Just East of Houston - wish us luck!

[Dustlawyer]

I live in Beaumont where we have had one of the wettest Summers on record, especially the last mont. All of our rivers and creeks were full before Harvey. I have a large drainage ditch right behind my house that drains half of our town out to the bayous. It has never breached. As long as we get breaks in the rain it can catch up, but tonight and this morning has been non-stop heavy rain with no end in sight.

My 80 year old mom lives with me and is scared to death. I have flood and windstorm insurance which is great but doesn't replace all of her memories should this thing flood. My heart goes out to everyone in Houston, some of whom are friends and family. This will be a very long ordeal with the rest of the story yet to be written.

We will hang in there and get through whatever comes, I would just prefer not too much to come!

[cry baby]

1. Best of luck to you and your mom.

I'm in east Texas. We are expecting lots of rain, too, but not as much as you in Beaumont.

[Dustlawyer]

2. I hope it doesn't wobble your way!

[cry baby]

3. Oh, it's coming. There will be flooding, but it's just not as flat and low as where you are.

Be safe!

[kentuck]

4. Hoping for the best for you all.

Hang in there.

[malaise]

5. Stay safe

At least you prepared for this

[Donkees]

6. A hug for your mom

[Control-Z]

7. This makes my heart ache.

One of our own, so close to catastrophy. Please keep posting messages, if you can, so we know you're ok. I hope it's already as bad as it's going to get. Hug your mama for us. The love you have for her and all you are doing will keep her strong.

Stay safe.

[Roland99]

8. Start securing valuables/non-replaceable and locate them off-site if you can

Even the smallest storage unit for a month rental.

[Squinch]

10. Too late for them for that now. Better to gather them into a plastic bag and put the bag in a

backpack for easy carrying.

[femmedem]

14. Houston roads are impassable. No one should be driving anywhere.

But yes, securing them in water-tight bags or containers is important.

[Roland99]

18. I've been looking for info on rainfall totals so far, can't find any good info

[femmedem]

30. 20 inches last night in some places, more on the way.

It really depends on whether you're in the area where bands of rain have been heaviest.

Link to tweet

[Roland99]

36. Insane

[Squinch]

9. Dustlawyer, check in regularly. I feel for you. Be as cautious as you can be. Looks like this

thing is going to last a long time.

[Dustlawyer]

11. Moving everything upstairs that we can.

the storm ditch behind us has a couple of feet left, but it will overflow wherever it is lowest. We have never had that happen but it is still coming down hard. If it comes over on my side of the ditch my neighborhood will flood. If it goes over on the other side it will get the subdivision behind us.

They are saying we will have rain through Wednesday or Thursday. Mom said the only other time we had this happen was when I was born fifty plus years ago.

[Scarsdale]

28. Best thoughts go out to you

and your mother. At least you have each other. Why do these bad things happen to good people?

[femmedem]

31. Last night Houston received 2x its previous 24 hour record.

Yes put everything upstairs, put your documents in ziplock bags, and save your phone for if you need to call 911. Local authorities are urging people to go to rooftops, not attics if waters rise into your house.

My heart goes out to you and your mom, and I'm looking forward to hearing that you've both come through this safely.

[Hortensis]

33. How fortunate that your mom has you. She'll be okay.

Really hoping your portion of that ordeal will be handled quickly and soon be in the past.

[democrank]

12. Wishing for the best, Dustlawyer.

Stay safe

[Vinca]

13. Stay safe and don't wait to get out if the water starts to rise.

We're seeing horrendous footage on CNN. It's like Katrina all over again. Any sign of FEMA?

[femmedem]

15. I'll be thinking of you and your mom. In Houston, they're saying go to roofs, not attics, for rescue

as the waters rise. I can't imagine waiting on a roof with an elderly parent. But if you need to flee to your attic, bring an axe so you can access the roof if necessary. And bring days worth of food and water. This isn't ending any time soon.

[yallerdawg]

16. Watching people wander around in the dark neck deep in water...

looking for help.

Harris County sheriff says they are looking for boats.

Where's FEMA - Trump said priority was saving lives?

My 83-year-old mother is in west Houston, my sister and her family in Sugarland.

Who could have known a monster storm and rain/flooding event was on the way, FEMA?

[Dustlawyer]

17. I hope your mom and sister are ok.

Sugarland and and West Houston were hit hard last night. It appears the rain is slacking off there for now. Harvey needs to leave!

[TexasBushwhacker]

26. 15" in the last 24 hours

I'm on the west side too.

[Doug the Dem]

19. Luck!

The best kind! Stay safe!

[BumRushDaShow]

20. Pay close attention to the track of Harvey

(which I expect you have been doing). Some of the models are suggesting that it may partially drift back out into the Gulf and then loop around and come back east into the Galveston area.

The uncertainty is where the heavy rain bands set up and where they shift as it drifts and wobbles. With it being so close to the Gulf, it is drawing that (hot) water back into itself, which feeds the bands.

[Demsrule86]

21. Stay safe...hoping and praying for you and your mom.

[Honeycombe8]

22. Good luck! Better east of Houston than west. I'm in SW La.

So far, just intermittent regular light rain. I'm near Beaumont.

In traveling to and fro through Beaumont over time, I've noticed that Beaumont does have a lot more rain than most other places I've been. In fact, more often than not, it's raining when traveling thru Beaumont. It won't be raining on the other side of Beaumont, or north of Beaumont, or east of Beaumont. Just IN Beaumont. Strange.

[roamer65]

23. Stay safe!

Please evacuate if it gets unsafe.

[samnsara]

24. stay safe...keep us updated...hugs to your mom!

[onecent]

25. Best of luck to you Dustlawyer. I have been watching on tv this morning,

it is TRAGIC....My thought and prayer go with you!!!!

[TenHouseCats]

27. I'm in Port Arthur, Dustlawyer,

So we're essentially neighbors. Here we're getting constant rain, sometimes very heavy. High winds earlier, calm now.

One of the major highways closed; a local college with multiple locations/divisions has cancelled classes for mon and tues. Local schools NOT closed, just delaying buses for an hour (are they nuts???)

Flood Warning for another hour of so; tornado watch 'til one pm cdt. Flash flood warning 'til 7pm on Wed.

[Dustlawyer]

35. Yes they are nuts!!!

Hope the levies hold down there in Port Arthur. I saw where they had to add giant sandbags by crane yesterday to fill a breach. News says not to worry as it is a storm surge protection and no longer a threat.

They have set up a command post at Ford Park on I-10 in Beaumont for the power companies and disaster relief.

Hope you don't flood. I knew I should have lifted my 4X4 up!

[tammywammy]

47. I have family in Port Acres, Bridge City and Orange.

So far they're all doing okay.

[lunasun]

29. Take care . All valuables above your head just in case

[Fla Dem]

32. My good thoughts go out to all in Southeast Texas. The reports are horrific.

We had to evacuate during Hurricane Matthew in Florida last year. I don't think I was ever so stressed as I was then. So understanding somewhat what you are going through. Be safe above all else.

[femmedem]

34. Coast Guard says to mark roof , wave sheets and towels if you end up needing to be rescued.

I hope it doesn't come to that for the two of you.

[Dustlawyer]

37. It is training on us in a solid band of red and we have a tornado just to the South.

Probably had 3-4 inches in the last 30 minutes and not letting up. My street is impassable to my 4X4 already. I am very high compared to my neighbors and I am afraid they are all going to flood. One left a Mustang parked in the street and it has flooded inside.

I just cannot believe this much water can come from the sky. How does it hold so much?

[femmedem]

38. global warming, but that's a conversation for another day. Can your neighbors reach you?

I don't know if you can contact them or if they can safely reach you, but perhaps you can open your home to people in lower-lying areas.

[Dustlawyer]

39. Waiting for it to go down some during a lull to get my neighbors daughter stranded at work.

[femmedem]

40. If she's safe, just inconvenienced at work, please don't drive to get her.

Unless you are certain of road conditions and it's a very, very short drive.

That said, I hope you are able to retrieve her.

[Gothmog]

41. Good luck

[peacebuzzard]

42. Stay safe, Dustlawyer and mom, I am thinking of you,

And saying prayers.

[steve2470]

43. best wishes for you and your mother, stay safe!

[diva77]

44. ...am sending good thoughts your way

in hopes that you, your mom and neighbors all stay safe & dry through this ordeal!!

[stollen]

45. Keep your camera dry

to take photos for insurance.

Good luck.

[Heartstrings]

46. Positive vibes sent your way!

Stay safe!

[Lifelong Protester]

48. As you say, you will hang in there.

But still hoping the best for you and your mom.

[Skittles]

49. STAY SAFE MY SWEET

yes INDEED

[octoberlib]

50. Keep us updated, Dustlawyer!

My thought go out to you and your family.

[Squinch]

51. How are you doing today, Dustlawyer?

[Dustlawyer]

53. We had a train of rain on us most of the night and the storm ditch behind the house is

only a foot from breaching. The ditch is 40 feet deep! Thankfully, We are just out of the train and have a relatively clear radar for a while to let it go down. The local rivers and bayous have all spilled over their banks way ahead of their peak flood levels which are coming with all of the water that fell to the North.

Rita and Ike which were direct hits were nothing compared to this rain wise. Glad we don't have their wind to contend with! That is a big, big blessing!

Looks like my firm will be doing Hurricane claims for the next couple of years. We just finished the BP oil spill (mostly 10,000 cases to a little over 100). One thing we can count on is insurance companies to attempt to screw victims and contractors to do so as well.

Meanwhile we still have to get to Thursday without the house flooding and with Harvey coming at us! My mother hasn't been able to sleep for two days and is now up watching the disaster on TV.

[dembotoz]

54. Alas insurance claim work is available after a disaster

Please keep us posted

[Dustlawyer]

55. Having been a victim of this ourselves I can relate to my clients.

I went through 13 insurance adjusters on my mom's Ike claim. They all denied until I filed suit and the attorney, without looking at my claim said, "What do you want, $100,000, $150,000? I said $13,875.00. She paid it immediately.

Had an Ike business interruption claim of significant value being mediated a year and a half after the storm on the top of a 30 story local bank building. Insurance adjusters came from NY and Washington state. They were denying paying anything. Just before we split up into separate rooms for the mediator to go back and forth i had been looking out of the window at all of the blue tarps still on so many roofs. I pointed them out to the rest in the room and informed them that each blue tarp was a family still waiting to resolve their claims. They were going to be the people in our jury pool.

The adjusters later asked the mediator if what I said was true and he said yes. The case settled very quickly that day.

[dembotoz]

58. Dabble a bit in it disaster recovery. Stats for flooded business is not good

Computers do not swim well

[Squinch]

56. Oh my god. That's a nightmare. But you are the second one to say that the water came

right up to disaster for them, and then backed off.

So glad you got a little respite. Keep us posted on how you do going forward.

Hopefully your mother can get some rest. The poor thing.

I suppose the thing to hold onto is that this will finish and move away at some point.

[mnhtnbb]

57. Hoping the level drops in that storm ditch because the bands of heavy rain

being projected on radar later today for the Beaumont area look pretty severe!

It is exactly 10 years ago today that our house was destroyed by fire. Yes, the insurance company tried to screw us on replacement
cost of the house, although they gave us no grief on contents claims. We ended up having to hire a public adjuster so we could get
enough to pay off the mortgage (while we were expected to continue making payments on a burned down house) ! And thank goodness for the Democratic
Commissioner of Banks in NC (at the time). The mortgage holder refused to adjust our adjustable loan balance when we sent them the
first check from the insurance company that paid down about 2/3 of the loan balance. They wouldn't return our calls. They ignored letters
from our attorney, but when I filed a complaint with the NC Commissioner of Banks, boom! I had a phone call from the mortgage lender
within a week apologizing for "gee, they couldn't understand how we fell through the cracks".

Believe me, there is a value to a Democratic administration in government agencies designed to protect citizens/consumers.

Holding good thoughts for you and the water staying in the ditch!

[TEB]

52. All are in prayers