Another survivor's tale

This just in from my lifelong friend, whose job at a French Quarter hotel kept her in town during the hurricane and beyond.

I had an exciting adventure staying at the hotel during the hurricane.  Roof damage, falling ceilings, breaking glass all during the hurricane.  After Katrina left went walking down Canal Street.  Wind damage galore, but no water.  That arrived on Tuesday.  It only got as far as Iberville Street in the Quarter,  but we still had looting and shooting (heard, not seen) going on.  I did have my cats with me, but no way to get out as we had no electricity to work the car elevator to get our cars down.  And we still had 12 guests who wouldn't leave!  One of our employee's relatives went into labor on Wednesday morning.  Thought I was going to have to deliver my first baby, but I was able to flag an emergency vehicle and we got her out.  Wednesday also brought help from the mayor's office.  We got an army truck to take the guests to a safe haven and then the rest of us crammed into the few cars and trucks available to us and left (taking all of our pets).  I was stuck in the back of a pickup truck for 6 1/2 hours traveling from New Orleans to Brookhaven, MS.  During this trip we had a blowout in our truck.  When they got out of the truck and took a look at how red I was, they decided to try to rent another vehicle (thank God) and continue on our way to Jackson MS.  We were there 2 days before getting back to Baton Rouge.  Excitement and adventure and no deaths!  I have been giving thanks like crazy.

 

I know I have water in my house but cannot get back to see how much.  A tree fell on Dad's house and cracked the facia.  We hope we can get it fixed before it rains again.  Paul only had cracked windows.  The 17th street canal went into Orleans, not Jefferson.

 

My family is safe.  All else is stuff.  I feel I am one of the lucky ones