I haven’t run in a year. I think I just blocked it out or something when I would go to the gym, I just didn’t want to. I was burned out. Today I ran for a short distance, next week my goal is even longer. I have about 10 pounds to lose. I gained some over the past two weeks with vacation and just being lazy! I need to go to the gym daily, so, I’m ramping that up as well.

I cannot believe it’s finally Spring here! It’s been a long, long Winter. I’ve been sick, I was sick for a month! The youngest drove me to the ER and luckily I was able to get an appointment with a doctor about an hour later. After getting some great antibiotics, the sickness finally left. I still have a little cough here and there, but, nothing like it was.

Craft projects have been on the back burner, I need to get some more jewelry and other things made! I’m cropping tomorrow night with some friends, been since my birthday since I’ve scrapbooked, so I need to!

I have done some laundry, worked out this morning…just need to do grocery shopping. That will have to wait until tomorrow, there’s a huge storm over us dumping freezing rain and probably some snow as well over the next 24 hours.

It’s nice to be home! I realized last night that I’ve only driven a few days this month. We had a rental car in Orlando, hubby drove it. We didn’t need a car in New Orleans.

No more traveling, that we’re planning anyway, until June. Then it will be a road trip down south to visit friends and family.

Hubby and I arrived last Wednesday evening and we are leaving tomorrow morning. He’s here for some training for his job. He was able to have lunch with me each day (except for Sunday) during a break and dinner each night.

Here’s a list of things that we’ve lived through, seen, bought, visited, places we’ve eaten and other random things. Let me know in the comments if you want any links or names of any of the places or things that are mentioned.

I’m not a city mouse, I’m a country mouse. Visiting a city here and there for a few days or a week doesn’t bother me, but, I know that I’m happy out in the boonies. So, please keep that in mind as you read all of this entry!

Wednesday – We arrived in the airport. I had reserved a shuttle to take us to the hotel. No one rents a car in the area, at least not anyone we know. The shuttle was great, we had a very talkative driver that’s always lived in the area. He gave us a great mini-tour as we drove the 12 or so miles to our hotel on Canal Street which is in the French Quarter. We now have seen the rebuilding after Katrina in person. We’ve seen the City of the Dead through the windows. We know where the Superdome is, Tulane and Loyola. We tipped him $5 for our bags, most people just gave him a buck. It was worth it though, he was really nice as well.

After checking in we went out to explore a little bit and found House of Blues just down Decatur street. Our server, Josh, was totally a blast and very helpful for things we were asking about. I really enjoyed the food there and so did hubby. It’s an awesome place and I hope to get some photos of the inside before we leave.

Thursday – The next day I set off to explore the area. I had a few hours before meeting hubby for lunch. I took my camera and started off towards the Mississippi River. I found a few things that I was looking for, the streetcar station, Riverwalk, a steamboat and a ferry and the Aquarium. I walked into Riverwalk for a while…it’s an indoor mall. I did buy a few things, but, it’s very repetitive here with the same hats/t-shirts/masks/beads. I found a great silver shop (Silver Salon and they give military discounts!) and I bought a pretty bracelet, some Fleur de Lis earrings and later when I went back the other day a ring and a necklace charm.  The prices are extremely reasonable…I was a little shocked at how low they were. I found some really cute Voodoo Watchover dolls at Destination New Orleans. They also have salt water taffy in a box with a postcard attached. The food court is on the top level, near the end of the mall. It’s not set up like a traditional mall in that sense. The only thing I can figure out is because the riverboat cruises embark/disembark right there as well as the convention center. There’s also the food and drink museum, that charges a lot of money and a very expensive gift shop. It’s a nice long walk from the food court back to the hotel, especially when hubby was waiting for lunch! That afternoon I gambled a little at Harrah’s. We ate dinner at Popeye’s! It’s the first time that I have eaten there in a long, long time. The first Popeye’s is in the area, but it wasn’t this one. It was really good! It’s located on Canal Street between Chartres and Royal.

Friday – We ate lunch at Subway and it was a good meal. It’s on Royal St. within the first block off of Canal. We saw two people almost get hit by a streetcar! Seriously I knew that he wouldn’t hit them, but, they weren’t paying attention and just were walking without looking. He rang the bell a few times to move them off of the tracks. I’m sure it’s not the first time he’s done that. I walked around down Decatur and went to the French Market. I took photos at Jackson Square of everything including Joan of Arc! I also went to the Canal Street Shops. I went to Starbucks and bought an iced tea, visited JT Kids, which is really overpriced, looked and found one thing at Ann Taylor (not Loft, that’s in Riverwalk). I also saw a few places that were way out of my price range, Saks Fifth Avenue for one. Even on sale I cannot afford a dress n there. Friday night we walked down Bourbon Street. Wow, that’s something to see! I saw a lot of strip clubs, fake cops called “Party Patrol” that should be stopped, I also saw a lot of drunks and street people. We ate at Crescent City Brewhouse. It was okay. It’s a micro brewery, so hubby wanted to try it out and see how the beer was. It was okay. The food was okay. I’ve had much better and much worse. I ordered a steak, it was a little chewy and the green beans and Au gratin potatoes were undercooked. There’s a lot of different places to try, so, unless you are set on this place, skip it. Read more…

I’m currently in Florida. I haven’t been here since 2006, when I flew in for a few days to get my mom and bring her back to our home for a week.

I’ve been visiting with my mom, my Aunt, my cousins and my brother and his family. Also my best friend! It’s so weird to be back here, seeing everyone. There are ghosts everywhere.

We arrived on Saturday evening. The flight was okay, but, there were kids right across the aisle from us. The kids were okay at first, but, as the flight went on, it went downhill quickly. We have a Toyota Corolla as our car this week. It’s small and after driving a Jeep for a few years, you realize how low cars actually sit!

Sunday we saw my mom, my Aunt and my cousins. One of my cousins I haven’t seen since I was a little kid. I didn’t really get a chance to visit with him, he was out the door to do something a short time after we arrived. We had a good visit with everyone. That night we met my brother, his wife and my niece for dinner. My nephew was working, but, we met his girlfriend! It’s nice to have had some time with them. Hopefully we’ll be getting together on Friday night for some Wii!

Monday we took my mom and my Aunt out to lunch – Red Lobster. We had a good visit and then we all went back to my Aunt’s house. She’s living in my grandparent’s house. It’s there were some of the ghosts arrived. Looking through photo albums, seeing myself and my grandparents together, where it hit me the hardest. There’s this awesome photo of my grandfather with a camera around his neck and he’s not even looking at the camera. I’m going to take photos of some of the photos the next time we are over there. I tried to explain scanning in the photos, but, she doesn’t even have a printer, so, that’s a challenge right from the beginning. I know that there are companies here in the area that will scan and archive/print photos, maybe I can point her in that direction.

Yesterday we went to Wal-mart and I found some shorts! The seasons are changing in the stores right now, hopefully there will be some shorts on the racks when I get home. I bought some flops at Target the other day and I found a few things on sale at Loft and at Stein Mart.

We also went to see my BFFOUCDP yesterday for lunch! I haven’t seen her in person since 2007, when we went to NYC for a long weekend. It was great to see her. She wanted me to take some business photos for her website and cards. The country club she took us to is gorgeous! It looks like an Italian village. Tons of photo opportunities! Hubby took some photos of her and I together and she took some of he and I.

Today we are off to see my mom and to get some house things checked off of her list. Tonight we are meeting my BFFOUCDP and her family for dinner!