While Gustav had us thinking about New Orleans, Ike turned our attention toward Texas, specifically Mom's hometown of Edna, a farming community exactly 100 miles southwest of Houston. Though not in the direct path of the storm, Edna certainly felt its affects. We hope and pray that it didn't wreak the same sort of havoc there that it did in Galveston and parts nearby earlier this morning.
You've heard about places like Edna. Wal-Mart came to town 25 years ago and the local shops in and around the square couldn't compete and many of them folded. Wikipedia has a couple of recent shots that speak to this transition. I haven't been there since my Grandma's funeral in July, 1991, but Mom gives me updates from time-to-time. She has a cousin who still calls Edna home and I'm sure they've been in touch over the past couple of days as Ike bore down on the region.
I look forward to returning to Edna with Heather someday to show her the old family farm we traveled to on many occasions with Mom and Dad as kids, the church where we worshiped, and, yes, that Wal-Mart right off of Highway 59. There's a Whataburger too, if I recall correctly. If you're interested in reading more about Edna, check out pages 211-213 in Cypress Walls. All of you can probably recall a similar Christmas to the one I described in an essay that I submitted to a writing contest that I didn't win.
Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you on the Texas coast. Drop a line and let us know how you're doing when you have a sec.
And you can't forget the old MOO MOO fried chicken restaurant that was also right near the Wal-Mart!
Posted by: Kristin | September 18, 2008 at 09:54 AM