I got my aunt's hide-a-bed couch when she passed away and we blocked off the bedroom area so we could cool the living area when it was too hot -- but the cool front that came in was nice too !!!!!!

THANKS for all who asked about me !!!!!!! And Janet calling me too !!!!!!! I really appreciate knowing that y'all care !!!!!!! Hugs and blessings, Randie

Ann Baird from Texasgroups.yahoo.com/groups/cookwithless

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