This is Elizabeth's its is located in the Bywater section of New Orleans.

I ate there with Steve on Saturday Morning.

I had Grillades and Grits.

Fine eatin'

Then I had a bloody mary at the Bourbon Street Pub.

That afternoon I got to see one of my favorite bloggers BigEzBear, who I spoke of in Part II of yesterday's post.

Gee... my heart is always drawn back to my times as a youth on St. Claude and St Roc when my kin folks lived there in the 1940s to the late 60s. In the late 50s and then into the 60s I would be transported there by my Momma to spend several weeks in the late summer at my Aunt Kane's house. This was my Momma's sister that lived down there.

We would go eat at places like Elizabeth's.

That whole experience on this past Saturday rekindled my memories and drew me back to my youth. Well back to those cafes, not the Bourbon Street Pub.

Trip Part II The Better Portion

So, now that I have the ex out of my system. Here is Part II.

As I travel, it is always good to meet fellow bloggers. Many of them will not or don't like to meet.

But, my dear blogging buddy, photographer extraordinaire, BigEzBear, did come out. We looked each other up at the G. Lantern yesterday in the late afternoon.

All topics of conversation were covered. It was great to meet and put a face with the man behind the words and photos.

Steve came to meet me there after a while. We walked the Quarter, hung out for some of his friends, ended up at the Grapevine for supper.

As we walked the Qtr, my mind drifted to thinking of having my own apt down there, so I could explore the comings and goings of the neighborhood. I believe it to be much like the neighborhood I live in now to some point.

Maybe one day, I will be lucky to have a lil apartment, tucked in an alley, somewhere for weekend retreats, and making New Friends.

But its an idea, a dream.....

So, I headed back to the Roosevelt around 930pm, to jump in bed, snuggled up with my pillows. Then this morning I awoke, jumped in the old truck and was home by 10am

First Part of the Road Trip South with Reggie

First Part of the Road Trip South

Sitting here in a newly renovated hotel on Baronne Street, New Orleans. Accompanying me here was my ex bf , whom I have known since August 1984. I picked him up at the New Orleans Airport on Wednesday; It is now early Saturday morning, 4 am, eleventh floor of the hotel, looking out onto Canal Street.
When I picked him up on Wednesday, we went back to Alexandria . The sole purpose of this trip was for him to re-connect with some events, persons, and locations of his past. I had not seen him for quite sometime before picking him up at the airport. If my memory serves me correctly, it has been almost 12 years.

Things happen, over a time span, don’t they? The ex bf has never seemed to get much of a ‘hold’ on his life. He has been employed as a church organist for the most part of his adult life. However, he does hold a MSW from LSU in Social Work. But that was never his true calling, am I not sure what his true calling is or was….other than the banging of keys on the keyboard of an organ or piano. Thinking that he would hit it big with his voice and be some star.
When he first spoke of coming back for this brief visit, I was really not wanting to participate . As I sit here now, my first intuition was correct. I didn’t want to participate was the correct decision. However, being of a good heart , I guess, I decided to.
My choice.

I feel much animosity about this whole experience. All which has been paid with my nickel. This errant musician that I have with me has not paid, offer to pay, or even had any consideration to pay for not a red cent of this trip. Nothing. We have spent one night in Alex, one night in Baton Rouge, and one night here in New Orleans. (I will stay here an extra night, cause I owe it to myself after this ordeal)

But it was my choice to participate, to give him this ride down memory lane.

I am not sure how folks live like he has, not planning for or considering their future. We were talking about health insurance, he has never had any, he could have, he could have put his MSW to work for himself, rode out a career in government or private practice, worked for a civil agency, etc. He played music instead.
He ask me about my retirement from the state agency that I worked for, he said he was envious of my second career with the City. Knowing that he would not have that. I suggested to him it was not to late. He at 48 could go to work somewhere in state govt, civil agency in his location, (he lives in Up State New York, with his lover, whom he married in Montreal Canada in 2005) work for 20 years, be vested at 10 years, and he would have something of long term value. He wants to play music instead.


Never planning in life, always counting on the ‘to come part’, which really never comes, he has muddled through life.. Some on family inheritance, some on ex lover’s pensions, some on his playing of music in churches far and wid
I am very sure that this will be the last time, I will see him.

He will leave Louisiana, never to return.
Gone from here, to play music.

Couple of weeks ago, I registered for a discussion on hurricanes, the reactions of local govts to them, and what has happened to New Orleans since Katrina.

The discussion was being held by some bloggers and other folks.... I wanted the t-shirt that was being produced for the discussion...it was really cool, but to do so you had to fill out the discussion information form, it included your blog's site.

I got a txt message from one of the Boys that they were in N.O. and saw my name on the registered list for this discussion.


I locked the blog at that point.

This is the first time someone local had found my blog and if they wanted to read my private thoughts, ideas, and moanings, it was there for people to see.

After a day or so of thinking, I said Crap on the Locked....

I am me, its just me, and I didn't want my personal wanderings to be the sordid tale in the corridors of City Hall, but at some point in time, one must just be him or herself without regard for what folks really think.

So, I unlocked the blog.

I will go from here.

For the last couple of mornings here on Albert Street there as been a faint crispness in the air. Something of a tinge of coolness as the breeze crosses the front porch.

This Saturday I was coming down the steps and noticed the leaves of the Crepe Myrtle tree beginning to turn. This is not the hybrid Crepe Myrtle, but the old type..

New hybrid turns red, old kind turns spotted yellow.

So, Fall is in the air...here in the deep South....just a hint of it.... we're in the dog days of summer ... right before that glorious weekend call Labor Day, where all the fellows gather in New Orleans to Sweat.

On the morning bike ride with Roy, we were on the trail down by the river, when we came upon this.

Must have been a good night, whomever the shorts and other garments belong too.... or they ran off cause someone found them..nakkid.

Just a morning ride on the Red River...amazing what you run into when you are out biking.

Its Sunday

Last post I had here was last Sunday.

My blog friend BigEzBear in New Orleans wrote a lil bio of himself on his blog. It sounded so similar in parts to my experience.

Well... it was a sort of rough week in the City Govt. We managed to take ownership of a hotel, had a convention, and last night the yard man..... ie. Chip went out the the local Cha Cha Palace and decided to tye one on.

His Momma called me a 5 am the morning to go get him. He is sleeping right now with a goose egg bump on his forehead..I have had him looked at by the local doctor down the street. So, we won't have any coma on our hands later on.

I still am not sure of what all happened. My intelligence from the Cha Cha Palace says he was fairly on his way to total intoxication about 1130 pm last night, the owners of the CCP had an HIV fund raiser to support the local agency here. The executive director, who is a close friend of mine, said Chip was at her table and showing no signs of slowing down. He did have some friends in from Monroe who was was driving...so that was taken care of...

But something happened... I am not sure...but there is always a BUT isn't it.

When I picked him up he was at a home on Dixie Lane, standing in the driveway was his mother and the residents of the home...his truck wasn't there, no cell phone, but a stern looking Momma who was not asking but telling me to get him out of there..oh well.

I did my part and brought him back here to the house and called the dr and he is now resting...with a goose egg attached to his forehead.....

The rest of the story will come out....as it always does...sooner or later.

I hope this week is a lil more calmer than last week...that the pace of life goes back to normal....here in the City by the River.

Dustin the house keeper wanted to throw a party to celebrate his partner's birthday. So, Calvin the Caterer came down from Winnfield and whipped up some nickie knacks. I threw a pork loin on the Egg. Rick fixed the flowers. Folks brought liquor and we had a old Saturday night party for Brian.

Brian was much surprised, he had a wonderful 25th B-Day.

The house smiled too, having a "gaggle" on the back porch.

This is post number 420.

Hmmm.....

In Louisiana, its that time, as we all cast our eyes to the Gulf and wait.

Starting August 1st, and heading towards October 1st is 60 days of wait and see. Cause the Gulf is heating up..actually its already HEATED UP.

I hope we get a pass this hurricane season. I really do. Its not pleasant memories during these 60 days, for me.

Other than that the back yard is progressing.

I had another gout attack last week. This is troubling to me. Since I was on the maintenance meds to lower my risk.

Just have to see.

Other than that City Govt is doing ok. Not much is happening there, we are into the Summer doldrums.