I have to assume my dad is still alive, but I don't know. I assume that his place is probably badly damaged (right by th big tree in Lamar that is supposedly destroyed now). No cell service and no communications since the eye.
Now they are saying record brazos crest, so I'm loading up the cattle, horses, cars, tractor, gator, tack, trailers, and most valuable things....again.
Did that 3 times in the last 18 months, twice for nothing but prudence, then the third pretty well wiped us out. Lost barn, cars, tools, two trucks, all my parts, much of the house...
Had to high water rescue neighbors in my tractor, then go back in by boat to try to save neighbors calves and girlfriend.
Then once the tractor could get back In, at first it was like 'the day after'. No humans Aro JD for miles. Fence down full of trees, dead snakes, coons, fish, possums, birds, dogs, you name it. Pool filled with mud and mocasins. .no human around for miles in the stinking heat. No power or water.
Everything covered in 6" of smelly slime. Neighbors' 30 dead cows in the high corner of my property.
Do You know how many gallons of diesel it takes to burn a week old soaked dead cow?
Do You know what it's like to scoop the head and feet into the tractor bucket and have them fall off?
Or when I accidentally ruptured the gut trying to pry them into the bucket and have a massive blood, maggot and gut explosion covering me full of chunks?
Then the government and insurance hassles. Fema sucks. Wasted 3 full days of time, got $49.05. Insurance battles. Rebuilding. Living in a horse trailer. Trying to get contractors out in the country, just got almost everything rebuilt, spent a fortune.
Watching my neighbors who have it even worse. Two of the lost vision in 3 eyes between the two from infections from the mud.
My wife had 3 real estate closings lined up for that month, all three properties destroyed and all the marketing money and commissions lost.
I got dysentery, because after we replaced the well and got it tested, tested fine twice, so I started drinking it. Then I started feeling like **** a month later turns out the third test was bad. Cats and dogs all got sick too. Three of the neighbors horses died.
then mom got cancer ... hospice, doctors, death, executor and all that goes with that.
Then her house flooded in Tyler from a cracked toilet while I was trying to sell it. More Out of town contractors, rebuilding, hassles, Trying to sell.
Then I got hit by a tornado in may. Roof, barn, trees, fences, trucks, gate, generator, ac's all gone. Just almost done rebuilding from that, and now this.
I guess the good thing is I hadn't yet filled in the pool or fixed the gate again
Now my 10 year old dobie is about to die, probably can't make this flood bugout.
During all this, still trying to run my own practice, my office flooded from a plumbing leak above us, my 2 most senior lawyers were each out sick over a month, costing me a fortune, almost died. One's nuts swole up to grapefruit size from a serious infection.
I got kidney stones, and we have every damned weird ass office hassle in the world come up in the middle of it all.
I'm Sorry to whine, but I am really about fed up. I've been plugging away this whole time, pretty much a machine, 7 hours of sleep. Other than that nothing but frantic working to keep up and rebuild every waking minute fr almost 2 years.
Take no prisoners. No whining.
but now, my wife and I look around, and I just damned near can't bear to go through another flood bugout and rebuild.
Hell, most models are still calling the storm to circle back and bullseye my place next week after wiping out my dads yesterday.
**** all this.
But during all this, when my brain is overwhelmed, I take a break and use texags to relax and reboot. So thanks to texags and all of you for putting up with my crap.
Good luck to you all. I'm pouring another ****ing scotch.