How's that roof coming?

We are almost done with the reworking of the carport. As I expected there was more rot that could be seen without uncovering it. Rafters, headers, decking, soffit, eaves, ceiling, and several layers of felt, tar, and pea gravel later, we are nearing the finish line. The rain has fought back, my unrelenting job has fought back, we've had two hurricanes. We are winning. With Kay's help, the roof looks very much like a professional torch down modified bitumen flat roof (we used cold process) Best part, it doesn't leak.
previously homeowner

Work, and FEMA water

  Just getting in this evening as I was called in around 9:30 (Sept 1st) because the generator had died and they were sitting in the dark (they think I am 911). Overheating, due to a design flaw I am familiar with, was the problem. Seems the engineer(s) have the radiator heat exchanger cooled by the cooling tower water, which in theory, sounds good, but fails the test miserably as when the power fails, so do the cooling tower circulating pumps. Took longer to get to work than it did for me to get them lights.

Anyway, about the r.c. water...
On my way home, seems I got caught up in a slow moving traffic jam.  As we crawled forward, past the few blinking yellow lights, I wondered what the circus was about. Hillbilly's took it seriously when they announced that a non-working light meant 4-way stop and it would be enforced? Wreck? Rush hour worse than I remember? Escaped convict? Drivers license check? Turns out, me and my expired inspection sticker with the huge 8 08 was in a parade alright, all the way from downtown to the convention center and through the convention center parking lot, and these policemen directing traffic weren't taking no for an answer, they were dead serious. My radio decided that today was the day to blow a fuse, or perhaps I would be better informed.
I was in my first ever Red Cross water and ice give-a-way for the MS folks still without power, and there was no escape. I spent 40 minutes in a traffic circle, idled $2 worth of gas, and my LA tag and bad sticker wasn't helping. Only a couple of officers looked curious, but I must have looked desperate. I  thankfully picked up my six bags of ice, and two cases of bottled water, and was finally on my way.

Seems the storm wreaked havoc on the city of Natchez, and it seemed especially bent on taking vengeance on the Eola Hotel once again.
(Click me pics)

I joked that's because we are a gambling town now as yet a third casino announced it's intentions to open its doors. http://natchezdemocrat.com/news/2007/jul/22/natchez-hitting-casino-jackpot/
There are some other local images here: natchezdemocrat.com/photos/galleries/2008/sep/01/hurricane

These pictures do nothing to show the actual work involved in a storm's aftermath, the 25x30 foot slab of  mortar and stucco probably easily weighs over two tons, and all had to be picked up by hand. The window in the third picture was blown in, and is propped up with a 2x4 nailed to the floor. The guest in 710, that's the window seen next to the hole in the wall, said they heard and saw a twisting funnel that was spinning this slab in the air before it slammed back into the building and dropped to the ground. Not shown is the other hole that is punched below this larger one. As some of you know, we recently had a lay-off and as I am the only one left, this was somewhat dismaying. Curtis came and helped me pick this up. May God bless him and his good heart. I saw to it that he was paid a decent wage.
There are numerous leaks from the 15+ inches of rain that we have gotten, the  insulation from this wall has plugged every roof and gutter drain and the water finds the weak spots, or it makes new ones. The damages inside are  many. I have much to do, and here, my carport is still not unfinished, with tarps keeping off much of the rain, I have a large Bradford Pear limb down, and a lot of clean-up. Life is full of surprises, and we are thankful.