Thursday, July 06, 2006

A Good Day with Good News

Good news! Our plumber came by today to fix a leak! We need him to dig up the water lines in both the front and back yard and check for leaks and replace pipe broken with the hurricane trees fell. He did one small repair but having him here made me happy.

You may wonder why ALL of our storm repairs are not finished this long after Katrina. We waited our "turn" so that others who were in trailers or displaced could get their repairs done. Even now, it is very difficult to find someone to do repairs. I've called our plumber to ask for his help every week except the two I spent out of town (Homie Fest and G.A.). He came today out of compassion rather than being available.

Our roof will get an estimate tomorrow and I assume this carpenter will do the work. One never knows if an estimate even gets your name on the List.

The door man made an appointment with me for 11 am. today but didn't show. Maybe next week. If I had a call from someone wanting 10 French doors replaced, I'd hustle over for the business but since I don't want all my interior doors and windows replaced, my order is small.

The plumber went up $15 dollars on his per hour charge. This happens all over the storm zone.
Materials go up; workers (if you can get them) charge more. The insurance industry plays with the idea of compensating homeowners more but I don't have the name of any homeowner for whom this has happened.

Surprised that the world is a crap zone down here? I suppose you are. I am 80 something miles east of New Orleans. I live just east of where the Big Girl hit.

It's time for Anderson Cooper to come down here again. The local newspaper says your President is considering his "11th" visit but those visits take our police off the local watch, cost the cities and towns money and, well, nothing happens. As we say down here, "it's a waste 'o time".

My new favorite expression here in the Zone is "I've run out of give a damn".

The hospital is putting on programs around the area to help parents with parenting in a disaster zone. The speaker is a big deal from Harvard who we are delighted to have visit us. He knows something about trauma and will bring some of his students. I love how people have come to help us! He'll do several lectures around the area and will speak to trauma issues for all of us. I hope to hear him tomorrow morning.

Yours,
St. Casserole

6 comments:

Questing Parson said...

A few weeks back I had occasion to drive from NW Georgia to Houston, passing through your area. I was astonished at how little seemingly had been done. Your post gives a face to what I suspected I saw. Amazing!

Unknown said...

I can only imagine in part how wearing it is to live under such circumstances. Thanks for keeping this in front of us, St. Casserole.

NotShyChiRev said...

My great fear is that as a nation, we've 'run out of give a damn' about the plight of the millions who share your story and your more than justifiable frustration.

Know that there are millions of us who still give quite a damn about you...about all of you...and we will continue to raise our voices and our votes until things have changed.

Grace and peace and prayers for a gulf free of tropical shenanigans.

Jules said...

I will always have some 'give a damn' for you.

Cathy said...

I think you would get more done if Anderson Cooper came than if the president paid a visit.

Anonymous said...

st c.,

I hear you. Our factory building should have been completed at the end of March!! It's still not finished. We have to lease another plant at night but at least 50 more people are employed. Hopefully, the other 50 will be working by the middle of August.


We will have power urned on to the new building tomorrow!!

And yes, my sister's insurance actually came back, re-opened her file and finally gave her the rest of her coverage due so she can finish the repairs to her house. Don't feel bad about the door. All the windows at her house needed to be replaced. It took three months for them to get in.

And there are more voluteers coming in August. HandsOnGulfCoast is set to start building 100 homes to replace those lost during Katrina.

There's just so much to be done. But I see the faces of the young volunteers who are molding, mudding and cleaning. It gives me hope to see their cheerful faces helping out all over the place.

Chib up. It will get better. And do you need an electrician? I was able to get one for my sister in TWO hours!