Vacation musings

Just stepped out onto the back deck to water my plants. It's like a sewer out there, hot, humid and skanky. The pond is down and full of algae which adds to the general atmosphere of fetid, standing water - I can only imagine what those poor peeps down in Katrina's path are going through. The funny thing is - the husband and I were scheduled to head down that way. We were supposed to leave Saturday morning and were going to be joining our dear friends, the Popes, for a celebratory gin bowl. We had been kind of following Katrina as she came in across Florida but thought it's path was going to be through the Florida panhandle, not NOLA. We decided not to go because the NM start-up the husband was working on cratered in a big way. Neither of us were in too good a mood after that and the thought of making the long drive into that NO heat wasn't too appealing.

We would have been staying at the yummy Windsor Court Hotel so you know we just weren't in the mood. I hate to think what's happened to the Windsor Court. It's located off Canal down by the Harrahs. There's even a Saks Fifth Avenue across the way. Or there was. You can see how close to the water it is located.

We finally got a hold of the Popes last night. They are evacuees and are staying in a motel in Alexandria. They are staying in a freeway motel that is jammed to the rafters. Pets are allowed and last night there was a big dogfight in the corridor outside their room. They are getting booted today, but don't know where to go. They've got Mrs. Pope's 88 yo mother with them, Mr. Pope's parents visiting from California and their son, Jason. They feel fortunate to have escaped the storm's damage but are chomping at the bit to see if they have homes left.

We're keeping them in our thoughts and prayers.