Mothers Memories

Memories are made of this.....standing at the front door, age 5, watching the wind blow and wondering if I'd ever see my dolly again....I had forgotten it on the bed in Clermont Harbor when we escaped the coming hurricane of 1947. Everyone was sad when they returned to say the house had floated off its foundations and everything inside was ruined except my dolly had floated on the mattress and was returned to me safe and sound.

I was too young to appreciate how much work went into rebuilding, but I was grateful for the many years of careless abandon....swimming, fishing, crabbing, floundering, riding our bikes anywhere in town, meeting daddy at the train in the old green Chevy or maroon Pontiac or
even the Ford station wagon...eating on the "picnic" table on the new back porch, swinging in the hammocks, helping Dad build the Gils and Gals "speed" boat that pulled the homemade "surf" board....fanning ourselves in the little, white St. Ann's church with the holy picture advertisement fans. Gee, that church left us when Camille hit in 1969; but I was busy with babies at the time and missed all of that rebuilding time as well.

Clermont Harbor....what memories....running out to daddy in the backyard hammock to look up and see Jesus in the sky...full color, no less, and I had just made my First Communion at age 8. I was impressed! That same hammock tree held the three apartment bluebird house.

And every year we took our brood of five, wild Indians (Memere's expression for one's five offspring) to play on the Gulf Coast and stay at the house in Clermont Harbor. The word "JOY" comes to mind when I recall those yearly visits to see family, play on the beach and take the kids floundering after eating hotdogs and marshmallows around Uncle Gil's huge bonfires on the sand.

And then there was Katrina.....couldn't sleep.....stayed on the couch watching CNN.....made gumbo to distract my mind....kept going to the library at school to watch more news....lost more sleep....kept watching CCN and making phone calls....the boss finally sent me home one day and said to get packed to go camping with the grandkids and get my mind off the disaster....at least my family was alive.....it was a somber camping trip.....the 55 campers prayed the prayer to Our Lady for protection for the City of New Orleans that I had received from the CCL chat line.....then I was able to reach Kurt and find out that Shirley and Eddie were safe in Tulsa....what a relief.....and Gil still had a job...no house, but a job....and Johnny thanked God for not getting the job in the New Orleans high schools....he still had a job....and Sharon's dad's house didn't flood in Waveland....what a blessing! So I started making baby blankets to replace the ones Katrina had probably stolen....I had to do something, even if it seemed a bit small and even silly.....it kept me away from the tv.

So much is gone now....but I am grateful for what has been spared....Gil and Sharon lost almost everything at their place and so did Mike and Tammy...which makes me very sad.....but Aunt Suzanne and Uncle Michael lost very little and Johnny's house on Short St. in New Orleans only lost what was in the garage. It was so hard to sell the house Memere and Pepere built, but now it is totally gone as well as Joan & Tommy's home at Treasure Isle, Slidell.

Katrina was the big one Daddy always talked about....the Lake was going to flood the city one day....at least everyone was wise enough to get out of town. And for Ralph's sister and brother-in-law who did stay....thank God they were able to get out unharmed 6 days later and had insurance to cover their losses.

Only God knows how all this will turn out....my prayer is that we will be stronger and closer and ever so grateful for the wonderful memories. With mom and dad and Carolyn watching over us from up there, I'm sure they'll be putting in the good word for all of us to be reunited in heaven one day.

Thank you, Kurt, for starting this session and for those who share their thoughts!
Mom/Joan Tosso LeBlanc