Flooding Takes It's Toll

Some of the worst flooding along the Mississippi River are happening right now. The loss to the residents of the affected areas are insurmountable. I was watching the news today and saw so many partially submerged homes and farm houses that it made me sick to watch. I was surprised to see so many mobile homes submerged as well. Innocently thinking on my part, I figured they'd be buoyant and ride atop the water and possibly be pulled to a high area to save them but this wasn't the case. I'm told that a lot of mobile home owners secure their homes to the slabs they rest on in case of high wind issues. There were prefabricated buildings, Quonset huts, shacks, homes, businesses, farm houses, and barns all soaking in water half the height of each, the closer to the river the deeper they sat. The normal distance across was 1/2 mile but has since gone as far as 3 miles across taking peoples homes and turning them into driftwood. Most of this damage was carefully planned to happen in order to save New Orleans from another devastating flood, but at what cost. Human cost, shellfish beds, and agriculture all paid a heavy price to save a city that never should have been built because of how far below sea level it sits.

It Gets Better and Better

My cousin Steve in Austin finally started to get a handle on the fire restoration at his house and things were starting to look up a bit. Things were looking up a bit until he went nose to nose with a big ole' Ford pick-up truck with farm equipment hooked up to it in Houston. This guy really needs to start becoming a home-body or something else that's safe. Now he needs to find a Houston truck accident attorney that can get him a fair shake away from his home turf. The way they actually hit was more a glancing blow more than a true nose to nose wreck. They both ended up with destroyed side mirrors and flattened door panels where they 'kissed' each other. The important thing is that no one was injured, just pride bashing. It should be a push since the police report stated they were both too close to the center line, but better safe than sorry so he really needs an attorney to represent him until the claims are all over with. I'm hoping there won't be other stories of the great pit-master getting in over his head again.

A Sticky Situation Indeed

My semi-complete cousin from New Hampshire is living in Spain for the next few years at a new job he got at the last minute at the end of the school year at college. He was graduating with a degree in Graphic Arts with a heavy concentration on CGI and Marketing (wish they had that when I went to school). He no sooner finished school and had to leave in order to take full advantage of such a great offer. Now, here's why I call him my semi-complete cousin. It's because he never follows fully through with one project before he jumps to the next. He's now going to have to enter the realm of online degree programs from his college to make sure all the remaining credits are acceptable for his degree requirements. I hope this isn't a trait he takes to his new job, if he gets to keep it that is! Hmm, strange thing to say since I said he finished school before he went. No, I said it was the end of the school year and he was a senior so it would follow that he got his degree sent to him since he missed his commencement. It's so stupid and tragic at the same time that it's laughable, he was 3 credits short of his degree! He got the job based on his upcoming degree. Oooops! The only way he can get his degree from this school is to get into their online degree programs, select the course he still needs whether it's an elective or a required course, and finish a semester later. It's my hope he doesn't put this off and have his new employer find out he faked his way in, albeit ever so close but still no cigar! It's wait and see for his folks not knowing what he's going to do but online classes with learning a new job at the same time, goodness gracious me!

Smoke is Best for Food

That's right, they don't smoke on purpose because it's their house that smoked. Last week my 2nd cousin Steve in Austin decided to make some deep fried turkey, like I do, except I don't set fire to the house when I make mine. The only differences between myself frying a bird and Steve is that I don't use propane(my wife set fire to my gas grill and that was that) and if I did I wouldn't do it on my back porch. See where I'm going with this folks? They've got smoke, water, grime, soot, and mold if they don't get to it soon. The main place I found is at http://www.thesteamteam.com/, and they are in the austin area. The good news is that the house he owns, with his wife Danielle and their 2 sons(I hope they don't learn to cook from their dad 'Sparky'), is still in one piece but a bit dark in a few spots and smells like a wood smoker has been placed in the kitchen. Oh joy, Danielle is out of her mind over this because that house 'was' here pride and joy for the past 8 years.

I've been searching around for them for some restoration companies because their insurance agent is as useful as a piece of dried wood. I found a few that can handle smoke odor removal austin area servicing and fire damage repair austin area as well. I suppose I should also try to find Steve a proper BBQ instructor as well. I'm hoping this will take care of all of their needs and get them back on their feet soon. When the hot weather hits Texas and you need to be indoors you don't want to smell a campfire when you do.