home without hubby for weekend

[pkq]

fishdr, I grew up in Florien then lived in Lake Charles for 18 years. Graduated from McNeese in Lake Charles. USL is now University of Louisiana. Don't know when the name changed but it's been in the last 8 years. They tried to change it during the 80's but the entire higher education system rose in opposition thinking it would detract and confuse people about LSU. I went to McNeese because Lake Charles is near Holly Beach, wiped out by Rita, and near Toledo Bend Lake. My uncle had property both places and I had keys to everything.

solobiker, why not post pix?

[DrBee]

yeah solobiker - I want to see pics! Hubby's learning how to do segmented bowls at the turners workshop today and is getting some good advice on the pens.

pkq - I received my dr from USL the year it turned to ULL (ooh la la) - 2000. I still call it USL, though. My hubby is from LaPlace (over by NO). I have a friend that works for NOAA that is in charge of wetlands/coastal areas in western LA. He said Holly Beach was completely leveled. I did some collections in that area during grad school - it's hard to imagine. Let's hope this year is better.

[pkq]

If you want to see photos of before and after Rita of Holly Beach, I have some at a photobucket account http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ricane%20Rita/. My uncle's camp was front row. We fell asleep at night watching the oil rig lights twinkle with the waves. High tide, in those days, always came underneath the camp and often crossed the road behind the camp. They put in breakers to prevent coastal erosion, hauled in sand, and the results were amazing. It's really hard to imagine Holly Beach gone. I'd gone there since the 60's.

I've heard of LaPlace but never been there. Been to NO a number of times and Lafayette more times than I can count.

Did you ever do the canoe trip in the Atchafalaya Basin? I tried to do that several years running but it never materialized. Imagine it's gorgeous back in the swamps.

[DrBee]

pkq - wow that is devastating. The real shame is that the damage caused by Rita has been completely lost in the chaos that Katrina left behind. From what I've heard, they can't even get contractors to come in and make repairs because they are all working in NO - and being paid very well. It's so wierd to see the pictures - having been there. I can only imagine what it must be like for you.

I never did get the chance to go canoeing in the Atchafalaya. We did do some in Lake Martin - some nice egret rookeries there. My postdoc lived in the middle of the Atchafalaya. The pics of her house are amazing. She literally has alligators in her back yard.

[pkq]

Lake Charles, Cameron, Sulphur, etc. are having trouble getting contractors. Materials are not easy to get either. My niece's family is still living with her mother. Some friends should move back in next week. You probably won't hear much from SWLA because the people just roll up their sleeves and get to work w/o much complaining. They are pretty independent and self-reliant. It's just a part of life, to them, you have to live with. I have photos in a powerpoint file of SWLA post Rita, which is hard to imagine. Water in places I've never seen water.

Believe it or not, occasionally gators will show up in Sulphur and Lake Charles. They are pretty harmless though. In all the years crabbing in the bayous near Holly Beach and skiing the waterways of Lake Charles, one never bothered me. They simply floated on by with those beady little eyes. Pretty cool!

[DrBee]

I don't know if you've ever been on the ULL campus - there is a small cypress swamp right smack in the middle of campus - alligators and all. We used to sit on the brick wall by the union and eat lunch (that's how I met my husband). We'd feed the alligators pieces of our sandwiches. Funny - only the biologists would sit on the wall. The gators used to lay eggs in there - never produced anything though.

I'd love to see the power point file - could you email it to me?

[pkq]

I've been on the USL campus but not since the 80's. I have vague memories now.

I pm'd you to get your e-mail address. Will be glad to send the file to you.