Well, I have not really written much this summer, mainly 'cause there's not too much to tell. We've basically spent our days at home, hiding from the heat and the swine flu. We did start to going to church again and he is doing pretty well. He was somewhat bad the first time, but since then he seems to understand. I tried to send him to children's church last week but he is still a little young. Hopefully this week he wont remember that he got to leave last time!
Donny changed jobs. He was laid off for a couple of weeks and his company kept dodging his calls about work, so he went with a different company. He's climbing a lot of stairs and a guy that's been there for a while told him he's probably going to lose about 20 pounds. And he gets to grow his sideburns back! He had to shave them about a year ago because he had to wear a mask at the plant he was working at. I wont lie, i cried when he shaved them. He came out of the bathroom yesterday after shaving and the burns were back! I was happy.
With Donny off of work we too the opportunity to do some things around the house and town. We painted Justins closet doors with chalkboard paint. They turned out pretty neat and he actually uses them to draw on. He does not color on the walls either. This was not a concern of mine but several other folks asked about that. He seems to understand that the chalk is to stay on the closet only. We also took a couple of local road trips to the river to search for locations listed in my book "Along the River Road-Past and Present on Louisiana's Historic Byway." by Mary Ann Sternberg. It lists historic sites along the river. Some are still there, some are not. I got the book several years ago and have always wanted to make a trip. We quickly learned that if you stop at each place it takes you about 3 hours to go 20 miles. I took lots of pictures and posted several of them in an album on Facebook. The first trip we went from St. Rose to LaPlace, then hit Airline Hwy to go back home. The 2nd trip we went from LaPlace to Gramercy. If you look on a map these places are not too far apart but it took all afternoon to drive along the road and check out the locations. We are looking foreword to our next trip, which will probably take us from Gramercy to the Sunshine Bridge. Since we started with the East Bank, we have to plan where to cross back over the river, since there are not too many places.
We also took a quick weekend trip to Hattiesburg to visit with my sister Sara. She taught Field Training in Birmingham this summer and part of the training was learning how to go overseas or something, how to suffer and survive in the desert. So, where do they send the kids for that part of the training? Camp Shelby. No surprise really. One of Sara's teaching buddies said "I was in the desert for a year and it was not as bad as the 2 weeks I've spent here". We met up with her for dinner one night out at Leatha's BBQ. Always an excellent choice. I got to see Peaches, one of Leathas granddaughters, who I went to college with way back in the day. It was a nice visit.
Today is the 4th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. It seams like a lot longer ago to me. We were pretty much okay here in Houma. Only lost power for 2 days. My folks were stuck in Idaho and our best friends, the Turcottes in Waveland MS, well I didnt know at the time where they were. Its funny, I always always always called them before a storm but that time I was so wrapped up in my own preparations I neglected to do so. Then I didn't hear from them for 2 weeks and was worried out of my mind. I figured they had gotten out, since Caroline was 7months pregnant at the time but she was not answering her phone and that was scary. Turns out, they went to her dads in Florida and I had the wrong phone number. They lost their place, of course, but are doing just fine now. My parents had several trees fall on their house, but ended up totally redecorating their house, knocking out walls and replacing old '70s decorations. So some things really are a blessing in disguise.
Like Donnys new job. He works late, does not get home until about 7pm. But now instead of 30ish hours a week hes getting 40+ and that's good. I just hope he doesn't get too sexy with his new sideburns and new weight loss, while I sit at home slowly finding all the pounds he loses. All around me folks are going back to school and going back to work (which for a lot of my friends is school). Some may say fall is in the air, but not here in South Louisiana. It's as hot as ever. Thankfully, though, football season has arrived. LSU starts a week from today and the Saints start their 3rd exhibition game in a couple of hours. Thank heavens, I was getting really tired of baseball.
Painting the Chalkboard Doors
Running along the levee near Destrahan Plantation
Enjoying the Chalkboard Doors
Having a "picnic" with friend Mia
Leathas BBQ, Hattiesburg, MS
With Nannie Sara
Eating Watermelon with Great Grandmother Mema
Off to the Chocolate Factory!
Playing at the park in his "Pace" shirt
