The Hunger Rants

[TBoneTX 45,259]

5 hours ago, cdneh said:

I think I must be entirely crackers.

Fotos of saintly crackers Eh ma'am now, see ma'am.

[TBoneTX 45,259]

Our nap was the first decent zzz that we've had in several days, decently zzz we man.

 

Heard today that Mama T-B.'s mandatory evac has been changed to voluntary, probably reoccupy own casa senior she man.

[TBoneTX 45,259]

From Mini-B.'s skool superintendent, see man:

---

Dear Parents and Guardians, 

 

Following today’s meeting with members of our executive team, I want to update you on our plans to delay the reopening of schools until at least Monday, September 11. If we determine further delays are necessary, we will share that information as far in advance as possible.

 

As I shared yesterday, we know that we have many staff members and students who have been displaced, and we understand that it will take some time to fully recover from the effects of Hurricane Harvey, but we are dedicated to helping our students get back to learning and the routine of school as quickly as possible.

 

Below are a few key updates that I shared with staff this afternoon:

 

Condition of Schools

Beginning Friday, we will be updating the website to share the results of our preliminary assessments of schools, and principals will be sharing details specific to your campus tomorrow. We know you want to know about how your school fared in the flooding. Please check the District website tomorrow to learn more, and be on the lookout for information from your principal.

 

It is likely some schools will take longer to clean and restore than others, so it is possible we will not be able to open all the schools at once. If that is the case, we will inform you well in advance, and we will provide clear communication about when each of the schools is expected to open. We will also communicate what students and staff should do under these circumstances.

 

I also want to acknowledge that we will have many students living in temporary residences while displaced due to the flooding. And we will have students from other districts temporarily displaced to our community. In all cases, it will be our goal to get all students in school as quickly as possible. Some students may need to enroll in a new school until their school reopens or until their family is able to return to their home. 

 

We will provide detailed communication about all of this during the next week -- please do not make assumptions or feel alarmed about the possibilities. Make decisions that are best for your family, and we will work to make sure ALL students enrolled in ANY of our schools continue their learning.

 

Staff Returning to Work

Although schools will not be open, we will be asking certain staff to return to work so that we may begin to restore the district to full operation.

• We are asking all central office and non-campus staff to return to work on Tuesday, September 5, if possible, to support the District’s effort in reopening schools.
• Campus administrators and all front office staff will be asked to return to work on Wednesday, September 6. Please note, however, that the schools will not be “open for business,” as those working will be busy preparing to reopen school. Schools will officially open again on Monday, September 11.
• The remainder of our team – primarily campus-based staff – will return to work on Monday, September 11.

 

Curriculum 

Please know that in the coming days, we will be working with campus principals to update our curriculum delivery plans and support our teachers, as we know that the beginning of our school year has put our students and staff members in a unique situation. We want to ensure high-quality instruction at our campuses, despite the unexpected interruption. 

 

Child Nutrition

You may have heard about Houston ISD announcing plans for students to receive free meals for the remainder of this school year. The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) has shared ways we can support our families who have been displaced by the flooding, and we will be following up to determine how we can work with TDA to best support our families. 

 

Houston ISD has a very high percentage of their students who qualify for free and reduced lunch, which is why they are able to provide the free meals to all students as announced. Our district is much different, so our options will be different. However, you can trust we will do all we can to assist our students.

 

Supporting our ISD Family

We are thankful for the continuing support of our staff and community members who are volunteering to assist at our shelters, and assist those who have been displaced. We will continue to update our website with information for those wanting to volunteer or make donations to assist their community.

 

I cannot begin to list all the people who have given of themselves during the past week -- all with a smile. It has been a beautiful sight to see our students working alongside so many adult staff members and members of our community to accomplish so much. 

 

We have much to celebrate as we begin the recovery phase of Hurricane Harvey. 

Edited September 1, 2017 by TBoneTX

[TBoneTX 45,259]

In case anyone is inclined to help even a little, see man:

http://www.assisttheofficer.com

 

[C-ma'am 684]

7 hours ago, TBoneTX said:

Our nap was the first decent zzz that we've had in several days, decently zzz we man.

 

Heard today that Mama T-B.'s mandatory evac has been changed to voluntary, probably reoccupy own casa senior she man.

This is good news. Glad you were able to get some rest and that you and your family are OK. 

 

Good morning all. Yesterday I had to rush to Mini C's daycare because they called saying he had a temperature of 103º. Thankfully, by the time I got there, the fever wasn't as high as they said it was. I actually wonder if it was 100.3 and they said 103 instead... high temperature like that doesn't really go down a couple of degrees down on its own. 

 

Anyway, back to work. Have so much to do =(

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

8 hours ago, TBoneTX said:

1.  Closer to the Danish line, actually Nola-B. ma'am.

2.  ...whose growing season is about 2 days in late July, sub-Arctic climate man.

In this part of the country, the wheat actually grows exceptionally well.  We grow other cold weather things too - soy beans, peas, potatoes, corn, sugar beets, and sunflowers.  The soil here is really fertile from the flooding and we get a lot of sunshine hours.

 

 

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

I was reading this article http://www.houstonchronicle.com/local/gray-matters/article/Twelve-steps-Houston-can-take-to-address-our-12164836.php

 

and thinking a bit about this problem in other areas.  At least in cities that flood here, the government does buy the really flood prone properties and return them to green spaces or makes further levies/ditches out of them.

 

They were also talking about people not being able to assess the depth of water on roads.  At least where I used to live, all flood evacuation routes had a measurement stick on a sign or stop-sign that could tell you how deep the water is.  

 

[cdneh 3,112]

11 hours ago, TBoneTX said:

No fotos of blimpy daughter now or ever, no Eh ma'am.

Happy to comply. I'd have to PM everyone here eye bleach if I did a thing like that. 

 

The MIL is spectacularly back and blue this morning. She looks as though she had gone a couple of rounds with Ali. Stiff and sore, and complaining at full speed.

[TBoneTX 45,259]

3 hours ago, Celeste & C said:

1.  This is good news. Glad you were able to get some rest and that you and your family are OK. 

2.  he had a temperature of Manyº. I actually wonder if it was Many.Many and they said Many instead.

1.  Gracias, C ma'am.

2.  He certainly had a temperature of at least Many.  With children, even a temperature of Many isn't as dangerous as it would be in adults, fortunately man.

[TBoneTX 45,259]

3 hours ago, N-o-l-a said:

In this part of the country, the wheat actually grows exceptionally well.  We grow other cold weather things too - soy beans, peas, potatoes, corn, sugar beets, and sunflowers.  The soil here is really fertile from the flooding and we get a lot of sunshine hours.

In our epic tour of Iowa, we saw only the usual corn & soybeans, see usual we man.

The corn planted with Pioneer seed was observably superior to that from DeKalb seed, stark difference man.

We didn't know that potatoes are grown in Minn/ND, no ma'am.  Maine is where we would've guessed, guess we man.

 

Maine is also the only U.S. state with a one-syllable name, trivia man.

[TBoneTX 45,259]

2 hours ago, N-o-l-a said:

I was reading this article http://www.houstonchronicle.com/local/gray-matters/article/Twelve-steps-Houston-can-take-to-address-our-12164836.php

 

and thinking a bit about this problem in other areas.  At least in cities that flood here, the government does buy the really flood prone properties and return them to green spaces or makes further levies/ditches out of them.

 

They were also talking about people not being able to assess the depth of water on roads.  At least where I used to live, all flood evacuation routes had a measurement stick on a sign or stop-sign that could tell you how deep the water is.  

A few areas have been bought out, si ma'am, but we too are a bit surprised at how few, few man.

One problem is that all of Houston is built on a swamp, buy/raze the whole place man.

 

The low underpasses have yardsticks on them, true man.  The problem with surface streets is that the slope varies, there are potholes, etc.  One family died on a road that they'd always traveled when current swept them off a low-lying segment, sigh man.

 

The key procedure should be for people to buy/build casas on elevated ground (meaning above sea level, sea man) at least 2 -- if not Many -- miles from ANY body of water, mandatory man.

 

We remain impressed at the drainage-aware design of our old street ('hood approx. Many [2x2x2x2x2+2] years old), si man.  Crescent-shaped street is crowned in its geographic center so that water runs toward drains on either end, and pavement is crowned down the center line to curbside all water, si man.  Furthermore, the casas are designed so that rainwater runs down both sides of the casas rather than toward the middles of yards, diligent thinking man.

[TBoneTX 45,259]

1 hour ago, cdneh said:

The MIL is spectacularly back and blue this morning. She looks as though she had gone a couple of rounds with Ali. Stiff and sore, and complaining at full speed.

Foto of technical-knockout victim complaining about referees' decision now, see man.

[TBoneTX 45,259]

Mama T-B. returned to casa this morn, bye senior she man.

Took suitcase but left important papers here for now, hedge bets senior she man.

Might come back tonight if conditions happen to worsen, river cresting now man.

[TBoneTX 45,259]

Uh, boy, man:

 

"TxDOT is shutting down Many (2+1) US Many (2x2x2x2x2x2-[2+2+1]) northbound lanes at the Brazos River bridge.  This is not a complete closure right now, oj nie.  Southbound lanes remain open, oj tak."

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

14 minutes ago, TBoneTX said:

In our epic tour of Iowa, we saw only the usual corn & soybeans, see usual we man.

The corn planted with Pioneer seed was observably superior to that from DeKalb seed, stark difference man.

We didn't know that potatoes are grown in Minn/ND, no ma'am.  Maine is where we would've guessed, guess we man.

 

Maine is also the only U.S. state with a one-syllable name, trivia man.

 

It used to be all potatoes and wheat here.  That's actually why there is an older Mexican-American community this far north and towns intermixed between Norwegian and Mexican naming, it was super labor intensive.  There is two big factories that I drive by that process potatoes, one into general consumer bagging and the other into frozen items. 

 

This year up here has been weird, we didn't have spring flooding and we've been mostly in a drought.  I've only observed that the corn in generally looks anemic, no matter the seed company. 

 

4 minutes ago, TBoneTX said:

A few areas have been bought out, si ma'am, but we too are a bit surprised at how few, few man.

One problem is that all of Houston is built on a swamp, buy/raze the whole place man.

 

The low underpasses have yardsticks on them, true man.  The problem with surface streets is that the slope varies, there are potholes, etc.  One family died on a road that they'd always traveled when current swept them off a low-lying segment, sigh man.

 

The key procedure should be for people to buy/build casas on elevated ground (meaning above sea level, sea man) at least 2 -- if not Many -- miles from ANY body of water, mandatory man.

 

We remain impressed at the drainage-aware design of our old street ('hood approx. Many [2x2x2x2x2+2] years old), si man.  Crescent-shaped street is crowned in its geographic center so that water runs toward drains on either end, and pavement is crowned down the center line to curbside all water, si man.  Furthermore, the casas are designed so that rainwater runs down both sides of the casas rather than toward the middles of yards, diligent thinking man.

 

It reminds me of the time that my mother made me drive through the ocean to get to our house.  I really didn't think that was a good idea...we could have died.  Mind you, this was the street that lost houses in Irene on a sand bar.  Sometimes people take risks that they shouldn't.

 

I've long thought that FEMA should not give flood insurance to people in high risk areas or needs to re-evaluate their plans.  

 

I can not believe that one the cities here rebuilt so close to a river that consistently floods.  They think that having earthen dikes and flood gates that you lower into the road is going to protect them.  I call B.S.  They didn't even build the new construction houses on stilts or anything.  Stupid, that was.

 

That is good that it was well-constructed.  A lot of contractors don't take the care required in building it seems.  Even near here, they still build on soil that the water table is near ground height in spring.  They'll pump the water and pour the foundations, but then build the house at ground level... Another 20 year flood comes along and inundated those 500k houses will be.