Subject: [RC] Survived Katrina! - Touched
by your posts
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!
