Secret Hideaway

Oh, Monday!  I wish you hadn't gone ahead and shown back up this week.  I was so enjoying the weekend and the weather and taking walks and peeking in other people's secret garden hideaways.

But alas, it is back to the grind, back to the week, back to our normal responsibilities.

I hope rest found you this weekend, you did manage to tackle that pile o' laundry and you were able to take some time to stop and smell the night blooming jasmine....

Have a great week!

xoxo

Louisiana Swamp Up In HERE!

I walked into our bathroom this evening while I was talking to my dad on the phone and I discovered THIS at the very tip top of the wall. We have like 14' ceilings in this place. He is still in there. I'm just hoping the cats don't discover him and make him their after dinner snack. EEK!

But isn't he pretty? In a get him out of my house PLEASE sort of way!

I'm so dependent on Kev to take care of all the buggies and creepy crawlies. Oy. And don't get me started on the cockroaches.

We also had a firefly in the kitchen. So peaceful by the refrigerator. I went to get the camera to take a picture. Next thing I knew, CatZiLLa was eating him.

I so wish Kev was home right now to make sure the lizard stays a lizard for another day.

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend!

xoxo

Signing Off

Attaining my graduate degree was a bit of a process. I took the long road with a few side trips to stop and smell the roses, I suppose. But, I finished and have that piece of paper. That's all that matters, right? That you finish.

My adviser and I had built a relationship during that long and winding time. I trusted him and had faith in him and an immense amount of respect. He called me on my b.s. and I tried to make him laugh. Then he would call me on my b.s. some more. He was very highly ranked in the graduate school, the dean of the program, actually.

Because the road to graduation had been so winding, I was a little nervous about meeting with him to have him sign off on my graduation paperwork. Excited, yet nervous. I'm sure you understand. His office contained his desk with visitor chairs, as well as a large, oblong conference table. We always sat at this table when we would meet. Perhaps it was to make me more comfortable, perhaps it was because we had a lot of paperwork to go over. I don't know. It's just how it went.

He combed through all my steps and missteps, right there in black and white for him to see. Not that he wasn't already aware of the many times I'd wandered away to smell those roses, but it's still a little disheartening to have it all compiled into a neat little file. Let the nail biting commence!

He said things like, "Good, good, good....", and then would make a teeth sucking noise like I had seriously offended him and say, "Oooh...ok, but we have this. Good..." I kept thinking he was going to find something that would make all the cards come crashing down and I would be forced to continue taking classes for the next five years.

But then, he said, "Looks like you are good to go. I just need to sign this and you will be graduating." YES! Hallelujah! I had done it!

Then he asked me for a pen. "I can't seem to find my pen, do you have one so I can sign?", he said. Sure, right here! I dug in my bag and pulled out a blue pen that Kev had brought home from the hospital. You know, those drug rep pens are good writing pens.

As I was handing him the blue pen, I realized it said Viagra on the side. I hoped he wouldn't notice. He didn't say anything. Just signed his signature and we said our goodbyes and I was on my way.

I had stopped by his secretary's desk to finish a few additional items of business and I heard him come bounding out of his office. "KELLY! You forgot your pen!!!!"

I said, "Oh, but you could have kept it. I have tons of other pens."

"No, no, no! I insist. I can't have a pen like this lying around my office," he said.

Was he blushing? Oh my! I think at that point I probably started blushing myself, told him thank you, and went on my way.

So the big, bad Viagra pen was no match for the dean of the graduate school.

And I graduated having the knowledge that even the long and winding road can get you to your destination and issues like erectile dysfunction make some people very uncomfortable. And of course, I will always remember that my ticket to graduation was signed with a Viagra pen.

I hope everyone has an easy and uplifting Tuesday!

xoxo

Perception Redirection

"We could never learn to be brave and patient if there were only joy in the world."
Helen Keller

As of late, I have been learning to find my joy in the little things. No longer do I have a job that makes me feel important and powerful. I have simplified my life in such a way that I have had to readjust how I approach and appreciate things. Back in Texas, Kev and I led a cushy life. We had friends and money and things to do. I didn't have to worry if I didn't feel like cooking dinner and wanted to go out to eat. That is no longer the case and honestly, I am VERY happy about that. (Except we live in a city that is known for it's delicious cuisine and it would be nice to partake in said food from time to time.)

We plan our grocery trips according to what is on sale. We make it a point to not go grocery shopping until we have eaten everything in the fridge and pantry, including all the leftovers. This has made me realize how much we wasted back in Amarillo. What horrible consumers we were. This reminds me of the starving children our mothers warned us about. Shame on us.

I have found joy in really taking care of my husband. Making sure he has clean socks and clean scrubs and the bed is made. (Because, honestly, doesn't it just FEEL better to get into a bed that has been made up in the morning? Something about crisper sheets and a positive flow of energy for you Feng Shui people)

I find joy in the magnolia tree that is across the street and the little boys that run up and down our block playing. Speaking of those boys, I saw them running down the sidewalk yesterday, avoiding stepping on every crack along the way. How do I know they were playing "Don't break your mother's back"? Because I played this when I was little, too. Oh, to not have any care in the world except what outfit I was going to wear on the first day of school!

I am learning and growing with these self imposed hardships. As I continue to find my niche in this close-knit community, I make it a point to remind myself of the little things that still bring me joy every single day. My husband, the kitties, actually having made the move to New Orleans, and knowing that these current hardships shall pass.

On the corner of St. Ann & N. Claiborne...

Under the highway, there is a mini art gallery. Local artists have turned the support columns for the highway into works of art. Rather than have graffiti covering every last inch of these concrete pillars, people have taken the time to tell a cultural story of New Orleans.


Here is a depiction of a southern lady carrying her "Second Line" umbrella. It does get hot around here and portable shade can be a necessity.


There are depictions of the delicious. There are multiple pillars that focus on the local cuisine. Anyone up for a bowl of gumbo and a crawfish boil?


Here is a Mardi Gras Indian. Mysterious and grand, consider yourself lucky if you happen to run into one during Carnival.


There are depictions of the uglier side of the city. This pillar shows the Freedom Riders and how African Americans struggled for equality during the Civil Rights Movement. In my opinion, racism is still a huge problem in this city. A friend of mine in the city told me one time, "If you're white, you're all right. If you're black, watch your back." Unfortunately, the longer I have been here, the more I have to agree with him.


Krewe of Zulu is one of the many Mardi Gras krewes that actively participate in the festivities of Carnival. They have the privilege of rolling (that is, their parade rolls) on Fat Tuesday. I think this guy has been working out! Look at those washboard abs!


What is New Orleans without some Voodoo thrown in. I particularly like this pillar because it reminds me of Texas and the Dia de los Muertos celebrations. Plus, I think I just have a thing for pictures of skeletons. Don't ask me why.


Here is the other side of that pillar. You get two pictures of this one because I think it is particularly awesome.

This city continues to amaze me with the combination of complete destruction and awe inspiring beauty. I admire how the city's residents can take something so ordinary and turn it into art. And because these artists took the time to create something meaningful, the amount of scribble and graffiti has been somewhat lessened. I think I have found my muse in this city.