On the Road Again: Mother's Day Meltdown

 

This trip made us long for the Louisiana life. There are so many opportunities to enjoy life with your friends and family in Louisiana. The city of Baton Rouge built a wading pool and huge fountains, then installed benches and tables around flat green parks for families to enjoy. They are also building a permanent band shelter (there was a temporary stage up for our visit) and hosting weekly family friendly events each spring & fall. We brought po boys from a shop down the street to enjoy while the boys played & we listened to the band, while locals were bringing whole picnic lunches to enjoy downtown. A hot dog cart-style vendor was selling adult beverages. A balloon artist was giving kids free twisted balloons. A man with a wagon was selling over-priced bubble blowers. And the water fountain had a doggy bowl on the bottom. Everyone was dressed like they had just come from church, but they hadn't necessarily. There is a free trolley bus that runs daily around downtown. And the locals are pushing the state to adopt greener ways, including a daily train service to New Orleans.

 

Nette assured me that so much is moving in the right direction in Southern Louisiana, that it would be very natural to make it home again. I think I believe her. There was very little not to like. Really, just two things: traffic and it's distance from the North East (ie. family).

 

Anyway, the visit was awesome. And really, we couldn't have had a better family-friendly way to end our visit. A Southern Rock band from Alabama, Po boys, friendly kiddos, dear friends, mimosas, fountains, balloon art. Good times.

 

And this is where Mama had a meltdown. No, the boys weren't misbehaving. There wasn't a Diet Coke shortage. And I didn't get too hot or hurt. My camera broke. Torture. And since our laptop crapped out the day before leaving for Brooklyn, we hadn't taken any of the pictures off of the camera card since we had left home. 1500+ pictures gone. I saw no hope in recovering the images, because this same this happened during car show, 3 weeks before. At least that time it was just 24 hours of shots... from my most photographically productive car show, with a fisheye lens, since having kids/buying a nice camera/growing up. Suck.

Anyway. Obviously, Daddy recovered the photos after we returned home, thanks for one of Nemka's dear friends who assured us it was possible. Now the only bummer, Daddy threw my car show memory card away... you know, cause it was broken. Suck.

On the Road Again: Sunday Morning

May 12. Sunday morning Alexander snuck out of Babushka's bed, and came to cuddle with Mama, Daddy & Brother before we headed to breakfast. I asked him if he was ready to go home, back to Wheeling on the airplane the next day. The boy got very upset, almost started crying, and said, "No! I don't want to go home. This is my home." We asked what about Pnut, JB & Stretch, our friends and our house. His only reply, "No. I don't want to go back. I don't like our house. The hotel is our  home." Poor boy, I think he is having a wonderful time in Mama & Daddy's old home. And I can't really blame him, I didn't want to go home either...

 

 
So we went to visit Uncle Mike (Last time we took Alexander to visit LSU's mascot, Mike, he got confused & started referring to the tiger as Uncle Mike. Cute.). As you can see, William was finally warming up to Babushka... and the tiger!

 
And then back downtown to waste some more time walking on the levee before meeting up with Nemka & her krewe for some Mother's Day festivities.

On the Road Again: Ms. Lynn

I must say, I hate this picture. Or, specifically, I dislike the right side of this photo. Lynn looks exactly the same, possibly better (maybe shorter) than 2 years ago. Lovely. What a wonderful, wonderful woman. So, I post this picture, so everyone can see this petite, polite and strong female role model, while ignoring the sasquatch standing next to her. I am so lucky to have worked for Lynn back in the day, and I am even luckier that she is still my dear, albeit tiny, friend. Love.

And in an effort to win over my small children and their babushka, Lynn entered Mello Mushroom bearing bags of gifts. The smallest of which were quickly scattered all over the hotel room, assembled, reassembled, lost, found, and now living a second life very different than their original instructions. The boy has found a new hobby, and Ethan will be proud... or in need of a new bedroom door lock... Thank you so much!

Did I mention that William fell on a pine cone (we suspect), while we were playing with the girls at dinner last night. Yeah. The pine cone was the only thing remotely close to his face, but really, who knows. Poor babes. It's been 3 weeks now, so I know, for a fact, that he's healed. No worse for wear.

On the Road Again: USS KIDD

May 10. Alexander absolutely did NOT want to go onto "Mama's ship." When I showed him the brochure earlier in the day, and asked if he wanted to go see the ship, he said, "No, we don't like guns." Hmmm, I can't argue with that. But, it's different. Right?

 Obviously, we got him on the ship... reluctantly. I coerced him into the depths of the ship 1. Because he had to use the bathroom, and 2. Because he really wanted to see where Mama used to sleep when kids would come onto the ship for sleep overs. He did it, but I won't suggest he liked it. Good little peacenik. Love.

I don't remember much about my days as a USS KIDD tour guide, but I do remember that the red toilet seat was for the "hot" sailors. Oh, and when the sea was choppy & the boat would hit the water hard, sea water would spurt back up thru the straight sewer pipe for a quick colonoscopy for one lucky sailor.