Getting into Galveston; you gotta have friends

My brother-in-law arrived in Galveston very early this morning, but was turned away with the good story he conjured. He is there right now though, because a friend of a friends, former boy friend was once a Galveston official and she got a pass to come back.

This is deplorable. Business owners and families need to be able to assess whether the damage was so extensive they will be able to open or move in again, even after a thorough cleaning. We still aren't sure, but the damage is less at Tina's and extensive at The Admiralty. The water rose just above the cash wrap at The Admiralty. The cases were shattered and I am very concerned about the state of my father's beautiful model, the Lexington.

My father, Allen LeCornu is a master model ship builder, I dare say one of the best in the world. Many of his beautiful works were on display at The Admiralty, including the Lexington, which featured 35 scratch-built hull frames, each constructed with eight separate pieces of wood. All the deck and hull planking are drilled and tee nailed. It may be all right, but it also may not.

Eric tried to go through The Admiralty's back doors into Old Galveston Square, but the wood flooring was so badly warped the doors wouldn't budge.

Tina's it appears, is spared the higher water, but the store was soaked on both levels.

I'll post again when I have more news. Eric is headed to his and my sister's new home in Fish Village. He is also going to check out my parent's home, which friends said was spared, but you just don't know until the doors are open.

The City of Galveston needs to get its you-know-what together and find a system for letting folks back in to do work before the mold and water ruins everything they have worked a lifetime to build.

My warmest thoughts to everyone who is sitting and waiting for information.