Back from Houston…

After the most wonderful time I’ve returned back to California for a brief stay in my own bed before heading to San Diego. I’m in Northern CA so, San Diego is like a 10 hour drive.

Here’s a recap of one of the best conferences I’ve attended:

Wednesday:
 
I arrived at the airport early and made my way over to the terminal ‘I thought’ David C was arriving at.  After asking each other on the phone over and over again ‘where are you? Where are you?’ .. come to find out we’re in two different terminals.  (Houston Airport is Texas big).  Our FABULOUS host Miss Cisca (Cisco but I prefer to call him Cisca which is much better than his roommates nickname for him “B.G.”) wisked us away to our overnight accommodations and then we went to Barnaby’s.  It’s the café we went to last time I was in Houston and is a terrifically fun and delicious eatery with a touch of camp atmosphere.  We met several nice folks including Brandon, who I hadn’t realized played Eddie Haskel in last year’s musical production at the Houston Conference.  Great fun, what a cutie.
 
Thursday:
 
In the morning we ate.  Well. Actually. I ate.  The Empress, David C. doesn’t do much of that.  Food in the morning turns her stomach so coffee is all she can manage but I didn’t let that stop me.  Of course.
 
Miss Cisca picked us up and took us to the Lamda Center.  Great fun. I saw David D. who was SO gracious last year and treated me to a lovely dinner and showed me what Tex Mex really was. We saw others too from last year and it’s so nice to make those connections and then be able to hang on to them! Our Thursday night speaker at the Round Up was Michael from Dallas. What a great speaker. He was better than when I heard him in Miami. And, easy on the eyes too. 🙂

The musical was not to be believed. They always do such a great job at the Round Up in Houston. They have Texas-Sized talent there, that’s for sure!~

Friday:

I spent the morning watching Empress gulp her third coffee for breakfast. I almost felt guilty for eating food. Almost. We heard Jim from Minneapolis and spent some additional time getting to know the crew from MN. Also Cece from Atlanta spoke and she did fabulous – as I knew she would. I spoke with her in Seattle and just love her.

Saturday:

Empress was a little nervous and I convinced her she was going to do just fine. Went to the workshops. I also made it to every candlelight meeting. Love those late night meetings. In Sacramento, you can usually find me at the all nighters..

We had a nice luncheon and heard a woman from Eucless TX. I think I spelled it correctly. I’ve not been there. Hanging out with Millard and David from last year was great fun. They are the nicest folks!

Empress spoke and did the most phenomenal job. After he stepped down and sat down, before the count-down. We both just cried and cried. I think we both had the realization that life has changed. We know that sobriety ebbs and flows. People move on, new life experiences are undertaken. But it’s clear he’s not likely to return to Sacramento and the truth is, who knows if even I’ll be there. I’ve been searching for a new place in life and as I spoke in many of the meetings there, I don’t know where I’m going. It was just one of those moments where we realize we’ve been best friends but it’s not likely we’ll ever have those days of serving on committees and running around North Hall terrorizing newcomers and oldtimers alike.

Sunday:

The Round Up wound down. We said goodbye to good friends some we only just met. We went to Barnaby’s (of course) to say farewell to the MN gals. We went to the cast party and David said adieu as he departed to North Carolina. I’m not sure when we’ll cross paths again. He’s talking about going to Miami but the next stop I’ll probably make is the Austin Round Up.

I went to the meeting and heard Betty D chair. I was tired and so enjoyed my plum tea and chatty conversation with Cisca and Charity after a lovely dinner. I was so ready to come home. It seems like it’s been more than two months since I’ve spent time with my husband Rob. Maybe because it HAS been more than two months. We’ll be taking a much needed time-together and drive to San Diego. I’ll report more later! Be well.

DSC06599
Originally uploaded by ChristopherSolis.

Well. I just received the news I’m done here. It came as a surprise but not really. I’ve been telling you it’s been slowing down… so it was inevitable. I’m sorry that I’m the first of my team to head home, but the good news is I get to be with all of you! I was hoping I’d stay longer, but maybe next time – if there is one.

I have had the MOST amazing experiences. Unbelievable and cannot be duplicated. I hope that some of you reading have gotten a little understanding of the impact of the event on the lives of so many. It’s not even relatable through the medium of the internet. My hope is that you’ve caught a glimpse of how awful this has been. How thousands and thousands have been displaced. I don’t know how all of these folks will eventually recover. My hope is that they will, my faith in God tells me that many will serve as an example to me and others how to overcome what today seem insurmountable.

I’ve just been honored to meet some of those folks.

Cheap Truck
Originally uploaded by ChristopherSolis.

It’s Monday and everyone here is eatin up a storm. Some nice folks brought in some Boudan (pronounced Boo Dah) I think. The ladies just laughed and lauged because I said “Bow Dan” and my co worker said thanks for the “Bee Day”. Neither of which is correct.

It’s a sausage of pork and rice in a casing and it’s very garlicky and very delicious. The ladies were very nice and have been through a tough time because their parents tombs have been washed away and so they are distraught that their family plot is not there any longer.

The picture above is a truck, one of many vehicles, left on the side of the road. This one at least had a humurous sign which said “no warranty”.

I hope you are all well. I spoke with many folks from Sacramento this week who indicated that the RCRU conference went well. And, my Mother’s surgery went well too. She’s resting at home and that makes me happy.. that she’s better!

Scoreboard Black and White
Originally uploaded by ChristopherSolis.

I’m hanging in the center between clients. It’s slower this afternoon but it was a busy morning. I had a client who spoke of her house as though it were gone since she kept referring to the cement slab that once was her house. When I made reference later to her house being destroyed, she and her husband spoke at once.. ‘oh it’s not destroyed’.

Confused, I looked at them and said ‘I thought you had indicated that it was gone?’. ‘Oh. It’s gone’. They said.

Still confused, I just looked at them and then they explained it was still intact .. just FIVE MILES AWAY! Amazing. It was still intact with the pictures still on the wall, the pots and pans still on the stove! It’s sitting in a marsh/swamp and some folks went inside and found the mounted deer head with a plaque inscription with the family name on it and came to tell them that these peoples’ house was in their marsh.

Wow.

Then I had another woman who had the perfect before and after snapshot of her house. Sitting there, recently remodled. And the next week. Completely gone and replaced by water and a broken tree. Sad.

I am doing alright. I’m going to Houston tomorrow night to spend some time fellowshipping and missing Sacramento as the River City Round Up begins. I hope you’re all well. I’ll see you all soon! Hugs.

Gaters in the Sun
Originally uploaded by ChristopherSolis.

MMmm MMmm Mmmph.

I had a very good lunch today. I was having a difficult day the other day when I was working with a client.. and I let out a sigh. Miss Lillian asked me if I was ok, and I said I was thanks. She said “Oh. Don’t lie to Miss Lillian. I can tell. You need a big bowl of coon-ass food. You have any lately?” I confessed I hadn’t. She said. “I’ll bring you some”.

That was the day before yesterday, and I had forgotten about it. But she came by today with enough chicken gumbo with okra and potato salad to feed the whole center! It was so tasty too. God Bless Miss Lillian! I feel better 🙂

The picture above is a gator hanging out on the banks of the canal here in Cameron Parish Louisiana. If you look close you can see the smaller one in the water. He scampered back into the canal when this picture was taken. A local told us to be careful. (Duh-Hello! This was snapped with the zoom lens! We’re yankees sure, but NOT dumb enough to walk right up on em). He said the big one just hangs out and the smaller ones run because the smaller gaters think you’re looking at them as food. The bigger ones don’t run. They hang out to see if you’ll come any closer because they’re looking at YOU as food.

Thanks for the advice!

Track and Field South Cameron High School
Originally uploaded by ChristopherSolis.

Hi folks. I’m in the Center in the evening and it is dark. It was another slower day. I even logged onto Yahoo Instant Messenger and said hello to some friends. I also got to speak with my good friend Winnie today.

The picture above is of the track, at the highschool in Cameron Parish. I tongue in cheek labeled it as having new hurdles.. but it’s sad that someone is going to have to pay to restore this for the students.

All is going well here. I hung out last night and did laundry and played cards with Heather. It was nice of her stay up til midnight, even though we were both so tired! We don’t get off work til 7pm and it’s a half hour drive to Lake Charles so.. by the time we get dinner it’s usually like 8:30 or 9 and i’m so tired I go to bed right after.. I’m getting so fat!! (fatter).

I love and miss you all. I can’t wait to see you and I’m quite disappointed that I won’t see my friends at the River City Round Up. Be well!

South Cameron High School
Originally uploaded by ChristopherSolis.

Hello. I’m in Grand Lake today, in Cameron Parish. They call them Parish’s down here rather than counties. And the photo above is a picture of the Cameron High School Auditorium. It’s very creepy in there! The day I was there it was very quiet but there was a breeze that was blowing all the wires and hanging fixtures around that clank against each other. Very spooky.

I’ve had several folks today who have it bad. One lady who is just the nicest person! And she broke my heart when she told me she hopes she gets housing assistance soon. She and her two children are living in a horse trailer. Her son is autistic and she had to ask for a second application because he’s on a kick where he tears everything up into perfectly shaped squares and did it with her application!

She felt bad, but it wasn’t her fault.

I’m doing well. It’s a rough day — I made a couple of mistakes and my current boss doesn’t let even the smallest one slide. It’s one of those days where I ask if it’s worth being here.. but .. of course it is! Crossed Ts and dotted I’s are not that big a deal. I can get over that!

Be well, we’ll see you all soon.

Collection of Items and Chemicals
Originally uploaded by ChristopherSolis.

I’m hanging in the Center today. It’s somewhat slow, although it was busier this morning. I had some really challenging folks. One poor couple lost most of their belongings but the worst part is that much of what remains is on an island. They used to have a ferry that would shuttle them back and forth but the ferry was destroyed in the hurricane and the community is not replacing it, which, without a bridge makes their property near worthless. They were very very angry.. we had to time-out several times!

The above picture is one of many scenes in the Parish. There piles of things everywhere including lots of booze bottles. Teams of searchers come through and pile things up to document the homes chemical and debris content. It smells sometimes and there are LOTS of flys and mosquitos too.

I’m in the country now, far away from the city of New Orleans. Some have asked if I’ve seen any Crocodiles. Oh sure, they’re right on the side of the road (let’s hope I don’t get a flat tire!)

All is well. I went to New Orleans last weekend to deliver a donation of literature from Sacramento’s North Hall group and also, from St. Louis’s Lamda Center. The folks in New Orleans at the Lamda Center thank you for your generous gift! As I may have told you on the phone, there are a higher number than usual new comers to the AA program so your donation came at the right time!

I’m going to Houston next weekend to spend time with friends in the fellowship and hang out for a night. It’s the weekend of the River City Round Up and I’m so disappointed that I won’t be able to attend, at least I’ll have the diversion of attending Houston dinner function.

I hope you are all well. I just put some new photos up on my flickr site. If you click on the picture above, it should link you there and you can see some of them. Be well and we’ll catch you soon!

Neighborhood.LA
Originally uploaded by ChristopherSolis.

I’m here in Grand Lake Louisiana and the damage here is from Hurricane Rita and not Katrina. So, the damage has been very very different. A lot more wind and tornado type damage than just flooding.

So people have arrived and said that their belongings have been blown all over. One man today was just happy his new recliner fell into the house of someone down the road who recognized it as his. Another woman this morning said she always wanted a riding lawn mower. She now has one that landed in her yard, keys and all and it started right up. She hopes one of her neighbors comes forward and claims it though.

The damage is widespread and it’s hard to imagine the community managing to come together, but it’s nice to see everyone here is very neighborly and community oriented.

Here’s a picture of one of the neighborhoods in Louisiana. I wrote in an earlier blog that I had driven 100 miles and saw nothing but this. Imagine that! It’s incredible.

I’m doing well. I’m severly disappointed of course that I won’t be able to attend the River City Round Up in Sacramento. Everyone worked so hard on it all year long, it would have been nice to see that it would have all come together. I’m sure everyone will have the best time! I hope they do.

Take care and we’ll catch up with y’all soon.

House in the Road
Originally uploaded by ChristopherSolis.

I’m in Grand Lake Louisiana! Don’t ask me where it is, I don’t know where I am! But. Most Louisianans don’t know where it is either. Right now though, I am meeting new and different people.

I’m closer to the Gulf and to Texas and the people here are not the same as in New Orleans. So I’ll report more when I have time. The devastation here though is terrible. I drove for over 100 miles on Sunday and there was only ONE house that I could see that survived. It’s really tragic.

Talk to you all later. I’m staying in Sulphur Louisiana outside of Lake Charles. Be well.