OT - hurricane update

[Guest guest]

Hey y'all,

I just got my internet connection back yesterday afternoon. Our house flooded

with Hurricane Ivan. We are in a rental house for months while we either repair

or rebuild our house. We live in a 35 year old house that was built on the

ground on the Intracoastal Canal. Now, the houses must be built on pilings down

there because of the threat of flooding. The canal has been there since 1932

and this is only the second time water has gotten in any of the houses down

there. We were surprised by it. We'd like to either tear it down and rebuild

it on pilings or raise the one we have. It's all dependent on what kind of

loans we can get to do it. We have ample flood insurance so we'll be fine to

repair it if we have to but we hate to face the threat of a flood again. Either

way, the house will be totally new on the inside so that's an exciting thought.

It's been a very long two weeks for us but I'm starting to see the light at the

end of the tunnel! Our town is devastated in the beach area but most of the

houses back here where I live are fine. Out of my 18 students, none of them had

any damage other than trees down in their yards. Most classes only had 2 or 3

kids with devastating damage to their homes. So, that's a good thing, too!

Now that I have my computer back, I'll be around more. I hope I didn't miss too

much the past two weeks!!

Sara