with Lorelle and Brent VanFossen

Tag Archives: hurricane katrina

Hauling Away Hurricane Katrina

I found this image in my files. I was driving through Mobile, Alabama, and saw the railroad had been repaired with fresh gravel lining the fixed rails. Hurricane Katrina had done its damage along much of the railroad system that followed the gulf coast, washing out and twisting the rails like licorice sticks. I liked […]

Two Months After Hurricane Katrina – Into New Orleans

Not knowing the intimate details of the damage left behind from Hurricane Katrina, I assumed I’d seen the worst of it in Ocean Springs. Everyone talks about how bad New Orleans is, but from the little television and Internet coverage I saw before making this journey, buildings were still standing in New Orleans, so this […]

Two Months After Hurricane Katrina – Pascagoula to Ocean Springs Mississippi

It’s been two months since Hurricane Katrina brought her wrath and forces to the Gulf Coast of the United States. In Israel, after a terrorist bombing of a restaurant, cafe, or night club, it is the general policy of the people to do everything possible to make sure the bombed site is open for business […]

Two Months After Hurricane Katrina – Gulf Coast Shores

I’m in New Orleans and access to the Internet is very complicated and difficult. I will write more about my experiences here, but here are some photos taken on the drive over along Highway 90 through the Gulf Shore area of Mississippi. I want you to remember that this area is almost 100 miles from […]

Lorelle’s Hurricane Soap Box

Living in the hurricane ravaged dart board for the past year, I have become a cynic when it comes to disaster relief and disaster victims. And I’m not happy about what I’m hearing about the problems with Hurricane Wilma. So forgive my momentary soap box. Hurricane Katrina was not expected to suddenly turn so ugly, […]

Trailers for Hurricane Victims

I found this posted by allthatjazz01 Coffee Talk on her AOL blog: Driving south on I57 from Indianapolis, we noticed that every fifth vehicle was a new travel trailer towed by a pick up truck. At first I thought there must be a lot of campers till I realized that these trailers were going to […]

Off and On and Off and On and Off and On

Years ago, a co-worker of Brent’s awoke in the night to a terrible cackling sound. He got up to find the lights turning on and off and on and off. The cackling happened between the lights going on and off. Puzzled, but suspiciously aware of the source of the sound, he stepped outside of his […]

One Month After Hurricane Katrina

I finally got a full hour of exercise this morning. It was amazing. I sweated and hated every moment of it, and feel much better for it. I finally pulled my little potted garden set into place after a month tied to trees behind the trailer, and caught up on my hand washing and cleaning […]

The Creeping Rot of Depression

I can feel it, creeping in from behind my eyes and ears, and curving up around my body. It pushes my shoulders up and head down. My back bows under the weight. Thoughts come in black clouds instead of bright shiny ideas and incentive. I feel it pressing in all around me, coming from all […]

I Love You, I Love You, You Know I Love You

We lost another victim of Hurricane Katrina last night. No, he won’t be in the statistics of the hundreds of lives lost across Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. But he should be. Mr. Walden lived along the Gulf Coast near Pascagoula, Mississippi. He’d been up and active and managing his life until recently, when it just […]

Surviving Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita

We escaped the rage of Hurricane Katrina by evacuating to Atlanta, only to return to Mobile, Alabama, and be threatened by Hurricane Rita. Luckily for us, and unluckily for others, Rita moved to the west, so we’ve missed the full impact, but not the brush by. The damage around us from Hurricane Katrina would be […]

Shady Acres Campground – New Home for FEMA and Insurance Adjusters for Hurricane Katrina

We’ve been back in Mobile, Alabama, for less than three days and I’m still struggling to find words. The stupid thing is that the damage here is totally insignificant. Yet, it isn’t the damage to the surrounding area and homes and lives that ties my fingers up in knots. It’s the look on the face […]

Visual Impact of Hurricane Katrina – Starting to Head Back

Some of you may know that we are also among the millions of refugees/evacuees from Hurricane Katrina. We’ve been in Atlanta for over a week now, waiting for the electricity and water to be turned on and the roads to be cleaned up back in Mobile, Alabama. Where we are staying, we have had no […]

Evacuating from Hurricane Katrina – This is what we know

We left Mobile, Alabama, six days ago, home on our backs. We are currently in Atlanta, Georgia. For us, personally, Hurricane Katrina has not caused us to lose property or life, but it has caused us to lose income – a lot of income. Not just in wages unearned but also in expenses paid that […]

Hurricane Katrina – This is Our Life

The wizard known as Rincewind lurched into the room, white-faced, and stopped in front of the table. “I do not wish to volunteer for this mission.” he said. “I beg your pardon?” said Lord Vetinari. “I do not wish to volunteer, sir.” “No one was asking you to.” Rincewind wagged a weary finger. “Oh, but […]