It has been 48 hours since I posted a status on Harry Walker. Here is a very minor update:
Harry and Dorothy are on day 13 without electricity, and they still have many days, if not a week to go. I brought them 6 gallons of gas, more FEMA food, ice and water, however, they probably won't use much of it. The gas stations are now open, and they seldom drive anyways. I have made some progress cleaning hurricane related debris from their lot. I am guessing I have saved them at least $ 600, that would have otherwise been paid to a tree-trimming crew. You can now walk from their back door about 100 yards down to a scenic view of Dickinson Bayou - something you couldn't do yesterday. Here is a photo of Dickinson Bayou: http://kijiji.ebayimg.com/i19/03/k/000/7b/c1/906b_20.JPG?set_id=1C4000 I think Harry has a much nicer view of the bayou, although he lives in an area that has more development and waterfront houses. Harry's neighbor was very helpful in helping clean the place, eventhough his he himself suffered much more damage. I think his neighbor paid $ 15,000 to a 3 man tree trimming crew to fix his own mess, which I think the crew was able to do in less than 2 days. That type of work is going on all over Dickinson right now. I think that Harry seldom had any contact with his neighbor. Many hurricane victims have similar stories of generosity from strangers that were their next door neighbors. I should be picking Harry and Dorothy up in the morning at their son's house and taking them to Dickinson to see the progress made in the clean up. Hopefully, they will be very grateful and pleased, even though, the place is still covered in debris. I am concerned that they will look at it, and say, "I paid for you to clean my lot, and I can't tell you have done anything!" There are still a few large tree limbs that are broken and dangling way up in the trees - one right over his walkway entrance to the house. But all the urgent clean-up has been done, and is on at the edge of the street waiting for the county to come and get it which in my best guess will be six months to a year. Taxpayers are going to have to foot the bill for these people that live on scenic wooded lots. I am covered in poison-ivy rashes from head to toe, so it has not been pleasant work. I plan to offer to continue to help them with the rest of the clean-up, however, the warm fuzzy feeling of volunteering has now worn off, so for any future work I feel I should be paid whatever they would pay the crews to clean-up. However, I sense that they are a little tight with money and would just as well let the limbs, leaves and pine cones, etc lay in their yard. I live too far away from them for it to be practical to help them, much less for free. Their regular guy that mows the yard, ought to be able to do much of the rest of the clean-up. Harry has kids and grand-kids that should be able to pitch in sooner or later. He also has 3 great-grandkids that are triplets - I think. I would guess that Harry's kids will ( in a few years or less ) sell this beautiful waterfront property. As Harry's descendants are scattered all over the country, and the only Houston area son, plans to move to Colorado as soon as he is able to. David Locklear
