New York, Here We COME!

I'm writing this just before I go to bed....we are packed and ready to goooo!

Well, Miss Priss is having a "Crisis" just now fitting all her "stuff" in her suitcase....but I'm going to bed and she can figure it out.

We will be flying out of New Orleans tomorrow morning.
Caleb, Luke and Danny, our Black Lab will be "holding the fort" here at the house while we meet Gabe in New York.

So I will talk to you all more and fill you in when I get back.

Oh... and the "Tales I will Tell".....I'm sure of it!
All good too I know!
Bye for now!!!

Thoughts Of Autumn.......

(***Note: "This photo is NOT how it looks in South Louisiana!***")

Silly me......I missed it.
The Day "Autumn" arrived that is.
It's not like me....to miss something that I love that much.

But I did miss it's coming and the only way I can explain it is the remind myself that my days have been crazy and hazy this month.

Two hurricanes.....#1 Son home for a visit....#2 Son moving back home this past weekend....#3 Son.....well...he's just fine....and Miss Priss..Child #4...preparing along with my husband and I for our trip to "New York City" this weekend.

It's just all been too much.
And so I missed the "Grand Entrance" of my most FAVORITE season.

Yet, I'm fortunate to even know what day it is today today.
Is is Tuesday isn't it?

When you consider where I live.....the "Entrance of Autumn" isn't so "Grand" actually.
I wish it were though. You know we really don't have many trees that "turn colors" down here. It just doesn't get cold enough here to do that.

I really do miss seeing how the earth changes and begins to embrace dying and then becoming dormant.

Oh we have certain "signs" of Autumn here....it does become a tad cooler. Like for example....it's only 87 degrees here today :~)...and less humid. Hummmm.
My favorite two things.......
And it rains....and it rains.
That's normal....it rains here alot no matter what season it is.

And of course it begins to get darker earlier in the evening as well....

However with all that stated....one of best signs that Autumn has arrived is
of course......
"College Football" has started nation wide.

And boy has it ever begun here in Baton Rouge and so far, we are off to one fine "Season." I hope it keeps up... "GEAUX TIGERS!"

"Happy Fall Y'ALL....."

Sweet Offerings.....

I liked this....it's called "Lady In The Leaves".....so pretty.

We have PLENTY of leaves everywhere right now....stripped off of trees from the storms. It's weird how that happens.

One of my poor little rose bushes was doing so well.....then that wretched Gustav just RIPPED it to shreds. It's nearly naked now. UGH!

Yesterday, I heard a bunch of big vehicle noises.
I went out the door and saw a little "Caterpillar" thing literally MOVING the junk, and leaves, and tree limb piles from house to house. It was odd how it worked.

The man would take the smaller piles of yard "trash" for lack of a better word....and move it to one yard......then take all that and move it to another yard making they pile he was moving BIGGER and BIGGER.....then he would stop when it go so big.

Then do it again,and again.

He skipped my neighbors pile because it was SOOOO BIG already......
This is Ms. Karol and Mr. Joe's tree pile....it covered part of our parking and both of theirs and the neighbors on the other side of them.This pile is much taller than me......this photo doesn't do it justice really. But look how long it goes on down the way.
It's like this EVERYWHERE in town....


Then the BIG DADDY truck came.....and did this.



They worked until it was gone and until they had cleaned up our ENTIRE street!!

What a relief to get this junk off our lawns finally.....

This process went faster than I thought. I didn't think they would come and remove this stuff for a long time because there's SO much of it all over the city.

We are fortunate to have this done so fast actually.

Right after the storm my neighbor Kim from across the street brought me a bag full of beautiful "Limes" that they had rescued from their Lime tree that was pulled out of the ground by the storm.

I think to think of them as "Sweet Offerings" from the storm.

"Something GOOD always comes out of something BAD."
I believe that.

***Sorry for showing the "bare" electrical outlet. It's a tad tacky I know but it's where we are at.

We are NEARLY done remodeling now.....all we have to do is tile the walls under the cabinet and put on the new electrical coverings and we are DONE!
Hallelujah! HA!
We just haven't had time to finish it (can't imagine why can you??) and it won't be done now until we get back from New York, which is fine......
It's all good and operational and beautiful thus far.***
I'll post photos later when the kitchen is finally completed.***

Getting A GRIP.....

Ever since the crazy hurricane storms....I just can't seem to "GET A GRIP" on things around here.

I think we have been overloaded by time schedules that had gotten delayed and things crept up on us.....like a BIG Ol' TRIP TO NEW YORK City that I JUST booked the rooms for last weekend. I thought I had plenty of time to watch for "deals"....RIGHT!!!

AND.....I didn't have power forever you know. Well....not forever actually...but 6 days does sometimes feel like forever.
However when we got it back I didn't have time to sit at the computer and research rooms forever.

Can I tell you that NYC is COMPLICATED ummm....just what I don't need in my life right now. HA!
A more STRESSFUL city than mine. HA!
AND that place is going to be......ugh.....very expensive. I'm shocked......well sort of.
You have to pay for every tiny little thing. Like even the "Hotel Shuttle" which in most places is "complementary."

And do you know what else is expensive.....HURRICANES!! You have to buy all this "stuff" that you didn't really plan on buying like tons of foooood and supplies....and gas by the boat load to run your generator and then you have to "fix" things that break after the storm.....

So it's been an expensive month here for our family....but.....what can I say?
Except....."it always works out for the good at some point."

This week alone has been hectic and overbooked already......

I feel like this....HA!


Add in......
Gabe missed his flight yesterday in New Orleans. Crazy Ding Dong!
So "someone" ....who happened to turn out to be Luke, had to shuttle him BACK down to New Orleans this morning. UGHGHGH!
And....
Caleb's moving back in THIS WEEKEND so we are painting the spare bedroom frantically......which someone had been staying in and that someone is still here in town.

This week I have TWO Specialist appointments.....went to one today that Gustav messed up and it TOTALLY was NOT very good news....but I'm okay with it....and it will work out somehow.
Only because I am an "OVERCOMER."

And tomorrow will be another appointment.....with a my R.A. Specialist and a Research Group that wants me to "participate" in a "Drug Study" for R.A. I don't know how all this is going to happen but we will see comes out of the meetings.

My R.A. is "flared up" right now....so maybe we can find me some relief. I can't imagine why I would be having a flare up....not like there's been anything to STRESS out about. HA! HA!

So...if your wondering. I'm still here......just super busy and I've had little to no time to write.

Baton Rouge IS getting back in shape though. Some people are STILL without power.

And it looks like a TREE "war zone" though.
Everyone I talk to is exhausted and taxed.

I feel REALLY, REALLY, bad for those that got hit this past weekend in Texas and South West Louisiana.
I know that damage was horrible.

Hang in there though..if you've been through a storm....maybe not even a hurricane but just a "Life Storm"...it takes time but it works out eventually. It gets frustrating but just hang on.....as someone that has "weathered" their fair share of "STORMS" in life.....
I know.
And trust me...some things are just "out of your hands."
So let it go and let someone BIGGER work it all out for you. You may have to put some "feet" to some areas of the rebuilding....but you won't have to "fix it" all.
Thank goodness.

Speaking of "fixing things".....

We are getting our entire roof on our house replaced because of the damage to it.
We have to pay the deductible of course. But it's okay.
Our insurance adjuster was here today. Nice guy.

Add that to the list of "things to do" now.....blah!
Don't get me wrong...We are thankful....for whenever the new roof can happen.

Lord knows when that will be.
Hey at least we have a HOUSE that's left.......many people we know personally have lost great "portions" of their homes. So a new roof isn't so bad compared to loosing entire rooms and sections of your home or your home completely even.

It's all going to work out though.....one day.
It always does!

Saturday........Family and Friends Time

"The Brothers"

This morning ALL our kids were here at our house for "Brunch."

I was able to work this little event up since we have a very special "House guest" staying with us who is also a "Hurricane Ike Evacuee" from Lake Charles, LA. and our kids haven't seen her in awhile PLUS our son Gabe is in from the East Coast.
This called for a "special occasion".....like a Brunch.
Right?

"Anna and Mr. Don"...fine, new, cabinets in the background.
We still have to to get the new tile backsplash up but we've had way toooo much hurricane drama to get it done.
We met Anna when we lived in Abbeville LA. for Seven years before coming back to Baton Rouge. She was probably about 13 years old when our family first became acquainted with her and her family.

She's one of the sweetest and smartest little girls we know. She's finishing up College in Lake Charles. We always drop in to see her and stay with her on our way back and forth to Texas whenever we make those trips. She's dated a fine young man from Holland for three years now and he attends LSU where he is currently finishing up his "Masters" so it worked out well for her to come and stay with us.
That was she could visit him as well.

"The Brothers".....Caleb, Gabe, and Luke
Interestingly.....this turned into an "LSU Brunch" because everyone was dressed for the game which is something we just do in Baton Rouge on a Saturday anyway. Well 6 out of 8 of us were dressed in something "Purple and Gold."

"Mal, Caleb, Anna, Gabe"
So when I saw how most everyone was showed up in their "Game Garb"......I grabbed out some "LSU" napkins and purple cups that I had recently bought to color coordinate with what was going on. HA!

***Notice.....I was having my morning "Cup of Tea"...at the same time as getting the Brunch ready. :~)

"Italian Boy, Gabe, Luke, Mal, Caleb, and Anna"......


"Italian Boy...Caleb and Gabe"


I had prepared biscuits, sausage and an awesome Breakfast Casserole which consisted of Eggs, Spinach, Onions and Cheese in it for the Brunch.
Everyone loved it all, especially the Breakfast Casserole!

Gabe had flown in from Connecticut on Thursday for a visit and to attend the game.
Crazy boy! Because we are going to New York to meet him in....ummmm....two weeks from today. He's been home to Baton Rouge THREE times since May. That is nutty.

Gabe and his friend Mal.


Miss Priss and her FAVORITE "Cajun Spicy Beans"

She LOVES to eat those things.....ugh. I think they STINK! It's all the spices and garlic.

My kids are SUCH Louisianians.
They crack me up!

Windy City.....again.

It's late....toooo late for little girls to be up.

We have "evacuation" company that came in to stay with us from Lake Charles, LA. due to Hurricane Ike so we've been watching the storm come ashore.

And watching that crazy Geraldo falling down in the water and nearly being swept out to sea..... What I want to know is this......"Why do these people stay out in that weather!!!" It's like the want to PROVE they can "stand up" in 110 mph winds. Crazy!!!

This is a BIG Ol'STORM....the size of the ENTIRE State of Texas..and we have had nutty "Tropical" weather ALL day long starting early in the morning.

People in town have been panic buying food and water and panic buying GAS....traffic was a nightmare today in Baton Rouge...which is never a fun place to drive in the first place.

It's now about 1:00am and we can hear things flying on or OFF our roof. Ugh.....

Today has been exhausting and I think it just goes back to be tired from all the drama of the past few weeks even.

We have friends who are like family in Corpus Christi and know many people in Texas.....all over.....we have been very concerned for the coast of Texas.

We are wishing and praying for everyone in "harms way" in both Texas and Louisiana.....safety and peace.
Houses and cars can be replaced.....but lives cannot.

More tomorrow......well it is sort of tomorrow now isn't it?
Well.....then......"more later in the day."

Gabe is in town for the LSU game...he flew in from Connecticut on "9/11"....I hated that but he made it just fine.
He's coming for "breakfast" in the morning which is just a few hours away so I suppose I should get to bed so that "event" can actually take place. HA!
Goodnight.....

Just Incase You Need To Know.....

"What do you do during a hurricane for entertainment?"
Since there isn't any power.....it gets pretty BORING.

We live in the age of "entertainment" and we bore easily without TV's and electronics of all sorts......ummmhummm.....not having a computer was ESPECIALLY hard from some of us.
Who will remain "un-named."

But interestingly enough.....we found a few ways to keep our family entertained.
And I thought we would just pass this along incase you ever need to know them.

My Family and House Guests played various "board games" by a light powered by our generator.


Don giving out the "rules"....
And last but not least.....

"Family Wrestling"
"Miss Priss and Big Brother Luke"


Sleeping was a big hit too.....and once the storm left.
CLEANING up debris was the number #1 thing on the "Important things to do list."


Now we are bustling to do all NEW "Important Things" on our lists now and there isn't much time for "play."
There isn't time to do the "entertaining things" that we did without power nor the things we wanted to do when we had/have power.


This morning, Miss Priss, Italian Boy and Myself went to "Streams of Life" again, to help work with other voluenteers on site there to make up new food and relief boxes to be passed out tomorrow in storm ravaged Inner City neighborhoods here in Baton Rouge.

That's a HUGE thing on our "Important things to do list"....helping others to find some help right now.

Life In Baton Rouge....

Every day a bit more of "normalcy" comes back to us.

"Normalcy" - being within certain limits that define the range of normal functioning.

People are starting to get their power on in Baton Rouge....very SLOWLY but it's happening.
Out of all my husband's employees, only our son Caleb had power as of today. Thankfully they all have generators......but it's still not the same as full power. Believe me I know first hand!

Today I went and worked at our Church to help with Food Distribution.
The Church we attend has a MAJOR Food Bank called "Streams Of Life" that distributes DIRECTLY to Churches, that then distribute to people.....
in and out of their churches.

have been arriving daily before and since Gustav hit.
Every day Semi loads of food and personal hygiene and other relief supplies

Two Semi trucks of food and relief supplies had just come in from Ohio this afternoon.




It doesn't take long to unload the supplies tractors to unload the pallets......then we form a "conga line"....I mean vehicle line.....and people drive through the various points on the driveway and receive the various items at each point.

Vehicles picking up various relief and food items at "Streams"....



Ms. Dianne, Pastor Steve's wife giving instructions to David for the distribution line.

David is a sweet little guy that attends our church. His entire family is from Nigeria. His Daddy is an Evangelist and is always going back over there to put "CLEAN Water Wells" in their village and surrounding villages.
I love that.

These are two sweet ladies from Alabama that I worked with today and Mr. Luther.
Mr. Luther is a Katrina Evacuee that moved into the area and helps at "Streams" and attends the church as well.

These woman are with an organization that sends volunteer workers into
"Disaster Areas" all over the United States....these workers have been "camping out" in the warehouses and it is very HOT inside of those metal buildings.

Today an Air Conditioner was set up for them so I was GLAD to hear that.

Pastor Steve has been receiving Chemo everyday still...today was his last day for this week...so it's been hard on him but he's STILL been out there working EVERYDAY!! I saw him today and thought I was going to have to throw a fit.

He and his wife are VERY dedicated people to the poor and down and out of Baton Rouge and the surrounding areas.

When a disaster strikes.....you can't just think of yourself you HAVE to (or should be) think of others as well. I can't stand it when people are self centered or selfish and greedy.

I tell my kids all the time..."it's not about us....it's about THEM!!!"

Right now.....alot of the "thems" need help....we are seeing it every day, BIG TIME right now.....and it's not just food and supplies and new roofs they need.
Some just need a cup of cold water....literally.

Many are tired and just need some kind words spoken to them.

Tuesday After The Storm.....

IF your going to live along the boarders of a coastal State....
you have GOT TO HAVE one of these.
"Our Trusty Generator"

It will become your "life line" after a hurricane.
Six days with no power for my family and this little powerful thing kept us with a few lights and our refrigerator and freezer going. We didn't loose any food.....many of my friends and neighbors did.

More hurricane "Must Haves"......"Window Air Conditioner and Coolers"
AND it's fabulous if you can get your family one of these things. We didn't have one after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and had made a decision to GET a window Air Conditioner and put it in the front room window.
We didn't cool the back of the house or power it. So it was HOT and DARK back there.
We ALL slept in the front room for all those days!

We didn't power up our generator right away after the storm passed. We decided to SAVE THE GAS which is very important after a hurricane......because it becomes scarce due to the fact there is no power to power gas pumps. So we just kept our house shut up tight and got through the night with a power cord from Ms. Karol and Mr. Joe's house.

They had power. Only because they have a gas "WHOLE HOUSE" generator that they had installed this Spring. VERY SMART.
Once the power goes off for any given reason....their generator kicks on in like 3 seconds and powers their entire house as if they never lost power. If we continue to stay in Louisiana.....we are getting one of those. HA!

The very next morning, Tuesday. We keep forgetting what day it is here because we've lost track.
We got up early to survey the damage outside and start the debris clean up.......and not just for us...but for everyone.

And this is what I LOVE about the people here.....we help each other. I mean I know it happens other places as well.....but this
IS the "Spirit of America"...people helping people.

Times of disaster, times of crisis, and times of heartache....they make for great opportunities to show the love of God to others.

About 25 people from all over our street came to Ms. Karol and Mr. Joe's to help get the tree off their house!!

My husband Don up on their roof....ugh! He was having a HUGE adrenaline flow at the time. HA!
My crazy son Luke and my husband Don on the roof being cowboys....

Miss Priss

Trying to pull the last part down.....
Finally they decide that they have to hook Caleb's big truck up to it and pull it that way....
Luke riding on the back of Caleb's truck as Mom starts to get nervous....ugh!
Hooking up to the tree......
Miss Priss and Myself....while serving lunch to the crew!
"Lumberjack Luke"
Ms. Karol, with Justin and Nick our neighbors on the other side of us.

Then most of the crew started on the neighbors behind us....until my husband got a call that his Warehouses and Offices were being LOOTED!!!! Then he and my boys and some friends left quickly to head to that part of town.....heavily ARMED.......to see what was happening and try to secure the buildings. UGH!!!

Me and Miss Priss had been serving sandwiches to the crew when the call came and we just continued to do so. But that call nearly robbed my joy at that point. I had been so very proud of everyone in our area here that were working so hard to help everyone around them......and then to get a call like that.

I was soooo angry that people would do such a thing. But some people use their lives to help others and some people use their lives for evil. That's just how it works.......sadly.

Long story short.....the warehouse doors had been "knocked in" etc. etc. and things in one area were secure and they weren't so sure about another area that wasn't looking too good. So they secured and boarded everything up the best they could for then. It was so frustrating to have to deal with that type of thing.Then it took them nearly 2 hours to get back home because the streets were so tree strewn and flooded. They ended up pulling one man out of a flooded ditch.
Once they got home.......we started back on working on people's yards.

Oh....did I mention it was raining pretty much all of this day?? No one minded the rain it kept us cool.....because it was hot and steamy here.

I will have more to talk to you about next time......