First off, I recovered from Bourbon Street, but wow did I have a migraine last night! I woke up feeling like New Orleans had more to offer besides what Rick saw yesterday; it had to have the opportunity to be redeemed! So on our way out, we drove through the Garden District, primarily up St Charles. We both agree that if we come back, that is the place to be. Such a beautiful and calm area. It has all of the southern charm and class that the French Quarter was lacking.
Next, the drive was once again eventful and not in a good way. Just outside of the city, a guy towing a bass boat was passing me and several rocks went flying. We were the unlucky recipient of one of those rocks, right in the windshield. I felt like Charlie Brown. ? We have two long cracks that have spread quite significantly. We are safe, but bummed as it is creating stress (at least it is for me). Rick spent a fair amount of time determining next steps for the insurance claim and replacement; it will all work out, just another thing to handle between trips. Hopefully it is nothing more than a nuisance the next couple of days.
But most importantly, we made it to Hattiesburg MS today!!! A very important part of our trip was to visit my niece Alaina, who is working here as a recreation therapist, along with her boyfriend Derek who is attending grad school/TAing at Univ. of Southern Mississippi. Both recently graduated from Slippery Rock (aka The Rock), and SMU also is known for “The Rock”. Guess I should have known that would be the theme of our day, too.
We got to see their place, a little of the town and had a great dinner together. We are so grateful that they picked us up so we could spend time with them. We had a blast catching up and learning about their experiences starting out somewhere new together and the adventures they are enjoying. While we were at dinner, pretty sure all of their neighbors knew that a Needy Bichon was visiting. (Sorry, she is still in training). And Rick thoroughly enjoyed more Southern cuisine; his first Shrimp n Grits experience was just perfect.
If it sounds like every day of the trip is amazing, it is. Rick has put so much work into planning each and every stop, and it is paying off. “Work” in this phase of life is rewarding in a whole new way!
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