Fast recap

Given the time, this will be really short:

Got picked up by an interior crew this AM. We went to house #1 and after some walls were taken down it was decided that it was not safe so we left it for job 2. Here we took down a ceiling...or at least about a half of it until the owner came in (in a less than happy mood) and told us he wanted to leave the sagging (and in parts water damaged) ceiling up. Uh, ok.

And then Job #3 was done by the time we got there, so all in all not the most productive of AMs. While this was a bad thing, I would rather take it as good news that there are few homes still in need of gutting in the E. Biloxi area.

Since it was July 4th, we took the afternoon off. Some people had a cook-out, others got pizza, we decided to go to New Orleans.

St. Bernard Parish and MUCH of New Orleans remain in horrible conditions. I really can not stress enough the importance of getting others (many others!) down to help. Mile after mile of good homes, bad homes, all homes were damaged. In many parts of the region no homes are habitable now 10+ months after the storm first hit.

Then we made a stop at the Handson New Orleans site. It is really going well. I had seen it just before it opened in March and it definitely is MUCH more crowded. Spoke with John who said much of their work is gutting interiors still.

After that we went to the French Quarter and came upon a parade where many sets of beads were collected I have 6 bead necklaces on right now as I type this). Then walked around for a few hours until the fireworks began.

Then the much longer drive back to Biloxi.

Lesson learned (remembered): New Orleans and vicinity need much help in their recovery!!!