Pulling up stakes from Camp Ryder.

Well, the last of the Guys From Columbus have hit the trail, leaving the rest of us to try to match their work ethic and drive.

It's been an interesting month-ish. They came in and saw Slidell at its worst; they lived in RV's (Camp Ryder) and tried to help us set up the warehouse and show us how it could be run. Their practice (and patience with me!) has made me believe that I can do this strange job; live in this new work world.

The dust remains but someday Slidell will be green again. Someday knowing what's open and who's in business will be offhand remarks for me again.

Come back sometime, guys. See us when we're.... a bit more presentable, okay? Like, say, 2007?

Someone's going to unemployment, someone's going to work...

Another week goes by with Life After Katrina.

I heard an anecdote where someone from California says, "We're tired of Katrina."

YOU'RE TIRED?!?
Hell, try living with it day after messy day. We're tired of it, too.
We're tired of dead grass and dead trees and dead animals that crawled out of the polluted rivers and marshlands to die on the roads.

I'm tired of the dust and the dirt and lack of GREEN anywhere; tired of the traffic and the noise from the interstate- the trees that fell and crushed some of my neighbor's homes used to block a lot of noise from I-10.

I'm tired of having to rack my brains every time an out-of-towner asks we have store X around here and I have to begin every reply with "Well, we did..."

You know what, California?
We got tired of hearing about your rolling blackouts and the earthquakes and fires. We just were too polite to rub your noses in it. Our Mamas raised us better than to be rude to people who have suffered a natural calamity.

Tired of Katrina. Jeez.
Who isn't?