Almost 3/4 of a century . . .

Wow, 74 years old seems like quite a few years - looks better written out i.e. seventy-four. Not sure how I got here so easily and quickly. I remember my Pépère Bonnin at that age and he was the nicest, kindest, most gentle man in the universe; my mother was a trooper, as she would say, tough as nails and my father was Pa, an accepting, thoughtful man who enjoyed living and thinking. Looking forward to enjoying our lives here in Louisiana and being comfortable and in love with my better and yet equal half, P&D's Pop. We're a pretty good pair; we want for nothing and each day is a quiet adventure in learning to enjoy life together.

And thinking of enjoying life we received two beautiful counted cross stitch wall hangings from our Oneco friends. I am so impressed with S's work and we have found a perfect place for them as you can see in the photos. I hope that some day they will venture down the Mississippi River on a paddle wheeler and we can meet them at each  port of call in Louisiana. That would be so neat. Just imagine picking them up in St. Francisville for a nice visit and then meeting them in Baton Rouge and then on to New Orleans. It's exciting just thinking about it. I would love to take the newest paddle wheeler from New Orleans way the heck up to the source of the mighty Mississippi. Well, I shall dream on and perhaps when my ship comes in we'll be able to afford the entire journey! Bonne idée. Yes, sounds like an excellent plan.

Quote:  That friendship will not continue to the end which is begun for an end.   ___Quarles

Today's weather making up for the week inauqurated by the devil's spawn . . .

Loggerhead Shrike - not one mentioned below!

Wow is not a really good descriptive word for the weather today on the eve of Christmas 2016. It is 79 degrees, sunny with a decent breeze and all I wish to do is sit on my back porch swing and enjoy the warmth, the flowers that have survived my poor management and the flocks of American Goldfinches, Cardinals, Chickadees and Tufted Titmice. But back to my tale of woe.

Sometime last week a spawn of the fiercest devil gave me the worst chest and head cold I have ever had. Finally ended up seeing my primary care for a regular checkup and she said I had sinusitis plus all sorts of other aches especially in my right arm and shoulder. So I am now on antibiotics and also the six day treatment with prednisone along with special eye drops to clear up the allergic reaction I had two weeks ago to Restasis. Although I am feeling better the cough is almost bringing me to my knees when it decides to attack me. Hell has no fury like a coughing fit that knocks you down and out. Must admit it ticks me off but to no avail do I complain - it is what it is ( I hate that expression) and I'll just live with it until it peters out. I will miss Christmas Mass which saddens me because I enjoy the music and the time of year but I don't dare drive because all of these pills on top of my other pills makes a foggy brain - well a foggier brain than usual. I will make a super easy cheesecake for our Christmas dinner tomorrow as Big Kiddo and perhaps Puppy will come for dinner. It will be a very easy plain dinner of shrimp and corn soup, boudin and rice stuffed boneless chicken, fresh mixed vegetables, Caesar salad and white wine with my easy cheesecake for dessert. It'll be a pleasant quiet day. I need that right about now and so does P&D's Pop who has had to put up with the coughing fits from hell.

One of the sweet pluses is I have two beautiful bouquets of roses for my birthday and Christmas and I also received a box of dark chocolate covered ginger from our Oneco friends who continue to spoil me even in our absence. No matter what I like Christmas quiet or noisy; it's a heartwarming time to recoup and love our kids and their families with all our hearts and to be nostalgic for the lives we led as children when the world was perfect and so were our families.

Quote:  Jesus Christ, the condescension of divinity, and the exaltation of humanity.   _______Phillips Brooks

Getting curiouser and curiouser . . . (I wrote this and forgot to post!!!)

Gotta say that I'm feeling fine but . . . I went to the eye Doctor last Wednesday just to get my yearly checkup since I hadn't been since last September in Connecticut. Had a nice young new Doctor who said my dry eye was getting quite bad so he started me on Restasis. Now Restasis costs about $10 a tiny vial and you need to use two a day - let that sink in. Okay since I reached my out of pocket deductible months ago my insurances picked up the entire tab for, fais attention a 90, yes, 90 day supply. ( I do not know what kind of deal the insurances have with the company that makes Restasis.) Well I won't go into the details of what happened to my eyes, in particular my right eye when I could not reach either the eye doctor's office or my primary care's office on the weekend. But yesterday at 3pm one of the eye doctor's squeezed me in and (probably guessed it by now) I had a very bad allergic reaction to Restasis. So . . . I am now on Prednisolone four times a day blah, blah, blah until January 2. The moral of this short, uncomfortable, painful story is ? Perhaps a doctor should not order a ninety day supply of medication until he knows you will not have an allergic reaction?

Okay, other than that snafu all is well in Louisiana where we can stay warm without resorting to heating the house, wearing boots, mittens and toques. It is 70 degrees as I write this overcast morning. Of course this will not last but warm is good. We both like being warm.We went to our Tuesday morning breakfast at James' Grill and the same well dressed elderly gentleman who gave me a rose the first time we ate at James' gave me one today. Yes, we do like it here.

Quote:  Good nature is the very air of a good mind; the sign of a large and generous soul, and the peculiar soil in which virtue prospers. _____Goodman

This is a first . . .

Today's Northern Mockingbird

P&D's Pop and I brought our Closest and Eldest some cigars from a former student and on the way home we stopped at El Agave for a late lunch early supper. P&D's Pop had a nice big hamburger and I had steak fajitas. For drinks there was, of course, a Bud Light for himself and a Margarita for herself. When asked what size I wanted I said as long as it was in a tall glass and not those crazy Margarita glasses I would be fine. A quart mug of Margarita was placed before me. I don't think I'm exaggerating. I drank about half, maybe and then P&D's Pop said I could get a to go cup! That's right - in Louisiana you can get your drinks to go! So after polishing off the dessert, fried ice cream, bien sûr, we headed for home. I do not intend to complete my Margarita this evening. I took a nice brisk walk when we got home and feel just right.

Mentioning a walk reminds me that I decided to stop using my Fitbit to keep track of my exercise. I was getting addicted and pushing myself so much that I was hurting myself in the process. Five miles a day wasn't good for my left leg which acts up occasionally but was acting up big time when I was walking more than a couple of miles. So I'm using the Fitbit to keep track of calories and my weight. It's easy to do and seems to be helping me to keep on the straight and narrow. I've lost the five pounds I had gained since we arrived here last December. Now I'll just try to maintain a decent weight without going overboard! We'll see how I do over the holidays!

We received a beautiful present from Oneco friends today - two counted cross stitch wall hangings in perfect harmony and colors for the kitchen/dining room. They are wonderful vegetables in a finely worked pattern in subdued colors which are perfect on our wall. I am certainly spoiled.

Quote:  The truly generous is the truly wise, and he who loves not others, lives unblest.    ____Home

Okay . . . this is kinda fun . . .

South Park Pole Sitter Extraordinaire

Another first for us . . . a fake Christmas tree. Yup, I really need to put up a tree this year. Not sure why; I thought I could forego a tree but I can't so I ordered one from Amazon and P&D's Pop put it together today and then I spread out the branches. Not too bad looking; it's only five feet tall but we've put it on my Moosup window bench and it's just the right height. Not sure I'll decorate soon as it's way too early according to my upbringing,  When I was a kid we only put the tree up the night before Christmas and when we had kids it went up the week before Christmas. I imagine because it arrived today and has been assembled,  this year it might be decorated by the end of the first week in December. I am looking forward to seeing it lit up. I like Christmas even though we don't do gifts except for the special egg decorations for the little ones in our lives. Not sure how I'll manage to get that fresh tree smell because I don't like candles so I may have to pretend it smells like a blue spruce even though it's an Oncor Black Forest. Anyhoo . . . I'm excited about it even though we'll just be three adults and a puppy for Christmas dinner! We've found a super place to get excellent meats cut to order so I'm sure that whatever chicken or turkey we get will be excellent. At the cardiologist's today I was told to eat white meat, chicken, turkey and fish - no seafood which is okay by me. I will try to wean myself from the beef except tonight because we bought two seasoned ribeye steaks to try out David's Specialty Meats in Denham Springs. Then we'll try to be good although I will use lean ground beef for meatloaf and hamburgers from time to time.

I'm also pleased with the wonderful flower arrangement I bought for Thanksgiving. I just took it apart today, refreshed the water and cleaned out the dead parts and it is back to gorgeous.  I may have to go back to the Gift & Flower
Shop near Bass Pro for Christmas too!

Quote:  The worth of a state, in the long run, is the worth of the individuals composing it.   ___J. S. Mill

How can it be . . .

Northern Mockingbird

Not sure how this came about but I've gotten to the point that I enjoy going to James' Grill in Denham Springs proper. It is the tackiest place I've ever been: the tables are all mismatched from painted wood slabs, to Formica, to card tables with torn plastic covers and the chairs are in the same shape, probably picked up after hours from the old folding chairs people left for the garbage men the night before pick up day. The room is surrounded by LSU and Mike the Tiger paraphernalia going back in time to at least the 1950's. There is always a Santa to greet you at the door and now that it is close to Thanksgiving the blow up Crèche and the blow up Snowmen and other Christmas characters are filling the far corner of the wide open floor that used to be a drugstore back in the olden times - maybe in the 50's! The table decor is pretty typical: a big napkin holder, salt and pepper shakers, hot sauces, generic jellies, generic margarine, all beat to hell sugar jars and powdered creamer in cardboard containers. But . . . the coffee is Community Coffee so they can get away with anything. Breakfast only costs us about $15, tip included. The cooks and servers are all a minimum of 45 years old dressed in whatever they found to wear when they fell out of bed that morning. Most of the customers are rough and tumble policemen, firefighters, retired old men and a few old women along with the best scruffy looking but not derelict looking men starting their workday off with a round of political talk and fun. Honestly - I can't help liking James' because of the incongruous yet truly lively and warm atmosphere where it's all about living and letting live - freedom reigns.

Okay now that I've got that out of my mind I'll just mention that yesterday morning at 7am I had a left heart catheterization at the Cardiovascular Institute of the South in Zachary, LA. I was pretty close to petrified because of past experiences and I had worked myself into a frenzy but all went well. Dr. Deepak Thekkoott told P&D's Pop that I should just keep on what I'm doing and even more exercise! Holy merdeski - I already get in about five miles of steps a day but I will try to walk them faster and see if that keeps the old heart muscle squeezing good. So all's well that ends well and I did sleep like a baby last night. Will need Grampa to help me make my apple pie for Thanksgiving and to get the roasting chicken in the oven because I'm not supposed to lift more than five pounds or do any heavy work because they did the heart check through my left wrist and I still haven't removed the bandage. I will do that later today and just use a band aid. Getting tired of these bouts with the medical profession!

Quote:  No man can lift up his head with manly calmness and peace who is the slave of other men's judgments.    ____J. W. Alexander

Pretty crude but he's got some valid points

https://www.facebook.com/matthew.costa.73?pnref=friends.search

Being Libertarian video

Windows open on November 12th . . . nice . . .

Sunset from the front porch

It's so odd to have the house wide open in November - must be Autumn in Louisiana. There's a nice breeze, the neighbor's tomatoes are going to ripen soon, his garden is beautiful and the other neighbor's chickens are giving her 5 eggs a day. Pretty neat stuff for a subdivision neighborhood. We even have horses at the end of the street that had to be rescued from the flood waters of August. But they're back now and looking great. And to top if off the gentleman across the street is getting ready to plant corn!  So . . . there are two planting seasons in Louisiana - Spring and Fall!

Not too many words to write concerning the election of Donald Trump as our next president. He was without doubt the best of the two candidates and perhaps the best of all candidates that had been in the running. I'm hoping that I was thinking clearly when I figured he was smart enough to get the right people to help him out. Doubtful he can make matters worse than the present schmuck but if the democrats and republicans don't help him out I'll be ticked and if he gets too egotistical instead of practical I'll be double ticked which won't help this poor country get back into a less progressive mode and into a conservative, healthy, forgiving mode. So I'll wait and see what we the people have wrought.

Came back from school Friday with two homework projects! Yikes - it's all about Thanksgiving. Can't believe that we're already so close to this wonderful holiday. We've so much to be thankful for. Really, as I ponder that statement we are thankful for all that has happened to us and our families over the years - we both had strong ancestors, good family upbringing, hard working, intelligent parents and tough siblings who are the virtual salt of the earth. So, thank you, Lord, for all of our blessings.

Quote:  One of the strongest characteristics of genius is the power of lighting itsd own fire.   ____John Foster

Thoughts . . .

It is my firm belief that senators and congressmen should be relegated to do the people's work in DC in the month of July with no air conditioning. They should not be paid; they should have jobs and go home on August 1 to those jobs and their families. We the people can pay for their room and board in a college dorm, on the first floor because it also will not be air conditioned. I also firmly believe that the same conditions should apply to our state senators and representatives - no pay all volunteer. Let them do their jobs and get the heck out of the way so we the people can live free of government interference.

Messages from Dr.'s offices scare me . . .

Waiting for the rain.

I know it sounds strange, even to me, but whenever I get a message to call a Doctor, after I've just been given a clean bill of health the week before, I get really anxious. Well the anxiety is for nought, no matter what and this was no exception. Not sure why the message couldn't have said, " Your urologist says all tests were fine!" rather than " Call Dr. Smither." In any case I've been going around the house saying, "Yeah!" forty thousand hundred million times. Good thing that the message was left after we were already on the road to Arkansas Friday and I didn't get it until last night.

I've been feeling so good lately; I think that the amount of walking I've been doing and the calorie counting has been helpful. We had a great weekend at the flying contest and although P&D's Pop didn't place in the three events he flew in, his scores are improving. He did come in fourth in two of the events. The flyers here in the South are much better than the northern flyers. I suppose it makes sense as they can be out practicing almost all year round. I had to help launch the planes which I don't like to do at contests because I'm a Nervous Nelly and am fearful of making some horrible mistake but his usual helper, John, was flying on a different field so I was the go to guy! It worked out fine and a man even came over and told me how much the men like to see women helping their husbands out. That was pretty cool. If I didn't know better I'd think that P&D's Pop put him up to it! We came home with lots of good raffle stuff that should keep my Yankee Flyer busy during the rainy season, if it ever gets here!

We'll be having a guest in the house for a few weeks - Puppy will stay with us as his folks, Big Kiddo and his wife, will be off for work and family obligations through Thanksgiving. That'll be great as we've already decided on our Thanksgiving dinner - roast chicken and stuffing, turnip, mashed potatoes, homemade bread, Caesar salad, apple pie and perhaps a nice Riesling and a bit of Harvey's Bristol Cream. The time is just flying by. We'll have moved to Louisiana a year ago in December. Wow!

Quote:  Speaking much is a sign of vanity; for he that is lavish in words, is a niggard in deed.   ___Sir W. Raleigh

Not a happy camper . . .

On October thirty-one, when the sun goes to bed, it's the time when Halloween and fun are at their best . . .

Was supposed to get the heart monitor put on today and it was to stay there for two to three weeks and I would be able to shower and live life to the fullest while I wore it. It was to check my blood pressure to see if it misbehaves when the auras decided to show up. Well, the insurance refused to pay for it so I now have a 48 hour monitor and can't shower! Oh well, at least I can take it off Wednesday morning and return it to them. If you do get it wet you owe them $900. So sponge baths it will be. Now I hate to do all my sweaty exercises but that's what I'm supposed to do so it's a "whatever" type of thing. I may call Medicare because they've given me trouble before about medicines the doctor wants me to take and they say no until I end up with bad reactions and he complains and then they say okay. Driving me crazy and CVS doesn't help when they automatically put you on the generic even if you know that some generics don't work properly! Well, I'm feeling fine but am doubtful Dr. Deepak will get an aura on a two day monitor. And I do believe he's right about the blood pressure dipping but it's probably all bullshit.

Stopped at the bank for money today in Zachary before heading up to Slaughter to let Daytona out for a quick walk around Big Kiddo's property to do her duty. Man she pooped her stuff all over the place and acted like a boy dog and wet everything in sight! What a riot. I almost hated to leave her. She's pretty damned cute! Also managed to spend $195 at the small Walmart near our home on Pete's Highway. That's a heck of a big shopping. But I really haven't been doing too much lately except picking up bread, milk and eggs at the Dollar General so I guess it was reasonable as I had to get some meat. paper goods, cleaning supplies etc. Should last us until Rouse's opens, I hope!

Grampa and I have decided to forgo our Tuesday breakfasts that we used to eat at IHOP because they have not reopened and James' is really not clean enough for our taste. So . . . in lieu of breakfast we shall have late lunches at Randazzo's.  I'm looking forward to lunch out on their patio tomorrow.  We'll go to Frank's for breakfast on Sundays.  Cracker Barrel just doesn't work for us.

Quote:  O woman! in ordinary cases so mere a mortal, how in the great and rare events of life dost thou swell into the angel.   ____Bulwer

Almost spectacular gumbo à l'Irène . . .

So bright

P&D's Pop and I were given some venison by the neighbor across the corner from us and although I had mixed feelings about accepting it, because I know nothing about cooking venison and the little I've eaten I really didn't like, this was great. He gave us 4 big Cajun Sausages, two packages of Spicy Sausage and two packages of Bacon Burger. So yesterday I used my friendly Zatarain's helper and made chicken and sausage gumbo which turned out really fine. Son and his wife came for supper and she told me that most gumbo is served with extra rice so I made up a fresh batch of jasmine rice which is delicious in and of itself. We also had my Sally Lunn bread, plain salad and chocolate pudding à la Jello. I was impressed with the Cajun Sausage. It was seasoned to perfection. Ron said he has his venison prepared with some pork added and the flavor was nice. So if I get offered some more I'll take it. I must remember to tell him how good it was if and when I see him. We don't see too many people every day because most of the households here are younger people and they're all off working and on weekends they are hunting or at their camps!

We went to El Agave for lunch today and the food was very good but the best was last. P&D's Pop, Big Kiddo and myself shared fried ice cream for dessert. It was the best ever. I couldn't believe how much the guys helped me to eat it! I was hoping they were too full to help me out that much. But that was a good thing as I didn't pile on the calories but I must admit I could have eaten the whole thing myself!

One more doctor's appointment tomorrow to get a Holter Monitor - I think that's what it's called - then I go back at the end of November to let Dr. Deepak tell me that I'm just perfect! I'm walking a bit more lately and trying to be more active. I do feel better when I exercise. This monitor is just a patch of some sort that they stick to me and I can shower and do anything at all with it on. I think I'll even be able to take it off myself when the two weeks or so are done. Well, I'll find out how it works tomorrow, tomorrow, it's only a day away.

Quote:  The desire of appearing clever often prevents our becoming so.  __La Rochefoucauld

Holy mackerel dere, Andy . . .

Long Beach, Mississippi

I've got homework! Yes, I helped out in a class of three year olds today and when I asked Miss Camille, a brand spankin' new teacher what I could do to help as I would also be there tomorrow she sent me home with an arts and craft kit for Halloween and I have to cut out some of the pieces because our kiddos are not too adept yet! It's a riot! I hope I can understand the directions! I must say I was happy to be back and they were all happy to see me. I don't even have to stop at the office to announce my presence! We also voted today. So that's out of the way.

Yesterday daughter-in-law and I went to check out Wolf River Campground in Mississippi because I had been offered a chance at a second go round to win a golf cart. Well, son had warned me that it was probably a push for us to buy a timeshare but what the heck we figured we'd give it a try and if M liked the place they might decide to camp there. Well, without much ado I'll tell you that we were greeted by the most despicable man I have ever met. Because P&D's Pop wasn't with me he wouldn't give us the grand tour. I explained that Jade, the lady from the campground, had told me it was okay to come with M and that husband was not available. He refused to listen to me and sped away from me in his golf cart. I was ticked enough to follow him and yell for him to stop and come back. He did and I insisted I be allowed to enter the drawing for the free LSU golf cart. He gave me six tickets and rode off on the cart again, following two other people who work there on their cart. I will admit that we got a couple of half price tickets for lunch at the Silver Slipper, a casino, and supposedly three days and two nights free camping and permission to look around and go fishing but we were so ticked off with his obnoxious behavior we left. And that was the best thing to do. M knew that the Silver Slipper was near a camping spot that they were going to in November so we went for a ride. The rest is history!

We had the time of our lives driving along the gulf coast in Mississippi. I've never been on the gulf and she showed me places of incredible beauty. We had a wonderful day. Besides finding Buccaneer Park we stopped and watched fishermen catching oodles of fish; we ate at the best restaurant in Long Beach; I took photos of birds, trains, trees and beauteous buildings. Perfect day.

Quote:  Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen.  Keep in the sunlight. _____Franklin

So . . . this is exciting news . . .

Not much going on at South Park this past week!

The Early Learning Center is finally opening tomorrow! That means I can go back to helping out with the preschoolers Thursday's and Friday's. I'm thrilled because it's more than difficult to get people down here to let a new person do anything! I was speaking to a southern friend and she said that you must know someone to get in to anything here in Louisiana. It's who you know not what you know and she is right about that. I can't believe how insular and narrow minded many people serving the public are - this southern hospitality is for show, I think! But whatever the case may be I did know someone and managed to be accepted at least in the preschool and religious ed classes! Wow, it's a pretty steep learning hill and I'm definitely still at the bottom. It's a good thing I'm not asking to get paid!

Another really cool thing happened at church - besides the singing. Father said that the parish has given Denham Springs permission to use the south side of the church property to set up an elementary school because right now the kids are being bussed to three different schools for half day classes shared with other schools and it's a nightmare. It will be at least two years before some of the Denham Springs schools will be fully recovered from the great flood of 2016. I am still in shock when I see the damage here. Truly don't know what the new normal will be. We've spoken with so many people who have lost everything, people of all ages and they are exhausted but not completely disgusted with their situations. They keep soldiering on. Of course there are not any great choices - so they simplify and make the best of horrid conditions. There is still so much of peoples' lives sitting on the curbs; it is heartbreaking. Our neighbor still has her Mom, brother, his wife, who is extremely heavy and wheelchair bound and a four year old little boy who pees on the floor if he feels like it and an eight year old girl living with her. Neighbor's husband works for LSU and is off training first responders all over the country for weeks at a time; her daughter is a freshman at LSU and her son is a senior in the LSU high school program. Neighbor does everything for everybody and also works. She is very discouraged but keeps on pushing herself. The brother, wife and kids never washed their towels since they've been there - just let them pile up. I think my patience would be so tried I might resort to throwing them out if they didn't clean their messes. She's such a patient, christian good daughter and sister. I would have lost my cool and thrown them all out. I don't know what their situation is but I think her Mom will now live with her forever and she has no car, it flooded, and smokes!

Not sure why I spilled all that on the blog. It could be that I still can't believe what a disaster means to peoples' lives. They are completely uprooted even if they didn't flood. There are no families who have lived here all their lives who have not been caught in terrible circumstances and living conditions. Many of the people I've met are sharing their homes with up to eight extra people, working full time and fighting bureaucracy to get proper paperwork filled out so they can rebuild, tear down or raise the the homes of the flooded family. It is mind boggling.

Didn't expect to go off on a rant! But there it is. P&D's Pop and I will vote this week. At least that will be done. We had such a pleasant day with his flying buddy and wife this week. They took us to Centreville, MI for lunch at Vine Brothers, renowned for their meats. Southerners do know how to prepare food and every type of wild game imaginable. Daughter-in-law and I will also be heading east to Pass Christian, MI to check out a campground and see if I can win a LSU golf cart! I'm in the drawing. Just a freak card I filled out when we were at Camping World when I picked up my outdoor rocker!

Quote:  Nothing is more disgraceful than insincerity.  ____Cicero

Randazzo's won't have wine or beer 'til next week . . .

St. John the Evangelist Church

Lock House

Locks are no longer in use. 

Neat train and bridge

Oh well, we bought a Muffaletta to go instead of eating at their outdoor tables. We were on our way back from my carotid ultrasound and an echocardiogram and since P&D's Pop came with me because he had stuff to do in Zachary I thought we should stop for a bit of wine and beer as I always celebrate after leaving a medical office of any kind! But the celebrating was low key as they can't serve alcohol yet! The Muffaletta was fine with root beer!  Next week I have a couple more appointments - pretty much routine stuff so he can tell me I'm doing great. If P&D's Pop comes we may have wine and beer at Randazzo's!

While we were waiting for our sandwich there was another couple waiting for their food. When they got it the husband immediately grabbed it to leave but . . . his wife said to him, "Don't you touch that yet. I'm not ready; don't rush me." I looked at them and started laughing out loud because she sounded just like me when P&D's Pop is ready to jump the gun while I'm still getting ready! She looked at me and knew why I was laughing and we all realized how funny it was. She said they've been living in a 10 by 10 foot room for two months and are always together even in the car so they both get edgy. They lost everything in the flood - they were in their ideal, large, gorgeous home all paid for. She had her office; he had a room for all his fishing and hunting things. The morning of the flood she saw water coming in under the door as she was in her pj's getting her coffee. Fifteen minutes later it was over her head - she's my height. They were able to grab their bibles and a few things before they got out. He managed to get their boat off of the trailer just as it started to float and she had gotten her car started but their 10ft  high electric gate wouldn't open. She got in the boat with her husband but they couldn't get over their beautiful new wrought iron fence so they waited in the boat with some peanut butter, honey and crackers until they were rescued by the Cajun Navy. They tied their boat to a tree in their yard and climbed over the new fence into the rescuer's boat. They are finally managing to buy a small, simple house with a 30 year mortgage rather than try to rebuild their dream home. They both said they just want simple - they're buying a 1600 square foot home half the size of the dream house on half an acre. She said they weren't going to worry about paying it off because they'll be gone to heaven before the mortgage is paid up. There are so many stories here. It's amazing how humans have to ability to adapt. We said good bye but we'll probably see them again because they go to Randazzo's every day. I'm guessing they are staying at a hotel.

Had a chance to go with my friend Amy and her three year old grand daughter Monday. She took us to Plaquemine Bayou Park. We had a good day. I'll post a few photos. The best part was watching and listening as three trains went through the old town, 1848 ish.

Quote:  Laws are silent in the midst of arms.   _____Cicero

Different start this morning . . .

Fall colors

Immediately after breakfast P&D's Pop and I went for a walk right here in the neighborhood because he was going to the Bayou Park in Zachary today rather than South Park and I was not going with him as he is helping to get set up for the Control Line Flying Contest which starts tomorrow morning.  It's a good day but usually too sunny for me so I'll go after noon to see how he's making out. Even when we go to Eldorado, Arkansas I stay under the shelter and read or take time to walk wherever I can find some shade. I made over four dozen cookies yesterday and I'll make over four dozen today too. That should help out a bit with dessert. I think they usually have a pot of gumbo or jambalaya for lunch so they will not go hungry!

I just returned from Walker and a visit to Stine's where I bought one pumpkin and two small mums to make the yard look a little like Fall. Before I did that I had to drive by Waffle House and the Hyundai just automatically drove in and parked so I figured it must be time for cheesy eggs, crisp bacon and raisin toast for lunch. A lady came in and asked if it was okay if she sat next to me at the counter; of course I welcomed her. Katherine was taking a break from painting the new interior walls in her Walker home. She, her husband and three grandkids she was babysitting walked away from their home in waist deep water during the August flood. She said she poured her coffee that morning and when she turned around to sit and drink it at the table there were already 3 inches of water marked on the croquet pole and it just kept growing. They didn't have time to do anything but walk out the door in waist deep water; their cars were already flooded. They were picked up by the Cajun Navy. She worked the rest of the time helping dispatch the men and the boats. I'm sure that most f the people I meet here have hair raising stories to tell. Katherine is just so thankful that her family has survived. She and her husband are living with her daughter's family and she's trying to get their house back in shape to move back in. Her husband only has one day off a week and she said she was exhausted because they stayed up until 1am just to have  time together before they got up at 3:30 so he could go to work and she could go back to painting their new walls. I bought her breakfast because she's a woman after my own heart - pecan waffle, crisp bacon and coffee! What's not to like.

Time to make some more chocolate chip and pecan cookies.  Oh yes, I managed to get my Fitbit working! Super happy with myself although I feel pretty foolish because I had to ask English living daughter how to find my hotmail email. I had used it to sign up for the Fitbit and hotmail has gone through all sorts of shake ups so it wasn't at the bookmark I had originally set. All I had to do was go to hotmail.com and since I knew my security code I was all set! Thank goodness for Big Kiddos.

Quote:  Forgive thyself little, and others much.   ___Leighton

Found out where to stick a dongle . . .

Bought a Fitbit because the doctor says I must take my blood pressure immediately when my auras decide to creep up on me but I told him it can happen while I'm driving or in a store and blood pressure taking is not an option so he said then I must at the very least get my heart rate. Well, I'm not good at any of these things so I decided I needed something that could help me find my heart rate when necessary if at all. The problem is that the Fitbit is not compatible with the iPad 2 - it's compatible with just about any other iPad but not mine so as I tried to set the Fitbit up on the computer it told me to connect the Dongle. Okay - easier said then done. They nicely showed a picture of a Dongle which I knew I didn't have so I ordered one from Amazon. Today I got the Dongle and thought, " Hell this thing doesn't connect to the Fitbit! What the hell am I supposed to do now?" So . . . to shorten the story a bit I had a chat with Fitbit and now know that the Dongle goes into my computer! Yay! Not up to that move yet as I'm baking cookies for P&D's Pop's flying contest this weekend and also charging that little old Fitbit! But I am a work in progress and I just may be able to get this big tech innovation working for me.

Yesterday we had a great trip to Ferriday, Louisiana where we went to a cotton plantation. Frogmore was more than I expected it to be. We were allowed to roam around and pick cotton to our heart's content and take photos. I was in heaven. We stopped on the way home for bread pudding! Life can be down right interesting, fun and sweet. Sharing the day with the love of your life is part of the best life can offer. We were both tired as it is a two and a half hour drive to Frogmore from home but well worth the trip. I'd even go back again. Just driving across the Mississippi River Bridge in Natchez, MI is exciting.  The easiest way to get to Ferriday, LA is by driving north on 61 in Mississippi. Neato!

Well, time to get those cookies out of the oven.

Quote:  To endeavor to work upon the vulgar with fine sense is like attempting to hew blocks with a razor.   ___Pope

Just so pleased with myself . . .

Latest scratch built

I've been looking for a real bakery in Denham Springs since we moved here in February and I've found it! It was exciting to find the Ginger Bread Bakery on Linder Road not far from home. The lady's business is in her home. Her home must be the only Swiss Chalet A-frame in the entire South! I swear you don't see A-frames down here, not only that she has a large live oak with branches running along the ground in her side yard and the yard has many old perambulators, tricycles and odd metal sculptures used as flower pots along with many potted plants some beautifully alive and others pretty much dried and crispy critters. I wanted to buy a cake right then and there but the woman who works for the owner said I'd have to order one. I explained I didn't want to order one but to pick one up tout de suite - I explained it didn't have to be a decorated birthday cake just a plain cake would do. The owner heard me from the back room and came out and said she had the almond cakes which had just come out of the oven and if I would come back she frost one for me after it cooled. I asked her if chocolate frosting would go well with the almond cake and she said it would so I agreed to buy the cake if I could sit on their porch and have a coffee while waiting. We agreed but I couldn't buy a coffee because the state will not let her sell it because the bakery is in her home so she gives away coffee and juices! What a riot. I made myself at home on the front porch and shushed the chihuahua that was jumping in its pen. We talked a bit and then she calmed down. The only sound was the whooshing of the machine keeping the tall floating air filled creature waving at passers-by. You would probably drive right by the bakery if that were not there to get your attention. Linder Road is made up of many modest but neat homes and trailer homes. As I enjoyed my coffee and the crazy, funny yard the lady popped her head out and said she had forgotten that she had made a chocolate cake that morning and would I prefer that to the almond. I immediately agreed. In no time at all I was on my way with my chocolate cake at a 15% discount because without realizing it I had a coupon on the ad I had found in the paper last week. Oh the vagaries of life. How great it is.

On a different note - I've stopped taking the second blood pressure medicine, at least for now, and my blood pressure seems to be staying low all by itself! I think I've been overmedicated for the last 10 months. We'll see what all of Dr. Deepak's tests show in the next few months. But I certainly do feel as if my brain is working a heck of a lot better right now!

Quote:  There are two kinds of politeness; one says, "See how polite I am"; the other, "I would make you happy."  ______Tomlinson

Unhappy me . . .

Moi, oui je suis fâchée. Yes I'm ticked. Went for my six month check up with the cardiologist and the good news is my blood work is great but he's not happy with my blood pressure. Seems it's too low and so he's changing the half a benicar to half a losartan potassium. I'm not fond of new crap added to my other crap but I guess I'll play along as I don't have any reasonable reason not to. I had told his nurse over a month ago that I thought my blood pressure was too low but she assured me when she called me back that he wanted it low. Now, not so much. I had a particularly bad bout with an aura Sunday evening and although it was gone after about 20 minutes it left my brain fried for about 3/4 of an hour. That scares the hell out of me because I know I'm not thinking well but I can't get a hold of my brain and make it get back on track. It does get back but the process is slow and leaves me pooped. Dr. Deepak thinks it's being caused by a drop in blood pressure and wants me to immediately take my blood pressure while it's happening. Right. Good luck with that working out since I don't know when it will happen; it even occurs when I'm driving and seems to like bright lights any time any place any where. He said then I must at least get my pulse rate - stop, pull over or stop shopping and get a pulse rate. So the best I can figure to do is dig out my heart rate watch that I used to use to work out after the first little set back a few years ago. That will show my pulse rate so I guess it wouldn't hurt to wear it or leave it in the car just in case. Don't even know if I remember how to work it! Oh well, he's got me set up for tests and such. I am grateful even if I am peevish. I would like these auras to stop now. And if Dr. Deepak has the key I'm going to follow him blindly.

Okay, feel better now that I've got that out of my system! After the doctor's visit I stopped at Waffle House in Zachary for my usual pecan waffle, crisp bacon and coffee. That was my lunch but a good lunch it was. One of the old faithful waitresses came over to speak with me and I told her I'd be visiting a few more times in October so she was glad about that - not the medical circumstances but the visiting! The weather has been pretty glorious but I think the lawn could use some rain. Can you believe that after all the flooding the grass is drying up a bit.

Well, I'm done yammering for today. I'm tired and plan to get in some porch swing time.

Quote:  Medicine has been defined to be the art or science of amusing a sick man with frivolous speculations about his disorder, and of tampering ingeniously, till nature either kills or cures him.   _____Jeffrey

Ma and Pa were the best . . .

Nice.

Yes, my mother and father were excellent parents in any day and age. I've been reading letters that I've saved over these many years, although it doesn't seem like many years, and even though I have trouble deciphering Pa's letters whether they be in French or English they are such a pleasure to read. They date from my couple of summers in NYC with my older sister in the early 60's. Ma's short cryptic notes at the end of some of them are so tart and smart. I do miss them, well I guess I mean I miss the old days even though they were such tough days sometimes, we were always the center of their universe. In many ways we were spoiled, even though there was so little money and what money there was often paid debts, they always taught us how to live good, sound, respectful, intelligent, well fed, well read yet brave and at times odd lives. I will quote from one of Ma's notes because she always made me laugh with her great quips and understanding of human nature.

4 a.m - worked overtime, darn-it-the hell. (Paragraph symbol: P with a vertical line. Ma always used newspaper short cuts. I'll use the # because that's the closest I can get to it.) Beloved Brats - spoke with . . . . . . . about the electric piano and she wants $200.00 for it. She says she paid $600. I was stunned when she told me $600 and my face must have more than registered surprise, because she indignantly asked; "Well, how much did you think it cost me?" I almost blurted out $60 wondering why the extra $20! Personally I wouldn't give a book of S&H Green stamps for it even though she'd throw in her present "Baby Grand" with it! Meow! Meow! # Pauline did you get a good piano yet? #Gee whiz - I'll not be home when Joe tumbles in tonight!  but I swapped Monday for Sunday - so I'll be with him Sunday - miss you both like the very dickens! Love Ma XX

Ma was a trooper if there ever was one. Younger brother by 7 years was in school in Maine around that time so he must have been coming for a visit. I remember my younger sister and I bringing him to Maine or picking him up or visiting him and we drove up Cadillac Mountain in the fog! Odd ducks we were! But it was always interesting albeit scary at times!

Had a super ride in  our Big Kiddo's play thing - his Dodge Ram SRT10. He came for a visit with puppy today and before lunch offered me a ride - I've been waiting for one and I wasn't disappointed. He took off a few times and sat me back n the seat like it was nothing; impressive power. I'd love to have it to go grocery shopping. I'd go shopping everyday and twice on Sundays. Talked P&D's Pop into washing my poor little Hyundai - it's filthy. Gets dusty and gritty down here especially when we haven't had much rain lately. I did clean the inside yesterday so it'll be good for awhile.

Quote:  Recreation is not the highest kind of enjoyment, but in its time and place is quite as proper as prayer.    _____S. I. Prime

Good news . . .

Monster clam

At Mass this morning Father Frank let us know that all of the campus buildings that needed sheetrock have just gotten their first mudding! Yay! And as I left church Barbara, the lady I helped during the summer bible classes, told me that the Early Learning Center should be ready to open October 17th. Phew, I can hardly wait to get back to some semblance of order in our lives. Now if only IHOP would get their act together we'd be in good shape. Isn't that crazy -  IHOP and it's ever so nice waitresses being a part of our new home routine? I do like it here. I get frustrated sometimes because I still haven't mastered how I want my days to unfold but if I just let them unfurl in their own bumpy way I'm fine.

Went into Baton Rouge this past week to Perkins & Rowe and had a good time at Barnes &Noble before having a Louisiana lunch at Voodoo Grill. P&D's Pop also brought me to LeBlanc's Grocery Store on Drusilla so I can get used to some of the ins and outs of Red Stick. On top of that I had an appointment in St. Francisville because my propensity for uti's is acting up again. But at least that trip led to lunch at The Francis, the only problem was - no bread pudding! Imagine that - truly it's difficult to imagine a lack of bread pudding in Louisiana. But the Chicken BLT was salubrious and we left sated and happy.

I also had a chance to go fishing with southern daughter in Breaux Bridge as she was looking for a new campsite. We had a very good day with perfect weather; alas the fish kept jumping out of the water, eating the bait and not getting caught. I did manage to hook a giant clam on a worm - if I think about it I imagine he was just sitting on the bottom of the lake as my worm went wandering into his open shell and he closed up on it. That would be a cool video. As it was I thought I was pulling in a big catfish; my pole was bending and I was reeling the line in as fast as I could, remembering P&D's Pop's admonition to work faster and furiouser. So when I landed the expected big fat fish on the ground and it was a big fat clam I cracked up. Southern daughter came to help unhook the monster with her pliers and after a bit of work he just plopped on to the ground and she rolled him back into the lake. It was good for a laugh.

Yesterday Grampa brought me to Slaughter so I could attend the first birthday party for our step grand-daughter's foster baby. She did a wonderful job getting the church hall where she worships decorated and best of all the cake was out of this world delicious. I wish I needed a cake for some occasion because I would ask her pastor's wife to make one for me also! But, no such luck. I don't need a cake. Dommage.

Later in the afternoon son, daughter-in-law and I went to Théâtre Baton Rouge to see the musical  Évangeline. It is a memorable play based on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's epic poem. It was written and directed by Louisiana natives; the music and scenes were well thought out; the script was interesting and lighthearted at times to breakup the solemnity of the love story. I do believe with some pretty big tweaking it could be performed in a theater on Broadway but I'm not sure if anyone would take on the reworking of the presentation. I've a mind to try to get in touch with Goodspeed Opera House and suggest they look into it. I think it deserves a run in New York to get it off and running. It wouldn't work with the present format but if some somebodies could rework the script and find a better way to tell the story than through Fr. Felician I think it would be grand, grand, grand. We ended the day coming home to pick up Grampa and having supper at The Longhorn. 't was a very good day.

Quote:  There is no gambling like politics.    ______Disraeli

Experimenting . . .

Lord, it is beautiful here.

I'm so tired of not hearing well that I asked P&D's Pop to set up his old hearing aids for me. I know they're not made for my hearing loss but I've got to try something so I'm not always saying "Huh? Excuse me? I can't hear." That takes all the fun out of conversations, I'll tell you that. So I'm going to try to wear them everyday for a week or so and try to get used to all the sounds I can now hear such as the closing of cabinets, my own self talking, P&D's Pop's voice louder than I'm accustomed to. I think it will make a difference and then if I like the sound enhancers I'll ask my old primary care nurse practitioner to give me the name of a good audiologist. Who knows what this expense could be? So I want to make sure that if we buy these things I will use them daily just as I wear my glasses. I was so frustrated at church Sunday because we had a guest priest and he read a letter from an elderly man caring for his wife in their home as the flood waters rose. But I missed so much of what was read I almost wanted to stomp out and blame the priest for not speaking up and I do believe he may have been miced (hard C!) So we'll see how this turns out.

Found another breakfast place closer to home than I thought. There is a Cracker Barrel even closer than Frank's on Airline. It's hard to realize that it's there because you only see it as you take the exit and since you are exiting I12 you're certainly not looking to your right on the exit in a leisurely fashion; you're gripping the wheel with deadly strength as you merge onto Airline North no looking allowed except ahead and to your left! I don't usually care for Cracker Barrels but I really hadn't been to one for breakfast except last weekend with Big Kiddo and wifey so this was pretty good; still as expensive as IHOP but if they improve the strength of their coffee it may do. We really will probably go to James's Restaurant more often and although there is no ambience ( no one there would even think to apply that word to James's) the food is good, plain and cheap. $12 as opposed to $20.

We went for a walk in the neighborhood last evening and spoke with Mr. Wally our former early morning runner whose home was flooded. He is slowly getting it back into shape with the help of his sons but he must wait for the sheetrock to come in - if I understood him correctly (I didn't have my ears on!) there is a six week wait for delivery! Wow - living in this flooded area is painful for most.

Quote:  The king-becoming graces are justice, verity, temperance, stableness, bounty, perseverance, mercy, lowliness, devotion, patience, courage, fortitude.    ____Shakespeare

Haven't been feeling quite up to snuff . . .

I've been dragging butt for a bit and I'm not sure why - maybe a summer bug or a little bit depressed. I think it's a combination of both. I was looking forward to helping out at the Early Learning Center at Immaculate Conception but they don't know when they'll reopen so today I went to Livingston Parish Public Schools Center in Livingston where I was fingerprinted so I can help out in the schools in Denham Springs. It was an interesting process which started with a lot of phone calls and messages left but ended up just perfect today. Livingston Parish does not have volunteers and I was asked to be a sub. I explained that I didn't want to be a sub just a plain volunteer for the lower elementary levels. It took the assistant superintendent to come up with a way to do that. I was signed up as a volunteer coach! Instead of the usual $55 fee a sub must pay to get fingerprinted I was only charged $10. The fingerprinting is done digitally and was pretty cool. ( A sub will get $45 returned to them after they have subbed for 10 days - that's rather interesting. I guess some people may put in to be subs and then be so choosy they never get to work. Qui sait?) Whatever the case may be Mr. P gave me the name of the principal at the school he thought was most in need of help. It's only a few very curvy, narrow miles away on Brown Road. Since it did not get flooded it is being used by two schools and so they are in double sessions. I called the principal to offer my services but had to leave a message with one of the schools' secretaries. I hope she'll call back and allow me to help out. I mentioned Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10am to 1pm so we'll see what happens. Even the secretary asked me if I was planning to sub! They really aren't used to volunteers - that must be a Catholic school thing!

For whatever reason I feel better now that I've gotten helping out with the kiddos underway. I'll probably need lots of patience again. I remember how long it took Immaculate Conception to allow me to help out.

We finally got our wills taken care of. I was a bit displeased because a couple of the sheets of paper on the original wills are wrinkled but our poor Attorney, Ivy, has had to use another Attorney's office and the printer was acting up a lot. We needed the originals and three other copies for the big kids and the finicky printer did not cooperate so we have some wrinkles but they are valid wrinkles! Have been watching a few Louisiana Public Television specials as they raise money for flood victims. We both found them interesting as they were about the history of the Créoles and the 'Cajuns. What an extraordinary history exists in this watery, beautiful, plentiful, hot state.

Quote:  Adversity borrows its sharpest sting from our impatience.   ___Bp. Horne

That was a neat way to spend the day . . .

We left quite early yesterday morning for a trip with son and wife to Shell Beach which is East of New Orleans which meant driving through some of the older parts of the suburbs near NOLA. The houses are packed in tightly but are pretty as all get out. It looks as if government may be trying to save these older areas as there was road work going on and although there were some more than run down places there were more nice looking, sweet homes all fixed up and lived in. We stopped in Hammond at a Cracker Barrel for breakfast. I had forgotten that they serve a pretty darn good breakfast and enjoyed the meal and the company. I think that P&D's Pop and I shall try the Cracker Barrel on Airline for breakfast instead of Frank's until our IHOP gets back in business. We stopped to check on it after flying/walking at the park this morning and it seems they are waiting for an inspection and then may be ready to open. I hope so. Even the Home Depot is starting to look like it's getting ready to reopen. Every business that manages to reopen is a big plus for Denham Springs. I tell you the drive to the park still brings me to tears - I don't do it on purpose but I can't believe that this great community that we chose for our home is in such dire straits. It doesn't look as if I will be helping out at the early learning center at church until mid-October. They have no building ready for them. I hope they'll be able to keep the children they had enrolled but they may lose a lot of them because of the flooding. Parents might not be able to afford to send their kids or many not even be in their homes or may have lost their jobs or may have extra family living with them or may have just called it quits and left the area. It's amazing how a disaster of this magnitude affects our lives and we were not personally affected. But, I ramble as usual.

The drive to our fishing spot was through St. Bernard Parish which had been completely inundated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 the year our son moved to Louisiana to start his new job and find a home for his family. He did well and thankfully chose to live in a small town not prone to flooding, wet and rainy with lots of deep puddles but not rivers or oceans backing up or surging forward. The area we visited yesterday had been totally wiped out and more than 150 people in that one parish lost their lives. It is amazing to see that some have returned and are still making their homes in this watery parish. Most of the fresh seafood comes from this area of land; shrimp boats and fishing boats of all kinds abound. We had perfect weather for most of the day and although we only caught some too small drums and one crab who skittered back into the water it was a great day.  As we left and drove through a gate on the highway we realized that St Bernard Parish now has a way to keep the flood waters at bay - the gates can be closed and the area where we were fishing can be cut off from the rest of the small communities in St. Bernard Parish in times of hurricanes, storms and high water. We didn't figure out how long the retaining wall is but it must be many miles long and I'm wondering if there are other roads that are gated in the same way? I think not; the expense would be staggering so I'm guessing that the people of the little villages on the Shell Beach side of the wall will have to make sure they get out of churning, rising waters before the gates are closed. Their homes are built up on stilts now, amazing practical designs for living near land's end. We stopped at Middendorf's for a late lunch, another wonderful experience. I know we shall go back. The restaurant is positioned close to the waters of both Lake Maurepas and Pontchartrain and the trains grumble by the restaurant as does I55. I'll just say that I ate another fried catfish poboy and had bread pudding for dessert as I watched boats and trains come and go as we were seated on the open, covered deck. Can't begin to explain how much I love this new land of ours and sharing son's turtle soup and froglegs was a big plus too!

Quote:  Alexander the Great, seeing Diogenes looking attentively at a parcel of human  bones, asked the philosopher what he was looking for.  "That which I cannot find," was the reply; "the difference between your father's bones and those of his slaves." _____Plutarch

Almost perfect flip off . . .

New ornamental pepper

Since we're having problems with P&D's Pop's cell phone (we've already changed the battery and brought it to the at&t store in Watson) I decided I needed to get my let's-get-this-merdeski-fixed-for-good attitude in gear so I left the house alone leaving P&D's Pop talking on the phone about flying, planes and whatever men can find to discuss. The Watson store wasn't too busy and the manager took care of my problem. She said they'd had a lot of complaints about the particular phones we have that are about two years old and suggested we get the LG phones which are more reliable. Naturally they don't have any really plain, regular, ordinary phone phones in the store but she found two of them and will have them for me Monday. So . . . that's a good thing and I rewarded myself with a stop at Big Easy Beignets for a snack. The only problem, well not a problem when you come down to it, was that I ordered the smallest order which consists of 3 beignets but the chef was his generous Louisiana self and gave me four! Yup I ate them all with extra powdered sugar and the strongest Community Coffee on record, black bien sûr, so I'm revved up.

I then decided to stop at Clegg's to buy a new plant to add to my pots on the back porch. I found a very nice colorful ornamental pepper that they put out for Fall planting. The man behind me in line warned me not to let the grandkids dare each other to bite a pepper or to let any pets mess around with them either. He explained that they were hotter than hot. The lady at the cash register said I could make some hot pepper jelly with them! Interesting. Finally I headed for home only to have some dude in a big bad Ford 550 dually cut me off on Juban so he could slam on his brakes when he crossed in front of me to get into the I12 lane. I haven't flipped anyone off since the Gold Star Bridge in Connecticut quite some time ago but the automatic response is still only slightly buried in this now almost calm southern belle. (That's a joke.)  And so yes I flipped him off and it felt good. Time to go work off the excess coffee hyper me and do some weed whacking.

Quote:  It is with narrow-souled people as with narrow-necked bottles; the less they have in them, the more noise they make in pouring it out.  ___ Pope

Funny little girl . . .

Church bulletin

We went to Frank's for a great breakfast this fine Sunday. I had the New Orleans French Toast. I have no idea what they use for bread but it was soft yet grilled or fried perfectly and covered with powdered sugar and cinnamon. Delicious - didn't need syrup of any kind. I like it when I find something new to eat. Even God may not know when IHOP will be able to reopen. It doesn't take us long to get to Frank's early on a Sunday morning. When we got home I put a Louisiana Roast in the crock pot and went off to Mass. More and more people are making it back to church. There was a little girl about three years old with a blond couette on the top of her head, just the way Ma used to do our hair when we were little. She was turned around, kneeling on her seat and had a book. She was making sure the book was in proper position for the lady kneeling facing her and the altar so she could show the woman the different words and photos in the book as if she were a teacher reading to her class of little ones. It was perfect and amused all of the people sitting behind them. The church properties are still in flood remediation and this is the last week that the church will serve free lunches as they try to get back into some kind of normal routine. The schooling whether religious or early learning will not start again until the buildings are functional and Livingston Parish starts school around September 12. A few more large restaurants have reopened such as Walk On's which was jam packed for the ignominious LSU loss to the Wisconsin Badgers. Don's Seafood and the Longhorn are also open. Construction is still going on at the newest building at Juban Crossing and also on the medical center near us. It seems that the smells and garbage piles just get larger and stronger each time we go out.

I was taking some photos of a sorry looking sunset last evening when a open air jeep looking vehicle piled with people came driving down the street. They stopped and told me that they just wanted to see what an unflooded neighborhood looked like. They only lived further down on a road off of Juban. About 20 years ago they had looked at our subdivision and almost bought a property here to build their home but went further away. They had never flooded and as they had the highest property in their neighborhood all the neighbors had brought their lawnmowers and parked them in their yard. All flooded. They had two feet of water in their home. They also explained how many air boats were launched off of the flooded lower part of Juban to rescue people who had never seen water in their yards before. My impression was that they did have flood insurance because the man explained that Louisiana means water! He also said that the builders were already gouging people. I find it so hard to drive anywhere near here and see all of the putrid piles along the roads. Even when the huge dumpsters and grappling hooks get finished with what they are hauling away the land is terrible, torn up and covered with crumpled drywall and smells. Not sure people will be allowed to rebuild their homes because of the regulations that say that after a flood your home must be built a foot higher up than where the flood waters damaged your home - or some such regulation. There may be a lot of tearing down of homes or homes left to rot. Government does not seem to have any clue about what needs to be done immediately and quickly. Red tape is holding up much of the drying out and rebuilding.

Quote:  Defer not time; delays have dangerous ends.    ____Shakespeare

Sometimes I scare myself . . .

I've gotten way more done than I could possibly expect and it's just 11am. Whoa! Time to slow down. Up at six; breakfast at 6:30; at the park walking and taking pictures while P&D's Pop was flying; read one and a half sections of the Advocate; spoke with my older brother who had spent a week at his cottage which is wonderful news as it means they are well and the cottage is finally ready for full time use with sewers and water newly completed; sent P&D's Pop off to visit Gil; baked some Saltine and Toffee Cookies and viola I have even completed my stretches and my extra special stretches before I sat down at the table to write  this crazy blog. Hell, I impress myself.

The weather is gorgeous - it's still mightily hot but a bit drier than it has been all summer so far. I find it pleasant to sit on the back porch to read and watch the hummingbirds fight over the two feeders. I imagine we will get more birds heading to us from the North as they begin to migrate. Not sure what Fall will bring to us but I'm looking forward to going out and getting a few more plants to brighten up the porches. What I do find amazing is that the huge multi-plant pot
my sister-in-law bought for us when we moved here in February is still going strong! I had to replace one of the plants because it just plain wore out but the replacements are doing great. Time to test the cookies and go back outside to reading and relaxing.

Quote:  A word or a nod from the good, has more weight than the eloquent speeches of others.   ___Plutarch

Got a lot done already . . .

The stuff the flood water pushed into and over the fences at one of the dog parks.

Yesterday we scooted to South Park; we were the only ones there. It's eery being alone in a park where people are usually taking their morning constitutionals, walking their dogs, mowing, exercising with their friends in one of the covered areas or flying model planes. Even the birds and animals were scarce. The park must have had about four feet of water rush through it and although the river water  is now gone the devastation to the homes, schools and businesses around the park is enormous. I believe many people who lived in trailer parks may have to totally scrap their homes.

On a better note P&D's Pop and I went to St. Francisville for breakfast this morning. It is a 45 mile ride but Birdman Café and Books is superior. Grampa had an omelet made with everything fresh  you can imagine - I watched the chef as he prepared the fillings and cooked it to perfection! I had a sweet potato Belgian waffle with butter and cane syrup that was perfect - just the right amount of crisp. I spoke with the chef and told him it was the perfect waffle; he was beaming! Wish they were not so far away. After we got home I spent the morning finishing up what I tried to accomplish yesterday. There are three items we ordered from Amazon on August 11, the day the rains started and brought the flooding to our town and the surrounding areas, which have never arrived. I was finally able to contact UPS on line about one item and between UPS and the Amazon seller we were able to close out the original order, get a refund and reorder the battery for Grampa's phone. But . . . the two items scheduled to get here through the US Postal Service were very difficult to track down online either through the post office or Amazon. I filled out the paperwork on line for both entities but it always came back not quite right! So I fished around long enough to get a phone number to call for the USPS and I waited 22 minutes for their call back but the lady got me squared away. They have no idea where the packages are but it seems they were delivered to the Denham Springs Post Office on the 12th of August which would mean they were in the post office when it flooded. The lady gave me the inquiry number to give to Amazon to show that we had done due diligence! Then I miraculously found a number for Amazon and they called me back immediately! The young oriental man on the other end of the line was more than patient and gracious as he solved my problem. We now have replacements for the items that were most likely flooded in the post office. When he asked if there was anything else he could do to help me I said it would be nice if I could easily find the telephone number to call Amazon if I ever need their help again! He gave me a number that I can call whenever I need help! Yay, things are looking up!

I worked myself to the bone yesterday cleaning, dusting, vacuuming, scrubbing bathrooms, washing bedding, clothes and trimming the lawn. Today I shall relax.
Grampa just came in as I was finishing up and I mentioned I could use an alcoholic beverage to help with the relax part of the previous sentence.  He said I had to wait until Thursday when Walk Ons has its grand reopening.  Yay.  I shall do that.

Quote:  We may outrun by violent swiftness that which we run at, and lose by overrunning.   __Shakespeare