In the TP Again

Stephanie Bruno has another story about our ongoing renovation in this morning’s Times-Picayune. This marks the twelfth or thirteenth in the series. I’ve lost count. There’s nothing here that faithful readers of this website haven’t seen before, but it’s still kind of fun to read.

THE BEAT GOES ON IN MID-CITY AND BEYOND
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Stephanie Bruno Contributing writer

Although work is largely suspended at the raised-basement house in Mid-City that Xy and her husband, Editor B, share, at least one vexing post-Katrina problem has been solved in the past week.

“While many of our neighbors are trying to get hot water in their houses, we’ve been longing for cold water,” Editor B explained in his blog.

That’s because ever since his plumber came out to repair the couple’s pipes back in July, scalding hot water has been coursing out of the cold water tap.

A few theories for the phenomenon were considered, tested and discarded, and then a couple of months passed without action. In the interim, Editor B says he and Xy were brushing their teeth with water as hot as 110 degrees.

Last week the plumber returned, ready to test a new theory, and at last got to the root of the problem.

“It turns out that the rough-in valves he had installed for the shower were wide open, and that was allowing backfeed and the mixing of hot and cold water,” Editor B explained. A turn of the valve, and order was restored.

If only it were as simple to restore order outside the couple’s home. Editor B reports that maybe half of the flooded homes on his block are occupied and that garbage and untouched properties are still problems.

But there are also tangible improvements, such as renovations in progress, occupied FEMA trailers, a re-opened corner grocery and even a few gardens sprouting up.

The most exciting development of all, Editor B said, is that “Warren Easton marches again!”

“I was cooking dinner and heard the beat of drums. I recognized that sound immediately and knew what it meant,” he said.

Editor B said he and neighbors streamed outdoors in time to see the young musicians at parade rest, getting instructions from the band director.

“Their program is probably starting over essentially from scratch,” Editor B said in his blog (b.rox.com). “When they passed by our house the Thursday before Katrina, they were playing songs. Now they seem to be working on fundamentals. Will they be ready for Mardi Gras? I bet they will.”

Footnote: I think my previous estimate of re-occupancy may have been overly optimistic. In my immediate neighborhood, I bet about 1/4 of homes are now occupied.