[OT] Katrina Recovery - More Photo Journal

Sorry I haven't been around for a while. I wouldn't even be posting now
(because of the pain in my arm) except that I promised everyone I'd let them
know as soon as more pictures from my daughter's family's photo-journal of
their recovery from Katrina.

All I can say is wow, just...... WOW!

OK, this is so impressive to me because I can't hammer in a nail without
smashing my thumb. The fact that my daughter and her husband did
*EVERYTHING* themselves... Every. Single. Thing. The roof, the plumbing,
the electric wiring, the windows, the walls, laid flooring, put in the tiles
around the tub, etc., etc., etc. *I AM BLOWN AWAY WITH PRIDE*!!!

Jane...

As well you should be! What they've done is nothing sort of
miraculous. The girls will remember this for the rest of their lives,
and be proud. It's THEIR place now, right? No more attachment to your
ex? So they're building it all for themselves. I love the pink room,
by the way. Very cool.

For what it's worth, there's a guy who has been hanging around the DC
area, begging. He's in a wheelchair, and his story is that he lost
everything in the hurricane. Unfortunately, I know YOU and your story,
and all I want to do is show him the pictures of what they've done, and
say, 'So what have you been doing for a year? Begging?' Hmph. Yes,
I'm cold-hearted. There are just too many of our local beggers already,
and now we have imported them. While your children are doing something
productive to get their lives back. You should be PROUD. They have a
wonderful story. It should be published.

Jane
- owned and operated by Princess Rita

CatNipped...

I *AM* so incredibly proud of them. Looking at the first pictures
after their return, it would be easy to understand them feeling so
hopeless and overwhelmed that they just gave up. But they didn't.
They didn't stand around and whine (no rpca t-shirt for *them*! ;>).
They didn't cry and moan and stick their hands out for charity. They
didn't wait around for the government to bail them out (like some of
the evacuees still here in Houston, *DEMANDING* that the government
give them homes - which most didn't have because they never worked for
them to begin with). They rolled up their sleeves and they got to work
and they didn't let the enormity of their task overwhelm them in the
least. I have to say, my daughter has more courage and determination
that *I* have!

(There are a *LOT* of pictures since she hasn't sent any since March (this
is the first I'm seeing of their progress, too) - but it's worth it just to
scan through and hit "Next" at the bottom of each page just to see the
progress).

To remind everyone, this is what they went home to...

And this is how they started...

I'll try and get better as fast as I can so I can come back to you guys

Adrian A...

That was an incredible set of pictures, no wonder you're proud of them. I
love the fact that among the pictures were the smiling girls and happy dogs.
How old is Gypsy now?

CatNipped...

Gypsy is 11 now! She's getting to be an old lady! ;>

Adrian A...

I thought she was getting on. She still looks happy, hopefully she's got a
few more years left.

soon!!!!

sriddles...

That *is* very impressive. There were too many photos to look at them
all (I am on dialup, slow connection this a.m.). But what I saw looks
like the house is going to be very nice.