As the operations guy for the adoption agency for which I work, I'm responsible for our work group / email computer server. It normally resides in our office in obscure downtown Friendswood. In blackout situations, I have to rely on a backup generator. I actually have two of them, but the one that generates clean power (with no fluctuations and spikes in the electrical current) has a clogged carberator. But I cannot use the dirty generator to power the agency's computers. And no stores are open to sell me repair supplies or parts.
So on to Plan B -- drive the server to Fort Worth and install it on at a friend's computer shop. Then the agency staff and adopting families can communicate. I left Friendswood today at c. 2:15 pm CT with 1/2 a tank of gas in Becky's car. I had only 2 small bottles of water. Of course this would last me until I got well north of Houston to operating gas stations along the way. Right?
About 1/2 way to Ft. Worth I was just above empty on the gas gauge, standing at a gas station that had no electricity, asking 6 other unsettled people, "What are you going to do?" All were extremely low on gas. And there was no gas to be had until the electricity was reconnected. . . in about 2 days. Not surprisingly, the convenience stores were closed indefinitely.
No gas, no water, no food, no place to sleep, and no prospects of getting any of these before nightfall Sunday or even Monday.
Rumor had it, however, that stations about 22 miles up the highway had electricity and gas, last anyone checked about 1 hour previous. So on a prayer and fumes I drove 55 MPH up the road without A/C, trying to preserve my last ounces of fuel. My priorities were in order: gas, water, room, food. Fortunately, I was able to obtain gas, water and food so I could make it to my friends in Ft. Worth at about 8:30 pm CT.
Hopefully, we'll have our email back up mid-day Monday.
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