Mary Heckman:  

January17 2013 A LONG time since I wrote on this story. I spent last year painting- paintings--and having a One Woman Show- entering shows in the area and some away from here. I painted my kitchen too and that took a year. I won a few honorable mentions. The really great one was that one of my paintings was accepted in the River Road Show which is a National Show and on Jan4th I was given an Honorable Mention and a Prize. One of my greatest moments in life. My painting is hanging in the Louisiana Archieve Building. on Essen Lane. Now, I have been doing some photography for the La Art and Artists' Guild-for their workshops--Now I am back to painting art. Since I did not have a family Christmas Dinner, we will be having that this Sunday evening and then I will take out Christmas Tree down. Whatever --have a good one. July15, Today my husband and drove to Covington La to "Insta-Gator Ranch &Hatchery "-----Alligators. It was 145 mile round trip and well worth it. It was educational,fun, stinky, a little scary, and I held baby alligators. Something I never did in WV.If you really want to see all about it google that title I just put up there and you can see it via net.We drove home though a fiece storm and were really slowed slowed by 2 accidents probably due to slick highway.I am going to try to put our pic on here with one alligator. July 9th The gates at Morganza spillway are all now closed. and we are allowed back to the levees downtown. Fireworks were put off on the river for the 4th of July. I think things are back to normal except the levees were damaged on the river side due to the high water pressure over the long time the water was there. They say it will take 2 billion dollars to repair the levees.We can all sigh now as we get ready for hurricane season. I am not quite ready yet. I am usually fully prepared June Ist but I am a little slow this year.Hurricane Arlene has already gone into Mexico. The water has now gone down enough that they are taking the booms off the levees but we are not allowed down to the levees. It will take about a week to get the booms off the levees. They are closing most of the gates of the Morganza Spillway and probably will have them all closed this week-end Today is June 9th. Last Friday we went to the top of the Capital Building and we could look down at the river and see the water. I could see where it was at that time it almost over the railroad tract. Of course there were trees sticking up out of the water on both sides of the river. I am swimming at a fitness center just about every other day and I think my health is improving. I worked out on a fitness machine. I am deteremined to overcome this nasty imparement that has held me captive.// The water in the river is now starting to go down. Morgan City has had some flooding. In spite of all this water we are in a draugt condition. I have been ill for a one year now but opimistic that each I will total be restored to health. Today I will go to an art reception for a good friend.// May 21st today.Yesterday 5 barges got loose and some struck the old bridge and some sank then some resurfaced.All this is very dangerous to the levees. The water did not flood the land below the Morganza spillway as rapidly as orginally thought it would so so some did not really have to vacate so soon but they will eventually have to leave their homes. The earth was so dry that it is absorbing the water.// Today is May 18th the Mississippi River will crest at Baton Rouge today--earlier than they first predicted.It will be at crest stage for weeks.// Today is May 14th 2011, I last wrote May 9th. The Morganza Spillway will be open in the next 24 hours. That means all the farmland and about 25,000 folks will be flooded below it. This will save Baton Rouge and New Orleans from being flooded. At this point. We are not allowed to walk on the levee and The old Bridge has only single lane of traffic.The river traffic is limited (boats).I think the predicted day of the crest is May 22nd.// Now the Mi...Expand for more