Tuesday, December 28, 2010

I. You. We. Together. . .


Not so much this holiday season.  I spent a majority of the first part home sick, having to cancel my trip to little a to pick up my mom and drive to big A for Christmas at my brother's house.  Therefore, recovery was the theme of my Christmas holiday.

Things are changing and shifting for me and have been for some time now.  I feel that this time is a time for self reflection and possible rebirth.  Things may not always turn out how we planned them, but they turn out the way they do for a reason.


I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season with their loved ones.  2011 - I'm ready for you to bring it!

Saturday, November 27, 2010

AGAIN!?!

He tried hard.     

 Kevin secretly wants to be a super champion eating competitor.  He wants his name on a plaque for some sort of food challenge.  The local Creole Creamery offers such a challenge with the Tchoupitoulas Challenge and Kevin undertook the challenge back on August 12 of this year.  He failed....
  

This girl was generous...giant mixing bowl full of 8 scoops of heavy cream chocolate and vanilla ice cream, caramel, hot fudge, nuts, Cap'n Crunch Cereal, Oreo cookies, Chocolate chip cookies, 1 can of whipped cream, and some cherries and sprinkles

The challenge does not include a time limit, just that you consume the 8 scoops of ice cream plus 8 toppings (you can double up on toppings) whipped cream, cherries and sprinkles are included and do not count as toppings..


It doesn't look that bad...except for the size of the mixing bowl
You can imagine my surprise that after only 3 1/2 months Kev wants to take the challenge again.  After he experienced the Tchoupitoulas ice cream bomb, all he could smell was ice cream.  Seriously.  And I recall many trips to the restroom ...

Kevin digging in...the first few bites.  Happy Kevin.
 Yeah, he just thinks he wants to try again.  Look at how happy he looks taking on this beast.

Y
mmmmmm.....ice cream
 Remember the anguish?  Remember the pain?


Progress...probably the first 15 minutes of eating.
However, Kevin has a new plan of attack.  Originally, he added hot fudge and caramel to the ice cream as part of his toppings, however, these toppings made the challenge too sweet, even for a sweet tooth like Kevin.  He always says he eats his grandma's size portions of ice cream, and I can believe it.  Serious love of the sweets...brownies for breakfast?  It's got eggs, and milk, and flour. 


Cleansing the palate
Kevin alternated between black coffee and water to cleanse between eating stints...



Eating...starting to really hit a wall
While I support Kevin in his efforts to have his name in lights, I am not sure if I support the side effects of such a beast.


Was this about the time you started shaking?
 Everyone had a hilariously good time watching Kevin consume this ridiculous amount of ice cream...until the shakes set it....

Looking drunk on ice cream...
 Yeah, after he almost threw up on Meghan, he knew it was time to throw in the towel.  It's simply not worth throwing up on a friend, you know?



He only had a little to go...sort of...


Not. Doing. Well.



Ice Cream Soup...Where's PeeWee when you  need him?


: ( He failed the first time....will he prevail in his next challenge???

So, in the near future Kevin will be taking on the challenge again, sans the hot fudge and caramel.  He will be keeping with the cookies, Cap'n Crunch, nuts, possibly bananas, and vanilla and chocolate ice cream.  I just hope his body can take that amount of dairy again....

Monday, November 8, 2010

Lonely Road


Since moving to the city, I have noticed a retreat into myself.  I believed in the beginning that moving to New Orleans would kind of be one big constant party, at least in the city's atmosphere and we would easily fall into step with the second line march about the place.  That was not the case, but I honestly don't think you fall into line anywhere completely different from where you grew up. Moving to an unknown place has always been hard for me, but for some reason the New Orleans transition feels harder.

Steeled.  I feel more steeled to the negativity.  Little country mouse moved to the big city and learned that the cats around these parts are part of the mafia.  In becoming steeled, I have retreated into the safety and comfort of my home and husband, which is fine to a degree, but somewhere I kind of let myself get completely sucked into the comfort of my home and husband.

We were chatting the other night and Kev brought to my attention that he has basically been away from me for 1/2 a year.  Meaning, over the past year, I have only spent half the year in his presence.  Wow.

I am now on a mission to go out and find myself in this city, as my own person.  Not separate from Kevin per say, just distant.  I can't continue to sit in my cave house and wait for my husband to come home.  This is not a divorce of my husband by any means, it's just a proclamation to myself to go find what I'm missing right now.  Feed my soul...

I hope you all have good ways to feed your own souls - it's important to fill your bucket regularly.

Have a fabulous week!
xoxo

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Brrrrrrrr Lambert!


Brrrr!!!!!  It's cold outside! I thought I would share with you a picture of my glorious lamb slippers!  They make me happy like the feather duvet on our bed makes me happy.  Like sleeping under a cloud. . .

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!  Stay warm!

xoxo

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Charmed City


The spirituality in this city is tangible.  You can literally reach out and touch the prayers and wishes and curses.  What's your persuasion?  Christian? Pagan? Voodoo?  Santeria?  Jewish? You won't have to look very far to find others who share your own beliefs and aren't afraid to share.

I try to describe to people how the atmosphere in New Orleans is different, but I don't think you can truly understand until you are in the thick soup of prayer.  Being one of the oldest cities in America means that New Orleans has been the birthplace of many a call out to the glorious Universe, and being one of the most spiritually diverse cities that I have come into contact makes it feel as though all these prayers and passion are fighting with each other.  It gives the city a very seductive quality, the bustle and coexistence of so many cultures. Come get lost in New Orleans. . .


Driving into the city on I-10 from Baton Rouge, the drive is spectacular.  You pass many a swamp and crazy cypress tree.  You drive in a tunnel of trees providing you with lots of shade from the Louisiana heat.  You pass the graveyard cities and somewhere along the way, the atmosphere feels different.  Lost energy, expended energy, still floating.  Being surrounded by water helps contribute to the overall heaviness of the situation.  You are physically uncomfortable with the humidity and if you open yourself up to it, you are aware that this place feels different.

Closer to heaven.  That's what I feel here. The beauty that abounds in this city is fascinating to me and my easily-distracted-by-shiny-objects self.  We are still on our journey of making this city our permanent home and I feel blessed to be surrounded by so many prayers.

xoxo

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

A Walk to the Bakery


Kevin had just come home from work and we decided we needed delicious croissants for breakfast.


Fortunately, we live around the corner from the most delicious French bakery. Oh my Tyrannosaurus Rex, this place is good!



Along the way we came across a red door.


A pirate skeleton and his friend Bob.


A pretty turquoise garage door. Nice to look at, not extremely functional.


A Porsche. . .


With a flat tire.


Orange tree!


The goods have been collected.


Pretty bougainvillea. . .


Le Chat. This pretty kitty reminds me of my old cat Gus.


Motorcycle madness <---Kevin has it.


And then we returned home to eat our delicious croissant! I would share a picture but we ate the evidence. By the way, can you see the face in the bump on the tree?

Monday, November 1, 2010

Au Revoir October!


Hope you all had a smashingly spooktacular Halloween weekend! I decided to stay in my house for the weekend, you know, in case the ghouls came to get me. It was safer that way...

Cheers to October and anniversary celebrations and birthdays! Cheers to Halloween and all the spookiness that is included with the festivities!

*However*

BOOOOO to the little teenage rif-raf that barreled through the neighborhood at 1:00 a.m. and smashed all the jack-o-lanterns.

BOOOO ON YOU!

Happy November, y'all! It's a new month and a time for thanks!

xoxo

Friday, October 22, 2010

Happy Anniversary, Darling Man

Dearest Kevin,

I love you. Thank you for marrying me 5 years ago. We took this huge leap of faith and I think sometimes when things get hard, we forget why we took the leap in the first place. I'm here to say thank you for always making me laugh, even when I don't want to. I know we have been through some tough business together, but you knew when you signed up that things were going to be an adventure. I honestly didn't anticipate it being this much of a roller coaster, but I suppose that's life.

So, cheers to the beautiful life we have had together thus far. Thank you for bringing me to New Orleans. I am so glad we are here together, in this beautiful city, living our charmed lives. Thank you for seeing us through a master's degree, a house fire, a lawsuit, a giant move, and well, putting up with my general craziness. You are an amazing man and I am so blessed to have found you.

So, may we have 50 more years together, and I hope they are as adventurous as the first five.

I love you more than the moon and the stars. . .

Your loving wife,
Kel

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Su Mama Le Gusto el Chorizo

When my lovely parents came to visit, we took them to our favorite burger joint in the French Quarter, Yo Mama's. Cold drinks and delicious burgers! Seriously, y'all! It's just a little hole in the wall type of place but the ambiance is seriously seedy in a really awesome way. Belly up to the bar, have a cold Abita, and get yourself a Bleu Cheese burger with a side salad. (They don't serve french fries with their burgers, but you can ask for a baked potato.)

But, I digress. Aside from the cold drinks and great food, this bar offers something even more entertaining should you have to visit the facilities. Upon entering the bar, I promptly asked my mom if she had to go to the ladies room. She didn't. :(

However, after her Colorado Bulldog, she decided a trip to the loo was in order. *YES!!!*

You see, to get to the bathrooms at Yo Mama's, you have to go outside, walk down a little alley and then you are at the restrooms. (Don't ask, it's New Orleans...you have to use your space wisely around these parts.) So, I escorted my mom to the restroom and waited. Giggled and waited...


Mom, why are you smiling so big? Was your trip to the restroom THAT satisfying?!?

I'm sure it was, not for the business at hand, but rather the fabulous collage of "art" adorning the wall in the ladies room. You see, Yo Mama's provides the ladies with a beautiful collage of man chorizo, Playgirl style. Yep. That's a picture of my momma after admiring all the man bits. And let me tell you chickens, there are a lot of man bits to admire in that collage. (Gentlemen, don't be disappointed as I am told there is an equally graphic collage of lady bits to admire in the men's restroom as well.)

Therefore, Su Mama le gusto el chorizo! Aye! Bueno!

Happy Thursday!
xoxo

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

How I Learned Geography


I mentioned earlier how my parents indulged my insistence that the Gulf of Mexico looks like a Scottie Dog. Well, they couldn't quite visualize what I was explaining and Kate couldn't quite see it either (neither could Kev, Jen, or LJ) so I decided to provide you with art so you could all enjoy my visual creativeness. (By the way, check out Kate's blog - she's a hoot! I especially love Roxy Doxy and her gambling issues...)

Anyway, here is a visual for those who need pictures. I am more of a visual learner myself. Kevin told me the other day that I shouldn't just say it looks like a Scottie Dog, but rather a Scottie Dog's head.

I even included a tartan doggie collar in my picture, because, well...Scottie Dogs are Scottish and should always wear their tartans with pride.

Hope you are having a fabulous week!

xoxo

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

The Monkey Heart Possessor: A Clarification


Monkey Heart Art by Jen


So I didn't realize that I wasn't clear with the explanation about my possession of a monkey heart. If you haven't already read my original post on the subject, click on the link and read.

Go ahead...I'll wait. You will learn some very technical information about my heart issues.

Back?

Ok, great! Now on with further details...

You see, I grew up with two brothers that liked to tell me lies. Lies, lies, lies! And you know why they told me lies? Because I believed them. Gullible. That's me.

You see, CKM informed me when I was small that when they did my surgeries, they put a monkey heart in my chest instead of just fixing the problems at hand. I believed him, but still kind of questioned him because my parents assured me that I had a human heart and not a monkey's heart. Then, that movie came out with Christian Slater and Marisa Tomei, Untamed Heart, and it kind of validated his claim. If Christian Slater could have a monkey heart in that movie, so could I because they wouldn't lie in the movies.

Except it was a lie. Now please don't go feeling sorry for me for being so gullible. I always knew in my monkey heart of hearts that he was pulling my leg, but part of me kind of wanted it to be true - you know, super champion girl with the monkey heart still kickin' it and taking ballet.

So, that is how the whole, "I have a monkey heart" thing started. It has become a joke and when I tell my doctors about it, they don't seem to find it amusing. But I do! I hope you find it funny, too. And I hope you aren't disappointed or think I'm less than cool because I don't actually have a monkey heart.

My monkey heart is my soul - it's what makes me unique. It's my badge of honor, frankly. And it's waaaay more exciting and interesting to call it a monkey heart than a congenital heart defect. Congenital heart defect makes me sound defective. Which I am not, thank you very much.

So, that's the whole scoop, chickens! I AM a monkey heart possessor, sans the actual monkey heart. I have a lot of scars, both physical and emotional from the whole situation, but I am a whole lot stronger of a person because of all my struggles so early in my life. If I could survive that business, I could survive almost anything. And so far, I have proven that theory correct!

xoxo - from the bottom of my monkey heart!

Monday, October 18, 2010

Smiling Again


So my mom and dad came to visit us this last week. What a treat! Seriously! I needed some good mom and dad t.l.c. and they delivered. Thanks Mom and Dad!

You definitely lifted my spirits and helped me to see past the little dark rain cloud that has been following me around. I hope you both had as nice a time as I did.

Thanks for the food, the clothes, the funny laughs, indulging me when I tried explaining that the Gulf of Mexico looks like a Scottie Dog, and well...everything else. I love you both hard, hard, hard!

Oh, and my dear blogosphere friend Scott from WolfPack of 3 asked me if I actually have a monkey heart. Well, dear friend Scott, here is a link for you explaining the whole monkey heart situation.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Baby Saints


I was listening to NPR this afternoon as I was driving home from work and there was a report on how there has been a decrease in births in America in the past 6 months. Understandable, considering the economy and such.

What made me smile was that New Orleans, unlike the rest of the nation, has been experiencing a recent baby boom. If you do the math, which NPR has done, you will notice a particular conception date - January 24. That means that all the celebrating that was going on when the Saints won the NFC Championship involved a lot of celebrating in *ahem* other ways, too.

The report closed with noting that the increase in births will continue over the next two months. More math = lots more celebrating on that lovely Super Bowl Sunday!

I wonder how many babies will be named Drew or Reggie?

Thursday, September 30, 2010

The Circus Tent

Come one! Come all! It's the big top!

When we first moved to the city, I noticed that houses turned into 3 ring circuses randomly. I thought, wow! I want to get in on that awesome elephant action! Except, I very quickly learned that these tents have less to do with elephant circuses and more to do with flea circuses.

This house is being bombed for termites, actually. I'm not exactly sure why the companies use stripes for the covers on the house, but it's kind of cheery considering the massive amounts of chemicals that are pumped into every inch of the dwelling.

*cough* *ack* *blegh*

But alas, if you let the termites have your house, you will be left with a pile of toothpicks. Scary, hungry termites.

Back in Texas, we saw a lot of bugs. I don't like bugs but I was aware that there are crazy bugs everywhere. Moving to the swamp lands, I quickly learned that the bugs are bigger and badder here. Like something out of a crazy science fiction novel, the bugs down here don't play around.

So I suppose you could say, not everything is bigger in Texas. Sorry, Texas. Louisiana has you beat in the pest category.

Happy Thursday!
xoxo

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

The Fog on Cat's Feet


Fog
By Carl Sandburg

The fog comes
on little cat feet.

It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.


I wasn't expecting this. I wasn't expecting to feel so down, so downtrodden, so sad. I'm sad and I have retreated into myself. Kind of like the fog that comes in on little cat feet, I am currently in a fog of depression. I know this too shall pass. It has to pass because life is ever changing and new opportunities will come about in my lifetime. This isn't it for me, but the past couple of weeks have kind of felt like the end.

I am depressed. I finally admitted it to myself the other night and then to Kev and my mom. Sad. I'm sad. That's why I haven't been around...haven't been talking about alligators and fishes and kitties and all things fabulous about our New Orleans. I could go and say to you all, "Oh, I have been soooooooo busy with my life and adventures, I simply haven't had a chance to sit down and write it all down." Except, that would be a lie.

I haven't written because I haven't had anything but sadness and despair to share, and I didn't want to bring you all down, too. Not fair, I say. Because depression is kind of like a virus, you can catch it from someone. And I didn't want to pass on my germs.

I go through my days and I smile. I smile because, well, my parents spent a lot of money on braces and I better show off those chompers while I still have them in my head. But if you look at my eyes, you can tell.

Kind of like the picture above. Fake smile. Why would I smile in front of a building that sits untouched for 5 years now after Katrina's wrath?

Ironic, I think. And maybe even a little disrespectful. Hey, look at me! I'm standing in front of a dilapidated building where people shared lives and happiness and joy and sorrow. Now, just sorrow.

Lots of things have changed for me in the past month. I lost someone whom I thought was a best friend. Not anymore. Not besties, not important. Just life. I have been down this road before with said former best friend and I have come to the realization that I am exhausted with caring. But care, I do. I do care about this person and it is upsetting that this person does not return the same love and admiration that I have for them. Age. I'm chalking it up to age and maturity and said individuals need to go and explore life and have adventures on their own. C'est la vie!

I will get past this, this fog of depression. It's more than just losing a friend. It's life. It's not getting to sleep next to my husband for two weeks out of the month. It's being on his crazy schedule and my schedule at the same time. I feel like I am going 24/7 and something big has to change. I love my life here in the city, but to live here is a completely different experience than just visiting.

So, here I stand. Putting on a fake smile in front of a dilapidated building and foraging on. Moving on and working very hard to be happy. Good things come to good people and I don't think the Universe intends depression to be a state of existence forever.

So, thank you dear Scott for calling me on my b.s. and wanting more Monkey Heart writings. You touched me with your comment today and I am going to try and be better about writing. Writing is therapeutic and if you guys can put up with a little sadness, I will continue to write. I'll get past this, one word at a time.

xoxo

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Gators and Trash Men

Hey everybody!

I hope you have been well. Things here are an ever changing scene. At the same time, everything stays the same.

It's 5 a.m. and the trash men are outside yelling. I was awoken this morning to some dude down the street treating his car horn like his personal panic button. Let me say he was panicking quite loudly at 3:30 a.m. I wonder if the children that surround us were woken up. I hope not.

Things are moving slowly around here. We are working on major changes and change is hard. But I wonder, does change make you hard?

On a lighter note, my parents are coming to visit the first week in October. I'm hoping to get them on a pontoon boat in a swamp. I'm not sure if that will happen, but please keep your fingers crossed that Mom and Dad are willing to hang with some gators - perhaps a gator farm instead...

Have a fabulous Tuesday!

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

The Snake and The Bird

I had a dream about a snake and a bird last night. They were fighting, fighting, fighting. You know, kind of like Rikki Tikki Tavi but with a bird and not a mongoose.

It's interesting how life turns out and how appreciative you can be for your current situation by simply taking a look back. Or, more looking back and into the present.

A snake, a snake, a snake!

Paired with a snake, a snake, a snake!

Good match, honestly. Good for Mr. and Mrs. Snake.

Slither, slither, slither.

It makes me appreciate that I'm a bird and I never married a snake. I suppose you could say I married a bird or perhaps a mongoose. Bird + Non-Snake = Soaring Possibilities

Snakes just get all tangled up with their own deceit, conceit, and slithering ways. Fake and stifling.

So, Mr. Bird Mongoose Man, thank you for not being a snake. And for providing us with soaring possibilities.

I love you very much.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Huzzah!

I picked Kevin up from work yesterday morning and as we were driving to come home, we saw this crazy man dancing along the road.

He was twirling and whirling and throwing his hands in the air! It was quite exciting to see - this crazy man doing the crazy dance on River Road.

So, as we passed him, I decided to join in his excitement for life and I threw my arm out the window and shouted "Huzzah!" at our crazy dancing friend.

He smiled in approval.

I hope you all have a fabulous week!

Huzzah!

P.S. The crazy man kind of sort of looked like the dude pictured above. But, not really. But kinda.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Second Lining in the Lower 9th


In honor of Katrina V, we went to the Second Line Parade in the Lower 9th on Sunday. I am really glad we went out and participated in this event.

Welcome.

What remains in some places.

What has been rebuilt in other places. This is one of Brad Pitt's Make It Right homes. Very pretty, Brad!

Lining up for the parade.

Love her umbrella!

The tuba. Seriously, an under-appreciated instrument. Bom Bom Bom Bom

Sno-Balls and Indians. I can't think of a better combination.

Baby Indian!

Here we go!

Even the puppies came out to Second Line!

The Original Big Nine.

Love the Sons of Jazz!

A group of "crazy" protesters! Get 'em ladies!

We made it down to the end of the street and stopped. A gentleman climbed the ladder next to this tree and announced this was where his daughter and granddaughter died five years ago. You could have heard a pin drop.

Even the doggy was paying his respects.

Sunday was a quiet day. Like I said before, I'm glad we made it down for that parade. It felt good to be a part of that experience. Afterward, we honored the day by sharing a meal with our fabulous friends in the city and drinking hurricanes.

Hurricanes aren't anything to mess with.