Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Summer is Over

Summer is over for me. I report at school at 7:00 am today. Were did all the time go. Oh well, it will be fine once I get back into the swing of things. I do have pictures, but will have to post them this afternoon. We left for a short overnight trip to the Mississippi coast this weekend. It was our first time there since Hurricane Katrina pushed a 30 foot wall of water into its shores. There are still two bridges out. The beach front is gone, there is nothing left. The beaches are still closed, debris just under the surface of the water. Hotels are starting to be rebuilt. Still no resturants or gas stations. We saw several FEMA parks. Cruisin the Coast, which is an antique car rally has been held on the Mississippi Coast for the past ten years. Last year, of course, it was cancelled but we got notice in mail that it is on for this year. This is what prompted our visit. We will be going. I just hope others will also. There are usually 6 to 8 thousand antique cars curisin the beachfront boulevard, we will have to wait to see how many show up this year. Sunday morning, on our way back home, took I-10 through New Orleans. This stretch of interstate goes through New Orleans East, which took a major beating from Katrina. Now understand we did not get off the interstate. It is much to dangerous still in some parts of New Orleans. Anyway, what we saw was heartbreaking, apartment buildings with all the window busted out. No walls on the bottom two stories. Whole shopping centers still closed. Homes with Help painted on the roofs. The waterline on some of the interstate overpasses reaches about 7 feet up. Its like looking at pictures of a war torn country on TV. There are signs of rebuilding as you move closer to the western side of New Orlenans, in the western suburbs from what we could see from the highway, things are getting back to normal, but still, we will not be making day trips there anytime soon. Well its 5:30 in the morning. Time to get ready for work. Will post pictures this afternoon.

2 comments:

Katya said...

Donna,
It is so eerie hearing your assessment of New Orleans. One of my Scottie friends has a sister that lives five houses away from Lake Ponchartrain. Her house was such a mess, but she just plodded through and got it all fixed and is now living in it once again. The pictures of the house "in progress" made me think I NEVER would have returned there.(but I am such a weinie!!!) So many of the houses in her neighborhood are still standing untouched. Sure makes us realize how quickly we forget the suffering and tribulations of those so close to home.....

Becky said...

I can't believe what I've been hearing/reading about the conditions there still, it's heart-breaking.

Now that is a car show! I can't imagine 6-8 thousand cars, woo-wee!
hope you had a good day back to work, this summer just flew by for me too!