puke until you cry?

All the New Orleans talk makes me so nostalgic -- I was only there once, for five days, but I loved it like cake. Really, really delicious cake.

I spent most of my time in the French Quarter, because that's where the conference was, but I did take the streetcar and go over to the Garden District one day. I've been waiting for a chance to go again and explore it some more ever since.

I actually moved to New Orleans for a while. The job didn't work out, and I moved back to Michigan. When I went back in January for my cousin's funeral it was bittersweet for many reasons. I got to experience some very New Orleans atmosphere, but it really made me miss it. I'm glad that most of my family that lived there eventually moved back after Katrina. It really looked like they were going to settle in New York, but their love proved too strong.

It really looked like they were going to settle in New York, but their love proved too strong.

New Orleans was one of the only cities I've visited where I thought, "Oh, I could live here. I maybe should live here."

I'm not sure how I'd handle the heat and humidity, though. I wouldn't want to be permanently cranky for the rest of my life. Plus, it's too far away from family for me. But I'm dying to take Stephen there.

I've been waiting for a chance to go again and explore it some more ever since.

YES!

I will say the heat and humidity is no joke, but, you know... you roll with it. It's way better than winter in New England, and only slightly less sucky than summer in New England.

Well crap. If the franchise thing is true and "Parasol's New Orleans" start springing up like so many Olive Gardens, I will...I don't know what.

Yeah, I don't like the sound of it either. I am hoping that this is a good move for the current owners (post- "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.") and if they are just gonna move up the street, then hopefully the actual change that happens in the neighborhood is minimal. I don't know, though. Obviously I have not been here long enough to appreciate the history. I definitely mourn it though. I just hope that in the grand scheme of things, it helps the folks who have been working there for years and they'll still be a force for good in the 'hood.

I'm desperately trying to look at it like it's part of moving forward here, because there's still so much of that that's needed.

Stripped. Uhg. I hate the first coat, it is such a gross bletchy mess. Put another coat on. Had an empanada and shake for dinner. Vacuumed and mopped the second floor. Came downstairs and vacuumed the main rug and then shampooed it. I was hoping to go out with Sarah and some friends to see a band play at Hon Bar, but I'm so dead tired now. I showered, but can't get up the oomph to get dressed and shit. My arms are shaky. Pretty sure it is from the scraping (this is the largest section of banister I've done in one go) but I did do 2 miles in the pool (counting cooldown, which don't really count, but I did do 66 straight.) So that probably doesn't help.

Good news is I should be done with the main banister for this stage (will be much, much, much more work to get the little bits up and sand.) I can hopefully finish of the bottom post, then to the second floor banister and get to work on the spindles.

Then oodles and oodles of picking and sanding and patching and....I really don't think I'll finish before the new year.

YES!

If we come, I'm SO hitting you up for F2F time, believe me. We actually were given plane tickets we can use anywhere in the US, and we already decided we're going to NO, it's just a matter of when.

When I was there, a friend who lived there showed me around the French Quarter (and his GORGEOUS apartment). He was a Charleston gentleman who had been in NO for probably ten years or more, and he knew everything about everything. Made it so much more fun for me.

My arms are shaky. Pretty sure it is from the scraping (this is the largest section of banister I've done in one go) but I did do 2 miles in the pool

Your arms are going to be so toned, sara, between both things.

If we come, I'm SO hitting you up for F2F time, believe me. We actually were given plane tickets we can use anywhere in the US, and we already decided we're going to NO, it's just a matter of when.

Let me know if you need help finding a place to stay, or ANYTHING!

Let me know if you need help finding a place to stay, or ANYTHING!

I definitely will. It won't be before March, most likely.

I think the swimming has taken care of that... It's weird how I notice the increased strength at times. Like 35 lbs of catlitter isn't as hard to haul up the stairs. Or the a/c units.

The scraping does give me all sorts of weird aches and pains. Mainly my hands and toes(?! Probably because of the way I perch on the stairs.) I notice it especially in the pool, when they're being all pulled about.