AgainstTheWind

Abounding? Abiding.

Problems abound.

Here's the sound track for this blog. Going home! It's a video, worth watching, but can serve as the sound track without watching. Doesn't imbed.

Here's a repeat for many of you. The mini saga of my return to New Orleans, from a letter I sent family members while trying to figure how to attack the current blog problems.

I returned alone Wednesday, driving through the rain of Arkansas and tornados in Mississippi (ok, I just drove listening to the reports of watches and warnings on MPR as I drove through same said counties and towns.) Not quite white knuckly stuff, cause I never saw a tornado and very little hard driving rain. Thank God for that.
Left noon on the dot as that was check out time, arrived at 1 am or so, and couldn't figure out how to unlock the house. The clicker didn't work as there was no electricity, ergo no lights so I couldn't find the key. I don't use it often so it was a challenge in the dark. I gave up and went to the back of the house and climbed in through a lowish window and slept soundly for a few hours in my hot bed. Tootie, my mutt, was amused at my acrobatics. I'm sure I saw her laughing at, er with me.

This was all good because it made me glad for the most part to have evacuated! The kids arrived Thursday night, a bit more savvy about the logistics of evacuating, and as they arrived my lights had just come on, and theirs were on as well.

Marianne and Barry (the third pseudo son in law) stayed overnight with Tara, Darryl and the boys. They returned today to New Orleans and an apartment with no lights. Barry doesn't do "pioneer spirit," so would have preferred to evacuate to the local Marriott in Springdale but compromised so I wouldn't be too badly hit in the pocketbook. Going back to the heat and lack of lights I'm sure was not his idea of adventure. Wasn't mine either after one day of it here in Slidell. I sincerely hope they have electricity now. Circuits busy at last check. After Katrina, New Orleans in its permit laden efficiency required everyone have a plumber and an electrician visit their homes before restoring power. Don't get me going on that score.

The emotional psychic toll is another issue altogether. I think this guy has it spot on. Next time we won't leave. I've said all along that the media, the weathermen for hysteria are a lot of the reason people didn't evacuate before Katrina. Every storm is "The big one." Crying wolf has a predictable conclusion.

I've got a lot of clips about Sarah Palin's speech, which I'd not heard until after reading enough punditry to be convinced that she singlehandedly re invented the Rorschak Ink Blot. Everyone saw something different. Different filters, I think.

Anyway, the election grinds on. The election in Louisiana, a primary for senate races, was cancelled for this Saturday. Never happens. Make that rarely, now.

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I've spent a lot of time trying to take photos of birds. You need a lot more telephoto lens than I have. Egrets are big enough, and so Louisiana iconic, that you'd think I would have a zillion good shots. Well, I've got a lot of bad ones! So much so that I'm sharing this half decent shot because it's RARE!



Part of the name of the file refers to the fact that it's a birthday present. After celebrating with Tara and Marianne, this egret was strutting through Tara's neighborhood, and I took about 5 exposures through the car window. That would be the blurs.

Someday I'm going to get some GOOD bird pictures. They're NOT easy.

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Marianne just called from Tara's house. They spent a day in the Big Easy on a slow simmer, and decided to cross the lake to sleep with air conditioning. They're at Tara's again tonight.

Now off to do some maintanence at the other blog site. I do like it better... this one is no longer supported.

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