This afternoon I am jetting off the the "Land of Enchantment" otherwise known as New Mexico. Time for my annual hiking/camping trip with my friend Dorie. Really looking forward to it. I learned my lesson - no more traveling far during the peak of hurricane season. Darn Gustav cut my road trip vacation short last year. Nothing in the Atlantic right now. Pshew. Not sure where we are going yet... we like to be impulsive that way. It's going to be a quick one since Dorie is still in school. I'll be back home Monday.

One week until I leave for my road trip!

I’m bummed I’m going to miss Rising Tide III but I will go to the meet n greet at Buffa’s Friday night.

We have our route roughed out, but it isn’t hard and fast and no real time line, except we must be in Albuquerque by Sept 2. I’ve got my AAA Camp Books so we can find camp grounds and my AAA maps for GA, NC, TN, AK, OK and TX.

August 23 Dorie and I will meet in the Atlanta airport and fly into Augusta and spend the night with her sister and bro-in-law. Sunday we will drive up to visit her parents who are at their cabin in the Smokey Mountains. Because of this detour we won’t be going through Chattanooga, but heading to Nashville. From Nashville, we’ll hop onto the Natchez Trace and take that down to Tupelo and then over to Memphis. After Memphis it’s I-40 all the way, with detours of course. Hot Springs, AK is one, for a hike and a soak. We’re thinking we’ll just drive straight through Oklahoma unless someone can come up with something else besides the Cowboy Museum. The Amarillo area will be our destination, home of the Cadillac Ranch and the “Grand Canyon of Texas.” After that’s it’s the home stretch to Albuquerque. If time permits and we still want more hiking we’ll go to 3 Rivers Petroglyph Site south of Albqu. September 3 I fly back to NOLA, refreshed and relaxed (I hope). Thanks everyone for your suggestions.

Road Trip!



One month from now I will be on the road with my friend D somewhere between Augusta, GA and Albuquerque, NM. D is buying a car from a family member in Augusta and she lives in Albuquerque (a.k.a. "Duke City" - betcha didn't know that?). I love me a road trip, it's been a while since I've taken one (jaunts to Houston do not count). D is my hiking/camping buddy so we are going to stop along the way to hike as well as see the sights. I turn to you, oh glorious readers, to solicit suggestions of places to go/hike/camp and stuff to see/do/eat/drink. We have the option of going through either Birmingham Al or Nashville, TN on the first leg. We then go through Memphis. D's never been to Graceland so that's a must-see. G and I went many years ago. I see now that there is a "Heartbreak Hotel" near by you can stay that looks pretty tacky (as it should. Any rug on the walls?). After Memphis, it's all I-40 through Little Rock and Oklahoma City. We are all for interesting detours. I think I'd like to hit Hot Springs AK. Oklahoma I know nothing about...

So come on people. Tell me what you know. Thanks!

UPDATE: Talked to D... we decided to take the northern route. After getting through Atlanta, we'll head up to Chattanooga and Nashville. Then we'll detour and take the Natchez Trace (we explored the southern end back in January) to Tupelo then head towards Memphis.

I have a new nickname: “Hammer.” My book club group, “Babes, Books & Booze”, bestowed it on me last night. One of the babes had emailed everyone Sunday asking if we could move the meeting back a week because she hadn’t finished reading the books. We usually meet every 5-6 weeks, but because of JazzFest we had a 2 month gap and picked two books to read.* Two other people wrote that it was OK with them, but it wasn’t with me because I had read the books and will be out of town next week so I put that out there and waited for others to reply. I called the hostess and she was in agreement with me, and she also could not meet later this month. I sent out an email stating this and that we were going to meet on the date we originally picked. When we met, the other “babes” cheered me and said I had dropped the hammer, hence the nickname.

It seems to fit since now as president of my neighborhood association, I have to maintain control. We have our first meeting where I will preside early next month. They can get pretty heated when certain topics are discussed. Monday, I called a small meeting about a problem property in our neighborhood. It’s a dump, not section 8 and the neighbors have witnessed drug dealing and other criminal activity. It’s been a problem for years. We’ve started a new campaign with the owner, a retired lawyer in a well-known law firm. We wrote a letter with a list of complains and followed up with a phone call. He was cordial, which he hasn’t always been in the past, but didn’t make any promises other than ask the tenants to be “tidier” and if there confirmed criminal activity, to let him know and he would evict. I invited the Quality of Life officer from the Second District Police to our meeting. I thought he’d only be able to address the crime, but he said can also help us with the trash and other issues, and if the owner refuses to cooperate, can have the property placed on a list of problem properties. Stacey Head has tried dealing with the owner on our behalf but didn’t get far. We are hoping a phone call from the police will strike some fear into the owner.

Being “the hammer” isn’t really in my nature and there are many time I kick myself, wishing I had spoken up or been more assertive, especially so after Katrina. That whole affair really took the wind out of me. I find myself being more fearful than I used to. I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way. The federal flood, lack of response from the government, the harsh words from the media and pundits, stupid and corrupt city and state politicians, increasing crime and the sluggish recovery can mess with anyone’s head. I was talking to someone about this yesterday and they asked if I worried about the upcoming hurricane season. I thought about it and realized that no, I wasn’t. I know what to do, more so now than ever. It is the things I have no clue about – ie. The recovery, will the city come back, better than before? Will the out of control crime get worse? Better? Will I be a victim? How long will it take? – that stress me out.

I like “hammer.” I think I could get used to it and embrace the title. My shield. I am really looking forward to “checking out” for a week and a half when we go to Boston next week. A break from the humidity, rebuilding, work, life… Dr. A sent me a link to a great article in the Washington Post about things to do in Boston – thanks! link

*The books were “Wine & War” and “Suite Francais” both set in WWII France and both fantastic.

Next month will be our 5 year wedding anniversary. I'm going to Boston for a conference, and G is going to fly up and meet me for about 5 days. Neither of us have ever been and surprisingly, we don't know any one who lives there now. Anybody out there have any suggestions of places to go, thing to see, places to eat and drink?

This is a little shrine, if you will, on our mantle. The guy on the left is William the Conquerer, G bought him and the Bayeaux Tapestrey playing cards on our Normandy trip. On the far right is a Russian Icon, "Mary the Eternal Bloom", I bought at NOMA at a great exhibit recently. In the center is St Gertrude, Patron Saint of Cats, "protector of cats, fever suffers, gardeners and pilgrims." I may have to buy one for my garden.

I love the internet. I Googled St. Gertrude and I found the Patron Saint Index which says she is Gertrude of Nivelles (not to be confused with Gertrude the Great) and is the the patron of:

accomodations; against mice; against rats; against suriphobia; cats; fear of mice; fear of rats; fever; gardeners; insanity; mental disorders; mental illness; mentally ill people; pilgrims; recently dead people; suriphobics; to obtain lodging while travelling; travellers

My! Maybe if I was Catholic I would have already known this. She's a good saint to have around. G bought this after our trip to Milwaukee, so she works. My travels during my vacation went well and we also always found lodging. What I also need is the saint of lost articles - I thought I lost my driver's licence prior to going through security on my flight to Albuquerque. Fortunatly, I hadn't, it was just misplaced, but that was a theme this trip. It seems like I was always looking for something. When I was home and unpacking, I couldn't find the new dress I had bought on my trip. Dorie's husband found it a few days later in their garage, still in the bag. The worst was probably my first trip to Utah; I lost my wallet not once but twice during the trip. It was found and I got it back both times. Now that's lucky.

Back to the Saints index... all of these saints are for "lost articles"

• Anne
• Anthony of Padua
• Antony of Pavoni
• Arnulf of Soissons
• Daniel of Padua
• Phanurius
• Vincent de Paul

But St. Zita is specifically "lost keys" and "Against losing keys" I'm going to make St. Zita key chains! I'll make a fortune! I just have to find a better image of her.