Welcome.....
To my world of the weird, the strange, the unexplained.........
no, I'm just kidding, this is a happy place......OK, maybe I am just a little weird.
It is Tuesday, 3 days after hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf of Mexico, destroying, New Orleans (by way of flood), Gulfport and Biloxi, MS. These ocean front cities have been obliterated by the storm. The levees broke in New Orleans and 80% of the city is underwater. People are stranded..in their homes, on roof tops, in places unknown. There is no communication, no fresh water, no food, no electricity, nothing. Absolutely, nothing. Everyone is in shock and those of us in other parts of the country are saddened beyond words.
Gulfport is our favorite vacation spot. We have been there 3 times and were planning on returning this fall. Now it is completely wiped out. Our little hotel with the view of the ocean, the little seaside restaurants, seaworld, and it's museum, the shrimp boat trips, the casinos and most important the beautiful beach and pier that we couldn't wait to get to when we were working so hard at the pumpkin farm, have all disappeared, unrecognizable now. I remember driving, getting out of the car and literally running down the pier to the benches at the end, sitting down with Bill in the evening fog and just breathing a sigh of happiness at being there. A moment I will never forget!
Here is one of my favorite pictures. This was taken with me standing by the ocean and facing the city lights of the casinos, restaurants, night clubs and hotels lining the beach. Such a beautiful sight! Now , all gone. I will keep this picture in my mind and remember when it was still beautiful.
I know that everyone is feeling this sorrow, both in the gulf and all around our country.
I just had to get my feelings out.
Everything here is fine. All family members are well. I wish Preston could come home, but I will just have to be patient until he does. I sent him a box of goodies from me and mom to let him know we are thinking about him. Amanda has kept us posted on things and she is doing fine too!
Things are winding down at the ice cream shoppe, only 10 more days. Then off to Relleke Pumpkin farm in October. Then onto vacation....wherever it may lead us....who knows now.
I will try to think happy thoughts, but it is difficult right now.
August 18th was the Clay Aiken concert in Indianapolia, IN. Bill took mom and I and we spent the day at the fair. It was very humid. A storm was brewing just north of us all day, so it was very miserable. Still we had a great time. First we looked at things around the fair, like the prize winning chickens....
The Midway.......
and interesting places to eat......
Soon we got a call from Doris. We were to meet with many of our friends from the Clayboard that we have been posting to for the last 2 years. We were very excited to meet them. Here is a picture of the first group, the Cellmates Unplugged thread on the Clayboard...
and the original Cellmates which are now on the "Sistah's of the traveling pants" thread..
Then onto the concert which was a fantastic mixture of "Jukebox" hits from the 50's, 60's, 70's 80's, 90's and present. Clay was fantastic and did a "killer" Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis. What can I say, the man can sing anything. His Livin' La Vida Loca was to die for. All of the dancing he did was something new, but we always knew he had it in him.
And, of course, the star of the show...and the reason we were all there..........
