Poodles. Puddles. Risky women

Floaters, neighbors, and blabbering blunders.

Shock slapped the smile off her face at the exit.

They won’t jerk my season ticket if I leave early. Worrisome thunder. (1889/USPD/Commons.wikimedia.org)

Worse than Cinderella at midnight, there she was: chariotless in a gullywasher as bad as any hurricane.

The bayous were out of their banks. Neighborhoods were flooding. Hers’ included.

At the very least, they would crucify her for terrible mothering skills.

Although her own guilt would be far worse.

Her baby.  Left alone. On the floor. 

It should have been like always: safe.

A little pampered poodle cozy and snoozing curled up in her crate. On the floor.

The 84-year-old grandmother was frantic.

How could little Tinkerbell summon up enough pixie dust to save herself from drowning?

“That’s right. Big hug. Then I present the list of toys and treats you’re going to buy me.”(click2houston.com)

Wait! It ends well!

Somehow Tinkerbell gnawed or fiddled her way out of her crate. A neighbor found the resourceful little poodle curled up on a chair floating around the living room.

Final Score: Poodle-1. Puddle-0.

Watch the happy reunion here.

Neighbors who rescued Tinkerbell. (click2houston.com)

Sometime the worst brings out the best in people.

While splashing around talking to flood victims, reporter Amy Davis found Mary Baker in her front yard trying to salvage and dry old pictures of family and friends.

Mrs. Baker, 92, widowed in 1990 with no family living  close by, had always been pretty self-sufficient until now.

No way could she move furniture, remove soggy carpet, or hack off the sheet rock soaking up the 13 inches of water in her house. And she worried knowing there wasn’t much time before mold makes it all toxic.

On top of it all, she slipped and hurt her leg.

Overwhelming when water water is everywhere. (1921/USPD/Commons.wikimedia.org)

Wait! It ends well!

“Volunteers clean up 92 yr olds’ flooded Meyerland home” Video. Volunteers from Weekley Foundation (Weekly Homes is a local builder), neighbors, and others who just showed up to help. And they got her to the doctor.)

Earlier video of her flooded house: “Woman,92, begins repairing flooded home”

Precinct 5 deputies were out checking on people as they know many senior citizens live in the Meyerland neighborhoods.

“It’s just a big support network here in Meyerland, and this community here is all about everybody looking out for each other. We’re just here supplementing that,” said Assistant Chief Constable John Laine.

“Meyerland families try and salvage belongings after historic flood” . Neighbors helping neighbors. That’s how it works here.

The national media is searching for disaster fodder, but the local news teams are helping by letting people know what is needed where.

Will veteran reporters and news anchors ever be called down for hazing the new hires?

What else would you call it?

Every time there’s a story in a place with a weird regional name, the established team sends in a newbie.

Places like Kuykendahl Road. (“Kerr-can-doll”), Huisache Street (“We-satch”), or Brazos River (“It’s not “Brah+zohs”, it’s “a” like in “hat”, Sweetie. It’s the big story. Surprise them and say it as the locals do.)

Then the veterans smirk back at the anchor desk while poor wet-behind-the-ears reporters struggle to say it appropriately while standing in knee-deep water avoiding snakes, fire ants, and hoping their booster shots are up to date.

Seasoned news teams may have a bit of a cruel streak or remember their own “paying of dues” year.

“No other news stories around here besides storms? Thought the galoshes memo was a joke.” (USPD/Commons.wikimedia.org)

This morning’s news team offered a bigger laugh than usual.

The story was about a man watching a river eating away his river front bluff. The camera man swung around just in time to see three armadillos busily digging up the lawn for breakfast.

Mighty cute.

“Oh, look, ” said the new perky anchor turning to her co-host with a big smile. “You hardly ever seen them except when they are trying to cross roads.”

Those ‘dillos. Always trying to  hitchhike along roadways, beg for treats, pose for tourist’s photos, or just trying to get home.

No doubt someone at the station will send her out on a Snipe Hunt assignment sooner or later. Maybe snap a picture of a Jackalope?

Don’t encourage him. I don’t care how much he begs. Do not buy him clothes. He is not a dog, so no.  (VladLazenko/Commons.wikimedia.org)

A few sparkling notes from the floodlands.

Phil, the Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge.

(It stormed again last night, the night before, and the one before that. Dallas had high water rescues again. After a partly cloudy day here, the storms came back. Water was ankle-deep in downtown. The baseball game ended, but people were allowed to remain stay for a bit….even if it was raining so hard the stadium roof was leaking. Sun is promised this week. Rivers and water levels are going down rapidly. Streets in Houston normally drain within hours, unless it starts raining again.)

“Look, don’t mind a bit of cleaning up, but this constant repetition of flooding is beginning to get old. People, if it happens every other week, it’s not a Legendary 100 year Flood.” (1919.USPD/Commons.wikimedia.org)

 

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