Genevieve
	Waking	Sleeping	Sign	Repose	Wish
	The gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam...

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15 Years of Bliss
2002-06-24 - 4:47 p.m.

I got the ways and means
to New Orleans I'm going
down by the river
where it's warm and green
I'm gonna have drink, and walk around
I got a lot to think about oh yeah...

Ah, New Orleans, how I love you so, and yet you are no good for me. Counted up the times I've been to the city, and it's ten if you count my parents taking me as a baby. I really shouldn't though, don't remember.

Friday, Alan and I got to sleep a little late and get ready slowly for our departure. Left the house at 11:30am for our 1:30pm flight. We found out afterwards that Airborne Express tried to deliver Alan's new toy for the second time, 10 minutes after we left. bummer. The flights are not worth describing, except that by some bad-gen-flight-booking karma, we ended up in the very back rows of both planes on the way down. Made for a bumpy bouncy flight at the rear of the plane. I tried to infuse child-like glee into the mix instead of the irritation we both sort of felt. We arrive at the New Orleans airport expecting to get a Taxi to the Quarter, except that my aunt is there waiting for us. How lovely! My cousin Tom's flight got delayed, so his plane arrived 5 minutes before us so since they were picking up him, they picked us up too. Got to introduce Alan to my Cousins, which was nice. Pete and Mary then drop us off at the hotel, go to have dinner with some friends while we check in, and Alan and I go to the Seaport Inn for dinner on the balcony. (In retrospect we should have eaten in the dining room since the happy hour band was much better than the lewd clown across the street and the bad music coming from the bar he was promoting.)

After dinner of the Seafood New Orleans, a nice taste of everything, we went for a walk, past O'Flaherty's to see that Beth Patterson had played on Wednesday, and would be back on Monday night, we went to the gift shop to pick up her new CD, Take Some Fire. I've only listened to the first half on the drive into work, but I love it so far. Then Alan and I walked up by the river and just stood leaning on the railing, with the warm winds whipping my hair and soothing the tire of travel away. Walking along the river was worth the whole trip, but we did get to do more.

Then we met back at the hotel, the Dauphine Orleans, and went out drinking with the assembled out of town guests at the Bombay Club apparently one of the premiere Martini and Piano clubs in the city. The atmosphere was heavenly, not your normal Bourbon Street debauchery here. There was a singer, very much in the vein of a tasteful Jessica Rabbit, accompanied by piano that really set the tune. She had a great voice, and wore the slinky sparkly spagheti strapped dress, smooth styled red hair. And she even had a friend for ambiance also done up in a 40's dress and hair. They were awesome, and great background setting. Then the martini's flowed, I stuck to G and T's, and sat and visited with cousins, met new and old friends, and just had a ball. They finally kicked us out around 11:30pm and Pete and Mary picked up the tab. Let me tell you, this was a very unexpected surprise. I ended up dumping some of the money I would have spent on drinks in the tip jar of the singer. We must go back to the Bombay Club in the future.

Since Clint had never been to New Orleans, and they still had an hour left with the sitter, we walked them up and down Bourbon street to let him take in the sights, unencumbered by children. We had already had at least 4 stiff drinks each, so didn't need much to keep us happy and going.

Saturday we got a late start, but managed to make it to Cafe DuMonde for lunch. However with the 9 month old and the squirmy 2.5 year old, we decided to get coffee and beignets take out and ate them in Jackson Square park on the lovely benches in the shade. It took a long time, but was decadent. Then the kids were tired and complaining, so Mom and Dad took the grandchildren back to the hotel to swim and we took Clint and Jodi to the French Market, and other shopping. I did my best to help Jodi put and dent in Clint's wallet. Clint, the cook of the house, was entertained by the food and hot sauces and such in the French Market. I found a book on the Grandeur of the Garden District that I should have bought, but oh well. Maybe I can find it on Amazon. We just had a great time, shopping here and there, showing them the sites, the big gold statue of Joan of Arc, and all sorts of stuff. We met up with a lost Jinger and Josh back in Jackson Square and since they were heading out and we were dog tired, we set them up with shopping and wandering with cousin Sara and we went for a snack and then on our way back to the hotel. We got a whole hour of downtime, shoulda taken a nap, before the bus arrived to take us to the grand occasion, the whole reason for traveling, the Anniversary party.

Mary had lined up a bus to take the 30 of us to the party in Metarie, at my Uncle's place of business. There we ate like heathens, tender fried catfish strips, jambalya, spicy corn on the cob, and peel and eat shrimp. Of those I definitely had too many, even after peeling and feeding some to Alan. Then we just visited with everyone until the Elvis impersonator showed up, and, er, entertained us all. He was quite good, and funny, and had scarves for all the swooning ladies, and Trinity even stole his karoke machine to sing a song of her own. Little scamp. I got to meet Pete's Best Man, again, and all other sorts of folks too. Then came out the pictures from Pete and Mary's wedding 15 years ago. I don't need to tell you how old I was then, but it was a humbling experience looking at the pics. Then again, my cousins were sporting serious 80's hairdos and clothes, like the black hose and white shoes. All in all, we had a great time, and there was an open bar too boot, but after the day's activities, we were tired. dammit, now I have Love Me Tender stuck in my head. After the party, we were shuttled back to the hotel, and Jinger and Josh went out with the cousins, but we stayed in. Ended up nursing one drink at the hotel Bar, with lovely Art Noveau decorations, and chatting with my folks for an hour or so and then the Sandman came and we were dead to the world. Should have gotten that afternoon nap.

On Sunday, since our flight didn't leave until 3:20pm, after breakfast at the hotel, we sent the nieces over to Pete and Mary's with Mom and Dad, and we took Jodi and Clint our for more walking around and shopping. Saw some lovely tiffany reproduction lamps in a Royal Street shop, stopped for jewelry shopping at Joan Good's and picked up a few items. This was conveniently the same shop Alan bought my garnet bracelet two years ago when we went to Gulf Wars. Lovely place, great prices. Then of course the obligatory stop in the Three Dog Bakery to look around. Purchases were limited by the space available in the carry-ons, which was none, sadly. Then after a failed attempt to find a Spiderman hawaiian styled shirt in Clint's size, we got a taxi fairly easily, and a fun ride to my Aunt and Uncle's place to hang out and nosh some before running to the airport and flying home. Got to play some with Dixie, the family Schipperke, and sit in the decadent patio. No hot tub time, but still, fun just the same.

Even if my Aunt and Uncle didn't live in New Orleans, they are such wodnerful people I'd have gone almost anywhere for their party. Hopefully they'll do a 20th Anniverary Party in Houston at the townhouse and we can see it and the sights of Houston. I certainly can't remember being there as a kid hardly at all. That would be lovely. So we had a good time, and we are regretfully back, but happy just the same. And I'm wearing my new New Orleans T-shirt that cost me a whole $5. Gators, rawr!

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