With the ten year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent levee breaks in New Orleans on everyone's mind, it has been interesting to see the range of responses. There are some who seem to want to immerse themselves in flood waters all over again. Others are ignoring it all together. Then, there are those who fall into the middle somewhere.
I'd made up my mind not to dwell on it, but I'd share a story or some strong reminder if it floated to the surface. I'm calling these posts floaters!
During 2005, I'd been offering workshops at the Chatette. As it happened, I was in Cadrieu when the levees broke.
I'd made arrangements for Dali and Sam. Dali went with my brother when they evacuated and they eventually ended up in Ferguson. As it turned out, Sammie Cat stayed with Gaynell who had been house-sitting and caretaking for us.
I'd been in constant contact from Cadrieu. At first dawn, it appeared that everything was fine. Gaynell noted a beautiful sunshiny morning. Then, she described the huge wall of brown water that came down the street when the levees broke. From then on, getting in touch was difficult, but she would call me when she could.
On calls to Ferguson, I discovered that Dali wasn't happy. She'd been kept in the basement, which was something she wasn't used to. One too many times, my Mom told me what a "bad girl" she was and that my brother was having to go downstairs to keep her company so she wouldn't cry.
It was then I decided I needed to get back early, but not before I explained to my Mom: "Dali is not a 'bad girl'. You have to remember, Dali is used to sitting on the sofa with Sammie Cat while I play Moon River on Columbus Street!" There's the proof, above! My sweet, sweet, girls!
I was able to change my October return, to September...for a fee of course. Had I been returning to New Orleans it would have been no charge, but St. Louis didn't count. Tom and Adrianne picked me up at the airport, and Dali and I took up residence in the basement.
Here's a shot of Dali, Sam, and I in our Columbus Street kitchen during the spring of 2005 before the storm. Mike Kelly had come to visit and grabbed this memorable shot with the three of us together in the kitchen with the screaming color that is no more!
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