In the “be thankful for small blessings” category, the city of New Orleans suffered less from Hurricane Ida than early fears had indicated.

Points south and west of New Orleans remain in tragically horrible conditions, as do parts of the northeastern United States, but a Monday visit to the Crescent City was surprisingly (if only relatively) reassuring. Whether because the powerful storm skirted west of the city itself or because the city government and residents handled the aftermath with relative aplomb, or both, the visible damage eight days after landfall suggests recovery has begun.