Katrina - or hell and the aftermath

I can barely stand to watch television and yet have difficulty staying away. Worse and worse. Our gratitude that our families and friends are safe is overwhelming, but our grief for those who have endured so much is a constant. Thanks to those of you who worried about us - north Louisiana is a paradise - our area around Shreveport / Bossier had no problems. Those in Mississippi who are just as far inland as we are - did have some damage, but nothing compares to what happened along the coast and to that lovely city, New Orleans.

Our twin cities of Shreveport / Bossier are full of refugees from the storm and the chaos. Walking around Walmart yesterday, I heard Cajun voices, highly unusual in our area, and saw carts full of batteries, flashlights, torches, ice chests, the bare necessities of survival, and items for cleanup. Heartbreaking. But I've heard that the shelters here have been wonderful, and the schools in our two parishes are admitting children daily and for the duration. People are being remarkably generous in every way. My best friend and her family are safe and staying with her mother. She is grateful for having a place to go, fresh water, commodes that flush, air conditioning... We visited for about four hours today, but talked remarkably little about what had happened. She played with Mila and visited with Erin, and we talked about so many other things- gardens, family, friends, books.

No point is served by my dwelling on all of the terrible conditions that will haunt our three states for months and years to come, the television is enough and almost too real.