Congrats on getting back home! Did you relocate or rebuild your existing home? I lost it all in Katrina too; relocated to Tupelo MS thru several twists of fate. I'm born and raised New Orleans/St Bernard. I miss zone 9 where we could garden all year! What part of the coast are you in and how is it coming back? I'll be going to the MS coast for Christmas a bit north of Gulfport where my mom has relocated and my sister lives. Brother's family will meet us there. He's back in his same house after a long journey after Katrina. Gardening was the best therapy for me; I think I would have went crazy without it.
Laurie

Laurie, thanks. We lived in Long Beach, MS. Our neighborhood and those around it, were pretty much wiped out. Practically all of my neighbors moved away (as in out of state), and I miss them.

We stayed on the Coast, but moved much further inland, to Pass Christian. We didn't plan on building so soon, but the complex where we were renting turned pretty dangerous and it was costing us $1200/month ($1500 the first year!) so we decided we might as well put money in our own home, rather than someone else's. Plus, safety was a big issue. I don't know about you, but even though we lost everything, we apparently fell through the cracks with FEMA, so didn't have much choice but to do it ourselves.

Your mother and sister are in a good area. Lots of new developments happening north of Gulfport. We put our Long Beach lot up for sale, but not much interest. As you probably know, the insurance issue is a big deterrent.

Long Beach took a big hit from Katrina, and seems to be having a much slower recovery than its neighboring towns.

But, on a brighter note - I do love our zone for planting! You're so right - we can have something blooming all year and just about anything you put in the ground lives! I've already walked outside to check on my flowers (like they're going to look different from yesterday - ha!)

How do you like Tupelo? I haven't been there in many years, but I understand there's a lot to do.

I know you ache for New Orleans. We lived there for 9 years and loved every minute of it.

Take care, and have a Merry Christmas with your family.

We like Tupelo pretty much. I would rather live nearer the water and the coastal culture which is in my blood. It's much more homogenous up here, not as much diversity, which I also miss. And it's a bit too cold. But several twists of fate do not allow us to leave at this time. I know exactly what you mean about insurance and FEMA. We managed okay becoz we were able to land jobs quickly and had money saved which we used to make up the difference that insurance did not pay. We had plenty of homeowners ins. but not as much flood ins. which, as you know, was a huge problem. I now have flood ins. up here, which I am told I don't need. Yeah right. I also have earthquake ins. I never believed Katrina could do what she did, but I am a believer now.
Laurie

Laurie, funny, but so true, about the flood insurance. Fortunately, we had it at our old house, even though it wasn't required. We have it here, too, at our new house, even though we are not near water and our lot has 32 feet elevation. Katrina made believers out of a lot of us!

Tupelo does get a lot colder than Louisiana and S. Mississippi. Stay warm!

Welcome Home Wodka ... just in time for Christmas!

Congrads. I drove from Bay St Louis to Gulfport along the beach last week.

Though there's still has a long way to go. For the first time since Katrina, I started feeling like the beach was coming back. I felt Pass Christian was starting to come back.