Hurricane Ike

For the last several days, our eyes had been nervously watching Hurricane Ike approach the Texas coast as a potentially catastrophic storm. Over the last 36 hours it became clear that Ike would strike the Upper Texas coast, and early this morning it made landfall directly over Galveston, TX. My parents reside in Friendswood, TX, a town about 25 miles to the northwest of Galveston. I've spoken to my parents early this morning and it appears that they and their house have avoided significant damage. They missed, perhaps by a margin as thin as a couple miles, the "worst" part of the storm as it ventured inland. Early reports indicate that the Houston/Galveston area was dealt a vicious blow by Ike, and that the area will awaken today with an extended recovery effort ahead. It may take several weeks just to fully restore power.

Thoughts and prayers for the people of Houston and Galveston, as well as any who are worried about friends and relatives from a distance.