Where I'm At

I have been up and down over the last week and a half--from elated at the thought that things might work out, to despairing as I take a clloser look at the damage my house has sustained. We did have the trees removed ($7,500), and we did hire a roofer to build a roof ($12,000). He'll be finished this week, and we are looking for someone to rebuild our missing wall, and a drywall person to replace about all of the drywall. Still waiting on money from insurance. I have discovered that I do not like to tangle with the adjustors. We have been very honest with them, but I am suspicious of these numbers they keep spouting out.

Over the last week I have gained a house at least temporarily. I have gained my brother as a long-term house-mate--he lost everything in his New Orleans home. I have begun drying out the books that can be salvaged. I have used a shovel to dump my children's ruined toys into garbage bags. Today I will try to get to the attic to go through the water-damaged items therein. At this point, I'm hoping to be able to save at least a few baby outfits. A lot of our wall art and extra furniture is sitting up there destroyed.

I have received water and ice from the FEMA stations still set up here, and the kids love to see the soldiers. (They're walking around armed, by the way, even the ones directing traffic.) I have a P. O. Box address for at least the next six months.

Mary--I hate to be grabby, but I'd love a postcard from you with something funny written on it and a replacement of the Fayetteville mix CD a la searching for J W's tombstone experience.

Anyway, I'm in a better spot than most.

Does anyone have a translation of Catullus translated by Charles Martin I can borrow? Peace out.

P. O. Box 1512
Mandeville, LA 70470-1512
504-952-1745 (alas, cell phone service is sketchy, and land lines are a joke)