I went out before noon today and drove to the West Bank gate and found a few strikers with signs displaying their grievances. I didn't wave as they showed no sign that they may give me a wave in response. Their faces were without smiles, so I quickly moved on. I seem to be a complicated personality, meaning that I am able to see both sides of a situation. I hear them when they say they need more money or better health benefits. I hear them because I know the cost of food, utilities and having to maintain insurance coverage on homes and health. For those who are trying to rebuild or repair their homes, the cost of the material is rising more each day. I hear you and I agree with you but , in my opinion, it is the wrong time to strike. So much is at stake. Northrop Grumman is a big corporation so think hard, "Who needs who"?

The depression weighs heavily in the air. I fight how I feel at times by doing exactly what I do. Taking pictures of our area and displaying them for people to see is good therapy for me. It's like waving a flag saying we are still here and we are fighting to come back. I have mentioned before that all of us had problems before Katrina but there were many diversions for us to keep our low spirits at bay. Let's take me for instance .... I have noticed that since Katrina each and every hurt in my life has returned. Good sense tells me that we are to remember only the good in our lives but it isn't like that anymore. We have focused on loss so long now that loss is all I can think about. Loss has wiped out happy memories. I find myself remembering the loss of a first love many years ago, the recent loss of a lifetime friend due to a misunderstanding. Flashbacks ... all focused on loss.

The state that I love, Mississippi, has never been a state that was admired for much so we throw out there the people that made it ... like that good ole guitar pickin' boy from Tupelo. Yeah I love his music too but there were and are presently many great people in our state. We needn't look to someone else to bolster our esteem. Each of us has something to contribute using the particular talents that God gave us. So Mississippi, lets stop bashing ourselves because we have heard many times in our history that we are a backward state. It's time to stand up with pride.

Have I spoken about the war in Iraq? Why did Mississippi get smashed and take money that could have funded this long drawn out fight? Haven't we caused enough problems in our history? Well, that's what we hear constantly and you know what, I for one am very tired of hearing it! It's downright asinine!

I should mention that besides loss there is anger as the above paragraph should depict. My daughter has a post on her blog that I would like you to read. Anita

The tree cutters have not been back. The first tree they took down is still lying in the neighbor's yard. One of the guys told me that the tree that I worry about probably wouldn't fall for another five years. You think I believe that?