New Thursday 13-a look at rebuilding almost 2 years later-April 1 extended deadline 6 months

It is very very hard physically mentally, emotionally on myself and my animals.Nothing is ever really pretty or clean.All that I desired was not in the budget, arrived more expensive or would  not safely ship here- I had to settle,again and again..



Big jobs make people lazy.Many construction companies came through my house and were never heard from again-plenty of gossipp(don't touch that place) too much work-quick money is the buzz word


How does one remain kind,happy and not bitter when the county  realtors decided you could not move to another home because people had ready cash and you had a government paper trail,Tried for 6 months no way .






Self talk is so important , prayer,every kind of self help imaginable as you watch builders break things , ruin others  and basically try to short cut everywhere-arguments yes even from someone like me who hates to argue..then I felt badly  and overcompensated ,still do not like myself-ask for help family friends, they want to know but are scarce.


Your health starts to decline, how can it not nowhere to cook,properly bathe for months on end but you remind yourself others have it worse..you blow up-order more and more hobbies and outlets,try not to worry especially about money -it is no use,sleep evades you , you worry constantly despite trying not to and you blow and you blow again  and one day you just accept, it will not be the best house )50years old)but it will be safer-you cannot get all you want but ..



You focus on little things to make you happy - yes 2 big chandeliers are now broken and they will not take broken tile back,but you will have lovely window boxes..



You refuse to feel sorry for yourself and cry and although you are out of money,still no kitchen 15 months later, no decent bathing and a new problem every day-crying will make you weak so you choose to volunteer,and many crafts.

It is hard to leave the house always because there are workers here,time is interminably slow.you see no end in sight.They say April 1 .I'm no fool.


The only people even slightly kind are government  loan officers and case workers who are fantastic -of course you have made 9 payments and have no home.


Hard to believe all that insurance got you next to nothing andFEMAa turned you down in 20 minutes flat-of course too much damage

Then a big storm came and I was not moving buckets and being afraid the walls would cave in-I was dry and grateful and I apologized for being strange and  began living. I WAS DRY.I had windows to bring in fresh air.

You come to love certain people who do great jobs-like the painters,who are polite,clean up and  are so so nice,the screener who did a fabulous job,others will not come because it is too dirty or gouge you on prices.You write letters of commendation for  the lady at Lowes who sent a giant truckload and also included receipts you needed, gave your military discount,and took care of any little problem.You take to facebook to warn others about poor service then wonder if they will seek retaliation.It's all so big,the biggest endeavor of my life.I would be glad to send you pictures of the other 7 rooms but there are none ,those rooms are gutted but no more-SIGH.And you know what another hurricane season is approaching and those folks had it a lot worse than I did.The sewer septic guy was ok,garage door ok,builders ok,painters fabulous,Lowes fabulous,6 friends who hung in there to cheer me and send me flowers godsends,odd jobs-terrible gaugers and not proficient ,organizations who claim to help and never do -Habitat is one ,driveway was awful, blinds terrible, exterminators unbelievably poor,roofer busy but a lifelong friend  wonderful, air conditioning crooked, inspectors excellent , on and on -now you know**