Popular Debunking!

Popular Debunking!
Originally uploaded by ellis_earl.

WARNING! BLOG WILL TEMPORARILY SWERVE!

But first... Go purchase the latest edition of Popular Mechanics to get good stories on debunking Katrina myths, rebuilding New Orleans, new home design, what to expect this coming hurricane season, and a whole lot more. scant mention of Da' Parish but chock-full-o logic and facts.

Do I think anyone in N.O. will take the advice given, especially on house designs? Ha!

As far as I can tell, people intending to "rebuild" want the parish to return to the way it was, which it never will. But take heart that whatever returns will be better than before. I even hear that my parents neighboorhood might be a "green" area or even a sort of lake.

Imagine... boating through the old neighboorhood while feeding the ducks and pointing out where my realitives and friends used to live to unbelieveing tourists! Wild!

I am glad I visited St Bernard Parish and saw it with my own eyes, upclose and personal. I still feel the effects of the trip in renewed gratitude for the simple things... Hot water... fresh water... any water at all. If nothing else I'm grateful that my family and I live in a dry city (Haughty Voice: "We even have power and sewage service.").

I'm sure whatever becomes of Arabi I can still count on the daily ritual of being eaten alive by mosquitoes at dusk when I visit.

OH NO!... SWERVE!

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Just got back from a trip to Tombstone Arizona with my wife and daughter. Imagine my surprise when we were greeted by English accents at the Trailrider's Inn! Turns out the owner is from London and so was a friend of his who was visiting for a few weeks. Neat Inn with a great little pool and friendly service. Give it a try if you're ever in the area, pardner.

Well, the pace was slow, the food large and carb-filled and the cowboys real. We rode the stagecoach and heard the history of the six-block-long town. Bought some great souviners, used the jazzusi and generally soaked up the dusty local atmosphere. Although there are at least six gunfights a day at various locations we managed to miss them all, although we heard a few shots on the last day in town. I could have stayed on for a week or two... or a month... or... who knows?

Stopped at an ostritch farm on the way back to L.A. and my daughter had a great time feeding the great stupid birds and the deer at the ranch with them. We also stopped to see the roadside DINOSAURS in Cabazon, CA. We went inside the belly of the brontosaurus and perused the gift shop. A gift shop in the belly of a dinosaur with more square footage than our house!

All in all a great first family road trip. Wifey and daughter had a great time but it's good to be home.

WOHA!... SWERVE!

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So get up to date on what really happned during Katrina and prepare your minds for the coming hurricane season. Things will be different, but then I read,"All things work for the good of beleivers." I trust it is so and wish all you rebuilders only the best. God bless and good luck! -Earl

P.S.- FAMILY UPDATE! My sister the nurse is finally back in her "Who cares about Uptown" apartment and she is feeling a lot better as things seem a bit more normal. She had to buy a new couch as my Dad had slept on it during thier Katrina stranding and the inside temperature soared to over 100 degrees. Between the sweat and the "Katrina funk" it was history. I think she's most happy because her cat is most happy. Cat people!

As to my parents they are well enough, although my dad hurt his back when we visited the "old House" in Arabi. He hit his head on an open electrical box cover and fell onto the junk in our yard. We got a picture of He and I sitting in the junk and I'll post it soon. Anyway, they are doing as well as can be expected although they haven't yet received any more money from FEMA. I suspect it will come when the dozers finally roll.

Also, my Dad wants to visit the old house one more time. My middle sister says she will take him there but won't go into the house again. She's done with it all and is going to try to look for flowers around the neighborhood while he treasure hunts. That's all, look for the "junk" photo soon -Earl