Bittersweet Weekend

This past weekend was filled with various things that I could write about. All I had to do was choose one but instead I chose to touch briefly on a couple that impacted my life in some way. On Christmas Eve, a relative died in Texas ... a special cousin ... we found one another in a forum chat room. We sent messages, there was a visit and phone calls. I sent him an animated card on the 23rd. He answered and sent wishes to me and my family .. he died the next morning. I was shocked and wondered why our lives touched for such a brief time. Almost two weeks later, I received a call and an invitation to come to a memorial in Pascagoula for the cousin. January 21st at 2PM. When I returned to my hometown in 2003, there were my two brothers, a sister and their families but I wondered about the other relatives. Where were they? I didn't know their married names and I couldn't trace them. As the story goes ... the "others" didn't know that I was here. There is meaning to all of our lives. Sometimes we don't like or understand why certain things happen to us but in time we will know. When I walked into the roomful of people, I was home! Thanks Butch!

The poem below is not written by me. It is a version of one written by an unknown author.

People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.
When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.

When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need
you have expressed outwardly or inwardly.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty,
to provide you with guidance and support,
to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrong doing on your part
or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something
to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand.

What we must realize is that our need has been met,
our desire fulfilled; their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered
and it is now time to move on.

When people come into your life for a SEASON,
it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn.
They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
those things you must build upon
in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson,
love the person/people (anyway);
and put what you have learned to use in all
other relationships and areas of your life.

It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

~Author Unknown

Now about the Saints... I am not a football fan per se but I like this team. They never give up, they can teach us all something about tenacity. I watched the last half of the game and my heart grew heavy for the guys. They slipped, fumbled, were penalized, BUT still they carried on to the end. I felt that they were playing for our storm ravaged areas. It took our minds off all the problems here. For a short time, everything was normal again. A local left a comment in one of our papers asking how we could be so foolish when there were more important things to be done here. I am sorry for that person because it is obvious that hope in that particular life for a future isn't alive.

I will take pictures during the week of new construction and anything else I find of interest. It has been raining every day and that makes it near impossible but I will be back!

The Saints

By now all of you know that the New Orleans Saints lost to the Chicago Bears. We in Mississippi have always loved New Orleans and their Saints. They were on a losing streak for about forty years but we were there for them, win or lose. Many fans would make a statement by sitting in the bleachers with paper bags covering their heads. I would laugh but I understood why. This time they almost made it. It was easy to see that they gave up when they realized that they couldn't win. They won all the way to the last play off and ALMOST fell into the Super Bowl. That's something to be proud of!

"GEAUX SAINTS"!

GCN - General News Update

GCN - General News Update: "Gulfport Mayor Brent Warr, who traveled to China this past week, is quoted in an article in the Chinese Press. The story is on a method of panel construction that could be used to speed housing rebuilding if adopted in the U.S. (More Here)"

Chet Lott sings the blues
But it's for a good cause - he's happy to help the Red Cross
Chet Lott, son of U.S. Sen. Trent Lott, performed a two-hour concert before more than 150 people Thursday night at Scranton's Restaurant in support of his new album "Erased It."
( By JUSTIN HOOKS, jhooks@sunherald.com, 01/20/2007 03:01 AM CST)

Sample Chet's Music

-Waveland Controversy Deepens - GCN Special Report

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Your Hometown News - Biloxi

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: Your Hometown News - Biloxi: "Saints Fever Sweeps South Mississippi
Saints fever swept across South Mississippi Friday. Businesses, hospitals, and schools showed off their team spirit and support for the Boys in Black and Gold. They are pumped-up and ready to cheer the Saints to an NFC championship victory. Store employees, nurses, and teachers got a chance to dress down, and go wild over the Saints."

gulflive.com: News

gulflive.com: News: "Helena man charged with killing woman
HELENA -- The Jackson County Sheriff's Department is investigating the stabbing death of Carolyn Shelby Gattis, 23, of Jasmine Street, Moss Point. "

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

WLOX-TV - The News for South Mississippi: News & Video: "FEMA Extends Housing Deadline Through August 2007
Governor Haley Barbour announced late Friday afternoon that FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security will extend the Katrina temporary housing program by six months through the end of August 2007. Barbour requested a year-long extension back in December. The official announcement by the Department of Homeland Security is expected early next week."

More winter heads for Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri - CNN.com

More winter heads for Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri - CNN.com: "MUSKOGEE, Oklahoma (AP) -- Still recovering from snow and ice storms that downed power lines and trees in a large swath of the country, residents of Oklahoma, Missouri and Texas braced for another round Friday.

With thousands of customers in Oklahoma still without power, Gov. Brad Henry on Thursday requested a major federal disaster declaration, which would make people in hard-hit counties eligible for housing grants and low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses. He had already declared a state of emergency."

SunHerald.com : Biloxi and Gulfport News, Casinos, Jobs, Real Estate, Sports and Cars

SunHerald.com : Biloxi and Gulfport News, Casinos, Jobs, Real Estate, Sports and Cars: "Mayor makes right turn on Main
Mayor Xavier Bishop has turned in the blue light he was using to make traffic stops, mostly along the city's Main Street.
( By KAREN NELSON, Klnelson@sunherald.com, 01/19/2007 03:01 AM CST)"

Saints Fans Grab Up The Black & Gold

Saints Quarterback Drew Brees' #9 jersey is among the most popular with fans this season.

Saints fans are snatching up all sorts of playoff merchandise for the exciting Saints-Bears NFC championship match this Sunday. Some schools are allowing students to wear black and gold on Friday, and several businesses are hosting Saints spirit day. Whatever the occasion, fans want to wear their colors with pride, ready to see the Saints gobble-up some Bear stew

This morning I got an early start getting a few errands out of the way. A dreary day with a temp in the mid 40's. Usually it's sunny skies that prompt me to drive around looking for pictures but this morning I decided to at least swing by Beach Park in Pascagoula. From a distance, I saw that there was something "white and fluffy" on top of the fountain. Quickly, I decided that it couldn't be ice as it hasn't been cold enough. What I discovered was a "clean" form of vandalism that, I will admit, made me laugh.

SunHerald.com : Biloxi and Gulfport News, Casinos, Jobs, Real Estate, Sports and Cars

SunHerald.com : Biloxi and Gulfport News, Casinos, Jobs, Real Estate, Sports and Cars: "Many still on FEMA's bubble
No word on housing extension
The past 17 months for Bobby Hinson have included a lot of waiting - waiting for the storm to pass, for temporary housing, for rebuilding aid.
( By KATHERINE SAYRE, SUN HERALD WASHINGTON BUREAU, 01/18/2007 03:01 AM CST)"

Age No Factor For Habitat Volunteers In Biloxi
Dozens of volunteers strapped on their tool belts and began building a small Habitat for Humanity community near downtown Biloxi. There were college students hammering nails. Middle aged women carrying two by fours. And a senior citizen measuring where lumber should be cut. Brad Kessie has the story.

Can't life be a bummer sometimes? What about us as human beings, can't we become contrary as situations change? For instance, there are still people in Fema trailers that have been deprived, because of the storm, a decent place to live. At first, people were bending over backwards to aid their fellowman in a time of distress. Fema trailers sprouted everywhere to help the citizens who had no shelter. Now that time has passed, and many people are doing quite well again, there are complaints about where the trailers have been placed. The same people you willingly helped are still there. So what has changed? Unfortunately, it is obvious that when the situation improved for them personally, they had a change of heart.

Immediately after the storm when I had internet service again, I sent an email to a county supervisor offering my land for placing trailers there. I knew nothing of Fema reimbursements, I was willing to do it for nothing. I never received a reply but getting anything through in the earlier days was next to impossible.

I remarked in an earlier post that if you just name a subject that I can tell you a story. I have one on eminent domain which I think is a legal way of stealing what belongs to someone else. To use eminent domain requires a procedure of notification, signatures and maybe a ridiculous amount of money given to you to take your property. My daughter's boyfriend alerted us to the fact that the county was using a portion of our land and that there was a huge drainage ditch dug across it. The ditch was a requirement to collect the money on a couple of million dollar road project. All we asked for was the $2000 that was paid to other property owners that were involved. They said take them to court and we did. Seven years later we were awarded $15,000 .. the attorney received 40% of it. Was it worth the hassle? No!!! The land has been in our name for 22 yrs., so figure the taxes that have been paid. I just paid 2006 taxes this month. It's a catch 22, if you don't pay the taxes you can lose it and now we have eminent domain raising its ugly head again . Take if from one who knows, they do strike!

We have had stormy weather and lately it has been very cold. I wonder how the people in trailers are faring. Any news on them has virtually stopped. I guess I am old fashioned but I think the welfare of people should be of the highest priority. Please don't tell me I am dreaming again.

Lott: Appropriately Skeptical - What's Next in Iraq

Lott: Appropriately Skeptical - What's Next in Iraq: "Welcome to GulfCoastNews.com
GCN Guest Opinion
Appropriately Skeptical
What's Next in Iraq
by: Sen. Trent Lott Filed 1/12/07 GCN

Leading up to President Bush%u2019s speech outlining the new strategy for Iraq, I was appropriately skeptical. There was a lot of preliminary talk about sending more forces to Iraq in a %u201Ctroop surge.%u201D Given that Mississippi%u2019s active military and guard members have made a large contribution to operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, I feel it my duty to carefully scrutinize the proposal. It would have been inappropriate either to adopt or dismiss the pending plan before it was presented to the nation. I talked to the President, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Secretary of State, the Defense Secretary and other officials, asking questions and raising concerns.

The plan recognizes something I%u2019ve said for months: The status quo in Iraq is unacceptable, and we%u2019ve got to dramatically change the dynamics there. This new approach has the capacity to do that."

It's a very wintry day as far as temperature and appearance. Skies are a whitish gray and there is a slight drizzle. I absolutely refuse to think there is a chance for that white fluffy stuff. I have grown tired of disappointments. Also it would be very cold for the families still in Fema trailers. The propane tanks must empty quickly... they appear to be somewhat larger than the tanks we use for grilling. I am fearful of any heating system that can explode or emit deadly fumes. My home is gas heated and no matter how cold it is, I turn it off at night when I retire. There are all kinds of plans for getting the people out of the trailers. I have seen it in Pascagoula. Over the weekend I spent a day and a half in Gulfport and was happy to see that, although things aren't entirely back to normal, they aren't as bad as I thought. There are homes and businesses springing up all around the area but not on the beach. Biloxi has a few condos up and casinos operating but their beach is also devoid of new homes being built there.

The grant assistance program has not assisted at least 7000 people who applied in April 06. I really can't understand as the grants were said to be to assist all that were not in a flood zone but flooded anyway. My daughter received her grant but had to put a covenant on her home that if they ever sell that a buyer must also abide by that covenant too. Many people ran into problems with titles, liens against their property etc.. and if granted assistance they must deduct what is owed to the mortgage holder, SBA loans, anything they got from insurance which would leave nothing to build with. I understand the legality of all of this as we were in a business for many years that involved all I mentioned. BUT the grants were to help the people who have gone through a disaster get back on their feet. Something has to be set aside until they are living in what they call home. Fema trailers do not qualify. So, I am still with getting the people out of the miserable conditions they live under.

If one snow flake falls, you will hear from me!

Businesses Booming On Gulfport's Courthouse Road Half of the office space has already been leased out at the new Courthouse Station development just north of the tracks. Post Katrina businesses seem to be going up left and right north of tracks on Courthouse Road in Gulfport. The storm damaged or destroyed a large number of properties along the busy road. But there's been an apparent business boom, nearly 17 months after the hurricane.

Investigation continues into fatal hit-and-run

Investigation continues into fatal hit-and-run

Biloxi

This post will take care of the pictures I took Sunday in Gulfport and the few that were taken in Biloxi. I had gone to visit my daughter, Peggy. She was the driver and I was the passenger trying to take pictures from her moving car. I remember saying, "Slow down Peggy!" I had leaned slightly out the window with my hand held digital camera and the wind created by her speed almost cost me the camera. That made for a good laugh. We were headed toward Biloxi and in the first picture you can't help but see the emptiness. I found something to appreciate about the cleanliness of the landscape. We had lived with so much debris that I felt this was a milestone.

Biloxi's skyline looks impressive with all the condos that are under construction, some nearly complete. I didn't take shots of anything that I felt could be described in words alone. The Beau Rivage is a massive casino that is very beautiful. The Grand casino is nice although my shots may not depict it. Treasure Bay's temporary casino shocked me after having fallen in love with the huge pirate ship they once had. We drove to where we had to turn back because of bridge not functional.

Treasure Bay

Home or Business?

Grand Casino

Bridge Closed

Headed to Interstate Exit

How About That Guitar?

We took the interstate exit and were on our way to my home in Pascagoula. My daughter arrived home safely too. Was a great weekend and I am glad I finally got to see this part of the coast that means a lot to me.