Here are the pictures of the area around our house. The power is back on! Yay! We had power for a long time last night. In fact, we felt like a beacon on a hill — everyone around us lost power around 7 or so, our lights shone bright until about 9:30. I thought that we would be out of power longer. I got up this morning, fired up the grill and made biscuits, chicken, sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese and coffee….all on the grill! Yes, I was very industrious. And, not long after I was done, the power came back on! HA!
Pecan down in the backyard
We had a full pecan fall into our yard, not just a few limbs. The good news: I won’t have to pay someone to come cut it down. The bad news: it cost me a car and a truck. City crews are out all around us. There are many trees down in the Garden District. There is a huge (oak?) tree down across Florence Avenue that is being chopped up right now.
I feel bad for my family, they probably could have stayed in New Orleans and fared better. My brother parked his car the farthest away from the pecan between the house and the shed. He figured if the pecan came down, it would be on the shed or on the other cars. However, his truck took the hardest hit!
Jonathan
Many people are out walking around, surveying the damage done around the neighborhood. Many people have stopped by to gawk at the tree in the yard and offer their condolences. My brother-in-law and father-in-law are on their way with a chainsaw. We have a chainsaw, but, it is battery operated and we did not have enough forethought to charge up the batteries.
Bye bye car
The lining in this silver cloud (yes, I am always looking for the good points) I can start shopping for a fuel efficient “green” car. 🙂 This makes me happy. My poor Impala…I did enjoy it while I had it. It is only three years old. My husband is laughing at me because we barely have the claim filed and I am sitting here online researching cars. 🙂
I hope everyone else did ok. It could have been worse. I am glad that I did not incur any damage to my house! Thank God! I definitely did not need that. Good luck and prayers to all in Cenla and the outlying parishes.
Andrea
Perpetual Renovator 
I am glad that everything seems to be good with your family. When you think of what could have been, I am sure you feel lucky.
Call in those claims to your insurance co. I hope that it is my company.
I work for State Farm Insurance and do the underwriting for the State of
Louisiana. We are up and running with lots of people manning the phones to help all of you in need of filing claims.
Good Luck to you and your family!
Cindy
Thanks for your photos and blog post. I used to live in on Monroe in Alexandria. My mom and brothers still live in the Alec area. Mom has power, my brothers do not. One brother lost his roof and stuff in the house.
During Katrina, my Grandmother had an Oak land on her house. It was a total loss.
I was in Gretna during Betsy and Camille, so didn’t think Gustav would be that powerful, that far north.
It sounds like you are taking it as best as you can. Good luck!
-Eric