neworleanslady

I haven't been here much since just after Katrina. I had a fabulous trip to Europe while trying to keep up with and ignore the devastation at home at the same time. It was hard to do. There were days and weeks of not hearing from friends. I am working on my trip report, but with everything going on – it will be a while. Hopefully my notes and pictures will keep the memories fresh.

My boyfriend, who like many of your loved ones thinks I am crazy for keeping up with Fodor’s, commented during the trip that I was “out of a job” on Fodor's since NO was in such bad shape. I told him that I could make people come to other places in Louisiana and realize there is more than N.O. Well, after the last week, that isn’t so anymore.

I have many friends whose lives have been changed by one or both hurricanes. One N.O. friend evacuated with her son and EX-husband thinking she’d be gone a few days. They are now all living together in Birmingham. I think she is working a lot! Her house was flooded in St. Bernard Parish. She said she doesn’t even want to see it.

I have another N.O. friend who stayed with family in Memphis. Her mother had a heart attack while there so she will have surgery later this week.

A co-worker who always has a smile on her face and a joke on her lips lost her home in Rita to flooding. I do not know if she has been able to go home yet.

A friend who moved to Cameron in the past year has lost everything. She was living in a trailer. Her kids had just started a new school and were loving where they were. She does not know yet what they will do or where they will go. Her mom’s house was damaged in Katrina in Grand Isle, so she can’t go “home”.

We will need some time, prayers, money and support, but I will be back “in business” one day soon!!

kleeblatt

I can't imagine the stress and frustration you and your friends have been through. I'm so sorry to hear about all the suffering. I hope your future brings sunnier skies, calmer winds and many blessings.

Gruss aus Switzerland.

dfrostnh

My first visit to New Orleans was November 2004. We lucked out choosing to go last year instead of picking another place for our annual Mothers Weekend Off. I hope to visit again sometime. This was a terrible tragedy for so many people. It will take a long time to recover. Lives have been changed forever. Be strong.

Anonymous

{{{{neworleanslady and friends}}}

gail

My thoughts are with you - I can't begin to imagine what you and your neighbors are going thru.

As far as what you can do about your Fodors "job", I have some suggestions that seem to work for others -

1. Spend your time posting advertising, being as creative as possible to make it look like a real recommendation for something useful.

2. Adopt multiple screen names (just keeping them straight and memorizing various passowrds should keep your mind occupied). Then, post glowing reviews of any establishment you or a friend have a financial interest in.

3. Make up information about places you have never been.

4. Hijack threads to promote some political agenda or to make negative personal remarks about another poster.

5. Get in a fight with Sheryl on biddingfortravel and see how long before she "bans" you.

6. Initiate a fight with animal lovers about whether or not people should travel with them.

Hope that keeps you busy for a while and that you soon can return to posting useful information about New Orleans.

Intrepid1

I appreciate your pain but simply have to ask..WHERE are you posting this FROM?
Were you displaced at all?

Please continue to be grateful you didn't lose your life as some of our own New Orleans releatives have done.

GoTravel

Hang in there neworleanslady (((((Hug))))))

I have nothing to add to gail's excellent list.

Byrd

neworleanslady,

Our thoughts and prayers are certainly with you and everyone affected by Katrina and Rita.

We love New Orleans and have made several trips a year there for many, many years.

Just a hour ago on tv I saw an interview with the owner of Stella, where the kitchen is in operation, and they were cooking hamburgers (not their usual menu!).

I hope that means the Provincial Hotel next door is also in pretty good shape, since that is where we usually stay.

I hope these are all signs that the worst is over, and from now on things will be improving for everyone in NO and on the gulf coast.

Again, our thoughts are with you all.

Byrd

LoveItaly

Hello neworleanslady, I can't even imagine how the people whose lives have been devasted by Katrina and Rita are managing. Like so many many others my hearts go out to them and I pray that somehow their lives will be restored to some sort of normal living conditions. Many cyberhugs to you...and to all your friends and loved ones.

And Intrepid, my deapest sympathies to you on the loss of some of your relatives. I had no idea. That is very sad and I am truly sorry for your loss of family members. Take good care.

wanderluster

I was just thinking about you
NewOrleansLady.
Glad to hear youre doing ok and got away and will
look forward to your trip report.
You and your friends will remain
in our prayers, until New Orleans
is back and better than ever.
Blessings to you all.

Statia

Glad tn hear that you are safe and sound, neworleanslady. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by Katrina and Rita. It's all just so much to wrap ones mind around.

OneWanderingJew

I've been thinking about you NOLady and was wondering how you are. Thanks for posting and letting us know you're ok.

I'm soo sorry for what you and all your neighbors are going thru. I know a few ppl in/around Metairie and it's sad. A girl I know parent's house is covered in mold to the 2nd story so I hear they will be leveling it. Her sisters houses, also in Metairie, are ok but what do they go back to??

platzman

I'm trying to understand the timing involved. You were in Europe during the hurricane? Or after?
If you live in New Orleans, how was your property affected?
Your friends seem to have been in all the absolute worst places (ie St Bernard, Cameron, Grand Isle).
Hope they can pull through.

uhoh_busted

neworleanslady now lives in Shreveport, LA. I just checked back to one of the best threads I've ever read on Fodor's which I hope the nasties don't start ruining now that I've mentioned it -- with discussions of Katrina as it was happening. Wow.

We rebuilt a house that was destroyed by a tornado when I was a teen, but to imagine that scene multiplied across the many many square MILES that this storm blasted through with winds and water...Wow.

Keep donations to the Red Cross going -- it's going to be a long time cleaning up and rebuilding lives, let alone properties. The numbers of people not protected by insurance in this disaster are staggering.