Monday night, I went back to my crochet class. Ughhh.. I must say, even though I'm enthused about learning a new hobby, I'm frustrated to be behind the rest of my class! Of course, a lot of the other people in the class have more time to practice in between sessions than I do.. so I will definitely get the knack of it - but it will just take me longer! I am leaving for vacation in one week at the beach for about 8 days.. I plan to take my yarn and crochet materials with me and practice there! My goal is to actually MAKE a pot holder and a dish cloth SOON. My mom made one of each already (she is taking the class with me) and she gave them to me! So hopefully soon I will make a set of my own.
While I was in the class, my cell phone rang and it was my friend CC letting me know that our friend Lydia's husband, Troy, had passed away. I was up at the hospital for awhile on Monday afternoon with Lydia, and was there when they went in to see him for the last time and turned off the ventilator. It was a very sad, emotional afternoon, and I left the hospital with a lump in my throat. I knew the call would come sometime that evening about Troy's passing, so I was expecting it, but to actually get word of it made me feel that lump come back again. I've had trouble sleeping a lot in the past week because of this. A friend's husband, who was a year younger than ME, dead from a massive heart attack. He was also a friend of Dennis' a long time ago, when they worked together.. Dennis went water skiing with him and things like that.. so this was a contemporary.. a friend.... at our age you just don't expect this. Life is so precious. As I said a few days ago, it really makes you stop and reflect.
Tuesday night, after e-mailing back and forth with several people about sending flowers, memorials, finding out funeral arrangements, etc., I really felt I needed a night out with friends to celebrate LIFE and get my mind off of Troy's death... and fortunately, it was my Girls' Night Out group night. About 18 of us got together at Copper River Grille, had cocktails and dinner, and hung out for a couple hours.. It was GREAT to see everyone and we had a few newcomers that had come out with the group that night, and it was great to meet them too! It was a great evening out, just what the doctor ordered. Especially after having to drive to Sumter earlier in the day for a probate court hearing for my office. Very long, busy day!
On Wednesday, I ran a few errands and went and got my hair cut.. Came home and worked for awhile, and then when Dennis came home, we attended the visitation at the funeral home for Troy. Saw several friends there and got to see Lydia for a few minutes and pay our repsects. Afterward, we went out for Chinese for dinner. Yum! Came home and crashed on Wed. night - going to the visitation was an emotional experience, kind of draining.
Today I am catching up on more work. My mom and stepdad left early this morning for Pittsburgh for my stepdad's 60-year HS reunion. Wow! They will be there until Sunday, they should be home sometime Sunday evening. Tonight we have the VIA social down in Five Points to attend, and then are meeting friends at Capital City Club for dinner... busy, busy as always!
I have some pics to post from the Capital City Club gala last Saturday night, so I will do that shortly.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Capital City Club Celebrates 20 years!
Friday night we stayed in because we had a big evening on Saturday. After doing some yard work on Saturday, we got ready and headed down to Capital City Club for their 20th anniversara gala. Capital City Club opened in the spring of 1988 and this year celebrates their 20th anniversary in existence. The entire club was decked out and there were festivities in every part of the place... one room had a blind wine tasting going on, another room had a scotch tasting going on.. there was a martini bar set up in another area, plus a piano singalong in the dining room, with a seafood buffet and coffee/dessert bar.. in the ballroom, a dance floor was set up and a band was playing and there was still MORE food and another bar. All in all, it was a wonderful evening. We had a great time, hanging out with friends - we hung out with Chris and Brenda for awhile, and Christy and Michael for awhile, and some new friends, Cameron and Jenny and George and Neel, and others too. I've got a few pics from the gala and I'll post them as soon as Dennis sends them to me.
Dennis is still feeling under the weather this weekend. He did get out today and do some yard work, and so did I.. but we knocked off early, got cleaned up and changed and headed out to dinner with my mom and stepfather. We started out going to Very's and got there and realized they aren't open on Sunday! So we ended up at Fazoli's instead.. I had my mouth set for something Italian! Now we're home to relax the rest of the evening and watch the new episode of Law and Order tonight.. I must admit, I've become a Law and Order JUNKIE!
Dennis is still feeling under the weather this weekend. He did get out today and do some yard work, and so did I.. but we knocked off early, got cleaned up and changed and headed out to dinner with my mom and stepfather. We started out going to Very's and got there and realized they aren't open on Sunday! So we ended up at Fazoli's instead.. I had my mouth set for something Italian! Now we're home to relax the rest of the evening and watch the new episode of Law and Order tonight.. I must admit, I've become a Law and Order JUNKIE!
Friday, August 15, 2008
Boring Week!
Well, it's been a pretty boring, uneventful week. I traveled for work on Tuesday, then attended the cooking class I already posted about.. on Wednesday, I had two depositions scheduled.. one in the morning, one in the afternoon... I did my morning one, then met my mom for lunch... during lunch, I started feeling really yucky, so I called my office and asked them to send someone else to cover my afternoon job assignment, and I went home, where I stayed in the chair wrapped in a blanket - and attempting to do a little crocheting! We've been passing some kind of bug around in my family, and my mom started it all.. then Dennis started feeling yucky on Tuesday night/Wednesday, then by Wednesday afternoon I didn't feel so hot myself.
I felt better on Thursday, and worked again Thursday, but Dennis ended up staying home, which is really unusual for him. He basically slept all day. Today he went back to work but e-mailed me this morning and asked if I could come pick him up at noon. He carpooled with his carpool buddy from work today, and did not take his own car. So I made the drive out to Gaston, and my mom tagged along, and we picked Dennis up, stopped for some lunch, then came home. Got him settled and then ran errands the rest of the afternoon while he slept again. Came home early evening and now Dennis is watching TV, and I will join him in a few to watch a movie. Hopefully he will feel better tomorrow, since we have a gala to attend at Capital City Club. This month marks the club's 20th anniversary, and there is a big gala at the club tomorrow evening, which we have already paid for! A great excuse to get all dressed up. Anyway... hopefully Dennis will feel up to it tomorrow - I think he will, since he's rested for two days basically.
It's raining outside right now - I actually love the sound of rain coming down - I love a rainy day or evening, as long as I don't have to get out in it.. that was one of the worst things about this past Wednesday.. it was so rainy and nasty out, I hated to even get out at all! We really do need the rain though. Helps the grass and the flowers.. and washes off my car!
This week has been somewhat difficult - my friend Lydia's husband, Troy, is still in critical condition in ICU. He has not awakened and we went up to the hospital yesterday again to see Lydia. She was very emotional when we got there, of course... and told us that the doctors have told her that it would be a miracle if he woke up and were still Troy. There is significant brain damage and very little brain activity at this point. She has some tough decisions to make it sounds like. This has weighed heavily on me. It's so terribly sad and distressing for one of your contemporaries, someone who has JUST turned 40, to suffer a massive heart attack and end up like this.. It's scary and hits so terribly close to home. Very disconcerting indeed. I have been praying all week for them, and I know God always answers prayers, even if sometimes the answer is no or not the answer you hoped for.
I pray again tonight, as I turn in for the evening that God's healing and comforting hand will continue to touch Lydia and Troy and their family.
Happy Weekend!
I felt better on Thursday, and worked again Thursday, but Dennis ended up staying home, which is really unusual for him. He basically slept all day. Today he went back to work but e-mailed me this morning and asked if I could come pick him up at noon. He carpooled with his carpool buddy from work today, and did not take his own car. So I made the drive out to Gaston, and my mom tagged along, and we picked Dennis up, stopped for some lunch, then came home. Got him settled and then ran errands the rest of the afternoon while he slept again. Came home early evening and now Dennis is watching TV, and I will join him in a few to watch a movie. Hopefully he will feel better tomorrow, since we have a gala to attend at Capital City Club. This month marks the club's 20th anniversary, and there is a big gala at the club tomorrow evening, which we have already paid for! A great excuse to get all dressed up. Anyway... hopefully Dennis will feel up to it tomorrow - I think he will, since he's rested for two days basically.
It's raining outside right now - I actually love the sound of rain coming down - I love a rainy day or evening, as long as I don't have to get out in it.. that was one of the worst things about this past Wednesday.. it was so rainy and nasty out, I hated to even get out at all! We really do need the rain though. Helps the grass and the flowers.. and washes off my car!
This week has been somewhat difficult - my friend Lydia's husband, Troy, is still in critical condition in ICU. He has not awakened and we went up to the hospital yesterday again to see Lydia. She was very emotional when we got there, of course... and told us that the doctors have told her that it would be a miracle if he woke up and were still Troy. There is significant brain damage and very little brain activity at this point. She has some tough decisions to make it sounds like. This has weighed heavily on me. It's so terribly sad and distressing for one of your contemporaries, someone who has JUST turned 40, to suffer a massive heart attack and end up like this.. It's scary and hits so terribly close to home. Very disconcerting indeed. I have been praying all week for them, and I know God always answers prayers, even if sometimes the answer is no or not the answer you hoped for.
I pray again tonight, as I turn in for the evening that God's healing and comforting hand will continue to touch Lydia and Troy and their family.
Happy Weekend!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Bon Apetit and Reflections
Tonight Dennis and I went to another cooking class at the Fleur de Lys cooking school with Chef Francois.. this is one of our favorite activities, although we have not been in 3 months. We are also signed up for another one in mid-September... tonight's class was glazed shrimp over rice and poached pears covered in chocolate sauce - yum! We got the recipes to add to our recipe collection - and I really DO hope we try this one. At least the pears! I could have lapped up that chocolate sauce WITHOUT the pear - just a spoon was all I need!
Before going to the class though, we went by Providence Hospital.. my friend Lydia's husband, Troy, suffered a massive heart attack just yesterday morning and isn't doing real well. Just found out this morning and so I wanted to go by and see Lydia and get an update.. It really makes me stop and think. Troy JUST turned 40.. he's about a year and a half younger than me.. and several years younger than Dennis.. puts things in perspective really fast. Just last night someone really aggravated me because I thought they were being very petty and ridiculous about something, and I got upset about it. Then this morning, I found out about Troy, and it quickly made my little "nuisances" pale in comparison. Makes you REALLY stop and think. Most of us just have nuisances, not real problems. I think the key to letting go of some stresses is to remember that. Most of us really have little NUISANCES. As a dear friend of mine has told me several times, "don't sweat the small stuff" - so this reminder is a good one. Definitely a wakeup call and something to remember.
Anyway... as I go to bed tonight and reflect on this, I pray God's healing hand will touch Lydia ant Troy - my best thoughts, wishes and prayers are with them!
Before going to the class though, we went by Providence Hospital.. my friend Lydia's husband, Troy, suffered a massive heart attack just yesterday morning and isn't doing real well. Just found out this morning and so I wanted to go by and see Lydia and get an update.. It really makes me stop and think. Troy JUST turned 40.. he's about a year and a half younger than me.. and several years younger than Dennis.. puts things in perspective really fast. Just last night someone really aggravated me because I thought they were being very petty and ridiculous about something, and I got upset about it. Then this morning, I found out about Troy, and it quickly made my little "nuisances" pale in comparison. Makes you REALLY stop and think. Most of us just have nuisances, not real problems. I think the key to letting go of some stresses is to remember that. Most of us really have little NUISANCES. As a dear friend of mine has told me several times, "don't sweat the small stuff" - so this reminder is a good one. Definitely a wakeup call and something to remember.
Anyway... as I go to bed tonight and reflect on this, I pray God's healing hand will touch Lydia ant Troy - my best thoughts, wishes and prayers are with them!
Monday, August 11, 2008
A New Hobby? Maybe!
Tonight was my first crochet class... I signed up for this class several months ago, it's three sessions, three Monday nights in a row... tonight was session one. We learned how to make chains and stitches... Ugh, talk about awkward! I was actually making chains and doing stitches by the end of the evening, but it will take LOTS of practice to get comfortable with it.. I plan to spend a couple nights, at least, this week, sitting and working on it some.. hopefully by next week's class, I will feel more comfortable with it.
In the last few months, Dennis and I have been trying to learn to play bridge. My mom is an awesome bridge player, and my stepfather, although not quite as good a bridge player as she is, plays pretty well too. I've been wanting to learn for years, and never took the time, so now Dennis and I have been trying to learn that.. I'm taking on lots of things that I HOPE to find new hobbies in eventually, although right now, they are very frustrating. Bridge and crochet at once - yikes! Both are challenging and taxing; yet I know that if I end up learning both, I'll enjoy them!
Tomorrow night we attend another cooking class at the Fleur de Lys cooking school on Millwood. We enjoy those - that is Dennis' big thing - did I ever mention that HE is the real chef in the house? Can I pick 'em or what? He LOVES to cook and is QUITE good - I've told him many times he really ought to attend chef school just for the heck of it! Anyway... we have been attending cooking classes at Fleur de Lys with Chef Francois for about two years now - lots of fun! We always order a bottle of wine, sit back and enjoy the cooking demonstration, then enjoy the meal! Now we just need to start TRYING some of the recipes! We haven't been to Francois' cooking class for three months now, so I'm looking forward to returning! Bon Apetit!
In the last few months, Dennis and I have been trying to learn to play bridge. My mom is an awesome bridge player, and my stepfather, although not quite as good a bridge player as she is, plays pretty well too. I've been wanting to learn for years, and never took the time, so now Dennis and I have been trying to learn that.. I'm taking on lots of things that I HOPE to find new hobbies in eventually, although right now, they are very frustrating. Bridge and crochet at once - yikes! Both are challenging and taxing; yet I know that if I end up learning both, I'll enjoy them!
Tomorrow night we attend another cooking class at the Fleur de Lys cooking school on Millwood. We enjoy those - that is Dennis' big thing - did I ever mention that HE is the real chef in the house? Can I pick 'em or what? He LOVES to cook and is QUITE good - I've told him many times he really ought to attend chef school just for the heck of it! Anyway... we have been attending cooking classes at Fleur de Lys with Chef Francois for about two years now - lots of fun! We always order a bottle of wine, sit back and enjoy the cooking demonstration, then enjoy the meal! Now we just need to start TRYING some of the recipes! We haven't been to Francois' cooking class for three months now, so I'm looking forward to returning! Bon Apetit!
Happy Birthday, Mom and Weekend Recap
Friday night Dennis and I enjoyed a nice dinner @ Carrabba's and then coffee and reading at Books a Million, so that got the weekend started off quite nicely. Saturday was my mom's birthday, so we headed to Abbeville for the day.
First, we mixed up two thermoses of mimosas for the trip, then packed the car with a cooler and the mimosas and even decorated the car with Happy Birthday Mom signs and streamers hanging all over the backseat. We picked them up around 9:30 and headed for Abbeville. We arrived around 11:30 or shortly after at Yoder's Dutch Kitchen, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch, then headed for the Abbeville town square, to enjoy browsing the antique shops. We went into Trinity Episcopal Church, which is always open, and the organist was playing, so that was quite a treat, to catch him in there.. he played several of our favorite hymns while we sat and enjoyed.
After wandering around the square for awhile, we headed over to the Abbeville Opera House, where we enjoyed a matinee performance of "Smoke on the Mountain Reunion" - enjoyed by all! After the show, we browsed a couple more shops, then headed for dinner at another restaurant on the square, Windows on Main Bistro. They have YUMMY shrimp and grits! We arrived home about 9:45 Saturday night, tired but having had a great day.
On Saturday, while we were away, my stepsister and her family rolled into town for a few days' visit. We have not seen them for several years, as she and her husband and children have been living in French Guiana down in South America for years now. They are spending some time in the states and have been here for about 3 weeks already, sightseeing and visiting with some of her old friends in NY and PA. They are here for a few days before going on to Florida to Disney World and then Miami, before heading back home.
We headed down to my mom's house late Sunday afternoon for a cookout with them and also my stepfather's nephew and his wife, who drove down from Pinehurst, NC for the day to visit with everyone too. We had a nice time hanging out by the pool, cooking out and visiting. My stepsister plans to treat everyone to a Brazilian style dinner on Wed. night so I will look forward to that!
Tonight my mom and I are attending the first session of a three-session crochet class at Midlands Tech that we have signed up for. I have to work for awhile today and then we'll be heading to the class tonight. I'm looking forward to learning a new hobby that HOPEFULLY will be something I will enjoy doing.. My mom used to crochet and hasn't tried it for years, so she is going to go brush up on her skills while I learn how myself... let's hope when the three sessions are over, I have a new hobby to enjoy doing on trips and while watching TV - I've wanted to learn how to crochet for years, so hopefully it won't be TOO difficult! I'll let everyone know how it goes!
First, we mixed up two thermoses of mimosas for the trip, then packed the car with a cooler and the mimosas and even decorated the car with Happy Birthday Mom signs and streamers hanging all over the backseat. We picked them up around 9:30 and headed for Abbeville. We arrived around 11:30 or shortly after at Yoder's Dutch Kitchen, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch, then headed for the Abbeville town square, to enjoy browsing the antique shops. We went into Trinity Episcopal Church, which is always open, and the organist was playing, so that was quite a treat, to catch him in there.. he played several of our favorite hymns while we sat and enjoyed.
After wandering around the square for awhile, we headed over to the Abbeville Opera House, where we enjoyed a matinee performance of "Smoke on the Mountain Reunion" - enjoyed by all! After the show, we browsed a couple more shops, then headed for dinner at another restaurant on the square, Windows on Main Bistro. They have YUMMY shrimp and grits! We arrived home about 9:45 Saturday night, tired but having had a great day.
On Saturday, while we were away, my stepsister and her family rolled into town for a few days' visit. We have not seen them for several years, as she and her husband and children have been living in French Guiana down in South America for years now. They are spending some time in the states and have been here for about 3 weeks already, sightseeing and visiting with some of her old friends in NY and PA. They are here for a few days before going on to Florida to Disney World and then Miami, before heading back home.
We headed down to my mom's house late Sunday afternoon for a cookout with them and also my stepfather's nephew and his wife, who drove down from Pinehurst, NC for the day to visit with everyone too. We had a nice time hanging out by the pool, cooking out and visiting. My stepsister plans to treat everyone to a Brazilian style dinner on Wed. night so I will look forward to that!
Tonight my mom and I are attending the first session of a three-session crochet class at Midlands Tech that we have signed up for. I have to work for awhile today and then we'll be heading to the class tonight. I'm looking forward to learning a new hobby that HOPEFULLY will be something I will enjoy doing.. My mom used to crochet and hasn't tried it for years, so she is going to go brush up on her skills while I learn how myself... let's hope when the three sessions are over, I have a new hobby to enjoy doing on trips and while watching TV - I've wanted to learn how to crochet for years, so hopefully it won't be TOO difficult! I'll let everyone know how it goes!
Friday, August 8, 2008
A Trip down Memory Lane
Well, I returned late last night from my trip to Biloxi, MS - and down memory lane! It was a short trip - just gone four days.. but a great time! My mom and I always have a wonderful time together when we travel. I did take some pics with my fairly new digital camera, and when I get a chance to sit down with Dennis and figure out how to get the pics off the camera onto the computer, I'll post them. But here's a quick rundown of my trip:
Day 1: We got up EARLY EARLY and left shortly after 7:00 a.m. to head for Biloxi. After a few quick rest stops and a stop for lunch in Auburn, AL, we arrived in Biloxi at the Beau Rivage in the afternoon... fortunately, we gained an hour going there, so we arrived at a good hour in the afternoon and still had quite a bit of time left in the day to enjoy ourselves.
After showering and changing, we headed down to the casino to play for awhile, then had dinner at a fabulous Mediterranean restaurant called Olives. We ate there last year when we visited the Beau Rivage and remembered how wonderful it was, so we had dinner there again. After dinner, we headed back into the casino and played some more, and eventually turned in around 11:00. We were still on Columbia time so to us, it was midnight and we were beat after a long day of travel.
Day 2: We got up early in the morning and headed to the casino buffet, where we enjoyed a fabulous breakfast, then went around 9:00 a.m. and picked up our rental car. We decided to rent a car since we were with a tour group and did not have our own vehicle. We wanted to be sure to drive over to New Orleans and Slidell, LA while we were close by. We lived in Slidell, LA when I was 9 and 10 years old, 31 years ago, and I had not been back to Slidell since then. I've been back to New Orleans, just three years ago, just before Katrina hit, for a long weekend for Dennis' birthday - and wanted to visit New Orleans again and wanted to see our old neighborhood, etc, in Slidell too... so it was indeed a day for traveling down Memory Lane!
We got in the rental car and headed toward Slidell - it takes somewhere between 45 minutes and an hour to get there from Biloxi. We enjoyed a very nice drive through Biloxi and Gulfport, along the coastal road the runs along the gulf. Still definitely some residual damage from Hurricane Katrina evident but it looks much better than it did a year and a half ago when we were last there. They are definitely making progress.
We arrived in Slidell and stopped at a convenience store/gas station for a pit stop AND to get a cold drink. I was surprised to see that in the GAS STATION - yes, the GAS STATION - they actually sell LIQUOR! Not just beer and wine but the HARD stuff. I am so NOT used to that here in SC! I can't imagine being able to walk in and pay for gas AND buy liquor! Now that's what I call civilization - haha!
After leaving the gas station, we headed through town and found the old neighborhood where we lived, thanks to a little help from our GPS, which we brought along on the trip with us. We drove down the street and drove through the neighborhood - it looked pretty much as I remembered it but it also looked like the neighborhood had taken a bit of a beating from Katrina. I had heard after the hurricane that the Slidell area was underwater for awhile - and you could see that a lot of the homes in our old neighborhood still had visible signs of damage and of being repaired.
We drove up to our old house and parked across the street and got out of the car with the camera. While we were standing there, getting ready to take pictures, a man drove up in a car and asked if we needed help or were looking for a particular house.. When we told him why we were there and that we used to live there many years ago, he started talking to us about some of the different neighbors. I have a great memory for things that I don't need to remember quite often, so I remembered a lot of old neighbors' names and names of my school classmates from the year I lived there, so I rattled off several names to this man, and he remembered some of them.
He took some pictures of us in front of our house and told us a little about the neighborhood over the years, including the aftermath of Katrina... our house and neighborhood were under SEVEN feet of water after the storm - people lost everything and many houses have been gutted and redone, including our old house.. he told us to go up and look in the windows, because nobody was home right then and the residents of our old house were good friends of his and wouldn't mind. We walked around and looked in and were absolutely shocked to find that everything was totally different inside.. they tore out walls and redid everything. The great room was still the same but the old dining room was now a combination kitchen/dining area.. and the garage was gone was now a den area! So strange to see our old house - so familiar and yet so different now.
We had a nice conversation with the man and enjoyed looking at the house and neighborhood and taking some pics. After reminiscing a few more minutes, we climbed into the car and took off. We drove over to my old elementary school and parked out in front... school was not in session yet but they were having registration and a few people were there getting things ready for the first day of school, so it was not desserted. I walked through a few of the hallways, looked down the hall where my old classrooms were, and then went to check out the old playgrounds which now had some buildings on them. The school looked somewhat the same but a few things had changed over the years... it looked like they had added on, which isn't surprising in all that time.
My mom took a couple pics of the school and me in front of the school, and then we climbed back in the car and drove around Slidell a little longer. We looked for the old restaurant down the street from our house that we used to like to go out to eat at but the spot where it once stood was empty. Don't know if that was from Katrina or if it was just gone anyway. Anyway.. a nice, sentimental trip down Memory Lane. I have been wanting to visit Slidell again for years, and finally got the chance... I wish I knew if some of my old childhood friends and classmates from that time still lived there, but did not really have a way of finding out. The man we talked to at the old house indicated that many people had moved away from the area in the 25 or so years he's lived there so I am guessing many are long gone..
Once we left the Slidell area, we drove across the bridge over Lake Ponchartrain into New Orleans. Just three years ago, as I said before, we spent a long weekend there for Dennis' birthday, at the W Hotel and Harrah's Casino, so we knew where that was. We drove through downtown New Orleans for a little while and took in some sights, then found a parking spot in a public garage near Harrah's and the Riverfront, and parked the car and walked a short distance down to Laffitte's, a creole restaurant, and had lunch. We got the shrimp creole and red beans and rice and split both - yum! Nothing like eating real creole style food right in the heart of New Orleans!
After lunch, we went into Harrah's Casino for about an hour and played the slots.. then went into the shops at Canal Place by the river for a short while, then decided we better get in the car and start heading back. We left New Orleans and drove back through Slidell and then got on our way back to Biloxi.
After arriving back in Biloxi, we checked out the factory outlet stores for a short while, then headed back to the Beau Rivage, where we showered and changed, and headed back to the casino to play for awhile and have dinner. Then we turned in around 11:00ish again and got a good night's sleep after a long but WONDERFUL day.
Day 3: On Wednesday morning, we slept in a little this time.. and then got up and enjoyed another delicious breakfast, followed by a leisurely day of playing the casino, exploring the hotel, checking out the outside pool area which overlooks the water, and browsing through the boutiques and shops at the Beau Rivage. After enjoying a delicious dinner buffet that evening and taking more pictures, we played in the casino again for a little while and then turned in, as we had an early morning again on Thursday.
Day 4: We got up early on Thursday morning, enjoyed breakfast in the coffee shop - croissants and lattes. Then had to meet our tour group to head for home. It was a rather uneventful day - a long trip back to Columbia... we arrived home Thursday night tired but having had a WONDERFUL trip - we are already looking forward to returning sometime in 2009 - with the tour group again perhaps - and perhaps on our own too - there are several other places we'd likek to visit that we didn't make it to this trip - so we will see the Beau again next year!
Like I said, we took a good many pics on this trip - and I will post them with descriptions SOON - hopefully it won't take me TOO long to get them off my camera!
Today, Friday, was a day for sleeping in a LITTLE bit (I had taken today off too!) - and then catching up on some e-mails and washing laundry from the trip and running a few errands too. Dennis and I enjoyed dinner at Carrabba's tonight, followed by reading and drinking coffee in Books a Million. Then home so I could post on the blog and turn in shortly - tomorrow is my mom's birthday and we are all heading to Abbeville for lunch @ Yoder's Dutch Kitchen and a matinee at the opera house to celebrate her birthday! Happy Birthday, Mom!
Day 1: We got up EARLY EARLY and left shortly after 7:00 a.m. to head for Biloxi. After a few quick rest stops and a stop for lunch in Auburn, AL, we arrived in Biloxi at the Beau Rivage in the afternoon... fortunately, we gained an hour going there, so we arrived at a good hour in the afternoon and still had quite a bit of time left in the day to enjoy ourselves.
After showering and changing, we headed down to the casino to play for awhile, then had dinner at a fabulous Mediterranean restaurant called Olives. We ate there last year when we visited the Beau Rivage and remembered how wonderful it was, so we had dinner there again. After dinner, we headed back into the casino and played some more, and eventually turned in around 11:00. We were still on Columbia time so to us, it was midnight and we were beat after a long day of travel.
Day 2: We got up early in the morning and headed to the casino buffet, where we enjoyed a fabulous breakfast, then went around 9:00 a.m. and picked up our rental car. We decided to rent a car since we were with a tour group and did not have our own vehicle. We wanted to be sure to drive over to New Orleans and Slidell, LA while we were close by. We lived in Slidell, LA when I was 9 and 10 years old, 31 years ago, and I had not been back to Slidell since then. I've been back to New Orleans, just three years ago, just before Katrina hit, for a long weekend for Dennis' birthday - and wanted to visit New Orleans again and wanted to see our old neighborhood, etc, in Slidell too... so it was indeed a day for traveling down Memory Lane!
We got in the rental car and headed toward Slidell - it takes somewhere between 45 minutes and an hour to get there from Biloxi. We enjoyed a very nice drive through Biloxi and Gulfport, along the coastal road the runs along the gulf. Still definitely some residual damage from Hurricane Katrina evident but it looks much better than it did a year and a half ago when we were last there. They are definitely making progress.
We arrived in Slidell and stopped at a convenience store/gas station for a pit stop AND to get a cold drink. I was surprised to see that in the GAS STATION - yes, the GAS STATION - they actually sell LIQUOR! Not just beer and wine but the HARD stuff. I am so NOT used to that here in SC! I can't imagine being able to walk in and pay for gas AND buy liquor! Now that's what I call civilization - haha!
After leaving the gas station, we headed through town and found the old neighborhood where we lived, thanks to a little help from our GPS, which we brought along on the trip with us. We drove down the street and drove through the neighborhood - it looked pretty much as I remembered it but it also looked like the neighborhood had taken a bit of a beating from Katrina. I had heard after the hurricane that the Slidell area was underwater for awhile - and you could see that a lot of the homes in our old neighborhood still had visible signs of damage and of being repaired.
We drove up to our old house and parked across the street and got out of the car with the camera. While we were standing there, getting ready to take pictures, a man drove up in a car and asked if we needed help or were looking for a particular house.. When we told him why we were there and that we used to live there many years ago, he started talking to us about some of the different neighbors. I have a great memory for things that I don't need to remember quite often, so I remembered a lot of old neighbors' names and names of my school classmates from the year I lived there, so I rattled off several names to this man, and he remembered some of them.
He took some pictures of us in front of our house and told us a little about the neighborhood over the years, including the aftermath of Katrina... our house and neighborhood were under SEVEN feet of water after the storm - people lost everything and many houses have been gutted and redone, including our old house.. he told us to go up and look in the windows, because nobody was home right then and the residents of our old house were good friends of his and wouldn't mind. We walked around and looked in and were absolutely shocked to find that everything was totally different inside.. they tore out walls and redid everything. The great room was still the same but the old dining room was now a combination kitchen/dining area.. and the garage was gone was now a den area! So strange to see our old house - so familiar and yet so different now.
We had a nice conversation with the man and enjoyed looking at the house and neighborhood and taking some pics. After reminiscing a few more minutes, we climbed into the car and took off. We drove over to my old elementary school and parked out in front... school was not in session yet but they were having registration and a few people were there getting things ready for the first day of school, so it was not desserted. I walked through a few of the hallways, looked down the hall where my old classrooms were, and then went to check out the old playgrounds which now had some buildings on them. The school looked somewhat the same but a few things had changed over the years... it looked like they had added on, which isn't surprising in all that time.
My mom took a couple pics of the school and me in front of the school, and then we climbed back in the car and drove around Slidell a little longer. We looked for the old restaurant down the street from our house that we used to like to go out to eat at but the spot where it once stood was empty. Don't know if that was from Katrina or if it was just gone anyway. Anyway.. a nice, sentimental trip down Memory Lane. I have been wanting to visit Slidell again for years, and finally got the chance... I wish I knew if some of my old childhood friends and classmates from that time still lived there, but did not really have a way of finding out. The man we talked to at the old house indicated that many people had moved away from the area in the 25 or so years he's lived there so I am guessing many are long gone..
Once we left the Slidell area, we drove across the bridge over Lake Ponchartrain into New Orleans. Just three years ago, as I said before, we spent a long weekend there for Dennis' birthday, at the W Hotel and Harrah's Casino, so we knew where that was. We drove through downtown New Orleans for a little while and took in some sights, then found a parking spot in a public garage near Harrah's and the Riverfront, and parked the car and walked a short distance down to Laffitte's, a creole restaurant, and had lunch. We got the shrimp creole and red beans and rice and split both - yum! Nothing like eating real creole style food right in the heart of New Orleans!
After lunch, we went into Harrah's Casino for about an hour and played the slots.. then went into the shops at Canal Place by the river for a short while, then decided we better get in the car and start heading back. We left New Orleans and drove back through Slidell and then got on our way back to Biloxi.
After arriving back in Biloxi, we checked out the factory outlet stores for a short while, then headed back to the Beau Rivage, where we showered and changed, and headed back to the casino to play for awhile and have dinner. Then we turned in around 11:00ish again and got a good night's sleep after a long but WONDERFUL day.
Day 3: On Wednesday morning, we slept in a little this time.. and then got up and enjoyed another delicious breakfast, followed by a leisurely day of playing the casino, exploring the hotel, checking out the outside pool area which overlooks the water, and browsing through the boutiques and shops at the Beau Rivage. After enjoying a delicious dinner buffet that evening and taking more pictures, we played in the casino again for a little while and then turned in, as we had an early morning again on Thursday.
Day 4: We got up early on Thursday morning, enjoyed breakfast in the coffee shop - croissants and lattes. Then had to meet our tour group to head for home. It was a rather uneventful day - a long trip back to Columbia... we arrived home Thursday night tired but having had a WONDERFUL trip - we are already looking forward to returning sometime in 2009 - with the tour group again perhaps - and perhaps on our own too - there are several other places we'd likek to visit that we didn't make it to this trip - so we will see the Beau again next year!
Like I said, we took a good many pics on this trip - and I will post them with descriptions SOON - hopefully it won't take me TOO long to get them off my camera!
Today, Friday, was a day for sleeping in a LITTLE bit (I had taken today off too!) - and then catching up on some e-mails and washing laundry from the trip and running a few errands too. Dennis and I enjoyed dinner at Carrabba's tonight, followed by reading and drinking coffee in Books a Million. Then home so I could post on the blog and turn in shortly - tomorrow is my mom's birthday and we are all heading to Abbeville for lunch @ Yoder's Dutch Kitchen and a matinee at the opera house to celebrate her birthday! Happy Birthday, Mom!
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