A Post from Gulfport

Okay, so here I sit at my MIL's house, in Gulfport, MS. This is the first time I've been down here STS (Since The Storm) and I'm....sad...yeah, that's the word. I haven't seen very much of the hard-hit areas, but the whole city looks very different! Actually, I could tell the difference starting as far north as Meridian (see Map). All along the interstate trees are down and leaning, buildings are missing roofs, and dents in the guardrails show how many trees were blocking the roads. I finally got used to seeing the damage, then I got to Hattiesburg. Most of their "Exit Description" signs (the signs that say what gas/food/lodging is at that exit) were bent--the posts bent so the signs are bent backwards and upside-down (if you're not familiar with the area, how would you ever know which exit to take?)! Then I got to Gulfport. I do not have the words to describe this place, and how it makes me feel. The biggest things that I have seen are: So many buildings with massive damage. Entire shopping centers are gone, homes still have trees piled on their roofs (rooves? lol), and many businesses are still closed. Second, are the boats piled up on the banks of small "back bay" waterways. Yes, hundreds of sailboats, fishing boats, shrimp boats, speed boats, and pontoons are literally, Piled Up along the banks. And, finally, I am amazed by the amount of TRASH. It's Everywhere! Piled in parking lots, front yards, and along the roads. Half of the vehicles on the road are trucks pulling "homemade" trailers Full Of Trash (real trash, limbs, and building materials)! Where will it all go? Will they recycle some of it? The wood can be chopped and used for firewood (obviously further north, not here) and the building materials can be reused. I know this is short and kind of superficial, but I really cannot describe what I see and how I feel. Just know, it is bad.
Last night we went to dinner at Logan's Roadhouse. We put our name on "the list" and waited out on the front lawn (with about 75 other people)--for One Hour and Fifteen Minutes (we got there at 7:30). We went inside, ordered drinks and our food. Our waitress asked us how long we had to wait and quickly brought our drinks and rolls (she was Wonderful). Thirty Minutes later our food still hadn't arrived. A young man (A Manager) came to our table and told us that he was "Very sorry for the wait. And, according to the receipt, I have paid for everything except five sweet teas." Five minutes later, our food was served--and it was pretty good. And, yes, the meal was Free. Wow! Definitely Worth The Wait. I had never eaten at Logan's before, but I know that I will eat there Again! Thank God for the Kindness of Others! Even though it was just a "little" thing, it really made my day (my week, even).