Its late to post a reply here but these past few weeks have been a hectic, disoriented time. Among the Catters in New Orleans are members of the N.O. Quarter Shanty Krewe (all entendres intended) including KC King (yours truely), Kathi King, Don Keller, Keith & Francis Fawcett, Keith Hurt, Tom Henehan, Bob Pool, Gigi Taylor, Lanny Goldfinch. We haven't heard from Tom but everyone else seems to have escaped with a 3-day change of underwear.

Some have returned already to find trees through the roof and somebody's eleses hot tub in their back yard but most are spread out all over the country in various 5-star regugee camps. Kathi & I made it to her brother's in Thousand Oaks, CA - talk about a cultural divide!

A few of us have lost everything. Our insurance adjuster said we might not see him for months - many months. I've got 2 Wheatstones, a Lachenal baritone, two hammered dulcimers and a Vega White Laydie 5-string banjo (cira 1920) in the attic. Don't know if the mold has made it up there but we were under 9 feet of water for the better part of 3 weeks. Yesterday's surprise? Flood insurance won't begin to replace them.

The good news is that we're both working. Now if we could only find some dancing or sessions ... and a wee English concertina ...

Five months ago I qualified for and have been volunteering as a walking tour guide in the French Quarter and some of the older cemetaries. It's helped me more fullty appreciate that his city is an indescribably beautiful and unique gem of history and culture - our Emerald Jewel of the South. It is more different than you can possibly imagine from any other place on the planet. Only a living, smelly, messy New Orleans can ensure that such a heritage belongs to everyone and makes everyone the better for it.