Broadmoor and its Inhabitants

Since we've moved in, there are a few things we've noticed about the neighborhood. One is the amount of rebuilding, something you just can't miss. Another is the type of rebuilding: some gutting, some house-raising, some general rehabilitation. The third is that our block is home to a flock of parrots - not quite on the order of The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (an engaging, if cheezy documentary on a flock of wild parrots in San Francisco) - but a flock of about 20 smallish birds. Even great birds, however, can't make up for the loss of one cool cat.

Our neighborhood, Broadmoor, took on several feet of water in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. You may recall that New Orleans, geologically speaking, is somewhat of a bowl, with the edges of the city higher than the center. Broadmoor is more or less the center of the bowl, and as a result, was flooded to a greater extent than other areas within the city (excepting Lakeview and the 9th Ward). These days, the neighborhood is showing strong signs of redevelopment though it is only about 30% repopulated, a reflection of the commitment of its residents, as well as their relatively high incomes and the strength of the neighborhood association (the Broadmoor Improvement Association - http://broadmoorimprovement.com/). As I have related on an earlier post, it is eerie to live in what amounts to a ghost town - albeit one that is regenerating.

The way in which folk are rebuilding showcases the, how shall I say, ingenuity of the New Orleanian. There are those who have restored their homes to their original state, gutting the flooded parts and rehabilitating them. There are those who have demolished their homes, if such an extreme measure was necessary. And there are those who have decided to raise their homes. This last category is the true sign of an individual's resourcefulness: while some have wisely placed their homes atop 8-foot concrete pillars, others have chosen other methods of support, including, but not limited to wooden pallets, cabinet and dresser drawers, and car jacks. It is the audacity of the last three that amazes me, especially as they are all used in conjunction on one house, a house that happens to be directly across the street from us - check the photo in the sidebar. I can't imagine that this rigged situation would withstand even a Category 1 hurricane - or even a tropical depression. The house on wooden pallets is also suspect, and both houses must violate some amazing number, if not all, of the city's building codes. But people do what they have to in order to keep moving forward. I suppose I will monitor this situation as it progresses, and hopefully I will be surprised by the resilience of the homes and well as their inhabitants.

To our delight, the inhabitants of the neighborhood also include avians of another feather - parrots, in fact. Though I haven't determined conclusively, it appears that the birds might be Brotogeris Parakeets - smallish green parrots. They are rather chatty and social birds, and are a pleasure to see flying through the neighborhood and roosting in the palms of Broadmoor. As wonderful as these guys are, they are small consolation to us as we continue to mourn the absence of Snoop the cat. Snoop, in his infinite wisdom, decided he would rather explore the wilds of Broadmoor and Greater New Orleans unfettered by the constraints of a house, than continue to remain a housecat. Hopefully he will return, but until then, I look forward to running into him on Bourbon Street in pursuit of a good time, or perhaps perusing the boutiques and checking out the clientele in the bars of Magazine Street. I suppose new flying friends can only go so far in comforting us on the loss of a fine furry one.

That's the state of things in Broadmoor these days, where people are rebuilding, parrots are flying, and all good kitties are roaming far and wide to their heart's content.