>I am being hit like a pinata from all sides these days, other than Cindi and my daughters, and will just say this. I was there in the south after Katrina. I called up my volunteer group (hunger project) and asked if they had anything going. By the time they got something organized New Orleans had been evacuated and we were needed in Houston. I went and it was the best week of my life. Did anyone else here help out? I think Ken Buch and his wife did and that's it. So let's have a little credit where it's due. I did not do it for any credit. We hardly slept that whole week We blew through Texarcana at 6 in the morning, driving through the night. We gave some comfort to the afflicted and then were ordered out of town ourselves on Thursday when everyone had palsy over Hurricana Rita, the most overrated hurricane ever. We drove back through again. It was gridlock all the way to Dallas. Fortunately the driver of our car, an SUV which got outrageously bad gas mileage (I spent over $400 on gas), had a sister near Dallas. She and her husband could not have been more hospitable. We arrived in the wee hours and she made us the best mushroom omelet I have ever had. She made up the beds and it could not have been more comfortable. You go and go and go and then you have the comfort of a nice sleep.
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>The next time something like this happens in the U.S. I hope every one us of gets in the car and goes.
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>Mike, I read this several times, and there are some lines in here that are over-the-top and insulting. Here's one in particular...
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>Did anyone else here help out? I think Ken Buch and his wife did and that's it
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>I didn't realize you were in charge of taking a poll, but just so you know, I made two $$$ donations to the Red Cross during the time. My brother made a donation as well, and he and his wife drove there as part of an Animal Rescue to which they belong.
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>I'm sure others here managed to make donations and/or help out without needing to wax poetically. Figures it would be a "mushroom omelet" that inspired a self-serving tale about your road trip.
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>And a little history....I vaguely remembered that a 2nd hurricane came close....so I checked out this little thing on the "Inter-web", called "Google"........Rita might have stayed south of New Orleans, but still caused billions in damage on the Gulf Coast. It was the 9th costliest storm in U.S. history. So I'm sure the coastal communities wouldn't share your views of "palsy" over Rita as an overrated hurricane.


Thank you. I was going to post a response, but I'm into the kinder, gentler me phase of the moon...