Normal? NOT!

11AM, New Orleans, LA, 14 January, 2006. We are home. I am surrounded by the resulting chaos of life after Katrina, half a household of extra furniture, the birds in their cages with the carriers on the table, laundry in the dryer that we brought back with us from TN.

The weather is sunny, but cool for New Orleans, climbing to 48° so far. Our plans are to go over to Linda’s old office to retrieve her personal belongings, then go to my work area to retrieve mine. Some fun, huh? Who says never a dull moment in NOLA?

H2 has his furniture unpacked and placed in his bedroom. He needs a bigger room!

And maybe on Tuesday Kentwood will pick up H1’s water cooler that sits in our dining room. Who-hoo!! Don’t know when his cable converter will grow legs and return itself to Cox Cable, since that is apparently the only way it will be leaving our house.

Later in the day.

Went to lunch at a local restaurant in the Garden District. I was sitting where I could see the street. As we ate I noticed all the pedestrians walking by , checking the restaurant as well as one across the street to see how long the wait would be. Traffic was a little heavier than normal for a Saturday in that area, but I was thinking how it was almost a feeling of normalcy being there. Then I was abruptly brought back to reality when an Army HumVee drove by on patrol with a couple of soldiers in it. Camouflaged vehicles are not a normal sight in NOLA (unless you include Mardi Gras floats).

Tonight I had spaghetti and meatballs for dinner at another local restaurant. It wasn’t till we were on our way home that I realized that I had forgotten to ask for cole slaw! What was I thinking?

Dinner started out as Chinese take out, but the restaurant was closed at 7:30, then IHOP, also closed, then Chili’s but too crowded. Finally we went to MY favorite Italian restaurant and were promptly seated and had an almost full menu to choose from. Excellent food, with wonderful company.

Life is good, albeit greatly changed. And, what’s up with this? Now that I actually have a date to return to New Orleans, a Carvel is opening in Memphis, near our hotel! I am SO miffed! I’m talking Carvel, here. Only the best soft ice cream in the world. And not available in New Orleans. Life is good, it just ISN’T FAIR!

OK. Now I’m off to SNL. Take care, and God bless you all. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers.