JOHNSON BAYOU REVISITED

WE HAVE ARRIVED AT NEWTON AND OUR FIFTH WHEEL IS NOW IN PLACE FOR THE MONTH. IT REALLY FEELS GOOD. EVERYTHING WAS JUST FINE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE R.V., EVEN THE FRIDGE. WE SLEPT IN IT THE FIRST NIGHT IN THE STORAGE FACILITY, JUST PUTTING OUT THE BEDROOM SLIDE. WE DIDN’T REALLY HAVE PERMISSION TO SLEEP THERE, BUT FELT WE HAD NO CHOICE. SULPHUR MOTELS ARE FULL OF DISPLACED PEOPLE FROM CAMERON, HACKBERRY AND JOHNSON BAYOU, AND ALSO, WE HATED TO SPEND THE MONEY EVEN IF WE COULD GET A MOTEL ROOM, AS WE DID HAVE OUR OWN BED TO SLEEP IN. WE KIND OF FELT LIKE WE WERE “SQUATTING” THOUGH. ALTHOUGH THE DAYTIME TEMP WAS ALMOST 80 DEGREES, IT SURE GOT COLD OVER NIGHT AND I WAS WISHING I HAD PUT ON THE EXTRA QUILT! WE GOT UP AND OUT FOR COFFEE AT 6:45 A.M.

THEN HEADED FOR ORANGE WHERE WE GOT A 21 DAY PAPER LICENSE PLATE FROM THE TRAILER SALES PLACE TO MOVE THE FIFTH WHEEL TO NEWTON – IT IS NICE THEY WOULD DO THAT FOR US.

OUR MISSION THEREAFTER WAS TO GO DOWN THROUGH JOHNSON BAYOU AND CHECK THINGS OUT. THAT WAS VERY DISHEARTENING!!! SO MUCH DAMAGE - SO MANY HOUSES JUST SIMPLY GONE.

WE COULD SEE THE DAMAGE ALL ALONG THE HIGHWAY. DRIVING TOWARDS HACKBERRY, THERE WAS A SHRIMP BOAT LAYING ALONGSIDE THE ROAD. BROWN’S CORNER STORE AT HACKBERRY WAS OPEN FOR BUSINESS AND THE LIBRARY SEEMED FINE. THE DOLLAR STORE AND ANOTHER OLDER STORE WERE STILL CLOSED DUE TO DAMAGE. THE R.C. CHURCH APPEARED INTACT FROM THE OUTSIDE, BUT THERE WAS A HUGE PILE OF RUBBLE ON THE GROUNDS – OBVIOUSLY EVERYTHING INSIDE WAS RUINED BECAUSE OF THE WATER.

THERE WERE SOME HOUSES STILL UP ON PILONS ON HOLLY BEACH. WE DIDN’T BOTHER GOING CLOSER OR TAKING PICTURES OF HOLLY BEACH. AT THE CORNER WHERE WE TURN TO JOHNSON BAYOU, THERE USED TO BE A TRAILER PARK AND SOME HOUSING. ALL OF THAT WAS BARE – GONE.

THE SIDES OF THE HIGHWAY WERE STILL PRETTY BROKEN UP; THE MAIN PART OF THE HIGHWAY HAD BEEN FIXED ALREADY.

COMING INTO JOHNSON BAYOU, WAS A DEVASTATING SIGHT. WE DROVE TO THE TRAILER PARK FIRST. IT WAS STILL THERE, COMPLETE WITH LAUNDRY FACILITY!

MISS FLORA BELLE TRAHAN’S HOUSE WAS STILL PRETTY WELL IN ONE PIECE, BUT IT WAS OUT IN THE FIELD BEHIND TIM’S TRAILER PARK A HALF MILE FROM WHERE IT WAS WHEN WE WERE THERE!

IVAN’S GARAGE/LIVING QUARTERS WAS LESS THAN HALF THERE.

THE SCHOOL IS DAMAGED EXTENSIVELY BUT STILL STANDING. THE JOHNSON BAYOU CHILDREN AGAIN ARE BEING BUSSED TO HACKBERRY. THE HACKBERRY SCHOOL WAS ALSO EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED, BUT IT WAS A PRIORITY FOR REPAIRS. IN JOHNSON BAYOU, THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING IN MODULAR SCHOOL BUILDINGS IN BEHIND THE SCHOOL AGAIN WHILE THE SCHOOL IS BEING REPAIRED.

THE STORE IS DEMOLISHED, JUST WALLS STANDING WITH NO SHEETING OR ANYTHING – YOU CAN SEE RIGHT THROUGH IT.

NONE OF THE CHURCHES ARE LEFT. WHERE THE BIG BAPTIST CHURCH WAS WHICH WAS BUILT OF BRICK, THERE IS JUST A ROOF AND A STEEPLE ON THE GROUND, NO WALLS.

ARCHIE’S LOT IS TOTALLY EMPTY, HOUSE GONE AS WE EXPECTED. APPARENTLY HE IS IN A NURSING HOME IN LAKE CHARLES, WHICH IS PROBABLY THE BEST PLACE FOR HIM.

ALONG LEROY’S DRIVEWAY, THERE HAD BEEN TWO VERY NICE HOUSES, ONE HIS SON’S AND ONE ANOTHER RELATIVE’S. BOTH OF THEM ARE DEMOLISHED – TOTALLY GONE EXCEPT FOR A HEAP OF SCRAP. LEROY’S HOUSE IS STANDING, BUT ALL THE RAILINGS AND STEPS ARE GONE AND IT IS ABANDONED. JOHN WENT INTO THE HOUSE AND TOOK PICTURES OF THE MESS, MOLD AND WATER DAMAGE. APPARENTLY THEY ARE LIVING AT EUNICE FOR THE TIME BEING AND ANTICIPATE ALL THREE FAMILIES WILL BE MOVING FURTHER NORTH TO FIND AN ACREAGE TO PUT TRAILERS ON, SO THEY CAN BE IN THE SAME AREA. WE DID NOT GO AS FAR AS THE HOUSE THEY WERE STAYING AT AND WHERE WE WERE INVITED FOR MEALS, BUT WE ARE SURE IT IS GONE AS WELL.

JIM’S LARGE HOME WHICH WE DID SIDING ON, IS SIMPLY GONE – A PILE OF RUBBLE IS IN THE VICINITY. THERE ARE BIG PILES OF RUBBLE EVERYWHERE.

THE BLESSING OF THE DAY WAS TO ARRIVE AT MISS MYRNA’S HOUSE TO FIND HER ACTUALLY THERE, BUSY WORKING, CLEANING UP AND WAITING FOR A SHED TO BE DELIVERED SO HER FURNITURE COULD BE MOVED INTO IT WHILE HER HOUSE IS FIXED. SHE WAS SO HAPPY TO SEE US DRIVE UP!! SHE HAS MITIGATED HER DAMAGES GREATLY BY GETTING THE LAMINATE FLOORING UP (HER TEENAGE GRANDSON AND GRANDDAUGHTER WHO LIVE WITH HER DID IT), GETTING THE AIR CONDITIONING BLOWING TO DRY EVERYTHING UP ASAP, CUTTING THE RUINED DRYWALL OUT ABOUT 6 INCHES FROM THE FLOOR, WHICH WAS WHERE THE HIGH WATER WAS, GETTING RID OF THE SOAKED INSULATION AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WALLS, AND SPRAYING BLEACH WHERE NECESSARY TO ELIMINATE THE MOLD FROM FORMING. WE WERE VERY IMPRESSED. SHE HAS WATER AND SEWER AND ELECTRICITY AND HAS RENTED A LITTLE APT. IN SULPHUR UNTIL HER HOUSE REPAIRS ARE FINISHED. THE HARD PART IS TO FIND SOMEONE WHO CAN DO IT IN A TIMELY FASHION. HER HOUSE SHIFTED ABOUT 3 INCHES ON THE PILLARS AND THAT HAS TO BE RECTIFIED FIRST. SHE IS VERY THANKFUL TO STILL HAVE A HOUSE, WHEN 90% OF HER NEIGHBOURS DON’T. HER NEPHEW’S VERY LARGE RANCH STYLE HOUSE NEXT DOOR WAS MINIMALLY DAMAGED. IT MUST BE STURDILY BUILT. THE DOUBLE WIDE MOBILE HOME ON THE OTHER SIDE OF MYRNA’S, ALONG WITH WRAP-AROUND COMPLETED SUNDECK, IS TOTALLY GONE.

INTERNET ACCESS AT THIS SITE SEEMS INTERMITTANT FOR THE PAST TWO DAYS. SURE HOPEE IT IMPROVES. IT APPEARS WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO HUNT FOR ACCESS TO A PHONE TO USE OUR PHONE CARD. IT DOESN’T WORK FROM A CELL PHONE. WALT AND PAT ARE AT SOME KIND OF CONFERENCE FOR THE WEEKEND SO WEREN’T HERE TO GREET US. DIANE WILLEMS, WALT’S SISTER IN LAW WAS THE OFFICIAL GREETER. LEN AND NETTIE SHOWED UP AROUND 7:30 P.M. AND WE HAD A NICE VISIT.

ALTHOUGH THE PLAN IS NOT TO WORK ANY MORE THAN SENIOR R.V. HOURS, THEY HAD THE USE OF 3 YOUNG MEN FROM THE REGULAR PROJECT (WHICH IS OVER-STAFFED THIS WEEK) AND THEY “WANTED TO MAKE HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES”. SO FRIDAY BECAME THURSDAY2. IT WAS STATED THAT NEXT WEEK WE WILL BE BACK TO A CREW OF OLD MEN, HA HA. THERE APPEARS TO BE AN EXCELLENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE RV-ERS AND THE SHORT TERM DIRECTORS – I SUPPOSE IT HELPS THAT THEY ARE NOT IN THE SAME CAMP. TODAY’S ACTIVITY INVOLVED PUTTING THE ROOFING ON AND HAULING THE SHINGLES UP ON THE ROOF. IT IS NOW DONE, THANKS TO THE YOUNG FELLOWS AND WITH THE THANKS OF THE OLDER GUYS !