Here is the shirt, that I made…thank you very much, that helped the Saints win their 1st Super Bowl. I made it from a $9.00 Target shirt, and some iron on letters I picked up at Michaels for $1.00 each. I’m from the Big Easy so it’s in my blood to love and support these guys…no matter what.
Derek and I had plans to go to New Orleans this weekend. Derek was attending a computer hacking class on Sunday so we figured we would make a short weekend out of it, but my body had other plans. Monday I awoke with a scratchy throat, which by Tuesday turned into a full blown head cold. Or so I thought! Wednesday I decided to stay home from work because my supposed head cold had gotten worse, and being preggers I thought it best to try and rest and rebuild some energy and not stress out our little bean too much. Well, that didn’t work. Thursday….even worse. I polished off my second box of tissue by Thursday evening. Friday, home from work again, I decided it best to suck it up and head for the doctor. Turns out I had a nasty, nasty sinus infection. Box 3 of tissues down. They hooked me up with some fetus friendly meds and sent me on my way.
Saturday was our intended departure date to the Big Easy, my hometown….thank you very much! I had a decision to make. Derek HAD to go since his hacking class, believe it or not, was a work thing. I had to decide if I was going to stay at home with my caretaker gone, or suffer a 6 hour car ride and have Derek near by. I really enjoy having him around so I decided to be with him, even if it meant being a tiny bit miserable in the car. I mean all I had to endure was the car ride on Saturday. Sunday I could spend all day in bed at the hotel. And that’s just what I did. I nursed my sinus infection from a hotel room coughing and sneezing all weekend long.
The hotel provided each room with free Starbucks coffee and tea. The best part about it though was the actual Starbucks coffee cups and sleeves instead of the boring old white ceramic coffee cups most hotels have for you.
Our hotel room was on the 40th floor. That means crazy ear pressure while riding up and down in the elevator. Let’s just say that each time I rode the stinking elevator my ears would clog and I became about 60% deaf. And the PRESSURE oh the pressure! While in N.O. the only venturing I did was to eat. Our hotel’s restaurant wasn’t sounding to appetizing to us.
Saturday night we walked down Decatur St. and passed my great grandfather’s old firehouse. Yup, he was a firefighter. We called him Honeyboy. What an awesome name for a grandparent. He died when I was young, but I still have a few memories of him. Here I am in front of his firehouse.
That same night we ate at a micro brewery called Crescent City Brewery. Our server was a trip. He asked us where we were from and when we told him Memphis, he proceeded to tell us that one of his favorite shows is filmed in Memphis….The First 48. That’s right people…the only show Memphis is really known for is a reality cop show that PROVES just how dumb most Memphians truly are.
I had the best BLT of my life there. It was unlike any BLT I’ve ever had before. I couldn’t even begin to tell you what all was on the thing, but if you ever go to the Crescent City Brewery on Decatur Street get it. Derek had some delicious catfish and a tall micro brew. I was so jealous.
Sunday after Derek got out of class we did a backwards dinner and headed to Cafe’ du Monde for some delicious beignets and hot coco. P.S. – this pregnant chick totally asked for an order to go! Yes sir! After gobbling down those delicious pastries we headed to a place called Huck Finns. It was okay, but the wait staff was super friendly.
That was pretty much our trip. Monday morning we headed out early so we could get the rental car back before the placed closed, and so I could see those puppies, ASAP. Listen to this….so, we go to drop off our rental car at the AVIS place downtown. Yep, big mistake. You always rent a car from the airport…never the retail stores, and here is why. Derek goes in to drop off the car and one guy is sitting behind the counter. He tells Derek that the guy to check back in the car will be back in about 5-10 minutes. While Derek waits the guy sits behind the counter chattin’ it up about some drama on the phone. About 15 minutes later the guy behind the counter tells Derek that the guy he is waiting for is on the phone and wants to talk to him. The dude never showed up! The guy on the phone just tells Derek just to leave the keys with the guy at the counter and they would just charge the rental to his card. SERIOUSLY!?! On the phone. What a way to run a business. I’m glad we stopped to fill up the car before we brought it back. Yeah right.
This is my grandfather, John.
Like my father, you never know what he will do to make you laugh. Whether intentional or not my father and grandfather never cease to make me laugh. I was perusing pictures from a trip I took with Derek, Stephanie (my sister), and my parents to New Orleans two years ago to visit my grandparents.
While sitting in a gas station parking lot we witnessed one of the funniest things ever. I’m serious. Everyone in our car was about to pee on themselves. We were laughing so hard tears were streaming from our eyes. Did I mention my mom also gets a kick out of the zany things my grandfather does? She does. Let me tell you that we all love my grandfather dearly. He is a brilliant man with a kind heart, and an even friendlier disposition. And the same can be said about my magnificent grandmother, Maria. (Not the zany part…the brilliant, kindhearted part)
Back to the story….right! Me, Derek, my mom (Becky), Stephanie, and her friend Kristen are all in one car. My dad, grandmother, and grandfather are in another car. My grandfather went in the gas station to use the restroom. When he came out he walked up to what he thought was the car my dad and grandma were in, opened the back-driver side door and started to sit in the car. As he is doing this we all watch in amazement as the faces of the people sitting in the front seat of the “wrong car” stare at him in bewilderment. Everyone in our car was cracking up…crying we are laughing so hard. Meanwhile my dad and grandma are yelling at him out the window of the “correct car” JOHN….WRONG CAR! JOOOOHN!!!!
Oh geez…that man cracks me up. BTW…it didn’t bother him one bit. He just got out of the “wrong car”, and hopped into the car with my dad and grandma. And off we went.
The Dave Matthews Band is about to release there new album and until you can purchase it Pandora.com (internet radio…awesome!) is giving people the chance to listen to the entire album for FREE! Just go to Pandora.com and follow the link.
This album has a mix of many of their previous albums with an added touch of blues. My favorites so far are “Alligator Pie” & “Seven”. What are yours? The album cover reminds me of a New Orleans Jazz Fest poster. I grew up in the great city of New Orleans myself, and I love things that remind me of my childhood. So kick back, enjoy the mellow rhythms courtesy of DMB, and “Laissez les bon temps roulez” (let the good times roll!).
