I dispatched snow plows in Pennsylvania for twenty winters, from 1992 to 2012. One thing I learned over those years is that drainage systems fail. None have been designed or installed that can handle over six inches of rain in one storm. I’ve seen drainage grates turned into fountains in the middle of a four lane highway. The bottom line is, guess what, HUMANITY IS NOT IN CHARGE. Call it God, Mother Nature, or whatever floats your boat.
Our construction of barriers and drainage systems MIGHT give us some time to get the fuck out of the water’s path, but shit happens. Blaming politicians and administrations does NOTHING to help the damaged areas. Take off the boxing gloves, stop fighting, put on a pair of work gloves, and do something to actually help the recovery and clean up operations. If you’re not helping, shut the fuck up.
“Take off the boxing gloves, stop fighting, put on a pair of work gloves, and do something to actually help the recovery and clean up operations. If you’re not helping, shut the fuck up.”
Dee, we could have been floating that river at the same time in the ’70s. I went to a private college in Cedar Hill, just south of Dallas, so we could have also passed each other on I-35. My then girlfriend’s family had a ranch west of San Marcos, and we spent many weekends in the Hill Country. My heart goes out to all who are dealing with the unimaginable devastation.
I’m a native of the Appalachians, in southwest Virginia the more genteel prefer the moniker of the Blue Ridge Mountains, but its semantics. I came back in the ’80s and stayed. The point is that for most of the area flooding is an annual occurrence. In these mountains we don’t have “alleys”, we call them hollers, basically steep mountain funnels with a river at the bottom. Here, flooding isn’t a matter of if, or when, but “how high”. Whether from rain, snow melt, or hurricanes, we get more than our share of water.
We accept that, and most plan (and build) accordingly. But as we saw with Helene in NC, TN and VA last fall, the mix of natural disasters and politics is lethal. All the pontificating politicos in hard-hats (that have never seen sweat) posturing for the media, air-brushed pundits assigning blame, generally just makes a bad situation worse. The only people with a right to criticize are those with the heart to help.
All this is to say your piece hits the nail on the head. Texans have a lot in common with us hillbillies when it comes to taking care of our own. As the saying goes, pray for potatoes and pick up a hoe. And tell the chattering class to lead, follow or get the hell out of the way.
Thank you for sharing all this Dee. It took a lot of work to put it all together.
No one is exempt from tragedy, and we all live as tho it might never happen to us. Earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and bad fires are only a few of the risks to live where I do. And yes, I still choose to live here.
My heart aches for all the people who have lost homes, businesses and people.
I don’t really understand all the finger pointing and blaming going on. People have died. People have lost everything. Just help them for Pete’s sake.
Well said. We all make choices. There are so many layers to that. Our acceptance of what may befall us in those choices is hard to ascertain sometimes…but we can always choose to be part of community nonetheless even when tragedy strikes. Thank you for showing what community looks like.
Thank you Dee, I liked your description of the choice you made to go to a place that God showed you…and stayed!
I read your list. In 2018, a town in Hidalgo, Weslaco, suffered a 16” rainfall overnight in the Rio Grande Valley. No one expired, but the homes in one area had water inside at the 5 foot mark. I was there for a week & each day it was 104degrees. The clear water sounds so inviting.
Exactly! We do need to get a generator though. It’s just a matter of time before we get another big hurricane. And we are also in the path of potential wildfire so there you have it…
As usual, you have captured the very essence of what we all need to understand - we cannot control many things in our lives! Flooding in central Texas, as you explained, is to be expected. Nobody knows when it will happen, but we know severe storms are going to cause a lot of damage and deaths sometime. Like you, I floated the Guadalupe River several times and found the “cold rush” to be a wonderful remedy for 100 degree days! Thanks for your thorough history of tragedies in central Texas - it really puts everything into perspective!
Now, if we can get the political hacks out of the way, maybe they can find those who are still missing. And, we need to tend to all the folks who are hurting!
Dee, keep up the great work! You are a fine example of what this country needs more of - honest, unbiased, intelligent, commentary!!
This is an absolutely vital work, my friend. I have largely remained silent party because I was sickened by how the media (and 'influencers') were framing it, and partly because I just didn't have the words.
.. what total ‘pious froth.. as is ‘life is a risk calculation’ .. or ‘i didn’t have the words’ - (but sadly ‘sickened about the mysterious ‘influencers & media
But aint that both of your ‘stock in trade these days ? Influence & ‘heavenly opinionation or mystification ? If either of you can & are - pitching in & offering Assistance & Not a History Lesson on Repeated Failure - amen - but mebbe the ‘Preventive Medicine’ readily available in the form of Appropriate State & Effective Local Funding could have Saved Lives - You know how that works Dee - you’re an Adult & a Senior member of Society last I looked
‘Hindsight ? Yes.. Dee lists - in Detail .. where both Insight & Hindsight fell upon ‘Stone - how many times ? And failed ‘to take root’ withered & died
will get back to you .. in no hurry - mebbe attempt to recognize & understand the difference between ‘Perspective & ‘Opinion .. in the meantime .. one precedes the other
Save your insults .. they ‘reflect badly .. & remind of Ted Cruz or ‘Stone
You’re perfectly positioned to ‘spearhead change & save Lives in Texas.. & I have a Lateral Solution - just for you - if it will Save Lives / Change Lives .. it’s yours without a concern .. Jesus Fuck man.. you are a stubborn fuckin fuck .. why not be a fuckin Texan Hero .. or you ‘too proud..
Thomas you don’t know me and you don’t know what I’ve done or are doing in my community. I can tell you without reservation that I don’t need any suggestions from you. Your comments are putting you dangerously close to persona-non-grata status on my newsletter. I used to find you to be funny. Now you’re just harsh and fucking pointless.
I dispatched snow plows in Pennsylvania for twenty winters, from 1992 to 2012. One thing I learned over those years is that drainage systems fail. None have been designed or installed that can handle over six inches of rain in one storm. I’ve seen drainage grates turned into fountains in the middle of a four lane highway. The bottom line is, guess what, HUMANITY IS NOT IN CHARGE. Call it God, Mother Nature, or whatever floats your boat.
Our construction of barriers and drainage systems MIGHT give us some time to get the fuck out of the water’s path, but shit happens. Blaming politicians and administrations does NOTHING to help the damaged areas. Take off the boxing gloves, stop fighting, put on a pair of work gloves, and do something to actually help the recovery and clean up operations. If you’re not helping, shut the fuck up.
💯agree Shirley. Thanks for reading.
“Take off the boxing gloves, stop fighting, put on a pair of work gloves, and do something to actually help the recovery and clean up operations. If you’re not helping, shut the fuck up.”
Exactly.
Dee, we could have been floating that river at the same time in the ’70s. I went to a private college in Cedar Hill, just south of Dallas, so we could have also passed each other on I-35. My then girlfriend’s family had a ranch west of San Marcos, and we spent many weekends in the Hill Country. My heart goes out to all who are dealing with the unimaginable devastation.
I’m a native of the Appalachians, in southwest Virginia the more genteel prefer the moniker of the Blue Ridge Mountains, but its semantics. I came back in the ’80s and stayed. The point is that for most of the area flooding is an annual occurrence. In these mountains we don’t have “alleys”, we call them hollers, basically steep mountain funnels with a river at the bottom. Here, flooding isn’t a matter of if, or when, but “how high”. Whether from rain, snow melt, or hurricanes, we get more than our share of water.
We accept that, and most plan (and build) accordingly. But as we saw with Helene in NC, TN and VA last fall, the mix of natural disasters and politics is lethal. All the pontificating politicos in hard-hats (that have never seen sweat) posturing for the media, air-brushed pundits assigning blame, generally just makes a bad situation worse. The only people with a right to criticize are those with the heart to help.
All this is to say your piece hits the nail on the head. Texans have a lot in common with us hillbillies when it comes to taking care of our own. As the saying goes, pray for potatoes and pick up a hoe. And tell the chattering class to lead, follow or get the hell out of the way.
Thank you 🫡
IYKYK and you clearly do.
Thank you for sharing all this Dee. It took a lot of work to put it all together.
No one is exempt from tragedy, and we all live as tho it might never happen to us. Earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and bad fires are only a few of the risks to live where I do. And yes, I still choose to live here.
My heart aches for all the people who have lost homes, businesses and people.
I don’t really understand all the finger pointing and blaming going on. People have died. People have lost everything. Just help them for Pete’s sake.
Thank you for reading T. And what a beautiful place that it is where you live. ❤️ Of course there’s risk—it would t be life without it 🤷🏻♂️
Absolutely! I agree, all of living is risky, and yet, here we are. And yes, both of us live in beautiful places. We’re so fortunate
Well said. We all make choices. There are so many layers to that. Our acceptance of what may befall us in those choices is hard to ascertain sometimes…but we can always choose to be part of community nonetheless even when tragedy strikes. Thank you for showing what community looks like.
Thank you for the affirmation Claire. You’re a strong and committed member of that community. ❤️
Thank you Dee, I liked your description of the choice you made to go to a place that God showed you…and stayed!
I read your list. In 2018, a town in Hidalgo, Weslaco, suffered a 16” rainfall overnight in the Rio Grande Valley. No one expired, but the homes in one area had water inside at the 5 foot mark. I was there for a week & each day it was 104degrees. The clear water sounds so inviting.
Thanks for reading Phil. I know it was a long one. 🙏
❤️ thank you for this Dee. It paints a picture of your community and puts things in context.
Thank you Susie. One might consider it risky to live on an island in the ocean where beaches erode 🤷🏻♂️
And yet there you live and love and thrive.
Exactly! We do need to get a generator though. It’s just a matter of time before we get another big hurricane. And we are also in the path of potential wildfire so there you have it…
As usual, you have captured the very essence of what we all need to understand - we cannot control many things in our lives! Flooding in central Texas, as you explained, is to be expected. Nobody knows when it will happen, but we know severe storms are going to cause a lot of damage and deaths sometime. Like you, I floated the Guadalupe River several times and found the “cold rush” to be a wonderful remedy for 100 degree days! Thanks for your thorough history of tragedies in central Texas - it really puts everything into perspective!
Now, if we can get the political hacks out of the way, maybe they can find those who are still missing. And, we need to tend to all the folks who are hurting!
Dee, keep up the great work! You are a fine example of what this country needs more of - honest, unbiased, intelligent, commentary!!
Thank you brother Good 🙏
God bless you Dee and all those loving souls around you who are having to endure this tragedy. This was incredibly well written.
Thank you James. I appreciate you reading the long piece. 🙏
This is an absolutely vital work, my friend. I have largely remained silent party because I was sickened by how the media (and 'influencers') were framing it, and partly because I just didn't have the words.
Thank you so much for sharing this 🫡
Thank you Stone. 🫡
I felt compelled after a week of sitting on it and witnessing the loons squawking.
.. what total ‘pious froth.. as is ‘life is a risk calculation’ .. or ‘i didn’t have the words’ - (but sadly ‘sickened about the mysterious ‘influencers & media
But aint that both of your ‘stock in trade these days ? Influence & ‘heavenly opinionation or mystification ? If either of you can & are - pitching in & offering Assistance & Not a History Lesson on Repeated Failure - amen - but mebbe the ‘Preventive Medicine’ readily available in the form of Appropriate State & Effective Local Funding could have Saved Lives - You know how that works Dee - you’re an Adult & a Senior member of Society last I looked
‘Hindsight ? Yes.. Dee lists - in Detail .. where both Insight & Hindsight fell upon ‘Stone - how many times ? And failed ‘to take root’ withered & died
Hey welcome back my socialist friend. Always glad to see your kooky opinion ☺️
will get back to you .. in no hurry - mebbe attempt to recognize & understand the difference between ‘Perspective & ‘Opinion .. in the meantime .. one precedes the other
Save your insults .. they ‘reflect badly .. & remind of Ted Cruz or ‘Stone
You’re perfectly positioned to ‘spearhead change & save Lives in Texas.. & I have a Lateral Solution - just for you - if it will Save Lives / Change Lives .. it’s yours without a concern .. Jesus Fuck man.. you are a stubborn fuckin fuck .. why not be a fuckin Texan Hero .. or you ‘too proud..
Thomas you don’t know me and you don’t know what I’ve done or are doing in my community. I can tell you without reservation that I don’t need any suggestions from you. Your comments are putting you dangerously close to persona-non-grata status on my newsletter. I used to find you to be funny. Now you’re just harsh and fucking pointless.