I went home

My friend, Dorothy, booked a trip to Louisiana a few months back, and I was just thrilled for her to visit from South Carolina. Then, we moved to Birmingham. 

I told her to keep her reservations and come on anyway. 

It was a great escape for me to go home. 

First, I enjoyed my parents pool with my buddy, my son. 

It was a relaxing country night. It's always so nice to be in the country and hear nothing but bugs chirping and frogs groaning. I live for that. 

The next day, Dorothy arrived in Baton Rouge and we grabbed a drink and saw LSU's campus including Mike the Tiger. Can you believe there are people out there that don't know that LSU houses a Bengal Tiger on it's campus?

Later that night was Houmas House; the beautiful landscape of Houmas House. We dined there as well. It was delightful. 

Nothin' like a 10 month old at a fine dinning restaurant. We quickly left as more patrons arrived. 

The next day, we got up early to drive to New Orleans, NOLA, The City. 

We hit up all the staples. 

Cafe du Monde 

St. Charles Ave. street car

St. Louis Cathedral, St. Charles, Carousel Bar

Commander's Palace, lunch and shopping on Magazine, with a cocktail "to-go"

We had such a great, true New Orleans day. In addition to those spots, we went to Pat O's, Irene's, and not surprisingly, got caught in the middle of a gay pride parade. Not my thing, but the atmosphere was fitting. 

After our city day, we were at my home in the country. Home sweet home. Well, this isn't literally home; it's my neck of the woods.

Dorothy's face was that of shock when we were out on Lake Verret in South Louisiana, much like it was when we sat down in the dark, crowded room of Pat O's piano bar in the middle of the day, when just mere seconds earlier, we were walking like normal people in abundant sunshine strolling down St. Peter street. 

The shock in both cases were for obvious different reasons, but the same thought of "people really live like this." 

They do. 

I live like that, just not every day. I enjoy good food, good drink, good music and company. In the city of New Orleans I can get that, and in the small bayou towns, I can get that too. It's all a part of "home" now that I live away from Louisiana. 

It was nice to view it from an outsiders perspective, too. 

I heard talks of "party barge" instead of "pontoon boat", and "get down" instead of "get out", and "camp" instead of "lake cabin". I miss all those words. Oh, and "drive-thru daiquiri". And I miss giving friends a quick and simple kiss on the cheek instead of a full-on hug. Can we please bring the side kiss to the rest of the country? Truth be told, I don't like hugs. I really don't. I want to give you a kiss! It's normal where I'm from. 

It's an intriguing part of the country, where I'm from. I love it all the more now that I am away. That almost doesn't make sense. I guess "absence makes the heart grow fonder" doesn't only apply to people; it applies to regions as well. 

We covered the basics on our quick tour of South Louisiana. And at the end of the trip, I was reunited with my baby...and I was exhausted. 

Funny enough, I was ready to get back "home" to Birmingham, and I needed to be well rested for my six hour drive. Before bed, I went back to my mother's sewing room to get fitted for an outfit she's making me....a muumuu. I'm taking this stay at home mom business to a whole new level. 

Next up: why I'm getting my mom to make me a muumuu. 

I have legitimate reasons.