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Yikes US 190 runs through my town, all day traffic has been bumper to bumper heading east from Texas, every gas station in town has been pumped dry...no water or bread or canned food at the stores....we are predicted to get 60-70 mph winds here...for hours.....I think first thing in the morning I'm going to take down my new sign I put up two weeks ago.....we'll probably be without power for several days, it took a week after Lili came through a few years ago........we had no sign of fema or red cross after Lili so we don't expect them now....but I promise you won't see a bunch of us sitting on the sidewalk crying to the tv cameras for somebody to take care of us....we are stocked on food and armed and ready. Hmmm I think I'm going to make me a sign and go stand by the bumper to bumper traffic.....room available for single white female inquire within
-------------------- Mark Perkins Performance Signs & Graphics Eunice, Louisiana "The heart of Cajun Country" Posts: 506 | From: Eunice Louisiana 70535 | Registered: Nov 1998
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At this time Shirley and I have Bill and Barbara Biggs in our thoughts. They live in Clute Texas and appear to be right on the path.
Hoping that all have evacuated and will be safe.
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
-------------------- Kimberly Zanetti Purcell www.amethystProductivity.com Folsom, CA email: Kimberly@AmethystProductivity.com
“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” AA Milne Posts: 3722 | From: Folsom, CA | Registered: Dec 2001
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Mark, it is so good to hear that spirit in your voice! I can see you are not a whiner. What you just said speaks loads. You gotta do what you gotta do.
Brings to mind an old saying I have been thinking of lately... "Go to the ant, you sluggard...."
Hope you are well, Mark.
-------------------- The Word in Signs Bobbie Rochow Jamestown, PA 16134
724-927-6471
thewordinsigns@alltel.net Posts: 3485 | From: Jamestown, PA 16134 | Registered: Oct 2002
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Good for you Mark. You sound like a man who ain't skeerd. The girls may take a gander ifn' ya go out by them TV camera's. Be Safe.
CrazyJack
-------------------- Jack Wills Studio Design Works 1465 E.Hidalgo Circle Nye Beach / Newport, OR Posts: 2914 | From: Rocklin, CA. USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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Sending good thoughts Mark. I'm glad you're prepared and taking this with a bit of humor. The sign idea might just work.... course, you may also get your face on tv too. I'm gonna suggest you have the back of the sign be your shop name & switch it around as soon as they put the live camera on ya.
Good luck and don't do nothing stupid. I need someone whose brain I can pick about the dye sub stuff. Oh that reminds me, I'll call ya tomorrow.
-------------------- Chris Welker Wildfire Signs Indiana, Pa Posts: 4254 | From: Indiana, PA | Registered: Mar 2001
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My sign idea didn't work they must have started diverting traffic north somewhere west of us all of a sudden our streets are empty.....we had our most every thursday night supper at the office of our city airport tonight.....fried frog legs and potatoe salad.......according to the weather info on the airports computer we should be okay......if Rita doesn't hook a turn to the east....if it does a friend from Baton Rouge just told me I can go over there and play refugee....I'll complain and she will send aid one good bit of news, fema wanted to put a trailer park at our airport property and the city said noooooooooooooooooooooo......fema wanted to put 400 trailers on 8 acres.....wtf are they thinking....some friend of fema from New York bought out a old abandoned housing project here in town and are starting to get residents.....did ya see that guy on CNN looting the wal mart in New Orleans........he's here now......that's what I meant in the first post about being armed and ready.........I'd like to know how many shotguns had the barrels sawed off around here in the last couple of weeks..........hey will you take some New Orleans evacuees in your town????????? One of the guys at our supper is a state trooper he was in New Orleans for 11 days after the storm, some of the Louisiana troopers and some state police from California were together on the looting patrol........CNN didn't have camera crews following them......New Orleans has a lot less thugs than a few weeks ago......a lot of the bodies floating in the water had bullet holes in them......he described it as deer hunting season and a huge herd of deer run right past your stand.......cept the deers aren't hauling jewelery and plasma tv's
-------------------- Mark Perkins Performance Signs & Graphics Eunice, Louisiana "The heart of Cajun Country" Posts: 506 | From: Eunice Louisiana 70535 | Registered: Nov 1998
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I feel your pain Mark, I think your traffic is backed up to here. Heading east, Hammond/Ponchatoula are the last normal towns until you reach Alabama and we will be out of gas probably by this afternoon. I believe FEMA can override local ordinances if they choose. Good luck. We've been ready since Katrina.
-------------------- Ken Holden 7 Oaks Signs 18457 Hwy 22 Ponchatoula, LA 70454 Posts: 144 | From: Ponchatoula, LA | Registered: Apr 2005
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I saw your personals ad for a single (can you belive it?), white female and thought I'd post my picture here for you. I think you're really cute. XOXOXOXO
-------------------- Ricky Jackson Signs Now 614 Russell Parkway Warner Robins, GA (478) 923-7722 signpimp50@hotmail.com
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Issac Newton Posts: 3528 | From: Warner Robins, GA | Registered: Oct 2004
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We are 250 miles inland from the coast and will just get some rain and wind.
Family members from the Houston area are staying with us and other family in this area.
My wife, Jeanne, is the building coordinator for our church. Yesterday, we took in 50 people and bedded them down in our gym. She worked 14 hours yesterday and will probably be busy again today. Our church members are providing three meals a day until they can return home. The city provided air mattresses and pillows and our church members bought the linens. We have shower facilities, but they are limited so some folks are being bused over to a local university to use their athletic building.
As people arrived yesterday they were exhausted after having been on the road for as much as 20 hours (for a usual 4 hour trip).
This area was already saturated with victims of Katrina, but we are squeezing in a few more as more homes become available.
Many people with vacant rent houses are opening them up rent-free for these folks. It is amazing to hear stories of how gracious the folks in our area are....and else where too.
-------------------- Chapman Sign Studio Temple, Texas chapmanstudio@sbcglobal.net Posts: 6306 | From: Temple, Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Well so far this morning it's just a lil breezy, no rain yet, my son is coming over to help take my signs down, my landlord came early this morning and put some plywood over the two large windows in the front of this building. Not near the amount of traffic this morning, the gas stations I passed by on the way here are all out of gas, ice is unavailable also but the stores I called are all expecting a delivery today, that will go fast though.
-------------------- Mark Perkins Performance Signs & Graphics Eunice, Louisiana "The heart of Cajun Country" Posts: 506 | From: Eunice Louisiana 70535 | Registered: Nov 1998
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Mark, good to hear that you are O.K. But.. I think the winds will be pretty strong in your area. This is a wet storm and you are on the east side of it.
In the event you find gas and decide to leave, remember that this home is open to anyone in need, especially Letterheads. And moreso good ones like you.
We even have a few SWFs around here Plus they don't remotely resemble the one your alledged "Brother of the brush" tried to hook you up with in the earlier post! Sisters are kinder haha.
-------------------- Kathy Joiner River Road Graphics 41628 River Road Ponchatoula, La.70454
Old enough to know better...Too young to resist. Posts: 1891 | From: Ponchatoula, LA | Registered: Nov 2000
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I think Ricky is trying to push off one of his old girlfriends on me I'm watching the storm track closely, if it turns towards us I'm outa here but for now I think we'll be ok....some of the gas stations are open again, my car and truck are both full, my only concern is that there is no ice in town...hard to keep your beer cold after the power goes out like that...
-------------------- Mark Perkins Performance Signs & Graphics Eunice, Louisiana "The heart of Cajun Country" Posts: 506 | From: Eunice Louisiana 70535 | Registered: Nov 1998
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Yea Thanks Everyone We're Ok Here too. Unless the storm makes a major turn and travel 1000 miles north I don't think we see any damage from the Wind...
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I've spent lots of time the last few weeks at an relief center at the Farmers Branch Kingdom Hall. It has been heart wrenching, but everyone we have dealt with has been so grateful. Some of these people have been evacuated twice, first from Katrina to Houston and then from Rita to Dallas. I was willing to work all night last night, but the overseer of the center sent me home at midnight, telling me he didn't want me to burn out.
We have a family from Houston and their pets staying with us for the next few days (one of them actually works in a sign shop there). I just met them yesterday at the relief office. It took them 15 hours to drive 250 miles from Houston to Dallas (normally a 4 hour drive). Although it was brutally hot, they did not run the A/C in their car in order to save on gas.
Exit ramps from I-45 were closed--once you got on the Interstate, you couldn't get off. Countless people ran out of gas on the road, adding to the traffic jam. Then, there was that terrible bus tragedy which shut the highway down completely.
At the center, as people came in, the drive times got greater for every arriving group, 17 hours, 19 hours, 22 hours, etc. My foreman has 20 relatives from Houston staying in his house. It took some of his family 37 hours to get here.
I'm going back to the relief center to work a few hours tonight. Our Dallas center is a satellite of a Houston center set up to help Katrina victims. They had to evacuate the Houston center and move their operations because of Rita.
All gas stations around here have non stop lines blocks long. People are afraid they won't be able to get gas afterwards. It's pretty wild out there right now.
-------------------- David Harding A Sign of Excellence Carrollton, TX Posts: 5084 | From: Carrollton, TX, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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""Good judgment comes from experience; and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" - Will Rogers Posts: 3484 | From: Beautiful Newaygo, Michigan | Registered: Mar 2003
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Our area was spared from the winds and rain - Central Texas 60 miles north of Austin.
We housed 60 in our church gym Thursday and Friday night. Like David said, each has some story of traveling 15 to 20 hours without sleep and some without eating. Our little town of Belton (15,000) received about 2,500 total from Katrina and Rita.
Jeanne has been working almost around the clock to make sure everything went off correctly and meals were ready on time. Last night we both stayed and just visited with folks. Many do not speak English, but we have an Hispanic minister who has been great with communication.
I can't tell you how proud I am of my wife as she organized our efforts to help others. Everything has gone off without a hitch. While I am typing this she is still at the church getting folks packed up for the trip back home. She wants to be sure that they have enough food to take with them and a full tank of gas.
Also, like David mentioned, these people were greatly appreciative of what we were doing and never complained. Today, some are going on to family members who live around the state and some are heading back to areas that were not greatly effected by the storm.
This morning Jeanne said she would be glad to get back to her regular, boring routine. I'm sure that many feel the same way.
In times of tragedy we see how the human heart can reach out to others and give sacrificially without any thought of return. Unfortunately, the media does not always show that side of the situation.
-------------------- Chapman Sign Studio Temple, Texas chapmanstudio@sbcglobal.net Posts: 6306 | From: Temple, Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I'm at a friends house and can't remember my letterhead login, please post this for me. No major damage for me, lot's of branches in the yard, my shop is ok, mostly downed trees around no major building damages that I've seen, still blowing pretty good and raining real hard so we aren't out of the woods yet, unbelievable but the power has on at my friends through the entire storm, it is out at my house and office, looks like Lake Charles was hit hard, we were lucky here.
He sent this to me about noon today.
-------------------- Chris Welker Wildfire Signs Indiana, Pa Posts: 4254 | From: Indiana, PA | Registered: Mar 2001
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My friends, there is life after hurricanes. Ivan came, Ivan went, we stayed. Sign biness be beddy beddy good to me. So don't let yourselves be discouraged one little bit. There are multiple opportunities to be kind and of service. After two direct hits you never get used to the storms, but you do learn to be prepared. Churches, schools and emergency management needs are great places to give what you have. Not everyone is able to bandage the bleeding but we can serve right where we are. After the initial mess gets cleared, power and water comes back, and the trees are pulled out of your roof if you have one, people start to really shine. When the fences blow down, get to know your neighbors better. Again, just you wait till the dust clears and the waters go down. Business will go nuts.
quote:
"It'll straighten up when the paint dries."
-------------------- Larry Williams 184 Camelia St. Gulf Breeze, FL 32561 Posts: 21 | From: Gulf Breeze Fl | Registered: Mar 2005
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Hey I have power at my office already! and at home too......I just was able to talk with my nephew this morning, when I divorced a few years ago he bought our house, the 80 foot tall pecan tree in the front yard is now embedded on his roof, we're getting ready to cut what we can and try and cover the holes with plastic and tarps, luckily none of the were hurt when it fell, I'm pretty sure they ruined their underwear though Thankfully the rains have stopped, I think we received about 12" during the storm. I'll be moving them in with me and also maybe a friend from Lake Charles.
-------------------- Mark Perkins Performance Signs & Graphics Eunice, Louisiana "The heart of Cajun Country" Posts: 506 | From: Eunice Louisiana 70535 | Registered: Nov 1998
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Boog, I didn't want to say anything, but you were talking a little "Johnny Too Bad" before the storm. Words have a way of coming back to you sometimes. Sometimes real close, sometimes just close enough to get your attention. Now you got houseguests. Mine have been here with me a month, and they are still not going to get home for at least several days. Take care.
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Santo I wasn't trying to be Mr. Hurricane Hero, I've lived here all my life, one of my early childhood memories is watching my dad and others cutting down a tree that had fallen on our home during Hurricane Audrey.....I remember riding down to Holley Beach many different times in our old rice trucks to pick up whatever pieces were left from our camp there after various hurricanes....I know how dangerous they can be...I thought about leaving when it turned away from Galveston towards us but by then the highways were backed up so I stayed....but we were lucky and it didn't get bad here....maybe us cajuns are a hard headed bunch cause I don't know anyone from my town that did leave
update on my nephews house, a contractor came by this afternoon, he will have a crew and a crane here tomorrow to cut and remove the tree, enough neighbors have volunteered to help after the tree is moved to patch the roof he'll be sleeping at home tomorrow night. I saw a news clip just now they were interviewing a California state trooper working down here and he couldn't believe how everybody pitches in to help each other out...well thats how we do it in cajun country sha
-------------------- Mark Perkins Performance Signs & Graphics Eunice, Louisiana "The heart of Cajun Country" Posts: 506 | From: Eunice Louisiana 70535 | Registered: Nov 1998
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Mark, So glad you fared well during Hurricane Rita. It is great to hear how everybody helps their neighbors there. Raymond, Jean, and David so great to hear how you are personally involved in aiding the evacuees. Judy
-------------------- Judy Pate Signs By Judy Albany, Georgia USA 229-435-6824
Live simply...Love generously...Care deeply...Speak kindly...Leave the rest to God. Posts: 2621 | From: Albany,GA,USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I survived the hurricane too, but from Arkansas!
Went to Crossett, Ar to stay with friends. Slept there then the next day we went to thier camp 2 hours north along the Arkansas river near Gillette & Dewitt Ar.
During the day saturday the winds started to pick up. Around midnight the wind was bringing down huge trees all around us. There were tornadoes on the ground near Dewitt. Power went out and a huge tree fell 10 feet from the camp. We then had to take refuge in a houseboat. So we were refugees to the second power.
Once there it was cool, you couldn't hear the wind that much due to the high river banks and there were no trees close to it so we didn't have that to worry about.
That would've been something, we goto Ark to get away from the hurricane and get wiped out by a tornado!
Well, we're back home now and the area faired pretty good.
-------------------- Tony Broussard Graphic Details Digital Media Loreauville, LA Posts: 395 | From: Loreauville, LA | Registered: Jul 1999
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they must have started diverting traffic north somewhere west of us all of a sudden our streets are empty.....we had our most every thursday night supper at the office of our city airport tonight.....fried frog legs and potatoe salad.......according to the weather info on the airports computer we should be okay......if Rita doesn't hook a turn to the east....if it does a friend from Baton Rouge just told me I can go over there and play refugee....I'll complain and she will send aid ![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
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