We went on our first cave tour. It was really cool! National Park rangers are generally awesome. This cave is different from others we’ve toured because it’s so much bigger, and most of what we saw was dry. After the tour, we took it easy. We played That Escalated Quickly, which is always fun with Christina. I did some knitting. Making dinner was a lot smoother tonight. Christina caught more fireflies and we roasted s’mores. I’m glad it didn’t rain.
Tag: travel
-
June 29
Today was great. Made it to the campsite and got everything set up pretty quickly. Getting a fire going to cook dinner was not as smooth. We didn’t get self-lighting charcoal, and we didn’t have lighter fluid, so that was a bust. Luckily we got to the camp store one minute before it closed and got some firewood. It took us an hour to get it going, but then it burned for hours. Christina told stories by the fire and caught fireflies. She and Billy walked to the visitor center and saw 26 deer. We are in a group site loop in the middle of three busloads of kids with some sort of organization. They were loud for a bit but are otherwise fine. It’s so nice to be camping again. It’s been too long!
-
March 21
I dragged everyone back to Cafe Du Monde one last time before heading home. I wanted one last beignet before we left. I thought everyone would be excited to join me, but there were a lot of grumpy people. Billy and Robin didn’t even eat any. Don’t care… I can still taste it and it was worth it. I didn’t want to leave. Such a phenomenal trip. One of the best.
-
March 20
I have had such a great time with my family this week. Today we rode the St. Charles streetcar to Audubon Park. The kids – Robin – ran to the playground and played there for half an hour. I had honestly thought the playground days were over a long time ago, but they proved me wrong today. We walked around the Garden District, bought some candy and baked goods, and came back for an amazing meal at House of Blues. This town has SOUL. I love it.
-
March 19
Today’s big adventure was a steamboat cruise to the Chalmette Battlefield, where the Battle of New Orleans occurred in 1815. I knew next to nothing about the War of 1812 before, and now I know next to almost nothing. It was still interesting, and now I can say I took a steamboat down the Mississippi River.
-
March 18
We did a historical walking tour of the French Quarter, where I learned the difference between what is “Cajun” and what is “Creole,” and how awesome Marie Laveau really was. We had beignets and did some shopping and finished the day with a fancy Italian dinner at a place Robin chose. Our feet and legs are tired, but we’re ready for tomorrow!
-
March 17
We arrived in New Orleans with enough time to have a nice dinner and take in a rooftop sunset by the pool. All we know for sure that we’re doing tomorrow is having beignets. Anything on top of that is a bonus.
-
February 28
We paid off all our debts today. What an amazing feeling! Everything is clicking right now. Things I didn’t think were possible. I’m not sure how this is happening or why, or how long it will last, but I’m going to enjoy every second of it while I can, with heaps and heaps of gratitude for what I’ve been given. Now if Robin can do well at tomorrow’s competition, that would be a nice cherry on top. But I will not be greedy.
-
January 31
Time for another cheer competition! This weekend we’re in Orlando. I spent the extra $30 to stay at a hotel with a “balcony” overlooking the pool. The balcony fits the three of us standing up side by side. I’m thrilled we don’t have to wake up at 4:45am. Others are not so lucky.
-
January 19
We had a great time in the French Quarter today. We did some shopping, went to the Voodoo Museum, walked down Bourbon Street, and got to stand outside the timeless Preservation Hall. How cool must that place have been in the 40s with people like Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald playing there? One day I hope I’ll get to see a show there. Robin’s competition is almost an afterthought on this trip. It went by way too fast!
-
January 18
Robin and I had a great day. We had trouble locating Cafe Du Monde. After a bunch of wrong turns, we found ourselves in the middle of a cruise ship terminal and at a loss. A nice security guy pointed us toward the outlet mall and we walked around there for what felt like forever. We had given up and decided to go to a second rate beignet place when we walked right into it. Robin’s beignet cherry is officially popped. I think we are going to have to go every day of our trip now. Robin and her team killed it at her competition today. So proud of them. And we finished the night at House of Blues. It was so fun! And delicious!
-
January 17
Long drive to New Orleans today. We ate at Waffle House! Robin was blown away by the fact that we crossed into another time zone. I was blown away by the fact that Robin knew New Orleans is in Louisiana. And now we’re here and I am going to sleep!
-
August 10
This trip has lived up to every expectation, and I am so grateful to the Universe for obliging me. We ended up not staying for the second game of the doubleheader, but they won the first game big (8-0) and we got to have a great dinner with Siggi and Brett and that was more worth it. They ended up losing the second game big, so obviously we didn’t miss anything .We went to Zaro’s and got black and white cookies, and we went to an Irish pub and watched Olympics and drank beer and honestly it has felt so good to be home. I miss this city with all my heart. I could not live here again with the kids and through the long winters, not to mention how expensive it is, but it feels so good riding the subway and walking through avenues and city blocks. I literally feel at home. Going back to Jacksonville is going to be hard… but we’ll be back.
-
August 9
There was so much riding on this flight and damn it, Hurricane Debby was not going to fuck with my day at Yankees Stadium that I have been looking forward to for ten years. But look at our luck: I was worried about tomorrow’s game being rained out, but instead tonight’s game was rained out and rescheduled for tomorrow – which means we get to go to TWO Yankees games! I am so freaking happy. Also this sunset was awesome.
