Gulf Coast Blues

As many of you know, I took an over week-long trip earlier this year to the Gulf Coast, crossing Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas and spent time in and around New Orleans, Houston (and Nashville). The Gulf Coast holds some very special memories for me. My dad spent a great deal of time in Gulfport and Biloxi, Mississippi while he was in the Naval Reserve. He often did his two weeks active duty there and as my aunt lived just an hour or so over near New Orleans, it was a good excuse to visit. I almost broke my ankle riding double with my cousin one time. I can remember hearing that a hurricane may be coming and when my aunt’s air conditioning kicked on I awoke from a sound sleep, wondering if it was there. New Orleans was the first place I visited after coming home from Germany in 1989. I made my first trip to Texas in 1991 for my (German) sister’s wedding. They live about 30 miles west of Galveston now. I remember Galveston and wading in the piss warm water, the oil rigs tiny in the distance. That piss warm water that’s going to fuel Rita. In 1994, I returned to Texas and Louisiana right before my sister became pregnant with her first child and it would be almost 11 years before I made it back. Which, of course, was this year. I had more to go back to though. Bloggers... Se7en, Brighton, Zelda and Jethro, Tinyhands... and those further west that I missed seeing. I’m saddened and helpless. Blessed Be Gulf Coast.