Back to Normal...Sort of

Well, our town is pretty much back to normal since the storm. We are able to buy gas again without waiting in line for 3 hours or more. The power is on in most of the homes, though we still have some traffic lights out. Here's the picture of my office at the height of the storm that Sprout saw on TV in Korea. I guess that explains that really early morning phone call we got the day after the storm. That's my office door under the tree in the middle of the picture. It this point, the water was about 3 feet deep. Those little black things are parking meters.

This picture was taken by Mike Kittrell for the Mobile Register. I hope he won't mind my using it.

My sister and brother both have found places to live. Sis is renting a house she really can't afford, but she doesn't have much choice. Everything is being snatched up by people locally or from Mississippi and Louisiana. A guy 2-doors down from me moved out of his house so that he could rent it to a family from Mississippi. He had been planning on renting it out anyway. I guess we will have new neighbors soon.

Sprout is now at his new camp (thanks to blogger Sure Fire who left Sprout his room all nice and neat...hee hee) and seems to be enjoying the country. He called this weekend which is odd...he speaks mostly through emails these days to save money, but I was off helping sis move her piddly little belongings and missed the call. He spoke to Stoicdad and said he was leaving for a long field training and would be out of touch for a while. I hate when I miss his calls. He promises to send pictures soon.

Here's a link to a really interesting slideshow of pictures and commentery from a guy who was in New Orleans before, during and after the hurricane. It's a lot of pictures, but really interesting look at all that happened. His escape from New Orleans is also pretty exciting. Thanks to Mrs. Greyhawk at Mudville Gazette for the link and to Blackfive for directing me there. You dudes rock.

With all the commotion around here for the last 2 weeks, I almost forgot that today is the 4th anniversary of 9/11. Has it already been 4 years? So much has happened since then but it still seems like yesterday. It's time again to watch the news reports from that day so that we never forget. This should be our annual ritual.

Thanks to all those heros.