Visiting Family

We had a wonderful whirlwind trip to visit family in Greater New Orleans. On this trip we had lots of family visit time and we saw very little of the city. In fact, only what we could see from the highway from the airport at 1 a.m. and to the airport, in daylight.

I was happy to see very few homes and businesses with blue tarps. Few enough that I could count them on one hand. And all the junked cars that had been stacked beneath the freeways two years ago are gone. Nor did we see any all-of-our-possessions - sized stacks of rubbish on the curbs waiting for the trash collection.

Still, there are countless homes and apartment buildings that are vacant and in great disrepair, waiting for demolition or major reconstruction. Often they sit adjacent to new buildings boasting "Now Open" or "Newly Renovated" signs.

There were still loads of RVs and trailers around, but my family seemed to think these were largely recreational in use now, no longer a primary living space for most people. I did not see many of the little white FEMA trailers.

In my cousin's neighborhood there are still a handful of homes that are not yet made livable again. But this is the exception there. Once I commented to him that it seemed like there were more boat houses now than I remembered from before. He answered that when everyone built back, they built back better.

We attended an eight grade graduation ceremony and party and a confirmation and party for my cousin's daughter. When I look back through my photos I see that I don't have many that would be all that interesting unless you know the folks personally.

Rick and I are relieved the Engineer enjoyed his first flight. We'll be flying to California later this year for a wedding.