730 Days

On Napoleon:

Still sad
At our loss
Still mad
At the Corps
But so glad
For the Volunteers
Thank you all

The Times Picayune did several stories on the lack of progress and the destruction that remains, but the front page on the anniversary featured stories of thanks and hope. Thanks and hope. Yes, I see it, but I also think we need so much more, and those we need from are not providing.

You can look back at my post 365 days ago to compare to last year and the year before.


Our house looks great. The tenants keep it looking good. Well, as good as three twentysomething boys can do.

And the rest of the neighborhood is coming along as well.


Last year at this time, 4 houses of 11 had full time occupants. Now, we're up to 6 of 11. Last year we only had about half of the houses in repair mode and the houses directly next to ours on both sides had not yet been gutted. Today, one is rented and the other is almost ready to rent.


Each house except for Sam's former house next door, has improved their look in some way. Unfortunately some improvements are in bad taste such as the massive house across the street being painted black. Charlie thinks it must have been a deal on the paint, but a black house?


Despite eight feet of water on our block, only one house has been raised, as you can see below.

This house still needs more work. There have been two real estate transfers on our block, and the new owners of both locations are doing a great job.

730 days later we have had our first appointment with the Road Home and are now thinking about selling our home. Hopefully we'll find someone who buys it to live in it, because that's really what the neighborhood needs.

While there is progress in our pocket of the city, it is so surprising to see so little progress elsewhere. And I'm not just talking about the Ninth Ward where many home owners had little cash flow. Lakeview is still desolate in many areas. There are blocks and blocks of darkness when driving through. I haven't been through the East in some time, so I don't know what progress there looks like. Perhaps a visit to the Vietnamese market is needed this weekend.

I still get teary when driving through some parts of the city and even thinking about it now makes me feel a bit numb. Sometimes I think we've painted a rosy picture for ourselves that doesn't really exist. I hope we're all working to shape that picture, being active as much as we're able, and not backing down. It's tiresome. I wonder if other cities feel the same way.

But, New Orleans will go on. I don't doubt that.