Hello, all!! I hope you all had a lovely holiday, ate plenty of whatever makes you happy, and have survived to ramp up to do it all again in a month!
I arrived back in Texas on November 20th to greet my in-laws who were visiting. Those of you who know the spousal-unit will be happy to hear he had done a WONDERFUL job of cleaning up and even had a roast in the crock pot for dinner that night. I love that he always reminds me of why I keep him! What a guy!!
So, tomorrow (December 1st) I head back to Louisiana for another fun-filled adventure or two. The plan is to remain there until December 23rd at which time I will head back to Texas again. I'm sure there will be blog-worthy events occurring, especially at this festive time of year. I have promised myself to remember to take my camera so I can record and share some of the more notable photographic moments.
Thanks for reading. Stay tuned as December promises a blogfest!!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
BRIGHT MOMENT AT BROOKSHIRE BROTHERS
I will be returning to Texas tomorrow (Thursday the 20th) to reacquaint myself with my spousal-unit, pay some bills, and listen to the cats tell me how angry they are that I left them there without training someone to cater to their every whim while I was gone. This also means there may be a lull in blogs until I return on Monday, December 1st.
However, before I leave, I want to report on something GOOD that has occurred to me here. (Well, there are probably more things but my shopping experiences have been less-than-optimal.)
I went to the local Brookshire Brothers grocery store. (There is one on either side of town.) On a size basis, I would say you could put about four of one of them into one of the newer large HEB stores. Needless to say, selections are somewhat limited. They do, however, compete with the Wal-Mart grocery area by providing MUCH easier access as well as carrying a few items the Wal-Mart does not carry. I pop into the one on "our" side of town about once a week for a quick purchase.
Okay. Scene is set. So, I am wandering through the produce section (it's not that big, folks!) in search of fresh cranberries as my aunt wanted fresh cranberry sauce with today's lunch. I have cruised the aisle twice, checking again just in case I missed them. I do not see them. I do spot a very young female who is placing apples in place for sale. I note she is on a cell phone while doing so. She has on the signature green t-shirt and a name tag. Perhaps this is a very important call so I stand at a reasonable distance from her... close enough to make it clear I am waiting to ask her a question... far enough to only barely overhear her conversation (which was relative to her plans for later that evening and thus, in my world, not a very important call!). I am looking toward her. She continues to pick up two apples at a time, turn and place them on the bin, then repeat the process... all without ever looking at me even though I am in her direct line of vision. Uh-huh. I do feel the blood pressure beginning to rise and decide I will leave without cranberries.
About this time, a very young man shoves one of the stocking carts through the double swinging doors in the produce area. I catch his attention and advise I have a question but "the young lady in the produce area is apparently too busy on her cell phone to acknowledge me." (Yes... I am perturbed and the first available set of ears is going to know this.) He is very nice and asks me what I am seeking. I ask him where the fresh cranberries are to which he replies "We have canned cranberry sauce but we rarely get fresh cranberries here." Okay. I wanted to scream "It's Thanksgiving next week!!! When do you think you should get them?!?!?!?" but I don't. He is only the messenger and I try never to shoot them. Sigh.
I make my way forward to check out with the five items I have in my little cart. I am nearly done when the very young man comes RUNNING to the front of the store with a bag of fresh cranberries in his hand! He spots me, brings them to me, and says "Gosh. I'm sorry. I forgot it's nearly Thanksgiving!" Okay. This young man has completely redeemed himself and I gratefully acknowledge his efforts in asking about them, finding them, then tracking me down to make sure I get them. I could have been out of the store by then but he was going to try.
Note to self: Just when it seems as though there is no longer such a thing as true Customer Service, one little incident can prove that to be wrong. There are still a few folks left out there, some even young (!), who actually care about what they do AND how their customers are treated. Thank you, young man.
Until things change...
However, before I leave, I want to report on something GOOD that has occurred to me here. (Well, there are probably more things but my shopping experiences have been less-than-optimal.)
I went to the local Brookshire Brothers grocery store. (There is one on either side of town.) On a size basis, I would say you could put about four of one of them into one of the newer large HEB stores. Needless to say, selections are somewhat limited. They do, however, compete with the Wal-Mart grocery area by providing MUCH easier access as well as carrying a few items the Wal-Mart does not carry. I pop into the one on "our" side of town about once a week for a quick purchase.
Okay. Scene is set. So, I am wandering through the produce section (it's not that big, folks!) in search of fresh cranberries as my aunt wanted fresh cranberry sauce with today's lunch. I have cruised the aisle twice, checking again just in case I missed them. I do not see them. I do spot a very young female who is placing apples in place for sale. I note she is on a cell phone while doing so. She has on the signature green t-shirt and a name tag. Perhaps this is a very important call so I stand at a reasonable distance from her... close enough to make it clear I am waiting to ask her a question... far enough to only barely overhear her conversation (which was relative to her plans for later that evening and thus, in my world, not a very important call!). I am looking toward her. She continues to pick up two apples at a time, turn and place them on the bin, then repeat the process... all without ever looking at me even though I am in her direct line of vision. Uh-huh. I do feel the blood pressure beginning to rise and decide I will leave without cranberries.
About this time, a very young man shoves one of the stocking carts through the double swinging doors in the produce area. I catch his attention and advise I have a question but "the young lady in the produce area is apparently too busy on her cell phone to acknowledge me." (Yes... I am perturbed and the first available set of ears is going to know this.) He is very nice and asks me what I am seeking. I ask him where the fresh cranberries are to which he replies "We have canned cranberry sauce but we rarely get fresh cranberries here." Okay. I wanted to scream "It's Thanksgiving next week!!! When do you think you should get them?!?!?!?" but I don't. He is only the messenger and I try never to shoot them. Sigh.
I make my way forward to check out with the five items I have in my little cart. I am nearly done when the very young man comes RUNNING to the front of the store with a bag of fresh cranberries in his hand! He spots me, brings them to me, and says "Gosh. I'm sorry. I forgot it's nearly Thanksgiving!" Okay. This young man has completely redeemed himself and I gratefully acknowledge his efforts in asking about them, finding them, then tracking me down to make sure I get them. I could have been out of the store by then but he was going to try.
Note to self: Just when it seems as though there is no longer such a thing as true Customer Service, one little incident can prove that to be wrong. There are still a few folks left out there, some even young (!), who actually care about what they do AND how their customers are treated. Thank you, young man.
Until things change...
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
THE BIRDS!!!
Alfred Hitchcock did a wonderful job, terrifying us with the most commonplace things. "The Birds" was a slow, steady, increasingly uncomfortable ride to sheer fear! I remember watching it as a kid and wondering what would happen if all the birds in town got together? Yikes!!!
While Hitchcock was indeed a master, it turns out the birds can be even more sinister than he imagined. I say this based on my torment by these same creatures although there is no attacking or pecking involved. It is the early morning that causes such dread in my heart.
My alarm is set for 6:00 a.m. Monday through Friday. This allows me time to stretch before beginning my walk about 7:00 a.m. I would like to hear my alarm go off... but that is apparently not going to happen. Even more so, I would like to SLEEP IN on Saturday and Sunday, the days of rest around here. None of this is to be.
There are substantial foundation plantings around the house I am in. Most of them are quite old and have grown to very large proportions, offering up the best possible bird habitat. If you think the birds ignore these due to their proximity to the house, you are wrong. The little feathered pals just LOVE these shrubs. I am a bird-lover... most of the time... and would likely enjoy viewing the little darlings from my windows if it weren't for one small problem. THEY CRANK UP ABOUT 5:30 a.m. AND CONTINUE UNTIL THE SUN IS SUFFICIENTLY UP TO MAKE THEM HAPPY!!! If you think I am just being cranky and should enjoy the lovely soft peeps from God's little winged critters, you need to understand the ones outside my window sound like a cross between a pterodactyl screeching and a lion roaring!!! This is not a gentle awakening, friends. This is a "jump-out-of-bed-yanking-the-sheets-with-you-and-smacking-your-toes-on-the-nightstand" kinda' sound. There is no need for smoke detectors in this house. As long as the smoke arrives just before dawn, it is guaranteed at least two bedrooms will have very awake guests!
I look forward to a return to Texas where the birds have enough consideration to wait until the sun is at least showing before beginning their daily serenades. It is indeed the little things.
Until it's time for another...
While Hitchcock was indeed a master, it turns out the birds can be even more sinister than he imagined. I say this based on my torment by these same creatures although there is no attacking or pecking involved. It is the early morning that causes such dread in my heart.
My alarm is set for 6:00 a.m. Monday through Friday. This allows me time to stretch before beginning my walk about 7:00 a.m. I would like to hear my alarm go off... but that is apparently not going to happen. Even more so, I would like to SLEEP IN on Saturday and Sunday, the days of rest around here. None of this is to be.
There are substantial foundation plantings around the house I am in. Most of them are quite old and have grown to very large proportions, offering up the best possible bird habitat. If you think the birds ignore these due to their proximity to the house, you are wrong. The little feathered pals just LOVE these shrubs. I am a bird-lover... most of the time... and would likely enjoy viewing the little darlings from my windows if it weren't for one small problem. THEY CRANK UP ABOUT 5:30 a.m. AND CONTINUE UNTIL THE SUN IS SUFFICIENTLY UP TO MAKE THEM HAPPY!!! If you think I am just being cranky and should enjoy the lovely soft peeps from God's little winged critters, you need to understand the ones outside my window sound like a cross between a pterodactyl screeching and a lion roaring!!! This is not a gentle awakening, friends. This is a "jump-out-of-bed-yanking-the-sheets-with-you-and-smacking-your-toes-on-the-nightstand" kinda' sound. There is no need for smoke detectors in this house. As long as the smoke arrives just before dawn, it is guaranteed at least two bedrooms will have very awake guests!
I look forward to a return to Texas where the birds have enough consideration to wait until the sun is at least showing before beginning their daily serenades. It is indeed the little things.
Until it's time for another...
Sunday, November 16, 2008
WHO IS IN THE KITCHEN?!?!?!?
Well now... those of you who know me well are very aware I am kitchen-challenged. I do a few things extremely well (family recipes including from-scratch sweet potato pie and from-scratch potato cake) and most other things with as little involvement as possible (where is that can-opener?). Thank Heaven for the Ron-Man, the spousal-unit with a propensity to grill anything and everything and his immunity to all weather environments!! Without him, I would be a lot thinner. (Hmmmmmmm? I hadn't thought about that before.)
So... finding myself in a "foreign" land with no yard work to be done and a need to be inside a good part of the day, it was looking a little grim. During the week, I get out and make my 45-minute walk (although I miss my Austin walking partner, Ginny!). I also make a few runs for essentials like banking, mail, and the ever-so-fabulous Wal-Mart adventure. But that is pretty much Monday through Friday.
My first weekend here was filled with some "rat-killing" like finding things, getting myself settled into a secondary bedroom, and figuring out how efficiently I could organize myself. I also met two of the new caregivers, finding one to be terrific and one to be sorely lacking in the skills we need here. (That was resolved quickly, however, so no worries!)
My second weekend here was a little less stressful in terms of organizing and monitoring. Things had become a bit less harried and we had settled in with caregivers who can provide appropriate assistance. It was more relaxed and we even had a little impromptu gathering of a couple of folks on Sunday evening that was rather festive with stories told and expanded upon!
Okay. It is the third weekend. There are no needs that require immediate attention. There are no projects requiring any real skill. I am at a loss. There are, however, a few remaining Fuji apples from the 12-pack I brought over from my Texas CostCo. What to do? What to do? AHA!!! Eureka!!! Baked apples! Why not? It can't be THAT hard, can it? To the internet for a recipe then to the kitchen for location of appropriate ingredients, utensils, and dishes. Baked apples all around for this afternoon's snack. (They actually were edible although my aunt and the Sunday caregiver chose to add Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla to theirs. Hmph!)
The saving grace... I will be heading back to Texas this coming Thursday the 20th so will not have a fourth weekend with time on my hands. In fact, I will probably look forward to returning to Louisiana in December where I don't see something that needs to be done everywhere I turn!!
Until the next...
So... finding myself in a "foreign" land with no yard work to be done and a need to be inside a good part of the day, it was looking a little grim. During the week, I get out and make my 45-minute walk (although I miss my Austin walking partner, Ginny!). I also make a few runs for essentials like banking, mail, and the ever-so-fabulous Wal-Mart adventure. But that is pretty much Monday through Friday.
My first weekend here was filled with some "rat-killing" like finding things, getting myself settled into a secondary bedroom, and figuring out how efficiently I could organize myself. I also met two of the new caregivers, finding one to be terrific and one to be sorely lacking in the skills we need here. (That was resolved quickly, however, so no worries!)
My second weekend here was a little less stressful in terms of organizing and monitoring. Things had become a bit less harried and we had settled in with caregivers who can provide appropriate assistance. It was more relaxed and we even had a little impromptu gathering of a couple of folks on Sunday evening that was rather festive with stories told and expanded upon!
Okay. It is the third weekend. There are no needs that require immediate attention. There are no projects requiring any real skill. I am at a loss. There are, however, a few remaining Fuji apples from the 12-pack I brought over from my Texas CostCo. What to do? What to do? AHA!!! Eureka!!! Baked apples! Why not? It can't be THAT hard, can it? To the internet for a recipe then to the kitchen for location of appropriate ingredients, utensils, and dishes. Baked apples all around for this afternoon's snack. (They actually were edible although my aunt and the Sunday caregiver chose to add Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla to theirs. Hmph!)
The saving grace... I will be heading back to Texas this coming Thursday the 20th so will not have a fourth weekend with time on my hands. In fact, I will probably look forward to returning to Louisiana in December where I don't see something that needs to be done everywhere I turn!!
Until the next...
Friday, November 14, 2008
GIMME SHELTER...
This town has an animal shelter... but cannot take in dogs over about 35-40 pounds due to the restricted size of the cages. Even with this disadvantage, the shelter stays VERY busy working to rescue dogs and cats. They have a garage sale every other weekend (Fri/Sat) selling donated items and items "rescued" from other sales. On the interval weekends, they pile in the cleaned up, groomed, ready-to-be-adopted critters and drive them about an hour and a half to the nearest town with a PetSmart!! They typically have good success there adopting out the cuties.
Okay. Kind of interesting but why am I telling you this? Well, it's because of my aunt's next-door neighbor, Susan, whom I have met and who really is a great gal!! She is probably near my age, has grown children, lives alone, drives a big ol' Ram pickup as well as rides her very own motorcycle. She is VERY cool and has a wonderful, loving personality that makes her the ideal volunteer for the local shelter. She is retired but probably spends more time working at and for the shelter than most folks spend working at their paid job. She "owns" five small dogs and a large cat. She ALSO fosters some of the shelter critters while they are recovering from surgery, heart worm treatment... whatever. So there is a very happy household right next door and Susan will frequently call and ask if she can pop over bringing one of the critters. HECK YEAH!! I get my "pet fix" (since I had to leave my two big kitties in Austin) while my aunt gets to see some really cute critters without any responsibility for them.
Two of our recent visitors include "TinkerBelle" (who I insist on calling "YodaBelle" which you will understand when you see the pic) and "Pokey" (who was recovering from surgery and slated to be adopted out soon). So you can appreciate the fun we have when the visitors arrive, I thought you might want to see them.
Okay. Kind of interesting but why am I telling you this? Well, it's because of my aunt's next-door neighbor, Susan, whom I have met and who really is a great gal!! She is probably near my age, has grown children, lives alone, drives a big ol' Ram pickup as well as rides her very own motorcycle. She is VERY cool and has a wonderful, loving personality that makes her the ideal volunteer for the local shelter. She is retired but probably spends more time working at and for the shelter than most folks spend working at their paid job. She "owns" five small dogs and a large cat. She ALSO fosters some of the shelter critters while they are recovering from surgery, heart worm treatment... whatever. So there is a very happy household right next door and Susan will frequently call and ask if she can pop over bringing one of the critters. HECK YEAH!! I get my "pet fix" (since I had to leave my two big kitties in Austin) while my aunt gets to see some really cute critters without any responsibility for them.
Two of our recent visitors include "TinkerBelle" (who I insist on calling "YodaBelle" which you will understand when you see the pic) and "Pokey" (who was recovering from surgery and slated to be adopted out soon). So you can appreciate the fun we have when the visitors arrive, I thought you might want to see them.
This is YodaBell sitting in her "mom's" lap.
This is Pokey, living up to his name.
So, I hope you enjoy these guys. As more visitors appear, I will try to get photos of them and share them with you. So far, all stories have had happy endings... and that's what we're shooting for with all of them!!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
AUNT BUBBA??? WHAT?!?!?!?!?
Now that you have an understanding of WHERE I am these days, let's talk about WHO I am here to check on.
An Aunt called "Bubba?" Yep. That's the deal. I know. I know. The funny thing about it is I thought "Bubba" was a girl nickname my whole life until I moved to Texas!! You can imagine my surprise (and silent chuckling) when I first heard a BOY referred to as "Bubba." My goodness. How embarrassing for him!!
So... how did this happen? How is it this very sweet, Southern-Belle, little lady got tagged with "Bubba?" Well, after my move to Texas and my discovery that my aunt's nickname was quite the oddity, I asked the question. Turns out my mother knew that "Bubba" was a boy nickname all along!!! She was five years old when my grandmother announced she was to have a little sibling. My mother was very excited and definitely had it in mind that she was going to have a little brother. She was VERY disappointed when my grandmother arrived home with a baby girl. My mother's solution to this disappointing turn-of-events? Call the new baby "Bubba"... with no regard toward the femininity of the little one. Well, as these things go... it stuck. Not only did my mother call her little sister "Bubba", even my grandmother and pretty much everyone in town called her "Bubba." The interesting thing about this is I can judge how long someone has known my aunt by whether they refer to her as "Bubba" (they grew up together) or by her real name, Frances (they met after my aunt graduated from college).
It has also made for some very interesting travels. It seems as though calling girls by boys' names was not terribly odd during that time. My aunt has a very good friend, Billie (who sometimes actually goes by her first and second name, Billie Rhea), and another friend, Jo (who goes by Jo but is actually named Jo Ella). A friend of mine from Austin and I went to Las Vegas to meet "Bubba and Billie" one week. I'm fairly certain someone overhearing us thought we were heading out to rendezvous with two men!! When I discussed going on a cruise with "Bubba and Jo", I'm pretty sure those who did not know me thought there was definitely something less-than-genteel about my choice of traveling partners. I stumbled more than once over calling my aunt "Frances" in front of others and sometimes let "Bubba" slip. I tried... but when you have called someone one name your whole life, it's hard to switch-hit!!
So there you have it. There is always a reason for the things that may seem the most odd. Sometimes you just have to ask!
Until the next ramble...
An Aunt called "Bubba?" Yep. That's the deal. I know. I know. The funny thing about it is I thought "Bubba" was a girl nickname my whole life until I moved to Texas!! You can imagine my surprise (and silent chuckling) when I first heard a BOY referred to as "Bubba." My goodness. How embarrassing for him!!
So... how did this happen? How is it this very sweet, Southern-Belle, little lady got tagged with "Bubba?" Well, after my move to Texas and my discovery that my aunt's nickname was quite the oddity, I asked the question. Turns out my mother knew that "Bubba" was a boy nickname all along!!! She was five years old when my grandmother announced she was to have a little sibling. My mother was very excited and definitely had it in mind that she was going to have a little brother. She was VERY disappointed when my grandmother arrived home with a baby girl. My mother's solution to this disappointing turn-of-events? Call the new baby "Bubba"... with no regard toward the femininity of the little one. Well, as these things go... it stuck. Not only did my mother call her little sister "Bubba", even my grandmother and pretty much everyone in town called her "Bubba." The interesting thing about this is I can judge how long someone has known my aunt by whether they refer to her as "Bubba" (they grew up together) or by her real name, Frances (they met after my aunt graduated from college).
It has also made for some very interesting travels. It seems as though calling girls by boys' names was not terribly odd during that time. My aunt has a very good friend, Billie (who sometimes actually goes by her first and second name, Billie Rhea), and another friend, Jo (who goes by Jo but is actually named Jo Ella). A friend of mine from Austin and I went to Las Vegas to meet "Bubba and Billie" one week. I'm fairly certain someone overhearing us thought we were heading out to rendezvous with two men!! When I discussed going on a cruise with "Bubba and Jo", I'm pretty sure those who did not know me thought there was definitely something less-than-genteel about my choice of traveling partners. I stumbled more than once over calling my aunt "Frances" in front of others and sometimes let "Bubba" slip. I tried... but when you have called someone one name your whole life, it's hard to switch-hit!!
So there you have it. There is always a reason for the things that may seem the most odd. Sometimes you just have to ask!
Until the next ramble...
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
PLANES, TRAINS... NOPE, JUST TRAINS!!
Okay. I am a lover of travel. I have actually been on a passenger train that was NOT Amtrak (one departing from this town when I was about 8 and my grandmother said she didn't think there would be passenger trains like that one in the future... she was right!). I have been on lots of planes, from a 2-passenger to a 747 jumbo jet. Obviously I have been in automobiles since I was licensed at the age of 15 (which seems insane now!). I love hearing the distant sound of a train whistle. I would park at the end of a runway all day to watch planes arrive and depart. I guess I'm a travel junkie.
Let's talk about trains. The town's first railroad was the Pittsburgh & Gulf in 1897 which was later renamed the Kansas City Southern (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeRidder,_Louisiana). If you want a peek at the original train station, check out the Beauregard Parish Museum which originally served travelers heading north or south on the rails. Yep, that's the place my grandmother took me to purchase our tickets to head north to Shreveport where we spent the night in a hotel and returned by train the next day! It was VERY exciting!!
So... why am I rambling on about this mode of travel? Because, dear friends... the tracks remain and are quite active. While Amtrak does not run on this particular rail line, there are freight trains running through town... ALL... DAY... AND... NIGHT... LONG!!!!! There are numerous crossings including the two one-way runs through town where traffic comes to a halt and backs up for a couple of blocks waiting for these 100+ car trains to clear the tracks. Remember the first paragraph? That "distant sound of a train whistle" I mentioned I loved? Well, with the heavy humidity that is standard here and with the house I am in at a slightly higher elevation than the tracks, the whistles sound as if they are in the BACK YARD instead of approximately 1.5 miles away!!! I have now become familiar with the individual whistles and their approximate times to run through town. There are a couple of engineers who apparently take a rather cruel and sadistic pleasure in hanging on that whistle for a VERY extended time as they run through the town at 2:00 or 3:00 A.M. Pity the folks who actually live across the street from the tracks.
At any rate... if any of you are railroad junkies, let me know. I will try to record the nearly constant whistles for you which, I assure you, will cure you of your addiction. Really. I say this with complete faith you will be cured.
Until the next fascinating blog...
Let's talk about trains. The town's first railroad was the Pittsburgh & Gulf in 1897 which was later renamed the Kansas City Southern (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeRidder,_Louisiana). If you want a peek at the original train station, check out the Beauregard Parish Museum which originally served travelers heading north or south on the rails. Yep, that's the place my grandmother took me to purchase our tickets to head north to Shreveport where we spent the night in a hotel and returned by train the next day! It was VERY exciting!!
So... why am I rambling on about this mode of travel? Because, dear friends... the tracks remain and are quite active. While Amtrak does not run on this particular rail line, there are freight trains running through town... ALL... DAY... AND... NIGHT... LONG!!!!! There are numerous crossings including the two one-way runs through town where traffic comes to a halt and backs up for a couple of blocks waiting for these 100+ car trains to clear the tracks. Remember the first paragraph? That "distant sound of a train whistle" I mentioned I loved? Well, with the heavy humidity that is standard here and with the house I am in at a slightly higher elevation than the tracks, the whistles sound as if they are in the BACK YARD instead of approximately 1.5 miles away!!! I have now become familiar with the individual whistles and their approximate times to run through town. There are a couple of engineers who apparently take a rather cruel and sadistic pleasure in hanging on that whistle for a VERY extended time as they run through the town at 2:00 or 3:00 A.M. Pity the folks who actually live across the street from the tracks.
At any rate... if any of you are railroad junkies, let me know. I will try to record the nearly constant whistles for you which, I assure you, will cure you of your addiction. Really. I say this with complete faith you will be cured.
Until the next fascinating blog...
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
YOU CAN'T GO HOME AGAIN!!
Well, that's what they say anyway. However, I find myself back in the small town in southwest Louisiana where I grew up, attended school from the first grade through high school graduation, and escaped shortly thereafter to the draw of the big city lights in Austin, Texas.
My aunt had a little setback with her health in September culminating with pneumonia and pleurisy in October. I felt like I needed to "project manage" the situation for a while to make certain she was receiving appropriate care. So... with the (almost too happy?) blessing of my spousal-unit, I set up a schedule to hang out in Louisiana about 20-21 days each month for a while until I am satisfied that my aunt is back on her feet. I arrived "back home" on Halloween. Perhaps that was a harbinger of the things to come?
It has been 11 days. I have been to the Super Wal-Mart three times so far. (This is the largest retail environment in the town!) I have listened to employees there yelling from one end of the aisle to the other and been snappily informed "We're not open!" by the deli lady who eventually warmed to me and advised they weren't open due to the "holes in the roof where they are putting in a sprinkler system." Oh. Okay. I'll come back (maybe... if I'm not too afraid!).
Just to give you a general idea, you can get from one far side of town to the other in 5 minutes (less if you catch the red light green!). The big industry here is a Boise Cascade paper mill... appropriately placed since the entire place is covered in giant pine trees. There are a few of the ubiquitous fast food outlets (McDonalds, Burger King, Sonic) and some family-owned restaurants that are worth a visit (The Catfish Hut is a rockin' place!).
Okay... that's the beginning of this blog. I don't know how long it will continue as I don't know how long my "commute" will continue. I'll keep you posted right here. So... sign up for the email feed if you want the news right away!! Or... just drop in when you feel like a chuckle. There is a lot I have to tell you about this place and what goes on in it. :)
My aunt had a little setback with her health in September culminating with pneumonia and pleurisy in October. I felt like I needed to "project manage" the situation for a while to make certain she was receiving appropriate care. So... with the (almost too happy?) blessing of my spousal-unit, I set up a schedule to hang out in Louisiana about 20-21 days each month for a while until I am satisfied that my aunt is back on her feet. I arrived "back home" on Halloween. Perhaps that was a harbinger of the things to come?
It has been 11 days. I have been to the Super Wal-Mart three times so far. (This is the largest retail environment in the town!) I have listened to employees there yelling from one end of the aisle to the other and been snappily informed "We're not open!" by the deli lady who eventually warmed to me and advised they weren't open due to the "holes in the roof where they are putting in a sprinkler system." Oh. Okay. I'll come back (maybe... if I'm not too afraid!).
Just to give you a general idea, you can get from one far side of town to the other in 5 minutes (less if you catch the red light green!). The big industry here is a Boise Cascade paper mill... appropriately placed since the entire place is covered in giant pine trees. There are a few of the ubiquitous fast food outlets (McDonalds, Burger King, Sonic) and some family-owned restaurants that are worth a visit (The Catfish Hut is a rockin' place!).
Okay... that's the beginning of this blog. I don't know how long it will continue as I don't know how long my "commute" will continue. I'll keep you posted right here. So... sign up for the email feed if you want the news right away!! Or... just drop in when you feel like a chuckle. There is a lot I have to tell you about this place and what goes on in it. :)
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