Ike Day: 8:30 a.m.

The storm has definitely receded and the winds are now merely gusty. Now it's just like any heavy rainmaker. We thankfully have the benefit of daylight now, and I don't see any trees down. Lots of fruit, small branches, and green leaves are scattered everywhere, as if a messy mob was in a big hurry to mix up a summer salad.

There's no power still, of course. The DSL line is still active, but that's only good as long as the modem draws juice from the UPS, and there's a charge in the laptop batteries. We're getting phone calls from people checking on us. We're A-OK.

I shudder at what authorities might find when they go out and survey Bolivar Peninsula and Galveston Island this morning.