signs of progress

I've been in New Orleans for a couple days every week since the beginning of the year. And finally, it feels like noticable progress is being made to bring the city back. More houses have FEMA travel trailers in the front yards, where residents live while repairing their homes. More businesses are open. More restaurants are offering full menus (though it seems the fish special everywhere is always mahi mahi). More traffic lights are working. And traffic itself is picking up too.

Some of this can probably be attributed to Mardi Gras. I understood the argument made by people who felt it shouldn't be held following Katrina. However, the economic benefit to the city is and will be tremendous. More than that, though, is the symbolic value of Mardi Gras.

The city feels more upbeat these past few days than it has in any time I've been here since the storm. Mardi Gras is the most normal thing about most residents have seen. It's a sign that even with the enormous challenges facing the city and the region, New Orleans abides.