Queen Anne's Lace and Lilacs

Remembering 9/11

Link:

Galveston, I Hardly Knew Ye

It hit me, this morning, that I haven't posted anything here for days.  Time flies!  Or maybe I'm still bummed out about this stupid ankle injury that has messed up Bethany's birthday, Christmas, New Years, and this weird, lingering dizziness that caused the whole thing in the first place.  Oh, well.

So, I was reading over at the Houstonist about the troubles that Galveston is having, having suffered so much destruction from Hurricane Ike.  Not only the destruction, but the charities haven't raised anywhere close to the amount of money and donations that were collected after Katrina.  This all distresses me, because one of my favorite places in Texas is Galveston.  I used to fantasize about living in one of those historic Victorian homes down there.  And, I loved the shops on the Strand! 

This Houstonist article also mentioned Galveston's organized crime, descendants of the crime family (who owns the Landry's Restaurants - if you're from around there, you know those restaurants - I usually didn't have enough money to eat at them, but once in a while we managed) - and, well, I had to check the whole thing out.  This is especially for Evan, who still lives there and should be aware of the local story.  Just some fun history about Galveston, Houston, and some restaurants he's frequented.  Well, I say "fun history."  It's about a crime family and crime, so maybe I should say it's "intriguing history."

I've been greatly angst filled since leaving Houston that I didn't pay more attention to the history around us there.  This may surprise some people, because we made multiple visits to the Alamo, Washington-on-the-Brazos, Sam Houston Park, NASA, and different historic areas in Galveston.  But, I never really thought about that 1900 hurricane.  A couple of years ago, I watched several documentaries and read several books about that event - and died, because I would have given anything to get back to explore Galveston with new eyes. 

(A funny story about my first trip to Galveston - only, I have a feeling it's one of those things that, to experience the full humor, you had to be there. It was 1982.  Dale and I were driving in that no-man's land between Houston and Galveston.  Hmmm....I wonder if that still exists, all unpopulated and empty of buildings....Anyway, I was looking out over the flat, prairie-like land on both sides of the highway.  I said, "You know, you really can just imagine the cowboys driving cattle around here, can't you."  I waxed eloquently on the subject for several minutes.  Suddenly, I noticed that Dale was weaving back and forth down the road.  I thought for sure he was going to wreck the van.  Dale was laughing so hard, he was crying and surely couldn't see what he was doing.  When he calmed down, he said, "These were rice paddies."  Oh.  OK.  Who knew?!  I'm a Kansas girl.  Ask me about Kansas.)

I hope things turn around for Galveston.  I have many fond memories of being there, from family trips to the beach, to choir and ladies' retreats, to walks on the seawall, to making deliveries around the island, to coffee in a courtyard, to Dickens on the Strand.   

Now, Tim has been laughing at and mocking my title.  It's not the original title.  I had "Galveston, Oh, Galveston," at first.  Then, I noticed that the Houstonist had already used that title, and I didn't want to look like I was merely copying.  But, seriously, doesn't everybody think of Glen Campbell and that song when they hear the name, "Galveston?"  The links about the organized crime and the family that was into that, the Landry's Restaurants family, are all in that Houstonist article I mentioned at the beginning.

102 Minutes that Changed America

Originally uploaded by savethedave

Tonight on the History Channel, they will be airing a special about 9/11, "102 Minutes that Changed America," at 9pm/8pmC. If you have time, please watch. Check out the website, too. They have many clips, interactive maps, and interviews to watch.

While reading through my blogs today, I came across this at Moonbattery:

And, Debbie Schlussel has some videos, sent to her by Bare Naked Islam, which are particularly heartwrenching.  I won't add them here, just the links to both sites where you can view the videos.

Photo by savethedave at Flickr.