The air was surprisingly cool tonight in New Orleans as I rode my bike home from the gym and coffee with C.  My ride to work this morning was hard, partly because I was tired but also because of the heat.  But tonight was perfect–calm, a touch cool, and with just a hint of fall.  I felt the stirrings of anticipation for riding in more temperate conditions, though I’ve loved the heat of this summer.  While riding down Calhoun I was stopped by a huge pile of debris that reminded me, again, that Gustav was just here and we’re waiting to see what Ike does.  N. pointed out to me that most houses are still boarded up, ready for another storm.  We move through space spared from destruction but still bearing the traces of what has been and could be.  This tree was dangling over a power line joining debris blocking half of the street.  The leaves are shriveled, not from fall but from a different sort of decay.  As I snapped the picture, cars edged around me as we all simply adjust to the results of the weather.  I’m not sure there’s much else we can do.  This is a city that’s been through many, many hurricanes and will be through many more.  I’m still trying to learn how to manage this reality.