A year ago today, we were passing through fields of corn and cotton

One of the many murals in Bunkie

The Bailey Hotel was filled with evacuees when we arrived.

A year ago today, we arrived in Bunkie, in central Louisiana, where we stayed at the old Bailey Hotel. We were there for ten days, and that was the most intensive blogging I have done in my blog career, covering the hurricane chaos for both The Dees Diversion and MoJo Blog. I also watched just about every match of the U.S. Open, which gave me great pleasure and took my mind off the fact that New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast were being destroyed.

It wasn't all bad. Karaoke at The Heretik's Lefty's Lounge got me through some bad times, and bloggers and well-wishers were in constant touch with us via the Web and this blog. Also, the people who work at the Bailey were very nice to all of us, the ice chest stayed full, and Roxie and Velma--once they got adjusted--were their usual entertaining selves.

Throughout the week, I'll be posted photos that were not posted on the blog last year, and reviewing the post-Katrina year.