Whew! I don’t know about you but hopefully you were as lucky as we were when we met Harvey. We evacuated. For unusual reasons we had not evacuated when Claudette came around way back then. She was a low numbered hurricane. As you all know Harvey was a four.

We were trapped because Claudette came early.. The weather folks assured us we had plenty of time the evening before so we decided to wait till the next morning to leave. The next morning and Claudette came at the same time. So we were here in our humble new little house.

We soon learned that hurricanes are very nasty folks whatever their name or intensity number. She was loud and roared and the house shook and the electricity went out. It was at least uncomfortable and definitely scary. Fortunately the house weathered the storm safely.

We decided then and there we didn’t want that experience ever again and would evacuate. I figured a week early was about right but prudence said that might be a bit to soon. Given that Claudette was a one we figured the higher number Harvey would be worse It was.

It stayed far longer than it was welcome, did far more damage in a far wider area. In all ways was a particularly bad boy. We fully expected disaster when we returned after a week or so of no electricity but for us it was fortunately minor damage. Not so for many and our hearts go out to those all along the Texas coast that weren’t so fortunate.

We have a larder to fill because with the electricity off the food in it spoiled. We, along with many others, have a destroyed or missing pier. We have a tree or two to cut up and haul away and some roof shingles and other debris to clean up. However, Harvey up and down the coast left much more work for many other folks.

We all have a lot of clean up and replacing to do. As near as I can tell the good folks are doing just that. Our children who lived in Houston didn’t get flooded, thank goodness. They, along with the other fortunate ones, are working to get things straightened out up there. However, if Claudette took a year or so, it will likely take a far longer time to get fully repaired from Harvey.

I don’t know who establishes the names of Hurricanes. But this time they must have had some sort of premonition. Harvey was not a particularly popular name before and might be less popular in the immediate future. Harvey’s provenance is at least interesting. It comes from the old Breton words Haer and viu. Haer loosely translates in to strong or war. The phrase often translates to Battle worthy. Those naming guys named this brute pretty well. Those of us who are left certainly have a Battle-worthy task of recovering. I know we can make it.

When tragedy such as a natural disaster strikes today, the world outside the affected areas tend to only see the damage and the heartbreak through television and the instantaneous magic of the internet. Additionally, once the disaster has had its time as a ‘current’ news event, it tends to slip into the background of those not connected in some way with the area that is in crisis.

The complications from this are many, such as the fact that donations to relief funds may stop coming in as time passes, making recovery harder, and the fact that it is yesterday’s news to the rest of the world may make it seem like the brave rebuilding residents of those areas are on an desert island, cut off from the world but still having to soldier on through the aftermath.

Once shining American jewels like the ‘Motor City’ of Detroit or the New Orleans area after Hurricane Katrina could tell you what happens when tragedy befalls its residents and the world has stopped watching.

There is a reason I brought up America and old fashioned American values that in modern times seem to have gone the way of the drive-in and the roadside diner – something that most in this country today were raised to have pride in, no matter what side of the political aisle you are drawn to or how many mistakes the American people may have made in its ongoing history.

Larger still, it is a Human trait, one that draws from examples in nature and is hard wired into our very essence to do to be able to continue Human history into the hopefully the far flung and bright future.

Ingenuity, hard work, rebuilding from within.

This country was a land of pioneers and survivors, people that were determined to make it under the most harsh and unrelenting of conditions because they believed in the value of their way of life and the desire to keep moving forward, no matter what obstacles and hardships may have gotten in their way.

It is easy for me to write, sitting here tucked away right outside of Chicago with September already underway and the next biggest weather event here being a blizzard or below zero cold spell that is most likely a couple months away at the very least, if it happens at all.

I made Texas my home twice and really enjoyed my time in Port Lavaca. I was able to experience a different style of life that I had ever seen living right outside one of the United Sates major cities for most of my life, and even different then I had previously seen of Texas living in El Paso in my teens, which when I lived there El Paso was still more desert than an oasis.

My heart and thoughts are with all those struck by this tragedy in a place I once considered home and was glad to have experienced and hope to do so again. The gift I have to send letters of affection every month to all of you has never gone unnoticed and this month this space is dedicated to all of you brave readers out there struck by the recent outbreak of severe coastal weather.

Stay strong and Godspeed.

Although Harvey tried very hard to make a spectacular appearance in Port O’Connor, he left without causing too much damage. The normal utilities that one takes for granted were down; i.e., electricity, water, sewage were unavailable for some time; however, all have been restored although vehicular gasoline is somewhat limited. But the good news is that the 9th Annual Chili/Gumbo Cookoff will proceed as planned on Saturday, October 28, 2017 at Hooper’s Bar and Grill on Maple Street.

If any of our readers has had the experience of attending prior Cookoffs, he/she will remember fondly the fun and total enjoyment available at such an event. And the kibitzer has often the opportunity to meet and greet the chefs, possibly obtain an idea of how the winning recipe is created, and sample the gumbo and chili dishes that are being offered.

Following the sampling of all recipes by a group of brave judges, Hoop will announce the winners of each class. And then the silent auction will take place as created and sponsored by members of Friends of the Library. There are some outstanding items to win including a kayak, special designer sun glasses, Yeti items, and a spectacularly designed and sewn quilt wall hanging as made by a local resident.

So, as you drive down or up Maple Street, and you become vibrantly aware of some totally delicious cooking aromas, do plan to stop and see what this excitement is all about. And, once again, Hoop will be giving all monies earned to benefit our new library. Despite Harvey, ground will be breaking shortly for the new building.

Tickets for the raffle can be purchased in a book of 5 for $20 or a single ticket for $5. Many local merchants have books of these tickets for sale including Hoop at Hooper’s Bar & Grille; Sister’s Gift Shop across from Froggies; Sylvia’s Hair Salon on West Monroe; Teresa’s Nail & Hair on the highway; Josie’s Restaurant; our Library, POC Rod and Gun on Byers Street; and Hurricane Junction.

August 30, 2017

God Bless Texas!  This was our mantra over the past week as we Texans fled the path of Hurricane Harvey.  Turns out whether you got out of the way, stayed to ride it out or became stranded due to high wind or rising water that a good portion of the state of Texas was hit directly or someone you are related to or know well were affected or devastated by this powerful, awful storm.

We are not stranded but chose to flee to East Texas to be out of the direct path at first impact in Port O’Connor and we will remain up here to help as the storm continues to barrel toward this part of Texas.  We have grandmothers, parents, extended family here and they will need our help once the storm arrives.  Same where you are I suspect.  I can’t imagine being anywhere right now and not feeling like you need to be somewhere else to help those in immediate peril.  I wish I had an airboat, a flat bottom boat, or a shallow drive aluminum rig so as to help rescue efforts in Houston and surrounding cities.  I am astounded at the response of those with these types of rigs though charging toward those most in need.  It is truly heartwarming to see all of the types of aid coming in such as monetary donations, tons of food and goods and of course all the physical assistance as folks lend a helping hand where they can.

In the coming days as we return to our home and begin our own cleanup and helping of others’ as well, we will be ever mindful of Mother Nature’s wrath and the power she has over all of us.  We will build and rebuild and cleanup the land and the bays to push toward a full recovery in the next months, hopefully completing it all by 2018.

Stay tuned and keep your head up because this is Texas and we will be better soon.  Bay Flats Lodge has survived the initial blow and will recover.  The guides, staff and owners are strong together and will be back on the fish and resuming our normal operations in the next two weeks.  Please continue to keep our area in your prayers especially those to the South of us who lost it all in the Coastal Bend and any of the thousands, millions of folks up and down the Texas and Louisiana Coast who suffered flooding and loss.

My personal pledge is I will do my dead level best to get back to operations as a fishing and hunting guide down here and resume my daily charge of entertaining you and your customers as we blast off and chase the Speckled Trout, Redfish, Black Drum and Flounder that we all love so much.