Gift Packages are fun. I got one from my Aunt and from Gwen and Joan. Got really, nice practical stuff from everyone as well as some super fun stuff and nice treats.
I picked up the one from my aunt at the post office...but I got my other one sent to Kathleen's brother Mark's house. He lived in New Orleans for about 20 years - he now lives out of the country but rents his place to a really nice man named John who let us have mail sent there.
Kathleen said that it was really weird being in town without her fun brother Mark there and she wanted me to take this picture of her sitting on the steps outside his house. It's such a sad photo! Don't worry Mom, she didn't stay this way long.
Anyway, we opened Kathleen's gift box at Cafe du Monde -- here is the prize item -- hysterical, this is a front and back view.
P.S. Susannah, Mary and Lizzie - this is from Kathleen.......nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah -- you have to imagine her doing that in a "look-what-I-have-that-you-don't" voice.
We also got some homemade chocolate chip cookies sent - here is all that remains from that. The cookies were a perfect treat next to our cafe latte's - thanks Mom!
Here's another couple of photos from our party at the Cafe. This is the cutest picture of the cutest couple ever.
Here's the scene from our party of 12 or so -- there's Mike on the left - that was a really pleasant surprise, wasn't expecting to see him at all. We also had Ammon, Wako and Kira join us. Really, really nice night.
I don't want to gloss over the fact that there is still evidence of Katrina everywhere in New Orleans. Kathleen talked about it "just not feeling right." I couldn't imagine really living there .. on my early morning walk I saw so many boarded up and condemned houses; found this writing on the concrete.
Carrie, Joe, Jen and P.J. went to the Ninth Ward to talk to folks and witness the continued devastation there. Kathleen, Fritz and I didn't go there - and I'm hoping Carrie will share some photos. Gwen asked me to take pictures around town...and I've got some video...but I don't know how to post that yet...and I just didn't want to take pictures of people's destroyed homes.
It's funny though..cruising around the drunken fumes of the French Quarter, seeing all the tourists careening around - I wonder how much people really thought about what had happened here three years ago...and how much a lot of the local residents have been left behind along with all of that destruction. I would see these bumper stickers all over saying things like "(RE)New Orleans" and, "Proud to call New Orleans my Home." I suppose all I'm saying is that I'm sorry so many of you are still suffering through that disaster and I pray that the right help arrives before hope is lost. And it's hard to know, right? I was there for a day...that's just the feeling the day left me with.
Loved this little trio we saw -- it was actually the last thing I got to see before I left town and I'm glad this is the image I will remember.
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