Katrina
 

Whenever there is a natural disaster, the tsunami in the Indian Ocean
for example, the world community expects the United States to help.

When a natural disaster hits the USA, the world community is silent.


where are they when the coastal United States needs them now? This
disaster will affect not only the country's economy, but probably the
world's.........ah well, life goes on, does it not? And the hurricane
season is only half over.......

Hi Marilyn, we were asking this same question in another group
"madgardener" wrote in message
...
Whenever there is a natural disaster, the tsunami in the Indian Ocean
for example, the world community expects the United States to help.

When a natural disaster hits the USA, the world community is silent.


where are they when the coastal United States needs them now? This
disaster will affect not only the country's economy, but probably the
world's.........ah well, life goes on, does it not? And the hurricane
season is only half over.......

"Marsha" wrote in message
...
Hi Marilyn, we were asking this same question in another group

I just wonder what it's going to take to wake people up to the inevitability
of gas rationing, and astronomical prices of food, products, etc. I mean,
do they realize that despite we're still in the end days of summer, we're
approaching fall, and there are a lot of people who heat their homes with
oil? (I have a heat pump that works off of electricity, and for back up
during power outs, a simple fireplace in one room with an electric blower
which of course won't work during a power outage, but at least I can open
the doors g) and that oil will be so highly priced they'll have to decide
wheather to be cold or buy high priced food?

sigh.................we ain't seen nothing yet on how this hurricane has
affected the country.................................(I was horrified
yesterday by them showing the main pipeline that runs from New Orleans up
thru to New York that has a major break in it....... I mean, wanna just send
flyers out to potential terrorists for strike targets?? Geeze! and no, I
don't normally worry about stuff like that, I mean, I live less than 60
miles from Oak Ridge for crying out loud, I won't have time to do more than
put my head between my knees and kiss my arse goodbye if something were to
happen over there............

Howze yer gardening going, lady? haven't heard from you in awhile. I've been
laying low, myself letting the weedy grasses overtake the pathways, and
enjoying the multitude of flowers that persist despite my lack of
involvement. Depression and disaster are interesting bedmates. I've been
struggling all summer. But at least I'm safe. I feel badly for the people
down in the gulf. And if it weren't for the fact that I am the
transportation for my son's job responsibilities, I'd pack up and go down
there and do what I could to help. I'd feel much better doing that, believe
me.

thanks for hollering back.
maddie

"madgardener" wrote in message
...
Whenever there is a natural disaster, the tsunami in the Indian Ocean
for example, the world community expects the United States to help.

When a natural disaster hits the USA, the world community is silent.


where are they when the coastal United States needs them now? This
disaster will affect not only the country's economy, but probably the
world's.........ah well, life goes on, does it not? And the hurricane
season is only half over.......

The attitude is we can afford to assist our own. In the aftermath of the
tsunami, many of the effected areas were not near airports with runways
large enough to accommodate transport aircraft, and those that were, did not
have the equipment necessary to unload and distribute relief supplies.

That is why the marines and navy were deployed into those areas. Any city in
America has sufficient roads and an army of forklift operators, truck
drivers and near an airport capable of landing a transport airplane, so we
don't really need to park an aircraft carrier to act as a mobile airport and
air traffic controller. Every sheriff's department and fire department in
the country has a trained Search and Rescue (SAR) team, so we don't need SAR
teams from Europe

The problem is, if we weren't at war, the national guard from every
neighboring state would have been activated to assist with security, clean
up and search/rescue. The problem is of course, all the equipment, and
guardsmen are busy searching for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ne...rd+new+orleans

The first story is about the Iowa national guard sending 6 guardsmen and
some generators to a hospital, they should be sending way more then that.

-S

It's horrifying
"madgardener" wrote in message
...

"Marsha" wrote in message
...
Hi Marilyn, we were asking this same question in another group

I just wonder what it's going to take to wake people up to the
inevitability of gas rationing, and astronomical prices of food, products,
etc. I mean, do they realize that despite we're still in the end days of
summer, we're approaching fall, and there are a lot of people who heat
their homes with oil? (I have a heat pump that works off of electricity,
and for back up during power outs, a simple fireplace in one room with an
electric blower which of course won't work during a power outage, but at
least I can open the doors g) and that oil will be so highly priced
they'll have to decide wheather to be cold or buy high priced food?

sigh.................we ain't seen nothing yet on how this hurricane has
affected the country.................................(I was horrified
yesterday by them showing the main pipeline that runs from New Orleans up
thru to New York that has a major break in it....... I mean, wanna just
send flyers out to potential terrorists for strike targets?? Geeze! and
no, I don't normally worry about stuff like that, I mean, I live less than
60 miles from Oak Ridge for crying out loud, I won't have time to do more
than put my head between my knees and kiss my arse goodbye if something
were to happen over there............

Howze yer gardening going, lady? haven't heard from you in awhile. I've
been laying low, myself letting the weedy grasses overtake the pathways,
and enjoying the multitude of flowers that persist despite my lack of
involvement. Depression and disaster are interesting bedmates. I've been
struggling all summer. But at least I'm safe. I feel badly for the people
down in the gulf. And if it weren't for the fact that I am the
transportation for my son's job responsibilities, I'd pack up and go down
there and do what I could to help. I'd feel much better doing that,
believe me.

thanks for hollering back.
maddie

and we ain't seen nothing yet on the effects this is gonna have I
realize,son works at Lowes at night stocking his store he used to work days
in plumbing......he doesn't have a CLUE what is about to unfold in regards
to products, deliveries, availabilities, etc................life is about to
change in ways people haven't seen since Depression days. good thing I'm a
pack rat when it comes to food supplies.........which reminds me, I need to
hit Wally world for arse wipe and liquid soap while I can and while gas is
ONLY $2.69 a gallon...........sigh...................
maddie
"Marsha" wrote in message
...
It's horrifying
"madgardener" wrote in message
...

"Marsha" wrote in message
...
Hi Marilyn, we were asking this same question in another group

I just wonder what it's going to take to wake people up to the
inevitability of gas rationing, and astronomical prices of food,
products, etc. I mean, do they realize that despite we're still in the
end days of summer, we're approaching fall, and there are a lot of people
who heat their homes with oil? (I have a heat pump that works off of
electricity, and for back up during power outs, a simple fireplace in one
room with an electric blower which of course won't work during a power
outage, but at least I can open the doors g) and that oil will be so
highly priced they'll have to decide wheather to be cold or buy high
priced food?

sigh.................we ain't seen nothing yet on how this hurricane has
affected the country.................................(I was horrified
yesterday by them showing the main pipeline that runs from New Orleans up
thru to New York that has a major break in it....... I mean, wanna just
send flyers out to potential terrorists for strike targets?? Geeze! and
no, I don't normally worry about stuff like that, I mean, I live less
than 60 miles from Oak Ridge for crying out loud, I won't have time to do
more than put my head between my knees and kiss my arse goodbye if
something were to happen over there............

Howze yer gardening going, lady? haven't heard from you in awhile. I've
been laying low, myself letting the weedy grasses overtake the pathways,
and enjoying the multitude of flowers that persist despite my lack of
involvement. Depression and disaster are interesting bedmates. I've been
struggling all summer. But at least I'm safe. I feel badly for the people
down in the gulf. And if it weren't for the fact that I am the
transportation for my son's job responsibilities, I'd pack up and go down
there and do what I could to help. I'd feel much better doing that,
believe me.

thanks for hollering back.
maddie

"Snooze" wrote in message
...
The attitude is we can afford to assist our own. In the aftermath of the
tsunami, many of the effected areas were not near airports with runways
large enough to accommodate transport aircraft, and those that were, did
not have the equipment necessary to unload and distribute relief supplies.

understood, didja see those pictures of I-10 and the causeway? I also
watched CBS the other night when they decided on short notice to take "the
backroads of 190" and pointed out that major roads were bad enough, but for
rural back road communities, a 200 year old oak tree across the only road
was more devistating than anyone who doesn't understand this can comprehend.
I lived in an area where if the train was running, you sat until it passed.
Nevermind that the only grocery store was on the other side....you had to
wait. I can well imagine if the backroads to this disaster haven't even
been thought about....................little things lift my thoughts
though......like that Turkish man in front of his little Po-boy and
convenient store who was saying he was staying open to feed anyone who
needed food, that he could cook over a pit.............that speaks of the
core of what america used to be and possibly is still.

I like to hope that in the face of more disasters that would affect MORE of
the country, we'd come together and tell the rest of the world to take care
of their own...........how I wish our son's and daughters were home taking
care of their own business in their own part of their country. I can't
imagine how the people who are FROM the area's hit hard are dealing with the
fact that their homes, possibly their families are gone for
good.........will the military let them come home to seek out their families
and assess the damages, or will they just have to find out when information
is released?

That is why the marines and navy were deployed into those areas. Any city
in America has sufficient roads and an army of forklift operators, truck
drivers and near an airport capable of landing a transport airplane, so we
don't really need to park an aircraft carrier to act as a mobile airport
and air traffic controller. Every sheriff's department and fire department
in the country has a trained Search and Rescue (SAR) team, so we don't
need SAR teams from Europe

good point. and you gave me a ponder to think about..............

The problem is, if we weren't at war, the national guard from every
neighboring state would have been activated to assist with security, clean
up and search/rescue. The problem is of course, all the equipment, and
guardsmen are busy searching for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

oh yes, and didn't you hear? there were NO
MDI's.........................................I feel that if shrub really
wanted Iraq for the oil, why doesn't he just come out and SAY it, we have
the troops, we have the equipment, just take the country, take the oil and
sort out the terrorists from the rest of the folks who just wanna live in
peace, set up shop and build a few refinaries since the EPA isn't gonna slow
things down over there.....................and no, I didn't vote for the
bastage........................................... ..............boy does the
Bayou boys song take credence here right now.........(no pun intended)
(Creedence Clearwater Revival) Bad Moon rising...........

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ne...rd+new+orleans

The first story is about the Iowa national guard sending 6 guardsmen and
some generators to a hospital, they should be sending way more then that.

-S


just makes me tired. and how sad, shrub had to break off his vacation
early.......enough of this, I'm going outside to watch the frogs that live
in my BBQ pit fountain, and the hummingbirds who are oblivious of nothing
else but my late summer buffet, and pick a few ripe figs and thank the gods
for a sunny day, heat, and humidity all.
madgardener

As an aside to the storm, I am absolutely over-run with hummingbirds. I had
lots of hummingbird attractant flowers in my yard, and the storm knocked all
the blooms off. I had taken down the feeders, so the wind wouldn't get
them. The evening of the storm, I had cooked over a campstove, was sitting
outside eating and oh my gosh, got bombed by a hummer. I immediately put
down my dinner and filled up and re-hung the feeders. The little darlings
must have put out the word because it is hummingbird heaven. A bright spot
in all this mess.
Perry
Houma, LA
southwest of New Orleans

"madgardener" wrote in message
...

"Snooze" wrote in message
...
The attitude is we can afford to assist our own. In the aftermath of the
tsunami, many of the effected areas were not near airports with runways
large enough to accommodate transport aircraft, and those that were, did
not have the equipment necessary to unload and distribute relief
supplies.

understood, didja see those pictures of I-10 and the causeway? I also
watched CBS the other night when they decided on short notice to take "the
backroads of 190" and pointed out that major roads were bad enough, but
for rural back road communities, a 200 year old oak tree across the only
road was more devistating than anyone who doesn't understand this can
comprehend. I lived in an area where if the train was running, you sat
until it passed. Nevermind that the only grocery store was on the other
side....you had to wait. I can well imagine if the backroads to this
disaster haven't even been thought about....................little things
lift my thoughts though......like that Turkish man in front of his little
Po-boy and convenient store who was saying he was staying open to feed
anyone who needed food, that he could cook over a pit.............that
speaks of the core of what america used to be and possibly is still.

I like to hope that in the face of more disasters that would affect MORE
of the country, we'd come together and tell the rest of the world to take
care of their own...........how I wish our son's and daughters were home
taking care of their own business in their own part of their country. I
can't imagine how the people who are FROM the area's hit hard are dealing
with the fact that their homes, possibly their families are gone for
good.........will the military let them come home to seek out their
families and assess the damages, or will they just have to find out when
information is released?

That is why the marines and navy were deployed into those areas. Any city
in America has sufficient roads and an army of forklift operators, truck
drivers and near an airport capable of landing a transport airplane, so
we don't really need to park an aircraft carrier to act as a mobile
airport and air traffic controller. Every sheriff's department and fire
department in the country has a trained Search and Rescue (SAR) team, so
we don't need SAR teams from Europe

good point. and you gave me a ponder to think about..............

The problem is, if we weren't at war, the national guard from every
neighboring state would have been activated to assist with security,
clean up and search/rescue. The problem is of course, all the equipment,
and guardsmen are busy searching for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

oh yes, and didn't you hear? there were NO
MDI's.........................................I feel that if shrub really
wanted Iraq for the oil, why doesn't he just come out and SAY it, we have
the troops, we have the equipment, just take the country, take the oil and
sort out the terrorists from the rest of the folks who just wanna live in
peace, set up shop and build a few refinaries since the EPA isn't gonna
slow things down over there.....................and no, I didn't vote for
the bastage........................................... ..............boy
does the Bayou boys song take credence here right now.........(no pun
intended) (Creedence Clearwater Revival) Bad Moon rising...........

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ne...rd+new+orleans

The first story is about the Iowa national guard sending 6 guardsmen and
some generators to a hospital, they should be sending way more then that.

-S


just makes me tired. and how sad, shrub had to break off his vacation
early.......enough of this, I'm going outside to watch the frogs that live
in my BBQ pit fountain, and the hummingbirds who are oblivious of nothing
else but my late summer buffet, and pick a few ripe figs and thank the
gods for a sunny day, heat, and humidity all.
madgardener

interesting that some not so friendly countries, such as Venezuela,
Germany, Saudi Arabia, and Russia, have offered help. I could not find
mention of help from the UK or Italy, both current allies in Iraq.

madgardener wrote:
which reminds me, I need to
hit Wally world for arse wipe and liquid soap while I can and while gas is
ONLY $2.69 a gallon...........sigh...................
maddie

Gas hit the $3.00 mark here this morning in Cleveland Ohio.

Jean

"madgardener" wrote in message
...

sigh.................we ain't seen nothing yet on how this hurricane has
affected the country.................................(I was horrified
yesterday by them showing the main pipeline that runs from New Orleans up
thru to New York that has a major break in it....... I mean, wanna just
send flyers out to potential terrorists for strike targets?? Geeze! and
no, I don't normally worry about stuff like that, I mean, I live less than
60 miles from Oak Ridge for crying out loud, I won't have time to do more
than put my head between my knees and kiss my arse goodbye if something
were to happen over there............


The biggest threat to gas pipe lines, which run across every state and
through almost every major town are inattentive backhoe operators. About a
year ago contractors for the alameda county water district hit the gasoline
pipeline with a backhoe, it ended up sending flames a hundred feet into the
air. Fortunately damage to the pipeline is rarely fatal to anyone except
the backhoe operator and the nearby crew.

The pipelines are clearly marked, and if you call the power company, they'll
even tell you where the natural gas and electric pipelines are. I bet the
public utilities commission has maps of where the gasoline pipelines are.
Their location is not exactly a secret.

At the most, attacking a gas pipeline would cause a spike in gas prices, but
so does a worm fart, otherwise big whoop.

-S

"madgardener" wrote in message
...
and we ain't seen nothing yet on the effects this is gonna have I
realize,son works at Lowes at night stocking his store he used to work
days in plumbing......he doesn't have a CLUE what is about to unfold in
regards to products, deliveries, availabilities, etc................life
is about to change in ways people haven't seen since Depression days. good
thing I'm a pack rat when it comes to food supplies.........which reminds
me, I need to hit Wally world for arse wipe and liquid soap while I can
and while gas is ONLY $2.69 a gallon...........sigh...................
maddie
"Marsha" wrote in message
...
It's horrifying
"madgardener" wrote in message
...

"Marsha" wrote in message
...
Hi Marilyn, we were asking this same question in another group

I just wonder what it's going to take to wake people up to the
inevitability of gas rationing, and astronomical prices of food,
products, etc. I mean, do they realize that despite we're still in the
end days of summer, we're approaching fall, and there are a lot of
people who heat their homes with oil? (I have a heat pump that works off
of electricity, and for back up during power outs, a simple fireplace in
one room with an electric blower which of course won't work during a
power outage, but at least I can open the doors g) and that oil will
be so highly priced they'll have to decide wheather to be cold or buy
high priced food?

sigh.................we ain't seen nothing yet on how this hurricane has
affected the country.................................(I was horrified
yesterday by them showing the main pipeline that runs from New Orleans
up thru to New York that has a major break in it....... I mean, wanna
just send flyers out to potential terrorists for strike targets??
Geeze! and no, I don't normally worry about stuff like that, I mean, I
live less than 60 miles from Oak Ridge for crying out loud, I won't have
time to do more than put my head between my knees and kiss my arse
goodbye if something were to happen over there............

Howze yer gardening going, lady? haven't heard from you in awhile. I've
been laying low, myself letting the weedy grasses overtake the pathways,
and enjoying the multitude of flowers that persist despite my lack of
involvement. Depression and disaster are interesting bedmates. I've
been struggling all summer. But at least I'm safe. I feel badly for the
people down in the gulf. And if it weren't for the fact that I am the
transportation for my son's job responsibilities, I'd pack up and go
down there and do what I could to help. I'd feel much better doing that,
believe me.

thanks for hollering back.
maddie

Oops! Here's an address to find your better gas prices.
http://www.gasbuddy.com/

BetsyB


"madgardener" wrote in message
...
and we ain't seen nothing yet on the effects this is gonna have I
realize,son works at Lowes at night stocking his store he used to work
days in plumbing......he doesn't have a CLUE what is about to unfold in
regards to products, deliveries, availabilities, etc................life
is about to change in ways people haven't seen since Depression days. good
thing I'm a pack rat when it comes to food supplies.........which reminds
me, I need to hit Wally world for arse wipe and liquid soap while I can
and while gas is ONLY $2.69 a gallon...........sigh...................
maddie
"Marsha" wrote in message
...
It's horrifying
"madgardener" wrote in message
...

"Marsha" wrote in message
...
Hi Marilyn, we were asking this same question in another group

I just wonder what it's going to take to wake people up to the
inevitability of gas rationing, and astronomical prices of food,
products, etc. I mean, do they realize that despite we're still in the
end days of summer, we're approaching fall, and there are a lot of
people who heat their homes with oil? (I have a heat pump that works off
of electricity, and for back up during power outs, a simple fireplace in
one room with an electric blower which of course won't work during a
power outage, but at least I can open the doors g) and that oil will
be so highly priced they'll have to decide wheather to be cold or buy
high priced food?

sigh.................we ain't seen nothing yet on how this hurricane has
affected the country.................................(I was horrified
yesterday by them showing the main pipeline that runs from New Orleans
up thru to New York that has a major break in it....... I mean, wanna
just send flyers out to potential terrorists for strike targets??
Geeze! and no, I don't normally worry about stuff like that, I mean, I
live less than 60 miles from Oak Ridge for crying out loud, I won't have
time to do more than put my head between my knees and kiss my arse
goodbye if something were to happen over there............

Howze yer gardening going, lady? haven't heard from you in awhile. I've
been laying low, myself letting the weedy grasses overtake the pathways,
and enjoying the multitude of flowers that persist despite my lack of
involvement. Depression and disaster are interesting bedmates. I've
been struggling all summer. But at least I'm safe. I feel badly for the
people down in the gulf. And if it weren't for the fact that I am the
transportation for my son's job responsibilities, I'd pack up and go
down there and do what I could to help. I'd feel much better doing that,
believe me.

thanks for hollering back.
maddie

well I spoke too soon...............I drove to town (six miles) and gas has
hit $3.29 for regular.....that's a jump of .$.70 per gallon and yesterday
morning we topped off the tank while it was still $2.43............
"Jean" wrote in message
news:mDnRe.3471$rj.1993@lakeread07...
madgardener wrote:
which reminds me, I need to
hit Wally world for arse wipe and liquid soap while I can and while gas
is ONLY $2.69 a gallon...........sigh...................
maddie

Gas hit the $3.00 mark here this morning in Cleveland Ohio.

Jean

there's a problem Betsy........the prices have already hit $3.29. I use
regular since there's no way I can afford the "premium" gasoline at $3.59
per gallon. At Exxon stations, the premium gas is almost $4! I saw the local
Exxon showing prices for premium as $3.89. My best bet would have actually
been to have followed my instincts (too late now) and top off the tank,
again, and saved myself almost $4 for the total savings.

And that doesn't mean that $3.29 is the lowest price it will stop at before
the oil reserves are processed. That might take a little bit. Enough time
to clean me out of anything I have to go towards gasoline. At least my son
gets paid Friday, but that's every two weeks. So we have to figure that
yesterday's half tank of gasoline which cost $24.30 will today cost us
$32.90. That's $8.60 difference. Now factor in that unless I jump on the
$3.29 now, and wait until tomorrow morning, the price might actually be
HIGHER. And gas buddy's website is showing prices relevent to Monday's
prices when it was still a DOLLAR cheaper than it is three days
later................................... I don't know where you are, but
where I am, I'm feeling screwed and it ain't even getting started. Here's
the insult. I knew prices were going to go up. I even anticipated higher
everything prices eventually because of the cost of transporting. But what I
didn't expect was when I decided not to run the very necessairy errand this
afternoon after seeing the huge price increase, I stopped at the local
grocery store and they had ALREADY RAISED PRICES ON STORE
ITEMS..............yesterday I could have gotten the meager items for much
less. So gouging is already in progress before the set cost of all this has
become evident. I see a long season and winter ahead of me with lots of
rice and beans and cornbread...............

(you might think this is being extreme, let me give you the example:
yesterday, a good medium sized bottle of orange Dawn liquid detergent would
have cost me $1.89 with my Food City discount card. Today, that same bottle
was priced at $2.99. Now I know that bottle was there yesterday. It wasn't
brought in today by the truck. I went to get a couple of microwave dinners
for supper. Monday I could have gotten them for 2@$5. today those same
dinners were 2@$6 so you see, it hasn't even begun and the stores are
already taking advantage.

Now add insult to injury. My son's friend and his mother and aunt's headed
to Houston Sunday in the path of the hurricane. They checked into the hotel
and paid $52.95 + tax for their rooms each. Yesterday, Antonio told my son
that they were notified by the management that their room rates were higher.
They figured since they were approaching Labor Day weekend, and went down to
pay for a week in advance until they could find a condo to rent. They were
informed that the room rates were now $134.95 per night, and this was no
Marriott either. It was a nice average hotel on the outskirts of Houston.
He and his mother and aunt's are now frantically searching for a condominium
to rent to save money that the hotel is gouging them for
now.....................

'nuff said. And I figure there will be more attrocities in the upcoming days
and weeks and months. I won't bore anyone with updates on it. I've said
enough.
madgardener
"BetsyB" wrote in message
...
Oops! Here's an address to find your better gas prices.
http://www.gasbuddy.com/

BetsyB


"madgardener" wrote in message
...
and we ain't seen nothing yet on the effects this is gonna have I
realize,son works at Lowes at night stocking his store he used to work
days in plumbing......he doesn't have a CLUE what is about to unfold in
regards to products, deliveries, availabilities, etc................life
is about to change in ways people haven't seen since Depression days.
good thing I'm a pack rat when it comes to food supplies.........which
reminds me, I need to hit Wally world for arse wipe and liquid soap while
I can and while gas is ONLY $2.69 a
gallon...........sigh...................
maddie
"Marsha" wrote in message
...
It's horrifying
"madgardener" wrote in message
...

"Marsha" wrote in message
...
Hi Marilyn, we were asking this same question in another group

I just wonder what it's going to take to wake people up to the
inevitability of gas rationing, and astronomical prices of food,
products, etc. I mean, do they realize that despite we're still in the
end days of summer, we're approaching fall, and there are a lot of
people who heat their homes with oil? (I have a heat pump that works
off of electricity, and for back up during power outs, a simple
fireplace in one room with an electric blower which of course won't
work during a power outage, but at least I can open the doors g) and
that oil will be so highly priced they'll have to decide wheather to be
cold or buy high priced food?

sigh.................we ain't seen nothing yet on how this hurricane
has affected the country.................................(I was
horrified yesterday by them showing the main pipeline that runs from
New Orleans up thru to New York that has a major break in it....... I
mean, wanna just send flyers out to potential terrorists for strike
targets?? Geeze! and no, I don't normally worry about stuff like that,
I mean, I live less than 60 miles from Oak Ridge for crying out loud, I
won't have time to do more than put my head between my knees and kiss
my arse goodbye if something were to happen over there............

Howze yer gardening going, lady? haven't heard from you in awhile. I've
been laying low, myself letting the weedy grasses overtake the
pathways, and enjoying the multitude of flowers that persist despite my
lack of involvement. Depression and disaster are interesting bedmates.
I've been struggling all summer. But at least I'm safe. I feel badly
for the people down in the gulf. And if it weren't for the fact that I
am the transportation for my son's job responsibilities, I'd pack up
and go down there and do what I could to help. I'd feel much better
doing that, believe me.

thanks for hollering back.
maddie