Just a Memory?

This is a picture of the library that we read a few hours in when we were in New Orleans in March. You have to click on it to get the full affect. As you can see spring was in full bloom. This library is right on the St. Charles street car line in the Garden District. The houses are quite beautiful in the area with huge oak trees surrounding them for hundreds of years.
While we were there that afternoon, we watched an elderly gentleman teach a young man how to read. They were working on a spelling test and the young man was struggling with pronunciation of a couple words. I remember telling Gretchen that I was very happy to be experiencing life like a person actually living there. It was such a wonderful vacation.

Many of the libraries in New Orleans have extensive damage. It is very difficult to overcome water damage to libraries. The oak trees in the garden district have been destroyed.
This picture is the background of my computer. It has been since we came back. Gretch has Ann Rice's old house on her background. I remember walking by the house as she got into her limo. Gretch tried to get her attention to my horror, but failed. She did get a great picture of the house and limo though.

Gretch called expedia and found out that our flights don't exist anymore.
In fact we have to use different airlines altogether. The trip is still valid as of right now. I just want to be there and do something. My talents don't include any type of repair of course, but I would be willing to do anything. It is still very difficult to watch the news.
People have been questioning why we would even want to go to a "filthy, disgusting city like that." They actually mean as it had to have been before this tragedy. Comments like that really tick me off.

Tomorrow is looking very long, as I have orientation for volunteers in the evening. I will be dragging on Wednesday.