And so it goes ...

I just came from my daughter's blog and read her post entitled "Treading Water". Of course, it upset me but, you see, I agree with her. I am one of those people who try to handle everything that life may throw at them. Although my husband died six years before Katrina made landfall, I was still grieving. It was my only marriage. So for those six years, before we were to experience Katrina's fury and the depressing aftermath, I had gone through many prior trials. One could truthfully say that I was emotionally drained but still trying to take care of everything.

In the 15 months that have passed I went once to see a former office of ours in Gulfport and couldn't enter as the roof had collapsed. There were squirrels running in and out of the debris. I stood there with memories racing through my mind. All I could take with me were a couple of bricks as a momento of a lifetime spent there. As of this date, the bricks are still in my car. My late husband's grave is in Gulfport and December 3, 2005 is the last time I visited. Only a ritual, but just like the bricks it is a comforting thing to do. Traffic and fatalities are increasing on the interstate and I don't want to be one of the statistics.

I have seen first hand what my younger daughter has gone through since the storm. Her baby girl was 17 days old when the storm came ashore, now she is 15 months old and growing up in unsettled surroundings. All the children are but what else can she do? This past August she had a miscarriage and almost didn't survive ... but still she goes on.

Take for instance, everything that the people around the United States have donated to help us has never reached some of us as we do not qualify as "needy". It has nothing to do with need, like the two bricks, we all need something to hang on to. Just to let us know somebody cares. Just a few days ago bikers, most of them locals, roared in to Gulfport and brought toys for the needy children. Even though I could buy the toys, I wished I could bring all my younger grandchildren and have someone say, "This is for you"!

A daughter also lives in Gulfport and I seldom see her as she is busy running her office. Two other daughters live elsewhere and so that leaves me with the youngest. She trying to help me and Me trying to help her. And so it goes...

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Hurricane Season Is Gone, But Pressing Issues Remain

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Hurricane Season Is Gone, But Pressing Issues Remain: "Thursday marks the official end of Hurricane Season. Fortunately for us, it was one of the quietest seasons in a number of years.

The fact that we had no hurricanes allowed our Katrina recovery to proceed without disruption. And it gave us all a break from the additional stress that comes with a hurricane or any kind of tropical scare. Plus, it is giving us more time to mentally heal from Katrina."

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Home

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Home: "
A map of temperatures across the U.S. Thursday evening shows a clear picture of the cold front headed to South Mississippi.
A map of temperatures across the U.S. Thursday evening shows a clear picture of the cold front headed to South Mississippi.

Brace For Bitter Cold
A cold weather chill is headed our way. It's a touch of winter that's expected to last through the weekend. South Mississippi is about to go from air conditioners to heaters. Mild weather will give way to freezing cold. Steve Phillips reports on keeping warm and staying safe during the winter blast."

Struggling In The Wake

I am so weary speaking about Katrina and the many problems the "storm" inflicted upon us. I watch our local news on TV, read our local papers and very seldom have I seen or read anything that is uplifting. In a neighborhood in Gulfport, a man killed two people in his search for money. Yesterday morning in Moss Point, two precious little children died in an apartment fire. All three counties on the Coast have had many of their citizens move, the largest percentage being the older people who can't take on a mortgage again. Thousands are still existing in Fema trailers and those who have tried to repair or rebuild are having problems with unscrupulous "fly by night" contractors. The car wrecks in our areas are increasing with many fatalities. In Moss Point, almost every night I hear the wailing of sirens as they respond to some disaster.

Speaking of car accidents, I had a wreck last Tuesday evening and reported my car wasn't damaged. An insurance adjuster came to my house today to inspect the car. I have over a thousand dollars worth of damage to the front. The bumper took the impact but not without consequence. I was so relieved that the body of the car was not crushed that I didn't even consider anything else. I called Crown Dodge and they said to bring it in. My daughter's too small for a large family mini van is "For Sale" but it was offered to me as my back up car. I would show you a picture of the van but I left my camera and garage door opener in the car. Did I mention that Katrina has made most of us absentminded?

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: ASGARD Bikers Collect Toys For Children In Need

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: ASGARD Bikers Collect Toys For Children In Need: "Santa has a few helpers this year. About 500 to be exact. And they each came roaring into the Gulfport Dragway on their own individual sleighs, loaded with toys.

This was Mary Wimberly's first time at an ASGARD Toy Run.

'This is pretty amazing. It's great to see them all come in; baby dolls from ASGARD riders is pretty interesting.'

This is Lana McKay's 5th year to participate in the toy run.

'We brought a couple of bears, one for a boy, one for a girl. What better way to give?'

Dolls, bears, games. They came with all kinds of toys, and all for the same reason.

ASGARD Member Ronney Spradlin says, 'It's just a lot of fun and it helps the kids. Makes sure a lot of kids who don't normally have a Christmas will have a Christmas.'"

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Georgia Runner Makes Large Donation To Pass Christian

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Georgia Runner Makes Large Donation To Pass Christian: "As Jonathon Prince dashed toward Pass Christian, and the end of a very long trip, you could hear the pitter patter of his Nikes striking the Highway 90 shoulder.

'I'm excited,' he said. 'I got up super early. I started way before I was supposed to. And I'm already on the last leg so to speak. I'm on cloud nine.'

In the distance, the thwack of a nail gun echoed across hurricane debris. The two contrasting sounds somehow made harmony because of a composition written and directed by Prince."

Two Holidays Merging

I have been coming back and forth to my PC since early morning with the intention of blogging about the Thanksgiving holiday. So here I am giving it one more try. The day started out with a temperature in the upper 30's and gradually rose to about 65. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day. The sun was out and there was a nice breeze. Anita, Dave and their four children were invited to come to my home as repairs have started in their kitchen and who can prepare a dinner without operable appliances. Anita's Blog They arrived before 9AM as there were some dishes that my daughter wished to prepare.

The children were on their best behavior but we all know that if what they are being model kids for doesn't happen soon .... they tend to get very cranky. The picture below shows their mood. Well George's and Yvonne's mood as William didn't seem to care. How can he sit like that?

At this point, if you are reading this, you must be saying "Hey I thought we were talking about Thanksgiving, there's a Christmas tree in the background." It has been a long standing tradition in my family to have the tree up at Thanksgiving. Makes sense to me as these two holidays are so close together and one must use the extra time to just untangle the strings of lights. This year I decided to get a pre lit tree and build a closet around it to cut out some of the hassle that comes with putting a tree up. After assembly my hassle free tree didn't light in the middle. We changed fuses but to no avail so we untangled a set of colored lights to give light to that dark part of the tree. Why didn't I return it? Have you ever tried to get anything that was bigger than a bread box back in the carton it came in?

Dinner's ready!!! I told the kids if they would mind their manners at the table that they could decorate the tree. They sat at the table very mannerly although Yvonne did a few things that you would expect from a three year old.


Dinner was delicious and everyone had a dish that they especially liked. Now it was time to keep my promise to the kids. They were thrilled. What mother doesn't remember her own children and the things their kids put on the tree. Paper chains, styrofoam balls with toothpicks stuck in them and strung popcorn that brought out bugs from their hiding places.



Baby Emily joins in!!



We had a nice Thanksgiving. It was, without a question, many steps above last year's celebration. We bowed our heads in prayer for people all around the states with hopes that they enjoyed the day with their familes. Especially remembered were the people here in our own state of Mississippi and all the volunteers that have come to our aid.

I leave you with, "Get those lights untangled, the most wonderful day of the year is nigh, Christmas"!

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Volunteers Preparing Thanksgiving Feast

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Volunteers Preparing Thanksgiving Feast: "'Collards. Got to have collards for Thanksgiving,' says a volunteer as she stirred a huge pot of greens.

The Thanksgiving feast will mix-in a taste of South Mississippi with the flavor of North Carolina.

'We made the traditional dressing that North Carolinians eat, and then the cornbread dressing. So we have both,' says another volunteer.

The ladies from North and South Carolina spent Thanksgiving Eve preparing a feast for 200 people.

'This will be really good with pecans,' says Teresa Lee as she poured melted butter over a pan of apples.

For the Lee Family, serving the hungry in South Mississippi has become a Thanksgiving tradition."

The History Channel - Thanksgiving

The History Channel - Thanksgiving

Today was an ordinary day, not much happening. The daughter and I made plans that we would go to the store in the evening to shop for Thanksgiving fare. I suggested that we meet at her house and we take our own cars as I was tired and wanted to just get home with the groceries and hibernate. I noticed while driving to her house that the traffic was unusually heavy. Perhaps they were preparing for Thursday as we were. I was driving behind the daughter and as we reached the street leading out of the subdivision, she turned left on to Ingalls Avenue. I waited for a steady stream of cars to pass and just when it cleared for me to turn left, I saw a car that pulled from a side street on to Ingalls. It was approaching from the right. I only had to wait for this car and I could proceed. There was no signal from the car that indicated a left turn would be made on to the street where I was waiting. I inched a little closer into making my turn and WHAM !!! I hit him broadside as he turned. He sort of shortchanged the turn, came in at an angle. He was a kid of about 16 or 17 going to pick his girlfriend up for a date. He asked me what did I want to do. I said to call the police.

My car set higher than his and as he made the turn he slid along my left bumper. His side door was pushed in and his window shattered. My car's bumper has minor scratches. I think they are minor. I will know more in the morning light. A female cop came and she said there had been many accidents in Pascagoula within a short period of time. I didn't mention what I just told you. I gave my insurance info and said I hit him. In actuality. it was a toss up of who hit who!

My daughter backtracked to find me and saw two accidents before she found that I didn't even make it out of the subdivision. I brought my car to her house and we drove back to the store together. So a day that began as uneventful, ended on an eventful note. One never knows!

Thanksgiving 2006

Getting too far up on a high horse

Getting too far up on a high horse: "We all have a tendency to get on a high horse about something. Getting on a high horse indicates that weaknesses in others make you feel a little superior.

There's a danger in forgetting that we all have strengths and weaknesses. One of my weaknesses is getting on a high horse about people who get on a high horse.

Thanksgiving and Christmas are seasons for being thankful, exchanging gifts and giving to those less fortunate than ourselves.

That's where we have to be careful. The very term 'less fortunate' can be a slippery slope. Sometimes people give to the 'less fortunate' to pump themselves up or to be boastful. Beware of people who give with expectations. Toxic packages are wrapped in guilt with strings attached.

It's important to remember what one lacks financially, another may possess in ways that have nothing to do with money. It all depends on what you value. Belongings are just the tip of the iceberg.

A rundown, crowded home may be filled to the brim with love. You just can't judge from the outside looking in."

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: National Guard To Build Two Readiness Centers In Jackson County

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: National Guard To Build Two Readiness Centers In Jackson County: "The National Guard is getting ready for future storms. They received approval Monday from the Jackson County Board of Supervisors to build two readiness centers. "

The Sun Herald | 11/20/2006 | Emeril on the Coast

The Sun Herald | 11/20/2006 | Emeril on the Coast: "Celebrity chefs are a new trend on the Coast, with three now lending their name and cachet to Coast restaurants:

• Luke Palladino opened Bragozzo at Isle of Capri in October.

• Todd English will open Olives at Beau Rivage in December.

• Emeril Lagasse will open New Orleans Fish House on the Gulf Coast at Island View Casino in spring 2007.

Emeril Lagasse understands the healing power of good food and plans to heap it on the Coast by opening one of his signature restaurants in Gulfport.

He is the third celebrity chef - and arguably the most famous yet - to announce plans for a casino restaurant since the rebirth of the gambling industry. Emeril's New Orleans Fish House on the Gulf Coast will open next spring at the Island View Casino. With a home in Pass Christian and a wife from Gulfport, the Coast was his haven before Hurricane Katrina, not a place to do business."

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: News & Video

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: News & Video: "Church leaders broke ground Sunday on a new 18,000 square foot facility.
It was a ground-breaking moment Sunday for a soon-to-be rebuilt historic coast landmark. The First Missionary Baptist Church, the oldest African-American church on the coast, has been a pillar of faith and strength in the East Biloxi community for nearly two centuries. While Katrina left the church congregation without a building, it could not uproot the church's spirit and will to remain."

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: A Miracle In The Park For The Bayou View Community In Gulfport

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: A Miracle In The Park For The Bayou View Community In Gulfport: "This early Christmas gift came in the form of 2500 trees. Residents are calling it they're little Miracle in the Park. The man who planted the seeds to sprout this so called miracle was coast volunteer Fred Richardson. After seeing what Katrina did to the trees along the coast, he decided to do something to get the coast growing green again.

'He worked with some other growers and got these trees worked out to come down to the coast. The nursery is Rennerwood nursery in Texas and they sent us almost $30,000 worth of trees,' says Ishee. "

WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD

LOUIS ARMSTRONG

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WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: School Children Show Spirit Of Caring And Generosity

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: School Children Show Spirit Of Caring And Generosity: "There was a flurry of activity at Harrison Central High Friday morning, as Interact and DECA Club members turned over boxes of food to the Salvation Army.

'It was pretty hard, because we had to do a lot of work, and the fliers and the posters,' says Harrison Central Junior Masha Tolstova. 'We had an issue, because students weren't donating enough food. We were like, 'Oh my gosh, this isn't going to be enough.''

The donations eventually poured in - more than 6,000 food items in all - making this the school's biggest canned food drive ever.

'Our goal was 5,000 cans and we were really freaking out,' says Masha. 'Then when we counted yesterday, we were like, 'Oh my gosh, we did it.''"

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: News & Video

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: News & Video: "Brad Kessie Reports On Pass Woman's New Home, Bought By Kids"

It's nothing unusual to hear that I went driving today, I am out often looking for progress in Pascagoula. I went to my daughter's house first to see if expected workers had arrived. To look at outside of Anita's and Dave's home one wouldn't see anything wrong. It looks like an intact very nice home with a lovely lawn and flowers but there is still so much to be done to restore it as it was before Katrina. When I neared the house and saw all the cars and trucks there, I was thrilled. At last, just maybe, something will be done for them. The water that came into the house caused a lot of damage to downstairs. Upstairs has damage and hopefully that will be repaired too. It seems, as soon as the grant checks began reaching people, the price for materials rose even higher. They are starting in the kitchen. I snapped a few pictures to show you.






After a relatively short visit, I left to continue looking for new construction. Yes, I am taking all these pictures so that you can see the progress in our area but also to assure myself that we are slowly rising out of the abnormalcy we have accepted, because we had no choice, and headed for the normalcy we had before the storm.

The disaster that happened in our state has cost the federal government a vast amount of money and many people have voiced complaints about it. Disasters can happen in any state. Sadly, there was devastation and lives lost in North Carolina when a tornado struck Thursday. National Weather reported: "The tornado was created by a storm system that caused havoc across large parts of the South on Wednesday and early on Thursday. Media reports said one person died on Wednesday in Louisiana." N.C Tornado Crescent City, California experienced a small tsunami resulting from an earthquake in Japan.

The amount of money allotted to our area should give a clear indication of the damage that we suffered. It was of such a magnitude that it will take many years before we can say, "All is done"! A few more pictures of new homes around Pascagoula.

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Women Only Construction Zone in Gulfport

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Women Only Construction Zone in Gulfport: "Sawing, nailing, and lifting. These women do it all.

'I've done construction before, but never with Habitat. And I've definitely never done it with all women, which it's been so great. I'm really enjoying it,' Americorps volunteer Molly Wanless said.

So what's so different about having all women on the construction site?

'We're really calm. If something goes wrong, we all sort of make it work slowly but surely. There's no aggression.'"

The Sun Herald | 11/16/2006 | Tupelo hatchery sends fish to coastal rivers, streams

The Sun Herald | 11/16/2006 | Tupelo hatchery sends fish to coastal rivers, streams: "TUPELO - A federal fish hatchery in northeast Mississippi has shipped large numbers of various fish types to restock Gulf Coast fishing holes devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita last year.

'We shipped the last 6,000 catfish Tuesday,' said Ricky Campbell, manager of the Pvt. John Allen National Fish Hatchery in Tupelo.

'We had about 30,000 total fish we sent out then,' he said.

State biologists and trucks from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service were used in the shipments.

Included in the restocking effort were more than 600,000 bluegill and redear sunfish. The fish went to the Pearl, Jourdan, Wolf and Pascagoula rivers and associated oxbow lakes.

'The freshwater habitat took a real hit from the saltwater intrusion caused by the storm surge' of Katrina, said Ron Garavelli, director of MDWFP's Fisheries Bureau. 'This stocking will increase the chances of a quick comeback of those species lost as a result of the storms.'

Campbell said the fish are intended to bring the coast fisheries back to normal."

Pascagoula Construction

Many things have happened in our area since I last posted personally. Of course, the elections were given more coverage in our local papers and that left me with very few "human interest" stories to share with you. We also went through a very severe damaging storm yesterday. To update you on what I am talking about ... the day before the storm, a neighbor and I were exchanging small conversation. He was on his way to the courthouse to get a car tag. I walked to the rear of my car and said, "Mine is for September 06". His response was simply, "Yeah". How in the world did I neglect getting a new tag? At the end of each year, I am sure it is the same for you, notices start arriving to renew house insurance, flood insurance, car insurance and taxes on other properties you may own. I took care of all that but I had been driving around Pascagoula with an expired tag.

I awoke the next morning to skies that looked like "Armageddon" threatening but I left the house to get the tag for car. I was hoping there wouldn't be long lines and there wasn't. I was the only one there and I wondered WHY! I paid the penalties, got my new decal and took a ride to snap a few pictures. Before going home, I stopped for several cups of coffee with my daughter. Early afternoon became yet another nightmare down south. It was unbelievable that so much rain could fall so quickly. The winds were high and coming from all directions. I stood on the back porch watching the dead, enormous pine tree in the neighbor's yard "rocking" in the wind. Each time the wind blew out of the west I would think, "Snap now"!

I received some good news later that afternoon. My thyroid gland is functioning in the normal range again. The nurse that called says the doctor wants you to come in so he can discuss results with you and that I could take my time making an appointment as there was no urgency. Her words brought me more relief. She switched me to the receptionist to make an appointment and I said I would like to come in next Thursday. She said, "You can't, that is Thanksgiving." If I could forget the holiday then it explains how I forgot car tag. Right?

Various pictures are below.

Help Us Mr. Raingull!!!

Mississippi Believe It!

Careful, Mr. Rangel -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY:0:

Careful, Mr. Rangel -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY:0:: "
First published: Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Ouch. Wasn't last week supposed to be all about expanding the Democratic Party's base, demonstrating a sense of political inclusiveness and pragmatism that broadens the reaches of an outfit that in defeat would have been heading in the direction of utter irrelevance?


So what was U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel of Manhattan thinking when he took a gratuitous dig at Mississippi?"

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Home

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Home: "Special Report: The Melting Pot Still Simmers - The Croatian Community"

Mississippi Pride - Reader comments at The New York Sun

Mississippi Pride - Reader comments at The New York Sun: "Submitted by Ruth, Nov 13, 2006 22:54

First I will say thank you New York Sun for the well written editorial that appeared to come to Mississippi's defense while excusing Rangel's insulting slur against us. The comment about Mississippi not having pride stirred my anger. We are very proud people who recently took quite a lashing from Katrina and are still struggling to rebuild. Many states have come to our aid…. New York is one of them and we are appreciative. Personally, I was beginning to feel that we had finally been accepted as a state in the USA as we were often referred to as that part of the world. Yes we are insulted by Rangel's comment but our anger has been put aside to attend to a much more important issue .. rebuilding our lives! We are proud, we are determined and we will again rise from the rubble and continue living in our beloved state.

Note: Comments are screened, and in some cases edited, before posting. We reserve the right to reject anything we find objectionable."

Come Home, Mr. Rangel - November 13, 2006 - The New York Sun

Come Home, Mr. Rangel - November 13, 2006 - The New York Sun: "f one wants to get a glimpse of why it's just impossible to stay cross with Rep. Charles Rangel, feature the furor that erupted over the weekend over his comments in respect of Mississippi. The day after the election, the next chairman of the Powerful Tax-Writing House Ways and Means Committee was heard to say,' Mississippi gets more than their fair share back in federal money, but who the hell wants to live in Mississippi?' Mississippians were livid, and took to the pages of local newspapers to mark their displeasure. In the matter of enthusiasm for where we live, we're with Mr. Rangel all the way. We've always had a soft spot for New York."

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: More West Nile Cases Reported

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: More West Nile Cases Reported: "The Mississippi Department of Health is reporting at least two new Wile Nile Virus cases in Harrison County. This follows a six-week stretch in which no new human cases of West Nile virus were reported in Mississippi's six southernmost counties."

SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY

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WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Mississippi Soldier Killed In Iraq

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Mississippi Soldier Killed In Iraq: "A soldier from Mississippi and a soldier from Michigan were killed in Baghdad last Thursday when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle, the Defense Department said Monday.

Army Sgt. Courtland A. Kennard, 22, of Starkville, Miss., and Staff Sgt. Gregory McCoy, 26, of Webberville, Mich., were assigned to the Army's 410th Military Police Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade based out of Fort Hood, Texas.

West Memorial Funeral Home in Starkville is handling arrangements for Kennard, but plans were incomplete Monday. His family could not immediately be reached.

The Associated Press has counted at least 45 soldiers with strong Mississippi ties who have died in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. One, Staff Sgt. Christopher L. Robinson, died in Afghanistan, while the others died in Iraq."

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Tuberculosis Testing Monday For Moss Point Students

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Tuberculosis Testing Monday For Moss Point Students: "Tuberculosis Testing Monday For Moss Point Students

Nov 10, 2006 08:57 AM

Students at Moss Point High will be tested Monday for tuberculosis, according to state health officials. The state Department of Health would not say Thursday how many cases there may be of individuals infected with the air-borne disease. Officials said there may be more than one.

'The Mississippi Department of Health is working in conjunction with Moss Point High School in identifying individuals who were possibly exposed to tuberculosis,' Mike Holcombe, director of the Bureau of Tuberculosis and Refugee Health, said."

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Chertoff Christens Coast Guard Cutter On Veteran's Day

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Chertoff Christens Coast Guard Cutter On Veteran's Day: "'May God bless the ship, and all who sail in it!' Meryl Cherthoff, the Bertholf's Sponsor, says as she broke the champagne bottle over the newly-christened ship.'

'It's a glorious Veteran's Day. This is the first big cutter we've commissioned in over 35 years in the Coast Guard and it's something we really need badly,' US Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allan says.

And that need was fulfilled, as hundreds gathered on this Veteran's Day to catch the christening of the newest addition to the Coast Guard's fleet.

Adm. Allen says with all that's happened in the last 15 months, the 418-foot cutter Bertholf serves as a symbol of survival both the Coast Guard and for the Mississippi Gulf Coast."

After a good night's sleep, I arose early and had my first cup of coffee while sitting on the back porch. I haven't gotten the furniture I want for the porch yet as I need to think about it a little more. The fear that maybe another hurricane will make landfall and it would all be a BIG waste of time and money has had me procrastinate this long. Then when I delve deeper it is more than that. We, including me, have gotten so used to material things that we become discontent with what we do have. As soon as new technology is introduced we must have it and discard what is still serviceable. I am positive that many of you who read this will agree with the saying, "money can't buy happiness". I grew up poor, my young Air Force husband and I were poor but as I look back, I only see happiness. There seems to be a stigma attached to being poor as in speaking of Mississippi as the poorest state in the nation but I truly believe there are more happy people "here" than many other places. Why else would we stay?

I snapped a few pictures of new construction in Pascagoula. Sometimes you may recognize a house that I have had on my blog before and that's because they are works in progress. I want to take you to completion.

No check but local officials pleased with Barbour meeting

No check but local officials pleased with Barbour meeting: "City officials' attempt this week to persuade Gov. Haley Barbour to give them more of $500 million in Hurricane Katrina recovery money didn't result in a signed check.

'He told us, If you thought you were coming (to Jackson) to get the money, you're not,'' Gautier city councilman-at-large Jeff Wilkinson said.

Still, Wilkinson said the Wednesday meeting with Barbour and a delegation of officials from Jackson County's four cities was well worth it.

'I was pleased with the outcome,' Wilkinson said. 'We feel like our chances are better after the meeting than before.'

Wilkinson joined mayors and city officials from Ocean Springs, Moss Point and Pascagoula who raised concerns about the $500 million Gulf Regional Water and Wastewater Plan."

Lott: Election Show America Want Change

Lott: Election Show America Want Change: "I made no secret of the fact that I’m staying in the Senate because of Hurricane Katrina and the many challenges Mississippians face as we rebuild following this benchmark storm. This ought to be an issue which all of Congress, like Mississippi’s own delegation, can find ample bipartisan foundation on which to build.

Proposals to extend the GO Zone tax incentives, designed to encourage economic revitalization and job growth throughout the hurricane-stricken region, should be widely supported. The badly needed efforts to reform the way the insurance industry is taxed and regulated is worthy of bipartisan backing. This is paramount to thousands of hurricane victims who have been snubbed by their insurance companies and are left paying mortgages on slabs more than 14 agonizing months since Katrina."

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: NY Congressman Says No Offense Intended With Mississippi Remark

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: NY Congressman Says No Offense Intended With Mississippi Remark: "A Democratic congressman from New York says he wasn't trying to insult Mississippi in published remarks Thursday, but a Republican colleague from Mississippi says Rep. Charles Rangel should apologize to the state.

Rangel, D-N.Y., was quoted in a Thursday article in The New York Times, saying: 'Mississippi gets more than their fair share back in federal money, but who the hell wants to live in Mississippi?'

Rep. Chip Pickering, R-Miss., issued a news release criticizing Rangel's words.

'I hope his remarks are not the kind of insults, slander, and defamation that Mississippians will come to expect from the Democrat leadership in Washington, D.C.,' Pickering said."

A Brief Hiatus

My Pre Katrina Life

When Katrina destroyed the Mississippi Coast and thousands of people lost their homes and possessions, I felt guilt because I didn't lose anything. Now that I have had almost fifteen months to think about it, I realized that I had already lost many things in the years leading to Katrina. In 1991, my husband was diagnosed with cancer and was unable to work at our business in Gulfport. Family members kept it afloat until we returned in 1996. Our home was a two hour commute so we rented an apartment and went home on weekends. In June 1999, we bought another home in Gulfport when we had enough of apartment living. We went to our "real" home on the weekends. In September 1999, an employee ran to me with the words I feared that I would hear one day, "Ms. R there is something wrong with Mr. R!". When the paramedics arrived at the office, he refused to go but I finally convinced him. At the hospital as a nurse went down a list of diseases that he might have, he answered "No" to ever having cancer. I knew then that he had relapsed. After a cat scan they released him as nothing showed up on the scan. In the months that followed he went downhill and at his request I took him back to where it all began for him. First to Baton Rouge, LA and then on to M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas where they diagnosed the worse form of a brain tumor ...... glioblastoma. It didn't show up on the cat scan at the time but more than two months had passed and now it covered more than half of his brain. Nothing could be done! He wanted to go back to our real home but it was too far away so we went "home" to the house in Gulfport. He died at a Biloxi hospital eight days later on December 3, 1999. I comfort myself with that, as in a way, he did go home. Biloxi was where it began for us.

I jokingly had a pet name for him as he took care of EVERYTHING and didn't want me to worry about anything or work for anyone but him. I honored those wishes and would say to him, "You are a sweet chauvinist pig!" Now I found myself in his role as boss at the office, responsible for maintenance on the cars and houses. The list grew each day. Three weeks after his death, my daughter, Anita and I were being prepped by lawyers for a federal court case in March of 2000. On a break, standing at the front entrance of the courthouse, I found myself showing my husband's memorial card to all the people outside. I was crying and so were they. The lawyers kept warning us about how tough the federal judge was. I asked to be taken before the judge and he was very proper and stern looking as I approached him. In the background was the United States Seal. We were talking and the attorneys were giving signals that I couldn't say certain things but when the judge laughed aloud they settled down. Anita was the brilliant spokesman for the company and I was there as owner. We survived that ordeal and continued to run the office. I couldn't walk out the door as it was incorporated and so a friend, an attorney, found an interested buyer. After walking through the office alone, I closed another chapter in my life on December 3, 2001. I then gave things away in Gulfport house, put a "For Sale" sign in the yard and went home with the intention of staying.

The house was showing signs of wear as we had neglected it for a long time so I set out to change it and make it entirely different for me. What was rustic soon had light wall colors and carpet. I hired a guy and his two sons. Every few days they were drawing on the money they wanted for the complete job and weren't actually progressing in the work. I was holding the last draw until they finished. When I told them that, they turned on me and demanded the money. Now here I am standing before three, very big, angry men. What could I do? After a short time, I gave them the money and asked them to leave. One of the sons sued me saying he injured himself while falling on my property. That didn't go anywhere but it nevertheless put a lot of stress on me. I finished the painting myself inside and all that I could reach on the outside of the house.

I had a plumber come to the house and replace any rusted pipes under the house (off the ground) with PVC and to leave the copper pipes. In a few days he was finished and he came to the door for payment. I told him first I would like to see what he did. He had stolen all the copper piping and had it bundled at the back of his truck for a quick getaway. He thought I would never know and hadn't expected me to look the job over. What could I do? Nothing! I decided to get the heck out of dodge before someone hurt me or worse. I hired a realtor. Late one evening I received a phone call from a man who had been a "thorn in our side" for years. He cussed me out and said he wanted his property back. The property association was suppose to have corrected the dispute by moving his property down so many feet in 1986 but they never filed it. He told me to take my "For Sale" sign down. I moved to Pascagoula in 2003 and it had been a year that I supposedly couldn't sell my house. I consulted a local attorney and he called them for me. He soon contacted me and told me to go ahead and sell my property. I put pictures on the internet with resounding laughter from family members and I sold it in less than four months.

I had thieves, unsavory characters that took advantage of my situation and shoddy workmanship similar to what has happened to the people here. My daughter has experienced it too. So now after looking back to what I endured, I thank the Lord for whatever reason I was spared this time!

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Home

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Home: "Steve Phillips' Special Report: Paddling the Pascagoula - Part 1"

The Sun Herald | 11/08/2006 | Lott, Taylor win easily

The Sun Herald | 11/08/2006 | Lott, Taylor win easily: "JACKSON - U.S. Sen. Trent Lott and all four of Mississippi's House incumbents were re-elected Tuesday, easily defeating challengers who ran low-budget campaigns.

Lott returns to Washington for a six-year term. Democratic Reps. Bennie Thompson and Gene Taylor and Republican Reps. Roger Wicker and Chip Pickering go back for two-year terms.

Thompson stands to gain the most if Democrats regain the House majority they lost a dozen years ago. He is ranking Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee and could be in line for the chairmanship."

A Lucy Kind Of Thing!

After going through a very boring weekend, I had hoped that Monday would be a better day but I awakened to very dark skies. I was determined that I would still do what I had planned to do as I literally didn't leave the house for two days. Sunday's newspaper still lay in the driveway and now Monday's paper lay beside it. I hurriedly dressed to perhaps get things done before the rain started. I backed out of the garage and didn't make it to the end of drive before a deluge of water started pouring down. I opened my umbrella and got out of the car to save the newspapers but on return to the car I found that I couldn't close the umbrella because my hands were too wet. I wrestled with that dilemma only a short time when I realized I was soaked to the skin. I got back into the car with opened umbrella in my left hand. Somehow I drug it past me as I sat in the driver's seat. It was now inside out. So now my plans had been spoiled and I couldn't go into the stores as wet and disheveled as I was, so like a duck taking to water, I continued on to my daughter's (it was flash flooding at this point) for a cup of hot coffee. When I entered her house she didn't flinch at my soaked condition. You know why? While growing up all four daughters watched "I Love Lucy" shows and each would say to me "Mama you act like Lucille Ball." There was not a hint of physical resemblance that we shared but from her zany actions they .... saw me. Just maybe they were on to something as I often get into strange but comical situations. Today definitely was not a day to take pictures to show you but when the skies clear I will be out there again. It is still very dismal and raining. I intend to stay home. I will use the down time to psyche myself up for Christmas .... I am listening to Alabama's Christmas songs. I ask you .. are my actions "zany" or "bizarre"?

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: A Perspective On The Brutal Campaign Season

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: A Perspective On The Brutal Campaign Season: "Traditionally, it's only fitting this year has been a brutal campaign season.

'There's no question this has been a tougher election, it's a typical sixth year in an eight year, two term presidency traditionally, historically the party of the president in that sort of situation has difficulty.'

Senator Trent Lott thinks one of the main reason incumbents are struggling, is the ongoing War in Iraq.

'There's no question that the Iraq War, people are worried about it and it has influenced their thinking.'"

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Pass Christian Political Rally Filled With Song

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Pass Christian Political Rally Filled With Song: "It wasn't your typical political rally. There were speeches, but they were brief.

'I'm a warrior for this state, I get passionate, and I get mad, and I don't mind kicking a few bureaucratic fannies in Washington D.C.'

Instead, families who came to show their support for Senator Lott mostly enjoyed music and fellowship. Much of the music was provided by Senator Lott himself, along with Gulfport Mayor Brent Warr and Harrison County Supervisor Connie Rockco. Pass Christian resident Ouida Tanner was one of the many spectators."

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Iraqi Tribunal Sentences Saddam And 2 Co-Defendants To Hang For 1982 Killings

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Iraqi Tribunal Sentences Saddam And 2 Co-Defendants To Hang For 1982 Killings: "Saddam Hussein was convicted and sentenced Sunday to hang for crimes against humanity in the 1982 killings of 148 people in a single town, as the ousted leader, trembling and defiant, shouted 'God is great!'

As he, his half brother and another senior official in his regime were convicted and sentenced to death, Saddam yelled out, 'Long live the people and death to their enemies. Long live the glorious nation, and death to its enemies!'

Some feared the verdicts could intensify Iraq's sectarian violence after a trial that stretched over nine months in 39 sessions and ended nearly 3� months ago.

Clashes immediately broke out Sunday in north Baghdad's heavily Sunni Azamiyah district. Elsewhere in the capital, celebratory gunfire rang out."

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Demolition Begins On Long Beach School

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Demolition Begins On Long Beach School: "With every pile of rubble scooped up, and every slice of mangled metal yanked off, Eddie Holmes feels a piece of his past is being torn away, too.

'It's definitely a sad time. It really is,' says Eddie Holmes.

Holmes' school, Harper McCaughan, is coming down piece by piece. The hurricane-battered building, means a lot to Holmes. It was where he went to school, began his teaching career, and since 1999, Holmes has been its principal.

'As a matter of fact, the first project was putting this metal roof that I'm seeing coming down right now,' Holmes says. 'So yeah, there's a lot of memories here for sure. Beyond my wildest dreams, I never dreamed of anything like this happening.'"

Welcome To My World

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WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: God's Katrina Kitchen Settling In At New Location

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: God's Katrina Kitchen Settling In At New Location: "The move from Pass Christian to Camp Avenue in Gulfport hasn't been easy for God's Katrina Kitchen volunteers.

'It's been a very lengthy process getting everything done. For the past month, we've been basically been moving supplies, moving the kitchen, moving office, bunk houses, RVs. And, pretty much, we've got the majority of it,' volunteer leader Vicki Weesner said.

But the new camp still has some obstacles to overcome. It has no power or running water.

'Basically we've learned to adapt by doing first response and disaster relief. You learn that sometimes you don't always have the conveniences. So we've gone back to operating on generators for our power.'"

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: New Ferry Service Offers Memorable Trip For Passengers

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: New Ferry Service Offers Memorable Trip For Passengers: "Curiosity about the new ferry service lured dozens of passengers to the dock in Bay St. Louis Wednesday.

'We're impressed that this has been put together that fast,' said one woman.

'We wanted to make sure it goes all the way,' joked Marsha Favre of Bay St. Louis. 'We're wondering if we should have brought our life jackets.'"

Always On The Go!

I have been living Katrina for 15 months now and blogging for a year of that time. To say that my focus has remained entirely on the aftermath would not be the truth. Months ago I decided that I needed to give some attention to myself. So I decided to "shop". We haven't many high end stores open for me to indulge myself but I have been having fun and relax by going in to any that are open for business. What do I buy? Anything that catches my fancy. In the past seven years, in the process of settling in one place, I moved five times and had to let many of my keepsakes go. So although I didn't lose my present home there was already loss in my life before Katrina. I think most people haven't given much thought to the fact that all the people who went through the hateful storm had prior problems in their lives too and the disaster added to the burdens. I have no way to talk to the people but I am sure a few would feel as I do. It's like being encased in a bubble. We go through the motions of living but to me it is surreal. I find my shopping to be therapeutic. I went to Gautier Monday and I found something I have wanted for awhile. They were loaded in the car and I had no idea how I would get them out .... Dave and Anita came to my rescue!



I also snapped a few pictures of not completed construction but the beginnings.

Beach Park Pavilion

Westwood Off Washington