Mostly I spent Monday (July 16th) putting together furniture at a domestic violence women's shelter in Chalmette, Louisiana, for Habitat for Humanity. Chalmette is in St. Bernard Parish, and later in the afternoon a woman who works for the parish took us on a bus ride to see some of the most devastated areas. It's just unbelievable -- 2 years on and it really still looks like a disaster area -- still a boat on a roof in one location. I had only a disposable camera with me, so those pictures will have to wait.

Some places have never even been gutted yet, and folks here are truly refugees. Their resilience, however, is incredible to behold . . . so there's an entrepreneurial spirit here, and I saw much evidence of volunteers and religious organizations, but no government presence at all.

'Nuff said.

jdm