This time in 2008 I was hiding in West Texas as Hurricane Ike smashed into the Third Coast. The very house where I sit and write these words was damaged severely. The bottom floor was destroyed and washed to the mainland. All the windows were broken out, and much of the siding was blown off. Many homes in Surfside Beach were literally blown out of existence, and two blocks of street were washed away. Of course, on a much more serious note, Galveston suffered very great damage, as well loss of life. And the towns of Point Bolivar and Crystal Beach were literally blown off the map.
It is hard to believe that two years have passed since then. Surfside has been rebuilt. Luckily, Miss Kitty's Purple Cow was rebuilt and is in full swing. The Castaway and the Hammerhead are both operational. And in the face of all this, I was able to convince my spouse that we NEEDED to move to Surfside Beach. Of course, it took nearly two years to do so. She was afraid at first to get her toes in the surf. Later on she was will to chance wading along the tide line, stepping over infants and toddlers as she went. But it took a visit from her nephew (age 3) to get her into the waves over her knees. After she saw how much fun the baby had, and that Jaws was not waiting to gobble her and Colton, she became much more of a water body. By the end of tourist season she was out chest high and even had enough nerve to walk out to the SECOND sandbar.
Well, Fall is upon us, the beaches are practically empty, and a For Sale sign stands conspicuously in the front yard of Some'R Surfin'. It may be that our days here are numbered. Tomorrow another potential buyer will be here to inspect the property. I have certainly enjoyed our days here, but I am happy that we have missed much of the misery "natives" have suffered through due to the ravages of various hurricanes. I guess we are "fair weather" islanders at this point. But this is certainly one of those things I can take off my "Bucket List." There is a move coming for us in the near future. Whether we simply move to the mainland or all the way back to the Permian Basin, the times spent here at the seashore will never be forgotten.
It is hard to believe that two years have passed since then. Surfside has been rebuilt. Luckily, Miss Kitty's Purple Cow was rebuilt and is in full swing. The Castaway and the Hammerhead are both operational. And in the face of all this, I was able to convince my spouse that we NEEDED to move to Surfside Beach. Of course, it took nearly two years to do so. She was afraid at first to get her toes in the surf. Later on she was will to chance wading along the tide line, stepping over infants and toddlers as she went. But it took a visit from her nephew (age 3) to get her into the waves over her knees. After she saw how much fun the baby had, and that Jaws was not waiting to gobble her and Colton, she became much more of a water body. By the end of tourist season she was out chest high and even had enough nerve to walk out to the SECOND sandbar.
Well, Fall is upon us, the beaches are practically empty, and a For Sale sign stands conspicuously in the front yard of Some'R Surfin'. It may be that our days here are numbered. Tomorrow another potential buyer will be here to inspect the property. I have certainly enjoyed our days here, but I am happy that we have missed much of the misery "natives" have suffered through due to the ravages of various hurricanes. I guess we are "fair weather" islanders at this point. But this is certainly one of those things I can take off my "Bucket List." There is a move coming for us in the near future. Whether we simply move to the mainland or all the way back to the Permian Basin, the times spent here at the seashore will never be forgotten.
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