Quick capture of past few weeks
I don't give myself time to write about everything that's happened but for posterity's sake:
New Orleans
A few weeks ago I went to New Orleans with two military spouses I barely knew. The highlights:
* Immediately stopped in a liquor store where everyone was standing around drinking beer, etc., out of plastic cups, so we joined the fun. Apparently liquor stores aren't much different from bars there.
* Had a fab dinner at the Napoleon House.
* Went back to the room to get dressed up, which was a very long process that involved two bottles of champagne.
* Bourbon St. First stop a playboy strip club because one of the girls had never been and the other thought she couldn't live her life without going to one. I tipped a couple girls, and we were taken up to the VIP area.
* Next stop a gay bar that somehow we didn't realize was a gay bar, and I accidentally picked up a chick, or so I'm told.
* The server at the Napoleon House recommended a bar many blocks away from Bourbon St. and when we were about three blocks away, my feet (in heels) could no longer take the tramp, so I flagged down a cab, which I guess annoyed the others, but I whined enough (and offered to pay) that they let me have my way. The bar was nothing spectacular, but I was given bartender-tipping advice and marriage advice from a recent widow.
* The following morning we were all hungover but rallied to have beignets at Cafe du Monde.
* Tried to go to the Mardi Gras museum, but it was closed (even though the sign said it should have opened a half hour ago), so we went to the nearby cathedral instead.
* Spent the afternoon at the Aquarium. It wasn't as good as the Long Beach Aquarium IMO.
* Hiked through the rain and cold all over the French Quarter in search of a certain kind of food desired by one of the girls. Was hard to keep from getting cranky, but the food turned out to be worth the effort. (she wanted ettoufet, I had a crab po boy)
Post New Orleans
* Our heater crapped out, so we had a new furnace and a/c unit installed. This was notable because I had to watch in dismay as the workmen tracked mud onto the carpet that I had spent hours the previous weekend steam cleaning. However, the head guy was nice enough to offer to clean it up. I didn't mind the clean up after that. Sometimes it's just nice to hear the offer (and the acknowledgment of the mess).
LB Trip (this past week)
* Saturday was spent in preparation for the bachelorette party. We rented a double decker bus, decorated it, stocked it with food and drink, and then bar hopped around LB. We had such a great time that the party was essentially over by 10pm because the bride was praying to the porcelain gods. I stayed up late with the bride's sis, and we took turns checking to see if she was still breathing.
* Sunday was low-key with recovery and clean-up. Took Mama Strawbridge out to dinner to thank her for letting me stay with her for the week and then visited uscpixie to catch up on wedding planning and other life happenings.
* Monday I met up with Tai and his BFF Anna, who I've always heard about but never met, along with a couple others to watch The Bachelor. I haven't watched the show since the first season, but shows like that are always so much fun to watch with others. Now it's pretty much imperative that I watch the rest of the season.
* Tuesday was Bunco with our old Bunco group. Glad I got to see everyone again, and I was proud of myself for remembering everyone's names.
* Wednesday - Wednesday night dinner with the Long Beach crew. Yasmin surprised me by showing up with her 3 week old boy because my plans to visit her on Sunday fell through. Stayed late to play Agricola with vicious_kitty and the BoardGamer.
* Thursday - Dinner with Sandra Dee at La Barca, then went to vk's to help with wedding stuff.
* Friday - Breakfast with Maureen at the Gourmet Pie and Cafe in Los Alamitos. Excellent food. Highly recommended. Learned that Maureen is going to be in the South in a few weeks. Hope to meet up with her then. Then ran errands for the bride before the rehearsal dinner. We played games at the hotel until I had to pick up the Fiance at the airport.
* Saturday - The wedding. Weather turned out to be fantastic considering the 90% chance of rain forecasted. The bride was stunning. Everything was perfect for her and her now husband; they did an amazing job with the planning. The wedding was at the Santa Monica Carousel with a Mardi Gras theme. It was way cool. The dancing was fun, and I enjoyed seeing everyone.
My revelation for the past week has been that I don't seem to need as much sleep as I once did. The past two nights I have not had more than five hours of sleep, and I still feel fairly energetic. And this is coming at the end of a long week in which I did not get much sleep.
But I am glad that next weekend is a 3-day weekend.
New Orleans
A few weeks ago I went to New Orleans with two military spouses I barely knew. The highlights:
* Immediately stopped in a liquor store where everyone was standing around drinking beer, etc., out of plastic cups, so we joined the fun. Apparently liquor stores aren't much different from bars there.
* Had a fab dinner at the Napoleon House.
* Went back to the room to get dressed up, which was a very long process that involved two bottles of champagne.
* Bourbon St. First stop a playboy strip club because one of the girls had never been and the other thought she couldn't live her life without going to one. I tipped a couple girls, and we were taken up to the VIP area.
* Next stop a gay bar that somehow we didn't realize was a gay bar, and I accidentally picked up a chick, or so I'm told.
* The server at the Napoleon House recommended a bar many blocks away from Bourbon St. and when we were about three blocks away, my feet (in heels) could no longer take the tramp, so I flagged down a cab, which I guess annoyed the others, but I whined enough (and offered to pay) that they let me have my way. The bar was nothing spectacular, but I was given bartender-tipping advice and marriage advice from a recent widow.
* The following morning we were all hungover but rallied to have beignets at Cafe du Monde.
* Tried to go to the Mardi Gras museum, but it was closed (even though the sign said it should have opened a half hour ago), so we went to the nearby cathedral instead.
* Spent the afternoon at the Aquarium. It wasn't as good as the Long Beach Aquarium IMO.
* Hiked through the rain and cold all over the French Quarter in search of a certain kind of food desired by one of the girls. Was hard to keep from getting cranky, but the food turned out to be worth the effort. (she wanted ettoufet, I had a crab po boy)
Post New Orleans
* Our heater crapped out, so we had a new furnace and a/c unit installed. This was notable because I had to watch in dismay as the workmen tracked mud onto the carpet that I had spent hours the previous weekend steam cleaning. However, the head guy was nice enough to offer to clean it up. I didn't mind the clean up after that. Sometimes it's just nice to hear the offer (and the acknowledgment of the mess).
LB Trip (this past week)
* Saturday was spent in preparation for the bachelorette party. We rented a double decker bus, decorated it, stocked it with food and drink, and then bar hopped around LB. We had such a great time that the party was essentially over by 10pm because the bride was praying to the porcelain gods. I stayed up late with the bride's sis, and we took turns checking to see if she was still breathing.
* Sunday was low-key with recovery and clean-up. Took Mama Strawbridge out to dinner to thank her for letting me stay with her for the week and then visited uscpixie to catch up on wedding planning and other life happenings.
* Monday I met up with Tai and his BFF Anna, who I've always heard about but never met, along with a couple others to watch The Bachelor. I haven't watched the show since the first season, but shows like that are always so much fun to watch with others. Now it's pretty much imperative that I watch the rest of the season.
* Tuesday was Bunco with our old Bunco group. Glad I got to see everyone again, and I was proud of myself for remembering everyone's names.
* Wednesday - Wednesday night dinner with the Long Beach crew. Yasmin surprised me by showing up with her 3 week old boy because my plans to visit her on Sunday fell through. Stayed late to play Agricola with vicious_kitty and the BoardGamer.
* Thursday - Dinner with Sandra Dee at La Barca, then went to vk's to help with wedding stuff.
* Friday - Breakfast with Maureen at the Gourmet Pie and Cafe in Los Alamitos. Excellent food. Highly recommended. Learned that Maureen is going to be in the South in a few weeks. Hope to meet up with her then. Then ran errands for the bride before the rehearsal dinner. We played games at the hotel until I had to pick up the Fiance at the airport.
* Saturday - The wedding. Weather turned out to be fantastic considering the 90% chance of rain forecasted. The bride was stunning. Everything was perfect for her and her now husband; they did an amazing job with the planning. The wedding was at the Santa Monica Carousel with a Mardi Gras theme. It was way cool. The dancing was fun, and I enjoyed seeing everyone.
My revelation for the past week has been that I don't seem to need as much sleep as I once did. The past two nights I have not had more than five hours of sleep, and I still feel fairly energetic. And this is coming at the end of a long week in which I did not get much sleep.
But I am glad that next weekend is a 3-day weekend.