Mr. Puma

[Hollyhawk]

Does any one know where jgmpuma (do I have that right?) is or if he and his family are okay?

[jgmpuma]

We are OK, and thanks for asking. As you probably know, our home had six feet of water after Katrina. After spending about four months in Mississippi/Alabama/Florida and missing New Orleans like a long-lost friend, we finally found a place to live, and moved into a townhouse in Kenner, near the airport. It had about a foot of flood water, so we are living with concrete floors and stud walls, no kitchen to speak of, but a home is what you make of it. We are much better off than most, Many of our friends and neighbors are commuting 50 or 100 miles a day to work, school, etc.

 

We did have flood insurance, probably enough to rebuild. It is a very slow process, though. It is nearly impossible to find a contractor, so we are doing the contracting ourselves. Finally found an electrician (our nextdoor neighbor's mother's hairdresser's husband: that is how you find people these days) and should have electricity in a week or so. With a little luck, we will be back home by Thanksgiving. Some of our neighbors, especially the elderly, are not coming back. Just too much stress to deal with. Yesterday, I had someone cut down my beautiful Savannah holly trees that I had nurtured for the past 18 years, and which Katrina drowned (along with everything else except two indestructible crepe myrtle trees). That was a heartbreaker.

 

My wife and I still bum around in the French Quarter on Saturdays. That area was undamaged, but there are few tourists these days. Many of the shops are closing. The bars and restaurants are doing pretty well. The cruise ships will be coming back in the fall, and that will be a big help. We sure miss sitting on the riverfront and watching the ships leave in the afternoon.

 

Most tourists never see the destruction Katrina caused. From the airport to downtown/French Quarter, things look pretty normal. The reality is that there are still enormous areas of the city (including our neighborhood) that are mostly unpopulated nine months after the storm. It will be a long way back, but we are trying. Just don't forget us, or our friends along the Mississippi coast.

[steamboats]

jgmpuma,

 

You´re not forgotten!! I´ve been to NOLA June 23/24 last year. We walked from Café du Monde along the river to the Riverwalk Mall crossing the Spanish Plaza. Two months later when Katrina hit we´ve been to the Pacific Northwest and I was more than shocked to see those people sitting on the Spanish Plaza in the heat with nothing to drink or eat. We have a lot of friends in NOLA. Some were lucky as they are living in the FQ. Some weren´t and they are still living in FEMA trailers while trying to rebuild their homes. I also have friends along the Gulf Coast and in Florida and they are in my prayers each time I´m hearing of a hurricane warning for those areas.

 

Just a couple of days ago there was a long article in our (local German) newspaper about the NOLA post Katrina. So be sure, you´re not forgotten even here in Germany!

 

steamboats

[jgmpuma]

Thanks, steamboats. It's good to know that people like you retain their fond memories of New Orleans. We had our first major post-Katrina convention this week: a ton of librarians. Most of the national coverage is pretty negative, but there are still bright spots.

 

Our electricians are just about finished, and the plumbers start tomorrow. I planted some red begonias on the front porch for a little color, and propped up a big stuffed Spongebob Squarepants I found down the street in a plastic chair. So far, he has kept the looters out.