There is a post here titled "too confused time ticking" where I added a message to you.

You posted under the T & C honeymoon post, so I'm sure I have created confusion.

So...now that I've shown everyone that I am "too confused and that time HAS ticked", see if you can find my message.

Does anyone remember the song by the Mamas and the Papas...Monday, Monday can't trust that day ? Well that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Or I'll just have to own up to yet another *senior moment*...which seem to be more like *senior hours*, especially on a Monday !

Marion

Don't worry, Marion...we all have our moments, don't we?

I hope mah1980 sees your message.

Thanks Statia ! It's one thing to have a moment or two in private...and another thing to have such a public moment.

For those who don't know, mah and her husband lived in New Orleans and their home was destroyed by Katrina. She posted on the US board, that they were going to Florida.

I'm just anxious to hear that they are well.

Marion





Marion

Marion,

Thanks for the concern. I just saw your message.

Things have improved a great deal, hence why I've been able to steal away moments to play on the internet. This has been quite a hectic time but it will be a good story to tell our grandchildren in the distant future. We are lucky that the only thing that ended up being destroyed was my car. Our place was fine although there was some roof damage although no flooding. We just got back about a week and a half ago.

We haven't been back to work since the Hurricane but we're fortunate b/c my husband is still getting paid at his law firm. We think we'll be going back at the beginning of November.

Many of my husband's family members who live in New Orleans and the outlying areas have suffered significant damage, both physically and financially. Rumors abound as far as which employer is getting ready to fire people and so forth.

My husband and I, as well as all of our families in the area, are Catholics (my husband and I lapsed due to various reasons, while the rest of the family is extremely devout and regular church goers). One of the low points of this whole disaster is the response of the Catholic church in this region. The Catholic Diocese of New Orleans has been laying people off left and right since the storm. In addition, there has been nothing significant done from the Vatican or the New Orleans Archdiocese to help all of their parishioners who have suffered so severely. This has shaken the faith of many in this region(especially my mother-in-law, who volunteers at Church counting the collection...the priest was complaining two weeks ago that collections were low and she responded "because all of the church members lost everything."

On a good note, my in laws were touched and in tears after a group from the Southern Baptist Convention started helping them clear all of their downed trees from their yard. The group of 10 or so Baptists were from Nashville and came down immediately after the hurricane just to help. They did it out of the kindness of their hearts, and my in laws vow that they're going to travel to Nashville to thank the congregation in person for their random acts of kindness.

Fortunately, my husband and I are going to be able to get a way from the stress of this situation this weekend. I'm a bridesmaid in a wedding in Florida so we'll be getting away from Louisiana.

Thanks again for your concern!

mah,

It's so good to hear from you !

I'm sure you will be a lovely bridesmaid, and a little, planned escape is always a good thing.

One of my fears, after Katrina, is that people will forget and not understand the continuing need for help.

I hope I speak for many on this board, and ask you what we can do now ?

I know many contributed to various charitable organizations...but you're there and can tell us what is needed most.

PLEASE let us all know how we can help.

Marion

Mah,
Sorry to hear about your car..atleast your house is still intact.You are lucky.

I am a Baptist and that is very,very sweet and considerate what the people from Nashville did for your area.Our church sends people quite frequently to help others in need around the world.

Marion is right...what can everyone do now to help everyone down there?

Take care,
Christie

Marion,
How are things in Maine? I know that you guys in the Northeast have been getting alot of rain.I am really concerned for people near that dam in Mass. Anyways..take care!
Christie

Thanks for the update, mah1980. Sorry to hear of the difficult time of you and your family/friends are having, but glad to hear that your home didn't suffer serious damage. I have family who was affected by Rita on the Texas east coast so I can relate to how quickly everyone forgets that there are many, many people still trying to put their lives back together after both Katrina and Rita.

Being a lapsed Catholic myself, I'm also sorry to hear how poor the response has been on the part of the church. I hope that someone will see this and make some improvements in that area.

Thanks for the update. Wishing you and yours a speedy recovery to a normal life again. Have fun on your trip to Florida. I'm sure you can use the time away.

I think Marion qualifies as unofficial conscience of this board-- even if our conscience has the occasional senior time unit. It's so basically kind of you to inquire after mah1980 and it reminds the rest of us who love to travel that this world we love to travel is small after all-- that it does matter if we can show human kindness every chance we get. If I were in trouble, I think I'd be very comforted that others are remembering me. The comments regarding the responses of the Catholic and Baptist churches are particularly interesting... we criticize the response of our political groups/organizations/mindframes all the time--why not our religious organizations? It's about time for some self-examination on the part of these organized religions which purport to lead us spiritually and morally. I thought the Catholic church prides itself particularly on the protection and support of the poor and the suffering. Where's their disaster response policy?

The main problem here is that the lower wage workforce has all left the area, so businesses can't operate. Every store has extremely truncated hours, and you know it's pretty bad when Burger King is advertising a $6k signing bonus. The blue collar workers left and went to Houston, Memphis, etc., and the only people really left are the people in shelters, and the professionals. But it's hard for people to live their daily lives when so many stores are closed.

As far as the Catholic disaster response, I think the issue is that they don't have a policy. I think it's outrageous that the church is laying off thousands of workers, not including all of the teachers at catholic schools that have already been laid off. The amount of money that the church collects via tithing in this region is amazing. For my in laws priest to gripe about the sub-par collection when he was about to take a vacation to "get away from all of the stress" was absurd.

Eahh-gadds!!! And they talk about FEMA having a lousy disaster response. Well, then again, we should hunt down the moron who thought it was a good idea to contract $250 million with the cruise ships to send disaster victims on indefinite vacation. What a fiasco. Your in-law's priest should have gotten in line for that one. No tithing necessary.

oh mah1980, are you still headed to florida this weekend? i can't believe that wilma is now a 5. good luck to you and the bride to be.

Reading all the kind and sincere posts to mah have really been wonderful. Now I am hoping that they will be able to go to Florida, and am praying for safety for all those in Wilma's path. As quickly as it gained strenght, I'm hoping for weaking.
From being raised Catholic, now in a Southern Baptist congregation, I am seeing many differences regarding the two reaching out to people's needs. Our church took a collection(no adminstrative costs), and has collected tons of items, clothes and food. We sent a mission team just this month to go there in person to help and distribute the items. Although I could only help with the financial part, it was a very good feeling to know we were doing something from our congregation so far away. I can see how a lack of help from a victim's church body would really hurt and cause frusration. Best wishes in the recovery.
Carol

There seem to be many lapsed Catholics among us.

It was heartbreaking to read about the disappointment that mah's in-laws felt.

Also heartbreaking to see that Wilma will be doing damage to many folks.

I often tell people I care about that they are in my "thoughts and prayers". Old Catholic school habits die hard...but mah, if you are reading here, I'll keep the positive thoughts coming your way.

And I join Virginia in her concern for Tom Cayman and the folks on GC.

The Yiddish expression "enough already" seems appropriate.

Marion