Good news. We were starting to worry about you. The first reports suggested only minimal damage in Lake Charles, but as the days went by a much more disturbing picture emerged. Hope you get everything back together real soon. Paul
> Sid, Good to hear you are safe and more or less sound... Bob S. > > On 10/3/05, Sid Barras <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hi pentax gang, > > I'm back in Lake Charles, actually been back 5 days now, but I also > > have a phone line that works with my modem now too. Still no > > electricity. > > > > But I'm much more fortunate than about 50% of the population here in > > Calcasieu Parish. (and about 100% of the population of Cameron > > parish, our southern, coastal neighbor) > > > > A full report to follow, with pictures; as soon as I get the trees > > off my roof, and tarps laid down to keep the rain out of my attic. > > Structure of my house is basically undamaged. The vast majority of > > the lovely old live oaks in this area survived. The "water > > oaks" (what I've always called them-- a taller oak tree, with a > > smoother, whiter bark, and an upright growth habit, and these are > > deciduous, though their leaves don't "color" as they drop in autumn) > > are what have mainly devestated the area around here. These trees > > have fallen over, roots and all (and they seem to share a shallow, > > weak root system) and crushed many, many homes around here. Most pine > > trees that have not survived "snapped" in the middle of the trunk, as > > opposed to simply toppling over as the water oaks have. These oaks > > and pines are probably 95% of the trees that fell. Of the others, the > > most common "fallen" varieties are sycamores, magnolias, and cedars. > > Most of the pecans and other hardwoods still stand. > > > > Well, I'm blathering on. More to follow, and more to the point, pics > > for pentax people to peruse.. > > > > Sid > > > > PS: Mark, I saw your post-- a South Louisiana pdml gathering sounds > > great. I'm sure we have a few fellows within the "Houston to New > > Orleans" sphere as well... Also, did you hear that Avery Island has > > fairly well survived too? > > > > >
