[Dixielandjazz] Welcome Back pat Cook

[Patrick Cooke]

Hi Bob & everyone...
       Thanks for your concern.  I did not do well at all in 'hurricane Katrina.  I was living in a 3-level condo....garage on first floor, main living area on second floor, and loft bedroom and bath on the third floor.  I had a foo and a half of water on the second floor.  Also part of my roof blew off right over the bedroom closet, filling the ceiling till it collapsed under the weight.  Everthing in the garage was covered with mud.  I had the guy clean it out and just get rid of everything.  The wave that came ashore was a mixture of salt water, mud, sewage, ruptured oil storage tanks, and who knows what else. He asked if I wanted to go through it and try to save anything...i told him no, just get rid of it all.
         Our illustrious mayor Ray Nagin, whom you've robably been hearing about, kept us out of the area for 6 weeks, allowing the wet stuff in the clothes closet to be covered with mold...meaning I lost a lot of clothes and other stuff I could have salvaged.  My stand up bass was standing on the carpet just outside the closet door.  The bottom half of the bass is all unglued, and mold is growing inside. The cost to repair is over half the cost of a new one.  I've had that bass since since the early fifties.  All the sheet rock from the second floor has been removed, as well all of the sheet rock in the third floor closet.  The appliances will all be replaced.  All of the countertops and bottom cabinets have been torn out to replace the sheet rock underneath.  We have just had a new roof installed, and as soon as all the wiring, receptacles, switches, etc have been replaced, we get the power turned on.
     I'm currently staying at a the home of a very good friend in Metairie.  I managed to save most of my other instruments and amplifiers, But I lost about $3,000 worth of recording equipment, a small keyboard, a camera and $1,000 worth of lenses, my computer, and all my upholstered furniture.  I am now using a new HP laptop which I am still getting used to.  I don't have room for all of the things I saved....it's mostly all in storage except for some of my clothes and a few instruments.  I'm putting together my winter clothes to make room for more summer stuff.  I managed to save the car, but the clutch went out and the cost of repair was more than I wanted to spend on the old heap, so I have an almost new van.  I managed to save most of my 500+ CDs, but I lost about 200 vinyl LPs.  I thought about trying to clean them up and save them, but my heart just wasn't in it.
     I'm lookig at early 2007 as a date for moving back in, but that's beginning to look a little optimistic.  Right now we're all waiting for 2006 hurricane season.  Maybe we'll be done by hurricane season 2007.
         Pat Cooke

"Robert S. Ringwald" <robert at ringwald.com> wrote:
  hi Pat,

Glad to see you back on DJML.

How did you do during the hurricane? I believe that you live in new 
Orleans?

As you know, we played the Pensacola festival last year & really enjoyed it. 
Great entertainment, as you say.

How about a update on your situation after the hurricane?


--Bob Ringwald K6YBV
The Fulton Street Jazz Band
The Boondockers (Jazz and Comedy)
530/642-9551




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