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A New message 9/20/05. [Smaller Movie]

This is a status page for all of our family and friends to be able to see a status of our enduring of the storm and aftermath of Katrina, a category 4 hurricane that struck the New Orleans area 6:30 AM, on August 29, 2005. We lost power at 7:00 AM on August 29, 2005. Our one time "sanctum sanctorum" has now been invaded and we don't have the peace we once did and it will take a long time for it to return.  I have asked Su to write few reflections on this time and she has reflected on her trials. The lessons of catastrophe are best written down for the future, as they will fade all too quickly from our collective conscientiousness.

We  were about 30 [as the ducks fly] miles west of the eye wall as it passed thru New Orleans and Slidell.  If you have seen pictures of Slidell then you understand. We are alive and well due to some planning and luck based on Katrina's path.  If she had been 20 miles closer we would be an evacuee wondering when and if we could get home.

Since 7AM 08/29/2005 we have slowly recovering.  Life in Ponchatoula looks more like "everyday" as the damaged buildings are being repaired and the people are starting to get into a routine. As Su will tell you a routine ins a life saver in this kind of survival. The symptoms of over crowding are going to become more a way of everyday life. Long lines at the store and the armed national guard assuring that folks leave every evening at 4 PM are a new twist to the Walmart madness.  The steady flow of 18 wheelers, and so many state troopers handling the traffic. They are from all over. I have seen troopers from Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Florida, and Texas, just to name a few. Folks are speeding, folks are broke down, and every conceivable traffic problem is present in record number.  Su is out there every day making that long journey into BR.

Looking to the immediate future... With hope my new telescope will reach me in time to see Mars. Any morning say 1 AM to 4 AM look almost directly over head and that red fuzzy shape so bright in the sky, is Mars.  Around October 31 it should be at it's brightest for the next couple of years. It was closer 28 months ago and will return to this view about every 28 months thereafter with diminishing brightness as it pulls farther from earth each orbit.  But for your and my lifetime it will be our nearest celestial neighbor from time to time. I am hoping to be set up for a "Star Party" by that time.

As some of you know I have been a critic of many of the political actions and corruption in this state for some time. It is the major reason we will not be retiring here.  My "Storm and Aftermath Post" reflect my thoughts about the causes and effects and other editorials about the situation here and in nearby areas.  The "Personal Posts" are reflections on our daily survival mostly for our family so they can get and idea of how we are doing. The pictures  and movies are jpeg and QuickTime images of our immediate area.

The simulcast of radio Kajun 107.1 over the internet has now ended. Johnny, Scott, and others have returned to their respective stations as they come back on the air. This is a great bunch of guys and gals.  Putting up with being in each others space for days at a time.  In a Studio that is at best 6 by 10 foot crammed with sound and broadcast equipment and mics for 3 people.  I have seen 6 people in that room at once, taking turns breathing the same breath of air, while non stop reading announcement after announcement. Trying keep spirits up, information flowing and acting as a multi parish wide coordinator of information.

While handing out praise let me again give a very Special Thanks to the folks at FileMaker Inc. and my fellow developers in this hour of need.  We are working on refining "InfoCenter" as an information tool for local broadcasters to collect, update, and dispense vital information and collect and share missing person information. While the LAN system is pretty much in place we are still working on the WAN application for wide spread coordination of the data between remote sources. We are making it available for free at this time of need.

Let us see what tomorrow brings.   Be well and may God protect you through this night and the morning.  Until tomorrow "Good Night."