Top 10 Positives for September

Like many people, I tend to focus on the negative. You know: Complain, complain, complain. Bitch and moan. I can't tell you how many times I've been asked, "You want some cheese to go with that whine?" So, I thought I would embark on a new tradition (talk about setting oneself up to fail) of accentuating the positive. Well, here goes...

The Top 10 Positive Things for The Month

1. Received $50 rebate from Epson (finally and after sending in the proof of purchase TWICE).


2. Went to a party and saw friends I hadn't seen in a long time.


3. Wrapped up a Web site project started more than 6 months ago (originally planned to launch in July).


4. Led a prayer at church and didn't start by saying, "Let us play" -- a favorite Freudian slip of mine.


5. Scored major brownie points with The Wife by creating a quickie Web site for the church clothing sale.


6. Drove Suzanna to the airport and lent her my carry-on bag for her trip to San Francisco. Got a NEW carry-on bag when a burly, female airport security agent manhandled my bag and broke the handle. (Thanks, Suzanna!)


7. Remembered my parents' 49th wedding anniversary and remembered to call my dad ahead of time and take him shopping for a gift (dozen roses) and a BBQ sandwich.


8. Witnessed several signs of God throughout the horrible aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. (Too many to count.)


9. Adopted Gromit. (See entry below.)


10. Having climbed into our bed in the middle of the night, 3-year old Wren rolls over, throws her arm over me and says, "I love you, Dad."

Welcome Home, Gromit!

Introducing the newest member of the Perdue household:

Gromit, a miniature dachshund adopted from our neighbor, Gracie Neiman, who gave birth to a litter of seven (4 male and 3 female) nine weeks ago.

Here shown in a rare moment when the "bounce has gone out of his bungee."

Katrina's Other Victims

A dogs rests patiently on a rooftop in Biloxi.


Two dogs sit atop a submerged SUV in New Orleans.


Rescuing "Hercules" from a rooftop in East Biloxi.

I thought you fellow animal lovers might be interested in knowing about this relief organization that is helping to pair lost pets with their owners and provide foster homes for pets displaced due to Hurricane Katrina.

http://www.katrinafoundpets.com/

Hmmmm. Maybe we could house a dog or two. Wonder how ShiChi would feel about that?

Wren's First Day of School

When you look at these pictures you can almost hear her doing her imitation of Spongebob Squarepants: "I'm ready! I'm ready! I'm ready!"

For her first day of preschool, Wren insisted on wearing a dress, decided against wearing her hair in pigtails, and sat with her backpack over her shoulders and her sleeping mat in her arms for at least a quarter hour before time to go.

Yes. Life goes on.

And I rejoice.

Look out, Miss Linda! Look out, world!

Things Are Looking Up

As I type this, the bleak situation in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast seems to have come to a turning point. The last of refugees taking shelter in the Superdome have been evacuated, only a few more remain in the god-forsaken NO convention center, and steadily people are being plucked from rooftops and upper floors of flooded buildings by boat and helicopter.

Becky and Rick made it home safely arriving at about 2 am on Friday. We had reserved not one but two rental cars for them in Houston -- just in case. They were able to give one of the two cars to a couple from somewhere in Texas who they had met on the cruise. The man, Rodney, called our house around 10 pm Thursday night (Becky and Rick had given our number as way for us to contact each other). He was calling to see if we had heard from Becky and Rick and to let them know they had made it home safely. He was relieved to hear that they were en route and had just called from near Texarkana to let us know their progress.

No word yet from the Richmonds in Biloxi. Hopefully, they are safe and simply do not have Internet access. We continue to pray for them as they must rebuild their homes and their lives -- assuming they survived.

My brother's brother-in-law, Wayne, has been called up for Air National Guard duty. Originally on a mission to build a "tent city" near Baton Rouge, Wayne spent Tuesday and Wednesday gathering and packing equipment to build a satelite communications center (his thing is telecommunications). When they arrived in Little Rock, they were told their mission had been changed and were told to leave the communications equipment and take a truck loaded with guns and ammo instead. He is now on the streets of New Orleans with a gun over his shoulder. Please keep Wayne and all the guardsmen in your prayers.

We've helped in small ways and will continue to. My brother and sister-in-law took about $500 worth of air mattresses, sheets and pillows to Goodman Oaks Church of Christ where evacuees have been welcomed since before Katrina made landfall. We donated a portable crib to Bellevue Baptist where a shelter is being created in their Grace Family Life Center. We asked what their immediate needs were and were told "men's underwear - LARGE". No problem. Found you can get quite a lot of men's underwear, T-shirts (and women's underwear, too) for $100 at Wal-Mart.

Today, our church is holding a potluck lunch and special worship service open to evacuees/survivors/refugees from the hurricane affected areas. I'm sure -- especially if we sing that song "still my heart will say, blessed by the Lord" -- I will be fighting back the tears.

God is good. All the time.

Still Standing

I saw this reported on CNN and was so excited to find a photograph that I could share with you. This scene is in hisotric Jackson Square in New Orleans, site of the 18th century St. Louis Cathedral. Two massive live oaks were uprooted during Hurricane Katrina and fell across this garden, ripping out a 30-foot section of ornamental iron fence and falling across this marble statue of Jesus. Amid a tangled mass of huge, broken branches and limbs, the only damage to the statue was snapping off the thumb and forefinger of his outstretched hands.

Pretty amazing, isn't He?

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Our Biloxi Vacation Condo

I found this photograph on the Biloxi Sun-Herald's web site last night. This is Magnolia Garden Townhomes where we vacationed August 4-8. We stayed in the middle of the 3-unit building that's still standing in the background. (The lower level windows and doors appear to be blown/washed out.) We swam in the swimming pool where that car now sits submerged. The owner/operators, Traci Richmond and her husband (who's name I don't remember), lived in a 2-story building that stood between the pool and the building where we stayed. It is completely gone. I've emailed the Richmonds to see if they made it out okay, but so far I have not received a reply. Keep them, and others like them, in your prayers.