8/31/05 Julie's Refugee camp north of Baton Rouge is open for business and running smoothly... She is an extraordinary short order cook and we have feasted on fresh salmon* with dill sauce, ceasar salad and baked potatoes just this evening. Rest assured we have electricity, water, plumbing, and air conditioning. Therefore we are in great spirits despite the cramped quarters. Refugees include: me, my daughter, my son-in-law, my two DARLIN' granddaughters (that you can see at http://ForeverAbby.com), my son-in-law's parents and grandmother, and my daughter's grandmother. That's NINE extra people staying at my sister's house and we're all just kinda hanging out. We've heard (and seen on TV) some folks who were turned back when they tried to return, so we'll wait for the state police to tell us it's OK to return... who knows when that will be??? I lived down here for Hurricane Betsy in 1965 and for Hurricane Camille in 1969 (lost EVERYTHING to Camille but that's another story). I heard somebody say today, "You take Betsy and Camille. Add them together and double them and Katrina was worse." I think they're right, even though I don't think I've lost everything like I did for Camille. I'd really rather NOT have added Katrina to the hurricanes I've been thru. And hurricane "season" doesn't end till 11/30!!! I'll try to keep everybody posted, but you can probably see more on TV than you'll get here. Go to 9/01/05 ------------------------------ * Fresh salmon is from Alaska and is courtesy of the husband of my very first "best friend" in Kindergarten (Tami) who lives in the same town as my sister.