After a long (nearly 3 weeks!) and arduous camping and fishing trip throughout the Sierra Nevada (Mammoth, Tioga Pass, and Yosemite), I am happy to report that the Ponzi family can brag (despite mosquitos, a possible bout with West Nile Virus, and the many inherent hardships of travelling with a 4 and a 6 year-old) about the budding fishing skills in our young daughter who caught a trout that was nearly 3 1/2 lbs. Of course, in the spirit of a true fisherman, she tells everyone that it was nearly 4 lbs.
Beyond that let me say that there is something deeply good for the soul in being so completely away from things--no T.V., very little radio, no computers, spotty cell phone service etc. Just hiking, fishing, campfires, smores, stars and bad food. But it is always bracing when we head home. We did not even know, for example, about the tragedy in the Gulf Coast until Thursday as we finally got some talk radio during our drive home. The odd thing is that we don’t think anyone else we were meeting around that area had heard about it either. No one, including park rangers at Yosemite, said a word about it! Getting away can be good, but that was a little too far away.
You weren’t the only one who had no idea what was going on. You didn’t happen to see President Bush there in the backwoods, clearing some brush, did you?? His leadership was desperately needed, but apparently he was on a vacation of sorts, too.
For those who might be interested, here is the location, on-line, of the New Orleans Hurricane Emergency Plan. Too bad they didn’t follow it.
https://www.cityofno.com/portal.aspx?portal=46&tabid=26
J. Montgomery failed to add that Bush ordered the levee blasted to take Cindy off the front page. Bush is also working on a form of flood that drowns only Blacks.
At any rate, welcome back to "civilization".
Mr. Goodson, any analysis of NOLA’s Hurricane Emergency Plan deserves something considerably more thorough and specific than just a "too bad they didn’t follow it" dismissal.
Hey, Jmont, absurd claims and NO evidence on Bush’s leadership. Where’s the beef?
To quote the President:
"I hope people don’t play politics during this period of time."
What a cowardly thing for him to say!
JMont:
How exhausting this meme is. I mean really, Julie puts up a post about her trip with her family (welcome back by the way) and you make absurd claims about Bush’s leadership.
Katrina is a disaster on many levels. Local and state government bear far more responsibility than Bush, where’s your comments about Nagin or Blanco, both of whom are far more culpable than Bush? Oh wait...they’re Dems...never mind.
Again, this whole meme, at this time, is so irresponsible it borders on the criminal. Stop the blame game, we have more important things to do.
Anna...is this all you are ever capable of...sniping and snap moral judgments? What exactly is "cowardly" about his statement?
And I just wanted to brag about Cassandra’s fish!
Well, about that fish anyway: Did you eat it, or were you politically correct, and release it back to the stream?
I’m sure most readers will guess what I would do with such a catch in hand. . .
Steve: I hate fish and my husband is not a fan either. Too many Fridays in a Catholic school cafeteria! We just like to catch them. But of course, we killed it (and as many of the other fish we could fit in our freezer). But he won’t go to waste. I’m sure my in-laws or my neighbors will feast on him soon.