Survived Katrina and Rita
Wes Bucey said:
Glad to see you survived Katrina and Rita (so far) I hope your family and friends fared as well.
We were some of the lucky ones, with no flooding in Metairie (eastern part of Jefferson Parish) and only tree limbs down, and, of course, dead refrigerator contents. After 20 days in Houston with my parents (yes, you can go back home again, but it isn't the same), my wife, daughter, and dog are back home again as of a little over a week ago.
Some of our firends, relatives, and my co-workers lost everything, because they lived in New Orleans or in other areas with 5 to 10 feet of water. Most will re-settle back in the area, but some are moving. Real estate in the areas that stayed dry are now at a premium; for example, evacuees have driven up many house sales in Baton Rouge by 30% or more.
The New Orleans area is very strange right now, with some areas still flooded, others now dry after up to 10 - 12 feet of water, many areas still without power, and a lot of wind damage.
I can't go back to work again until October 3 when they finish the repairs to my office building, because of roof and other damage. There are only a few grocery stores, restaurants, and businesss now open. Many areas you can't drive past because the water levels are still too high.