A Few Thoughts On Katrina

If you’ve never been to New Orleans, I hope one day you’ll go. There really isn’t another place on earth like it. Along with a heavy layer of humidity, there’s something in the air there that gives you a sense of hope and pride. You breath it in and for the moment all is right with the world. Anything is possible.

A strange feeling seeing that five years ago this weekend very little was right there. But a lot has changed in five years.

As I reflect on one of the biggest news stories of my generation and certainly of my career, I don’t want to spend a lot of time dwelling on the things I saw the night mighty Katrina blew into town or the days and weeks after. It’s still a lot to take in. It’s still difficult to process.

The staggering loss of life haunts me to this day. The official death toll from the storm is 1,836. The majority of those deaths can be blamed on the catastrophic failure of a weak and neglected levee system. It’s hard not to be angry about that.

I spent the hours before Katrina made landfall outside the Louisiana Superdome. I had done the same thing a year earlier when Hurricane Ivan seemed to be on a direct path to New Orleans. Once again I found myself interviewing residents who’d come seeking shelter.

Like the year before, I met a lot of people in the line waiting to get inside. An elderly grandmother with her two young grandchildren in tow. A single mother holding tightly to her baby. A woman who helped her father push her handicapped mother up the wheelchair ramp. As I was talking to these people, it never dawned on me that some of them wouldn’t make it through the next few days.

I saw a lot in the wake of the storm. But that’s what I remember the most. The people I met that night who’d innocently come looking for shelter only to be lining up for what would become a nightmare.

Some of my dearest friends live in New Orleans and I’ve made several trips back to the city since Katrina. The recovery has been slow, but steady.

Many homes have been renovated or reconstructed, but they sit next to the shells of homes whose owners aren’t as fortunate or determined.

Many businesses have reopened but their customer base isn’t what it used to be. Thousands of their patrons never came home, opting or forced to start over somewhere else.

But there are people in New Orleans who are determined to see their great city rise again. They overcome obstacles and hardships everyday. They press on, though. And if they are scared or overwhelmed or feel defeated, they don’t let it show.

They are the ones who fill the air with hope and pride. They are the ones who make it seem like anything is possible. Like even in a place that has seen pain and suffering of the greatest proportion, all can be right with the world - even if just for a moment.

Something New Around Every Corner

I haven’t moved around a lot, but I have lived in a few different places and certainly, there’s always a period of adjustment that comes with moving. Especially if you move to a town you’re unfamiliar with and don’t know a lot of people. It can be a little frightening. But it’s also a lot of fun!

Fun, because it’s a time for discovery. When you’re new in town, you never know what you’re going to find just around the corner. Everything is an adventure and so far in my short time in the Big Country it’s been an exciting one.

A couple of weeks ago some friends at work asked if I wanted to go see a movie. We all work the evening shift, so it had to be a late one. When I checked listings online, I stumbled across the website for the Town and Country Drive-In. Who knew? So we piled in my car after work and headed for the 11p.m. show. None of us had ever been to a drive-in. In fact, my only experience with it was the scene in Grease where John Travolta sings “Stranded At the Drive-In”.

Since it was our first time there, it took us a few minutes to figure out the best place to park. First we were too far away, then a little too close, then just right. Then we had to angle the car a little so our friend in the back could see better. Once we were parked and the previews started, I realized I should have cleaned the windshield. That’s not something you have to think about normally before a movie!

What a fun experience, though! I can’t wait to do it again.

Another event I’m looking forward to attending again, Art Walk. My friend Laura and I went to the last one in Downtown Abilene. We strolled around enjoying the live music from the small bands set up along the sidewalks. It was so much fun browsing all the vendors’ tables checking out their handmade wares.

It was hot out that day, so we popped into Cypress Street Station to cool off and have some dinner. That’s one of the first places I visited in Abilene when I was here on my job interview. It was as good as I remembered!

Speaking of dining, I got a special treat last week when I met up with Katherine Lane in Albany for lunch. We went to Sander’s Drug Store. What a great place! I had a southwest chicken salad sandwich and some creole soup (it was like they knew I was coming!). So yummy! And what a neat place. The tables were filled with locals, all chatting away. It reminded me of the snack shop in the little town where I grew up.

I’ve got a lot more exploring to do. But I think I’m off to a pretty good start. Who knows what I’ll find around the next corner. I can’t wait to find out!

I Think My Dog Has Roid Rage!

I’ve been in Abilene a little more than two months now and things are going great. I’ve made some wonderful new friends. After a rather daunting move, I’m finally getting settled in to my new home. I’m even able to get around town without having to constantly check the GPS, although, I’m not about to leave home without it! I’m settling in just fine.

My dog Shelby, on the other hand, is having a little trouble. Shelby came into my life unexpectedly about a year ago. She belonged to my best friend who lives in Shreveport, LA. Shelby is allergic to fleas! To her, one flea bite is the equivalent of 100! You can imagine the flea problem in Louisiana. My best friend had been working hard to keep Shelby flea free, but it was a challenge, especially with a toddler and another baby on the way. So we decided Shelby should come live with me in Colorado. Fleas don’t flourish in the high altitude!

Shelby and I immediately bonded. She’s such a sweet girl. And so far, fleas haven’t been a problem for us here in Abilene. I’m very focused when it comes to giving her the flea control each month!

But after a few weeks here, Shelby developed a cough and was constantly licking and gnawing on her feet. It turns out she has allergies! Hopefully, they are seasonal. But for now, she’s on a steroid and it’s making her a little testy! She even growled and barked at one of the cats the other day. She’s never done that!

She’s not coughing or chewing on her feet anymore, though, so the medicine seems to be working.

In the meantime, we’re adjusting things at my house. Shelby gets her own room for now, so the cats won’t bother her. The steroids make her very thirsty, so she gets lots of water and lots of “outside” breaks! Her favorite activity is riding in the car, so we’re doing more of that, too!

Hopefully she won’t have to be on the medicine too much longer. It’s sad to see her fidgety and nervous. But underneath it, she’s still the sweet girl she’s always been, although my cats might not agree!