Great Winter Storm

Photo taken on Galveston Island, near The Hotel Galvez and The Seawall, on February 17, 2021.

Photo taken on Galveston Island, near The Hotel Galvez and The Seawall, on February 17, 2021.

During the Great Winter Storm of 2021, officially called Uri, I was stuck in Houston, when power outages left millions of us Texans without electricity, heat and running water.

By wearing woolen gloves, hats, socks, pants and sweaters around the clock I managed to stay warm (enough). And, because of the presence of a gas stove in my kitchen, I remained well-nourished. Still, my patience and survival skills, like those of others all over the state, were put to the test.

I hated the cold, of course, but I really struggled with the loss of electricity at night. With no TV or radio, no light to read by and the inability to use of my digital devices at will, I was (quite literally ) at a loss. If it hadn’t been for a couple of flashlights and the occasional calls and texts from friends (checking in on me), I would have gone stir crazy!

Fortunately, my personal ordeal lasted just three days. It could have been worse. Much worse. And, for many, it was!

While “roughing it” in Houston, I kept wondering how bad things were in Galveston and how my island neighbors were doing. As it turned out, their cold, dark days were even more challenging than mine and spanned even more long days and nights.

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Neighbors on my street here were great about keeping me updated on how they were faring and the status of their homes - and The Bungalow. My next door neighbor, Jim, took it upon himself to make sure my place would fare as well as possible. He shut off the water and wrapped exposed pipes at The Bungalow, just as he had done at his own home. Jim also ventured out in the freezing weather numerous times and walked in and around my property to see if anything tragic was happening. And, finally, Jim let me know (as soon as he realized it) that some pipes under the house had, despite his efforts, broken.

As unfortunate as that news was, the early notification was a Godsend. It allowed me to call a local plumber to schedule repair work right away.

View of street in front of The Bungalow, taken from my next door neighbor’s home. As she reported, the “white stuff” is ice, not snow!

View of street in front of The Bungalow, taken from my next door neighbor’s home. As she reported, the “white stuff” is ice, not snow!

Today, my son, Matt, and I were finally able to return to the island and meet with Marcos who was at The Bungalow finishing up the tasks at hand. He led us around the property, showed us where the problem areas had been. In all, about a dozen pipes had cracked. Luckily, all were situated under the house, so there were no leaks or damage inside the house. (Gotta love a century-old Craftsman built on a pier-and-beam foundation!)

I knew the scrubs around The Bungalow would have been adversely affected by the Winter Storm Uri, but I was taken aback by the sight of my beloved oleanders in the front yard. All their beautiful green leaves had been replaced by ugly brown ones. Clearly, they will need to be dug up and replaced or pruned down to the ground so new growth can sprout forth near the roots. (Deciding which way to go will be a decision for another day!)

Alas, I really loved my pretty pink oleanders, and I am mourning their loss right now. At the same time, I am giving thanks for the survival of the boxwood hedges, colorful pansies and the 100-year-old live oak tree in the front yard, as well as the fig tree, crepe myrtles and palm trees in the back.

Looking at the lush, green “survivors” makes me smile - as always. But, today, more than ever!