Grumbling Toward Ecstasy... and a crawfish boil

Yeah yeah... today might as well be a good day because I encountered enough crap yesterday to cover at least two days and maybe even the whole week. Pfft.

Carrie gave me a ride to work this morning. Nice of her.

I have some new pictures to show. Pretty cool stuff. So here we go.

My family had a crawfish boil for Mothers Day. This is my buddy Taylor (Kristie's son) making friends with one of the crawfish. Too cool.



Kevin and Abel... the boys are getting so big! heh...Kevin too... *grin* (Just kidding; I'm getting big myself. Need to cut BEER out of the diet, I'm thinking....)



Me & Carrie. She had a good time that day. I was glad. Sometimes she's been uncomfortable around my family because some of them have been less than welcoming toward her... and I don't like that. But she had fun at the crawfish boil.



Me & Kristie, hamming it up.



My PapPa. I love him. He's really quiet these days and needs help getting around, but still is as kind and warm-hearted as ever. He's a good man.



This is Kristie's son Chandler. This guy was a little kid when I met him just a few years ago, and now he's like 12!! Awesome little guy but he won't be a "little guy" for much longer at the rate he's going.



Here are some shots of a wet Mr. Avery eating watermelon. He's growing like crazy too!



Kevin's such a good dad.



Lots of wet little feet running around that day! The kids had a blast. It was a great day.



Carrie, showcasing her coolness... hehe...



This is my cousin Dana's little dog Sambo. He's such a hambone. Cutie.



Beautiful day, beautiful sky...



Carrie makes friends with every living creature she crosses paths with. She's amazing in that way :)



Kevin and Abel...



My groovy dad. He worked hard that day with the cooking and the "water sports" for the kids. He's a good guy too, like his dad.



Me with my PapPa. I'm so glad he came that day! I hope he had a nice time and enjoyed being outdoors surrounded by people who love him.



was teaching Abel how to two-step. He liked it. I think he really caught on. *grin* Never even stepped on my feet once...



Avery was having his share of fun, too! He is almost FOUR!! That blows my mind. He's an awesome little boy.





Avery the Water Sculpture... heh...



Farmer Abel!



This is me, enjoying the scenery! *grin*



My sweet brother Matt...



Carrie, Avery and a little puppy named "Boog" that had come to the festivities! Cute, cute...



Had to take a girls' pic with my cousin Dana and my Ma-Ma. I told them we looked like Steel Magnolias.



Me & Boog, gettin' sweet. *grin*



Another picture of Dana and Ma-Ma. This is a great shot!



I have a ton more pics but I think that's enough for one blog. You know; keeping to a theme and what not. :o) So far (knock on wood) it is fairly quiet here around work. Which is nice.

stroll around the grounds until you feel at home...

My little Meer sketch... just a rough pencil job, but it's kinda cute. :o)



Friday! Sweet. I am very glad to have made it to the last day of this workweek.

I have improved my walking-to-work technique... staying close to buildings to walk in as much shade as possible (to arrive at work in the least sweaty state possible which is, in fact, a challenge)... and walking through any grass with an exaggerated HEEL TO TOE step. It's the small things... hehe...

God is so kind to have added little ambiance-enhancers here and there in the world. I passed this on my walk the other morning and felt a sense of happiness and hope. It was just nice.



Just something simple, something sweet.

I've been taking more pics lately and will post some of them soon. Hooray for a weekend of free time!!

my toes are wet

They are... my toes are wet. Walking down Industriplex to work this morning... the grass in the median is moderately tall and was quite dew-laden. It's ok. Feet dry. Shoes, socks... very unpleasant, but nothing to let ruin my day.

I have learned to minimize the time it takes me to get here by dollar-signing the curves in the road. I've also found a few shortcuts.

This riding-the-bus thing is turning out to be quite a pleasant little change in my daily routine. Everyone needs to shift things up a bit from time to time. It's like I have a little mini-adventure every morning before work, instead of just driving straight to work... and another mini-adventure on the way home, instead of just driving straight home. Different encounters, different experiences every day. Usually things I can chuckle about.

So, today's story... well, Carrie started a new work assignment today so we got up around the same time. Kissed her goodbye as she and little Roxy sat out on the front porch/stoop then pedaled in haste to the fence behind the Regions bank where I chain the bike for the day. Bike daycare... heh...

Went and stood by the telephone/electric pole to which is affixed the "Bus Stop" sign.



...anyway, I met a nice dude at my transfer stop who offered me a piece of his McDonald's breakfast biscuit, which I declined, but thanked him. We talked a litttle - which is rare, because most people I've encountered at Bus Stops only talk to people the same color as they are... for whatever reason; I'm just SAYIN'...

The bus that picked us up was having door issues... as in, the door wouldn't close... then wouldn't open... back and forth... which made for an interesting ride. With the door stuck open, watching the blur of pavement and curb and grass reminded me of pleasant times in college. My friend Laura would take me riding in her topless, doorless Jeep with Third Day blaring as we rode. Awesome memories.

I got to my stop, stopped off for a mochasippi and a muffin, and proceeded to trod onward, through the dewy grass when necessary, to get here. I was only a little sweaty when I reached my destination. Which was nice.

So, that's my morning! I think the phone has rung 3 times since I've been here. Sweet. Oh yeah, I did create that Bus Stop sign myself... just for the record. *grin* Pretty cool site I found; you can make the sign say anything you want in all kinds of colors!

Life These Days

So, I promised a bus blog... and this is not what I had originally imagined it to be, but I have some pictures and a few comments.

Blah. I'm a bit cranky this morning... no real reason; just don't feel like being here. I'd really rather go drink a margarita and shoot pool. Live to dream, heh...

Well hey, it is Cinco de Mayo after all...

It has been some time since I blogged and so I am going to do a catching-up of sorts with some pictures from lately. Roll 'em!

First, I would like to present something I found particularly amusing on this past Saturday morning as I was out and about, running errands:



TACO BELL... is hiring with a starting pay of $8.50/hr.

Good grief... who turned the world upside down? I was at Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Louisiana recently, on a temp assignment... entering data and making corrections on INSURANCE SUBSCRIBERS' PERSONAL DATA FILES... for a flat $8/hr. Who knew? haha... Yo quiero Taco Bell!! I mean DAMN!!

Arright... this is the crazy lady I encountered on the bus yesterday. She moved twice, of her own volition, and came to sit behind me. Mumbling... of which all I understood was the phrase, "White people STANK!"... and swatting her newspaper book toward me to wave away my caucasian odor. :o) For awhile, I leaned against the window with my hands behind my head to more generously share my stank with her. Had to laugh. And, being me, of course I had to take pictures. :o)



It was hot yesterday. If you will notice, this woman is garbed in full hoodie. She was a real nut job. Later during the ride, she moved to the front of the bus and continued swatting her newspaper toward all the people up there, none of whom were white. She also kept making punching motions in the air and elbowing invisible strangers.

Bless her heart. Sheez...



Views on the bus on a Saturday morning... very relaxing. No sarcasm intended; though these people are literally relaxing... it was a calm morning aboard the Capital Area Transit System. I like the bus. It's fun.









Some people on the bus are LOUD and very animated. This past Saturday, I was on the bus with this woman (not pictured) who was literally SCREAMING her conversation with the bus driver and the people near her. It was just because she was cheerful and excited, but I mean... SCREEEAMING... and little Nic had a shredding headache. I contemplated asking her to quiet down but decided against it; I didn't have it in me. I just kept counting the stops til I could get off. Ahhhhh.... such is the price of sharing public space with... the public... heh.... Every person is unique.

"Nic wuz here - 4/2009" hehe Hey like my Doc Martens? Got 'em at the corner thrift store for a QUARTER!! HOLLA!! hehe... Had to punch a few extra holes in the straps to make 'em fit tight enough, but come on... Doc Martens for a quarter!



Anyway... so last weekend was the Baton Rouge Blues Festival. I biked downtown on the levee and brought Luna along; she usually gets lots of love and attention in big groups of people. However, upon arrival, I was duly informed by a security guard that "the dog (had) to go" because there were no dogs allowed. (Can't you hear Snoopy... haha) So, forget them, Luna and I found BETTER things to do around the perimeter of the festival area, and we could still hear the music ANYWAY! HA!!



(Luna found somebody's leftovers and I let her have at it. Why not... it was kind of a public service of her to clean up the mess anyway...)







"Nic wuz here too!" heh... okay okay...







Tiny heads atop the Shaw Center...





Some dogs out there were soaked from playing in the fountains. Luna was a bit scared of the fountains but did enjoy cooling her tongue in the water left between spurts! My sweet girl.



"When the sun sinks down - we'll be groovin'!" -Kenny Chesney





Back at home, the other night... my sweet "Meer Meer" - have you ever seen anything this cute?!??



Ma widdle man... aww!



Mr. Taz, my Tizzy-T... keeping an eye on things and awaiting the return of his sweet Carrie. As am I.



Luna, chillin' at the hacienda...



"Vladimir wuz here - 5/3/09" hehe... just like his Mama Nic!