[StBernard] None So Blind

[Westley Annis]

I agree that people shouldn't feel like traitors because they can't deal
with the struggles of rebuilding for whatever their reasons. I don't have a
choice and will have to see it through (hell and high water) until my
husband retires in 5 years or we repair/sell. We just moved to SB 1 year
before Katrina (fine how do you do!) and are stuck with a 30 year mortgage
and nonrequired flood insurance. I was just warming up to life in SB and
still feel its pulse. I have no choice but to put caution aside and delve
into what optimism I have left, plant it and hope it grows. If we get hit
again this summer, then we can say "I give up" but at least we can say we
tried! Mudpie 



	----- Original Message -----
	
	Dave, You are correct. "Once bitten - twice shy?" How about an
exponential 
	of 1000x's?? It just seems that "erroring on the side of caution" is
very 
	short of what it should be: "Erroring on the side of safety,
common-sense, 
	and logic. Those who are not in allegiance to history repeating
itself, 
	would surely find themselves in as a part of repetition of history.
To me, 
	there WAS no greater place to live than St. Bernard Parish. But,
that 
	chapter of history (as in the Movie, "The Way it Was!")has been
written, 
	fulfilled and closed. Fortunately, good memories are great to have.
Sports, 
	family outings in the parish, and some really good people's
companies. All 
	are changed by a lighting bolt called Katrina. 
	
	The parish will be rebuilt, no doubt. With most of our friends,
relatives, 
	etc. separated this time. No degree of effort, expense, or levee
will keep 
	one secure during hurricane season. 
	
	My wife (in her grand degree of naiveness) said it amusingly, but in
this 
	statement didn't realize the scope now that she's in depression,
shock and 
	confusion: 
	
	She said, "Why don't they just move St. Bernard Parish over across
to the 
	northshore? There's plenty of square miles they can move the
people." 
	
	I couldn't agree with her more, because in her innocence and wisdom,
I 
	thought about it for a moment and wondered, "Why not? Folks would be
safer, 
	still be in hunting, fishing, sports, etc..? They would be safer and
have 
	lots more to do. 
	
	Then, I rethought: "Gawd, the prices of properties are 20x the value
of my 
	now $20,000 home and land that I can now afford thanks to Katrina. 
	
	Oh, the inhumanity of it all...Were we cursed because of Katrina and
our 
	sinful ways OR were we blessed as now we were in the mist of now
being in 
	good company, "The meek shall inherit the earth". ?? I wonder... 
	
	-jer-