Thursday August 1

Woke the kids up at around eleven yesterday. I really wore than out with all our traveling the day before.

Started the day with a real Cajun breakfast...at iHop. When traveling we really like to explore the native cuisine.

After a film at iMax about Katrina, we hopped onto the Saint Charles streetcar and traveled to the Garden District. There the kids found a bookstore they loved. I came out much, much poorer, and now Ashes wants me to travel to New Orleans in October for an Anne Rice book signing at the store. Yeah, that's not going to happen.

I love the streetcars. On the way home the driver kept up a steady stream of conversation with the lady next to him about the problems of driving a streetcar, and hung out with a guy called the Captain who wore a naval hat and carried drumsticks on his pocket. The driver also saved a less experienced streetcar driver who had overshot her turn. It kept me entertained the whole way.

That night the kids graciously allowed me to choose the restaurant. I chose the Red Fish Grill and was not disappointed. Alligator sausage gumbo, crab cakes, a nice martini and an insanely rich bread pudding for dessert. I need not eat again for days.

Then a vampire tour through the town. The tour guide was a travel writer and had a great sense of pacing. All in all, a perfect day.

Goal posts

Home: I have put this off for a bit. The new job (and signing bonus) should help with paying off some bills and improving my credit so I can finally take out an FHA loan. However, Josie may need to place me as consigner on Ashes' college loan for the new year (and why she waited this long, I will never know.) That could affect all my plans and all I have worked do hard for. Hopefully not...we'll see...

Job: Mission accomplished :)

Writing: moving forward. The book is edited, and Ashes is going through it one last time with a list of double checks Mary Ann listed. She is taking forever and only has 100 pages done, but hey, it's her only job of the summer, so I won't complain.

Health: joined Weight Watchers. Lost seven pounds. Did all this traveling. I am sure I gained it all back! I will deal with that when I get back and am settled back into a routine.

Relationship: Feel pretty good about things right now, except for the fact that I went to New Orleans without the big guy so he probably hates me. Hopefully, that will change!

Bottom line: One goal accomplished. I will celebrate that.