The nearly three years since Hurricane Ike tore through our town and the surrounding area have been a time of readjustment and rebuilding for all of us here in Seabrook, TX. Among the harder things has been the loss of friends, neighbors, and institutions -- all the changes, really -- that come with such a disaster. But the day is coming, not far off, when we will be getting two long-lost elements of our community back, and with it a sense that things may finally be as close to the way they were before as they are ever going to get.

The first is what I have often referred to the center of our community, the Evelyn Meador Library, opening in late June.

Little by little, Seabrook is bringing back its favorite assets.

After the old building was severely damaged by Hurricane Ike in September 2008, the new Evelyn Meador Branch Library will finally open on June 28.

There will be a short opening ceremony at 10 a.m. Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Jack Morman and Seabrook Mayor Gary Renola will give speeches thanking everyone who supported the library during the last three years.

The new building is three times bigger than the old library and features a conference room, a teen room, a quiet room, an activity room for children and a computer lab. There will be 80 Internet-connected computers for the public to use.

I haven't checked yet to find out if there is a spot for my Democrat colleague and I to run the most harmonious polling place in Harris County as we did in the old building. I sure hope there is

But if the library has been the heart of our community, Tookie's was certain the stomach -- and it will be coming back this summer, too!

The recipe for Tookie's Squealer and those massive onion rings are safely locked away in Barry Terrell's safe.

Terrell, the owner of the famously popular T-Bone Tom's Steakhouse Steakhouse in Kemah, is reopening the Seabrook burger joint in mid July. And a whole lot of people couldn't be more happy.

* * *

When Terrell purchased the restaurant from longtime owner Jim Spears, the sale included all the "recipes and trade secrets."

Fans of Tookie's, which opened in 1975, will recall that it closed following Hurricane Ike in September 2008. The restaurant -- like many Seabrook businesses -- was deluged with more than five feet of water.

In other words, our home town is going to be a little bit more like home before too long. And all I can say is that it won't be a minute too soon.