[RC] Survived Katrina! - Touched by your posts - Ibiteraaarr
Greetings from southeastern Louisiana!
Given the events that have unfolded in the last couple weeks, I have been away from Ridecamp for a long time but as I checked my email tonight I was deeply touched at those of you who expressed concern and offered help to anyone who needed it.
I am originally from New Orleans but we've lived in Mandeville for the last 21 years. Mandeville is on the very northern end of the Lake Ponchartrain causeway, and slightly north of it is Covington. Our neighbors to the east is the city of Slidell, which was hit terribly hard. Several of my coworkers live there and I'm happy to report everyone is ok.
We were very fortunate in that our home sustained no flood or tree damage whatsoever. We are surrounded on all sides by pine trees so this was a great concern. We still don't have electricity, but day by day St. Tammany parish is coming back. We're eager to go home but are thankful that we have not been subjected to the horrors that the less fortunate have experienced during this tragedy. My family and friends and my horses and dogs and cat are all ok. We evacuated to Lafayette the Sunday before the storm and have been here since staying with friends. While nobody I know was injured, I know many people who's homes didn't make it. My former riding instructor had two trees go through her house, and a riding friend who pastures her horse with mine lost everything she owned when her house flooded, just to name a few. She is on her way back to Indiana where she is originally from and will be transporting her horse back home tomorrow. My fiancee is being sent to San Diego to retain his job, my father who works for the federal government may be transferred to Houston. My mother is a teacher in New Orleans and still does not know what the future holds as far as her job. My brother and his friends have moved to Atlanta to begin their lives over from scratch and start anew. I have begun planning a move in the coming months to join my sister in New Mexico to look for work and transfer to New Mexico State University. It is a hard time for all.
I am deeply humbled by the storm and it took a good deal of convincing from my parents and brother that leaving was a sound idea. Saturday I spent the day at the farm doing some conditioning rides, completely oblivious to the impending dangers. It simply never occurred to me that the storm would not turn.
While Mandeville and the surrounding areas did not suffer nearly the devastation that other places did, it's still strange to drive through my town and hardly recognize anything because of all the downed trees and powerlines, destroyed buildings, misplaced boats that ended up on shore or even driving through the lakefront where most everything from homes to restaurants has been leveled and swept away.
While I'm currently displaced, I don't consider myself a victim in that my home is still in tact and everyone I know is accounted for. I am most fortunate and I have been thanking God a lot more lately. A big thanks to everyone who offered to help. In a time of despair we feel not knowing when we can go home and not knowing if we still have jobs, it is most comforting that so many have stepped forward to help. Bless you all!
