...when I would have to call her mother and ask her to mail me sugar! Baton Rouge is still having incredible shortages of everything from pillows and sheets to sugar and pancake syrup. We do finally have gas now, thank goodness. But I've been to 3 different groceries the past 3 days and can't find granulated sugar anywhere! I finally called my mom and asked her to mail me two 5 lb. bags of sugar and consider it her contribution to the hurricane relief efforts--LOL. On Friday, I finally found chicken for the first time since the hurricane and I shouted out "woo hoo!" and high-fived a complete stranger. Fortunately she understood my excitement. I feel like it's WW II rationing down here. When my sugar gets here I'm baking cookies and DH will make some more sweet tea. Can't wait!

By Vicki on Monday, September 12, 2005 - 01:55 pm:

Oh Pam, isn't it great that you can enjoy the little things in life like chicken and sugar. Doesn't take much to make us women happy does it?!

Seriously though, I am both happy and sad for you at the same time. I am happy that it sounds like things are starting to get back to "normal" and sad that this is even going on in the first place!!

By Karen~moderator on Monday, September 12, 2005 - 03:57 pm:

Pam, I just finished emailing Andi and I told her it felt like we were living in a 3rd world nation - no gas, no mail, no local TV channels, no food, no UPS or Fedex deliveries, no trash pickup....and armed guards and police everywhere to boot!

I went to WalMart in Laplace yesterday afternoon to get some fruit and vegies and the meat counters were practically stripped. I don't usually buy meat there anyway, but some chicken breasts would have been nice about now......

There was no salad dressing on the shelves, only a couple containers of sour cream, no buns, no ketchup AND no sugar - you know exactly what I mean!

I can't wait until this gets better. I can't wait till Winn Dixie in Ormond starts getting food in, and I HATE that store!

What killed me was having to throw out all the cheeses and hummus I had bought at Whole Foods the week before we evacuated. It was unidentifiable when we returned. LOL

By Kim on Monday, September 12, 2005 - 04:06 pm:

Isn't it strange guys? Its funny the things you don't think about normally, like sugar or salt for that matter! Or toilet paper!!! I do have to say though that while our electric was out it was AWESOME to not hear any noise while we all sat and looked at the beautiful starry sky!

Hopefully it won't be long ladies. LOL, we shopped by gossip, had to ask around what store had what and prayed that some was still there when we got there!

By Dawnk777 on Monday, September 12, 2005 - 06:56 pm:

Wow, it is the little things that make us happy. I'm sure I would have commented to a stranger about the chicken, too!

By Karen~moderator on Monday, September 12, 2005 - 07:09 pm:

Kim, that is what we are doing around here - shopping by gossip!!! LOL

By Wandilu on Monday, September 12, 2005 - 07:20 pm:

Ladies,is it possible to mail some things to yall to help out with food and such.I really,really want to do this,if it is possible in your area to recieve mail.PAMT,I'm glad your mom is sending you some sugar.What other kind of non-perishable's are you in the need of?Karen,are you able to recieve mail yet? What are you in the need of? Are there any more people on our board that was affected by Katrina?Please let me do this for yall.It's the very least that I can do.

By Karen~moderator on Monday, September 12, 2005 - 08:11 pm:

No, No, No! But thanks for the thought. Things are getting a little more back to *normal* daily. I will actually be going food shopping tomorrow, and even if I can't get exactly what I'm looking for, I certainly won't starve!

By Pamt on Monday, September 12, 2005 - 10:50 pm:

Wanda, thanks so much for your generous offer. Like Karen said though it is slowly getting better and it's hit or miss. The week after the hurricane I could get sugar, but now milk or bread. Now I can get milk and bread, but not sugar. The stores here are still learning how to buy for a population that's doubled in size---they'll figure it out eventually. We have plenty of toilet paper, flour, eggs, butter, etc. and I always buy staples when I go to the store just in case now. I actually bought more chicken today because it was there when I went to look for sugar again.

And Karen, yes it is crazy! It's the constant whirr of the helicopters that is the weirdest thing to me. My dog is almost getting used to military helicopters flying overhead ALL day and she's not barking at them as much.

By Kernkate on Monday, September 12, 2005 - 11:32 pm:

If you guys need anything at all, don't hesitate to email me and I will send it....email is kathy at echoes. net.
Please don't be afraid if there is anything I can send I will.
I hope life is getting back to alittle bit normal for you all.

By Imamommyx4 on Tuesday, September 13, 2005 - 01:11 am:

I think alot of us would like to do something to help but just don't know exactly what. Churches are gathering lots of stuff to take down and give out and I've done that. But it doesn't seem like enough.

By Feona on Tuesday, September 13, 2005 - 08:29 am:

Wow! That is eye opening.

By Karen~moderator on Tuesday, September 13, 2005 - 08:35 am:

You know what was the biggest eye opener for me? Standing in line, ANY and EVERYWhere you go - with National Guardsmen close by, because they will only let a few people in at a time to prevent looting. They are doing this at my local CVS which is now open, and I stood in line at Wal Mart the other day just to get IN the store.

I realize this will pass, but I hope I never again take for granted all the creature comforts and *normalcy* of life as I knew it.