The rebuilding of Mary Perkins' new Bay St. Louis home is proceeding apace. Image courtesy of Mary Perkins.
House update!! From the picture you can see that the house now has vinyl siding on it. The rough in mechanical and plumbing are done. We are just completing the rough in electrical. A rough in inspection can be called for in about a week. Once approved, we can then move forward with insulation and sheetrock. I am counting the days and hours until all is complete.
The house has come this far since July 17 due to the wonderful volunteers from Lagniappe Presbyterian Church and my neighbor Bill LeBlanc. I would not be where I am today without their help. Bill is a retired contractor who continues to keep his contractor's license up to date, so he was like the foreman for the job when all the volunteers started pouring in. He made sure everything was done to code and answered all their questions. Yes, I am blessed.
I have also included a picture of my FEMA trailer across the street from my house. It is about 240 square feet - - 8 feet wide and 30 feet long. It includes a bedroom with a queen foam mattress that sits on a piece of plywood. I have added the foam you buy to use as a mattress cover. It helps somewhat. Then there are two bunk beds by the bathroom, which I use for storage of my clothes, etc. If I had children, I do not know what I would use for storage, because there is none.
Bunk beds double as dressers in Mary's FEMA trailer across the street. (Mary Perkins)
Anyway, so much for that. Last week I had to drive to Biloxi to close on my homeowner assistance grant. On the way home, I rode down the beach and just wept over the losses from Biloxi to Pearlington. It is just so sad to see things you grew up passing all your life, just gone. And to think that in Bay St. Louis, which is getting better, we still do not have a grocery store.
I spoke with someone today who said we made it through aftermath of Camille, and now we must and will make it through the aftermath of Katrina. Just please don't forget us. We still need all the help we can get.
Justice, post-Katrina style
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So glad to see a new posting from you, Mary. Please keep them up so that we can see the progress all of you are making and constantly remind us not to forget you all.
Michael Roberts, The Woodlands, TX (Sent Sep 15, 2006 4:41:58 PM)
You do have children. Where do Pokey and Freeway sleep if not on the bunkbeds? .....Best of Wishes...Get in that new Home soon!
andy,booneville ms. (Sent Sep 16, 2006 3:16:12 PM)
Oh boy, I sense moving day is fast approaching! Thanks for sharing the photos, Mary. It's looking awesome! I can only imagine how excited you must feel about moving in. I agree; you are truly blessed to have come so far in such a short period of time. I'm so happy for you I'm about to shed a tear. Hugs!
Stephanie Umbro, Maine (Sent Sep 17, 2006 5:10:21 AM)
What an adorable home! That's wonderful news about its almost being ready to move into and about your closing on your homeowners' assistance grant. That FEMA trailer sure sounds cramped and uncomfortable.
My heart goes out to you, weeping over all those familiar landmarks that have been lost where you live. And I was sad to hear that even though things are getting better in Bay St. Louis, you still don't have a grocery store.
So I'm counting the days and the hours, too--not only until your new home's ready to move into, but until you have a grocery and all the other basics you need in Bay St. Louis.
I won't forget you and everyone else there. (I wish I could say the same for the rest of the country.) Take care, good luck, and God bless.
Olivia Elizabeth Burdon, Peoria, Ill. (Sent Sep 17, 2006 1:53:33 PM)
God bless you, Mary!! I am looking forward to the diary entry that tells all of us that you've moved in to your new home. Be sure to include a picture of yourself, Freeway and Pokey on the front porch!
Cher, Indiana (Sent Sep 17, 2006 9:33:39 PM)
I'm excited to see your house continuing to be built! I was one of the volunteers from Pittsburgh who worked on your walls and roof and it's great to see the progress since mid-July. I often think about you and the others in Bay St. Louis I met and it's nice to read your updates. While it'll never be the same, I'm glad that you're closer to moving home. Good luck with the rest of your construction and God bless.
Jason, Pittsburgh, PA (Sent Sep 18, 2006 10:10:04 PM)
Blessings "do come to good people".....Your 1 of those!
andy,booneville ms. (Sent Sep 19, 2006 9:08:41 PM)
Hey Mary, next post show us a photo of Freeway and Pokey! Please!
andy,booneville ms. (Sent Sep 19, 2006 9:25:08 PM)
I wish the best for everyone, it seems this has come to a end.............Gee why does a major news station stop carrying news about the Southern States?...............dangitt!
andy,booneville ms. (Sent Sep 22, 2006 10:04:37 PM)
My name is Dj Cox I was from Bay St Louis as well.But now I am in Louisiana cause we have no home there anymore. I pray that ya'll are okay and well.I have not been there to see what you all have seen cause I would cry. May GOD be with you all!
DJ COX 806 Richland St Denham Springs Louisiana 70726 (Sent Sep 22, 2006 11:36:35 PM)
That is amazing Mary! God bless you! I was one of the volunteers from Pa who helped work on the walls and such...it's amazing to see how far your house has come since the time we left. When i saw the most recent picture of your house it made my day...I'm so glad to see that it has made such progress. I hope your doin well we think about you and the others that are working through Lagniappe church all the time.
Liesl, Pittsburgh PA (Sent Sep 23, 2006 3:20:17 PM)
Hey Mary,
Glad to see the house going up. Hope you are in soon.
I miss those days of looking at that tree.
John Wikerson, Bay St Louis (Sent Sep 25, 2006 3:12:39 AM)
O.K. I'm dumb/or Lazy...........Where is Lagniappe?...........Whereever,if they help people their always welcome!
andy,ms (Sent Sep 25, 2006 9:26:00 PM)
Andy, Lagniappe is a new church start in the Bay and they are accepting volunteers. I think they have a website...maybe you could search for "Lagniappe Bay St. Louis." "Lagniappe", as I've heard it explained in the Bay, is a french word for that "little something extra" often given in the Bay and other places when someone buys a quantity of something. So instead of 12 donuts, you get 13. You want a pound of shrimp and they toss in about 4 or 5 extra, just because. It was one of the really kind and wonderful things that people did and was part of the hospitality of the area. I am sure there are people associated with the church that could tell you more about it.
Laurie, CO (Sent Sep 26, 2006 11:57:33 PM)
O. Be Do Be! That's cool their sure doing "a little something extra" ! Thanks Laurie.
andy,ms (Sent Sep 28, 2006 9:14:10 AM)
Mary--Hope that by now you, Freeway, and Pokey have been able to move into your new house. Take care and God bless.
andy--I'm curious--what is the major news station you mention that has stopped carrying news about the Southern states? We should visit its website (I'm sure it would have one) and if it has a way to do so, e-mail them asking them to start covering the Southern states again.
Olivia Elizabeth Burdon, Peoria, Ill. (Sent Sep 29, 2006 7:53:06 AM)
I thought Msnbc was gonna, but they have'nt. Thank goodness! Olivia,...Mary send us news! We are all curious about the progress!
andy,booneville ms. (Sent Oct 1, 2006 9:59:41 AM)
I say I think they have quit us!
andy,booneville ms. (Sent Oct 4, 2006 9:15:09 AM)
You can keep up with what's going on along the Mississippi Gulf Coast (now that we aren't getting much on this site). Check out WLOX.com and sunherald.com. The editorials are great. Also "sound off" is worth checking out.
Marilyn, Daytona Beach (Sent Oct 5, 2006 3:10:26 PM)
Marilyn--Thanks for the tips about WLOX.com and sunherald.com.
andy--I just tried sending a request for regular updates in the "Story Tip" box. I wonder if that would work.
Olivia Elizabeth Burdon, Peoria, Ill. (Sent Oct 7, 2006 3:28:43 PM)
Mary, it's great that your house is getting rebuilt and that you have an "angel" contractor in your neighbor. Yes, Lagniappe Church does have a website (and by the way, it's apparently pronounced lan-yap. I was mangling the pronounciation in my mind until I read how to say it).
We should all email msnbc to continue this site. Last year was just a year of survival and waiting, this year will be the year of a lot of rebuilding, and it seems like it should continue to be covered. And there should be more national coverage of Lagniappe Church, God's Katrina Kitchen, Mississippi Home Again, etc and other groups doing so much good down there. At this point, if you don't know about them already, or you don't go to the local news sources cited above (WLOX and the News Herald) there's no way people outside the Gulf will hear about them, or know they can donate to them. The anniversary coverage was very scimpy on the non-profit and church groups working so hard in the rebuilding.
God Bless you Mary and may all things work together for good in finishing your home.
Rosemary, Sacramento (Sent Oct 9, 2006 11:17:33 PM)
I am so happy that things are working out for you Mary and soon you will have a real home again. We don't get much news about the gulf rebulding efforts here in Wisconsin. I am curious; why hasn't a grocery store been built and/or don't you have gas stations with expanded grocery sections like we have here in Wisconsin? Oil companies should have the money to afford the building of these "super gas stations" and the efficient transportation of the groceries. Keep us up to date on what is happening business-wise in your communities on the gulf. Good luck in the coming year. Losing most of your history and buildings must be very tough to handle. I wish you well.
Barb P, Kenosha, WI (Sent Oct 12, 2006 1:55:49 PM)
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