Dee,
Thank goodness! I was too new to know if everybody was accounted for, but I'd pretty much figured out you were missing. Here's to your life returning to normal as soon as possible. As Pam said, "Stay safe!"

Fifty

Dee, I'm glad you and your husband are safe and that you didn't lose everything.

God be with you,

Daisygirl

I live in Phoenix and have been literally glued to the television. I am just devastated at what is happening due to this storm. It brought tears to my eyes last night in watching people in our country suffering.

My prayers go out to everyone who has been affected by this storm. And for those women who post on boomer, thank goodness you are okay. Please let all of us know if there is anything we can do to help.

Teresa

Wow...what a warm outpouring of concern and love from all of you. For those of you who sent me a person email I plan on getting to those very soon...thank you for your love and support.

I'll try to answer all the questions I can from where I am...however, I'm pretty isolated from where the real problems are. First, here in Mobile the correctional facility/prison was not evacuated...however, I understand the water was up to within inches of coming in...all I know is it wasn't dangerous enough to evacuate the prisioners...however in New Orleans, the story was different...they had all the prisioners outside on a part of the highway.

My husband received pictures from the railroad of the damage done on the way to New Orleans rails...it's devastating...we were both in shock...it could be months before he's able to work again...this storm is affecting everyone in some way either by their homes, lives lost, cost of gasoline...somehow, someway every American is affected. We have all been hurt by this storm.

As far as the folks who did not leave...a lot of them could not...if you've never been to New Orleans let me tell you that there's so much poverty there...it was the highest crime hitting city in America with the most homosides...I think they said 30% of the people there lived on below the minimum wage...it's basically these people (the bulk) who were stuck...they had no money, no vehicles, no way to leave. Tourists, I understand are also stuck because the airport was shut down and no one was being allowed to leave...or anyone else who did have the money to leave.
I have very close friends who live in Biloxi and Gulfport who I've not heard from yet and don't know if they are okay or not. I used to work at the Seabee Base in Gulfport and was told that at one point those in the command center could not get out because of the downed powerlines...I'm pretty sure the base there got hit pretty badly. Another friend of mine who is a retired vet with 3 children (she was raising them alone) lived near the RR by the Grand Casino...the Grand Casino has been destroyed...I do not know if she got out and I'm pretty sure her home has been destroyed. We just do not know where these people are and have no way of finding out if they're okay or not.

I guess I'm more tender hearted when it comes to having sympathy for those still stuck in New Orleans...I don't think it's the average citizen who could not get out who is putting our troops in harms way...It's the hoodelums who have no respect or concerns for anyone but themselves who are to blame...when I see the hospital victims, the tiny babies, the mother's, the old people...these people did not cause this and should not be blamed because they could not get out. Yes, there were those stupid ones who thought they could ride out a category storm 4/5...but I think if they survived their thinking has changed...as have their lives.
I'm not a politician and I don't like to talk politics, but New Orleans officials knew this could happens and it was politics that has kept this city from being able to respond in the way they should have...I hope this is a wake up call for the rest of the country in what could happen if other cities were put in harms way from any kind of disaster that could affect thousands and thousands of lives. I'm certain that our Federal/state/city Gov's will look at what went wrong/what they did wrong and what they could have done within the following weeks/months/years.
The bottom line is there are thousands of people dying and suffering at the moment from lack of planning/action by those we put in power...if this is an example of how they handle things here at home then I think we could be in trouble. I don't normally like to preach politics...but, having been so close to this I think it's time this nation wakes up at what can happen in our own country.
Again, thank you all for you concerns and well wishes of love. I am touched more than I can ever say...my life is wonderful compared to so many others...I cannot complain about anything...we're back up and running and although my husband's job prospects are questionble at the moment, we'll ride through this one way or another...I'll send some photos of the railroad to those who would like to see them...it's unbelieveable.
God's speed and pray, pray, pray.
I love you all
Dee

Dee, it is so nice to know you & your husband are allright!!! A nice happy piece of news to start the day!

My shock & dispair have turned to ANGER over what is going on down south. I have seen 1-2 reporters telling you the honest truth to what is happening.

I can not believe how these people are being treated. I was aware that they are mostly lower income/below poverty leval families--but that is no excuse to treat any human being like dirt.

You know if this happened in a high income area-those people would have had food/water & have been evacuated out of the city within days!

I had been thinking about the time I had gone to see the plantation houses. I remember driving along the roadway & you'd see these gorgeous old houses....then little shacks that looked like they didn't even have electricity. I remember seeing a group of elderly men sitting on a porch-waving at the passing cars. I couldn't grasp how anyone could live like that.

As I got to know the south better--I found it wasn't about wealth or material items. The people were all loving,caring & welcoming human beings. And they were happy with what they had--because most didn't know any other life.

I can only hope every last person who is in dire need knows there are millions of people hoping-praying & thinking of them.

Unfortunately, in the south, color dictates too much of what goes on...I hate it, I detest prejudice of any kind. I truly believe that 'race' didn't so much have to do with who stayed and who got out...as much as poverty...who could afford to leave and who could not...just a guess by what I've seen so far...the president arrived just awhile ago here in Mobile...and is on his way to look at the rest of the gulf coast...it's a mess...my husband tried to get diesel earlier and the lines are so bad he just returned home...not worth it at the moment...this is unbelievable.

As Unique said so many poor had no where to go and no way to get there. Some said they had no TV or radios even and were unaware of the severity of what was headed their way. All that is a mute point now anyway. These people need all the help they can get and the dead need all our prayers. I am so happy to report that may Country and Western stars have jumped on the money train and are starting to do large concerts to get money for relief and will continue to do them for many, many months, maybe even years. I understand 30 countries have offered us aid of whatever kind is needed. So I'll eat my words, shut my mouth, drop to my knees and continue praying. I have already been working and gathering boxes of clothing, food and cash for the rescued families. These items will be picked up by my Church for forwarding. Thank God our Dee and her husband are okay and any others near Katrinas path. Those looters and raping thugs should be put on an Island and left there to die in agony and that is too good for them....

[ September 02, 2005, 06:55 PM: Message edited by: chatty lady ]

God Bless you Chatty Lady...an angel...I think now is the time to show/feel compassion. Thanks for your concern and love.

My niece had just gone down to college at Ole Miss, she is fine. My son lives in Montgomery and his neighborhood was hit by a tornado but his immediate neighborhood was spared. Gasoline or lack of will hurt him as he does landscaping work.

God knows what he's doing so I know he'll provide something for him.

I'm so happy all of my boomer sisters are OK. i haven't been here much lately, but I had you all in my heart in prayers.

Gosh, thank God for all your posts and discussions. "Poverty, age, or skin color" is what I just heard on TV in relation to WHY this got so dire. It is so sad. The elderly dying in the airport, on the street, in thier wheelchairs. Unbelievable. LLL