Mississippi couple finds refuge in Glen Arbor

By E. Byron Dennis
Sun contributor
An experience of a lifetime.
When Hurricane Katrina relieved us of all our material possessions, it led us into one of the highlights of my life. At age 81, my wife of less than a year and a half, Bettylu and I were faced with the prospect of beginning a new life. We had only recently begun a new life together in May of 2004 and set up housekeeping with all new furnishings in a nice apartment on the beach at Long Beach, Mississippi.

We had already planned a trip in September through New England for the foliage tour, so we completed that. Then we were invited by Bettylu’s sister and brother-in-law, Pat and Bob Barker, to spend the winter at their vacation home in The Homestead resort near Glen Arbor. Since the house was vacant and I had never experienced a winter “up north,” we said, “Why not?” On October 15, 2005, we arrived at The Homestead. On the way up here, we passed through miles of foliage that easily surpassed any I had ever seen in New England. Thanksgiving brought the first snow. Bettylu grew up in Indiana, so she had seen this sort of thing. Being a fourth-generation Mississippi boy, I had never seen over six inches of snow at one time in my life. I had trepidations, but thought, “You only live once,” so why not take on a new adventure.
Now that we have found a new place to live, in Houma, Louisiana, I can truthfully say that it has been one of the most delightful experiences of my life. I spent three and a half years of World War II in the South Pacific and made many friends in Australia and thereabouts, as well as a lot of places in the U.S., but have never met better people than I have met in northwest Michigan. I am a strong believer in the old adage, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” It has been delightful, living with the people of northwest Michigan. I hope that God has a few extra blessings for the people here. It seems that many people, maybe too many, are being attracted to this area. I sincerely hope that they come resolved not to disturb the way of life here. As we return to the Deep South, I will always carry the most pleasant thoughts of my experiences here and hope from time to time to return for a visit.
Thank you, Michiganders