Author: Christine

Hi Honey! I’m home! New Orleans was … wet. It rained almost the whole time we were there. That ended up being a good thing though because it kept things cool, and umbrellas kept us dry. It let up for the fireworks on the 4th though, and Saturday night for our carriage ride through the French Quarter. I took a ton of photos (over 200), we walked A LOT, we road the used Lexus gs 350 new york ny that our uncle bought, we saw Bourbon Street, we visited Pat O’Briens (mmm…), bought souvenirs, and have stories to share. I’m tired after spending over 7 hours in the car today, so here is the fast run down:

:: Thursday we left right after work, headed east on I-10. Checked in to our B&Bs. Chelsey and Doug were a little surprised to find a lesbian bar next door to theirs.
:: Friday morning started off slow – streetcar in to the French Quarter, strolling down Bourbon and Royal. Bought a $2 poncho when the rain started to pour, letting Mike use my umbrella.
:: Met up with Chelsey and Doug at Cafe du Monde. Cafe au lait and beignets. Gift shops, Jax brewery. Rain.
:: Late lunch at the Gumbo Shop. Pat O’Briens. Crowds on Bourbon Street. Drunks puking on the sidewalk. Sex shops. Crowds. Live music. Amusement.
:: Go Fourth on the River, viewed from the balcony at Jax Brewery. More bars. Late night pizza. Drunks sleeping while eating pizza, falling off of bar stools. Long, long wait for the streetcar back to the Inn.
:: Saturday morning we visited Mike’s Aunt Yvonne, hearing lots of family stories, seeing family photos and taking pictures.
:: Walking in to the French Quarter, stopping at Margaritaville (got my lost shaker of salt), more cafe au lait and beignets at Cafe du Monde.
:: Lunch, followed by more shopping. Toured the St. Louis Cathedral. Walked to the cemetary, only to find it had already closed for the day. Voodoo museum. Lots of walking, more shops.
:: Dinner at Royal Cafe, drink from Pat O’Briens, and a carriage ride around the French Quarter. Perfect ending to a good day.

New Orleans is quite a different city. Someone once asked me why I would want to visit there because it was “dirty and ugly” – not quite an assessment I would agree with entirely, but I can see it. The history is amazing, and there are many things that are gorgeous. At the same time, it’s filthy, hot, and rough. I’m glad I went, but in ways the city itself did not live up to my image of it. I’m not sure yet if I’m disappointed by that though because we had such a wonderful time – and in the end, that matters the most.

I have my maps and my list of 101 Things to do in New Orleans. One hour and counting until we head out. Approximately 6 hours in the car each way, so I may catch up on some sleep and get to read a good chunk of Harry Potter. We’ll be heading back on Sunday, but I should be posting pictures here and there at the BPC Moblog, and you can always watch for us on the Webcams!

It started with an e-mail. On Monday, Naomi wrote to me to let me know that she had decided to move back to the East Coast. She told me a few weeks ago she was thinking about it but she wasn’t sure. Everything had falling in to place though, and it was happening. Now.

I guess I should back up a bit. Naomi and I worked together from June 1, 2000 to May 15, 2001. Almost a full year, until the company tanked and we went down with it. It was the same company where I met Kymberlie at. Naomi and I are very different, and yet almost exactly the same. She is the sort of friend whose sentences I can complete, even if we go six months without seeing each other. (Which ended up being our average lately.) We’ve been through a lot together, but knowing that she was right here in Houston, there wasn’t an urgency to see her. Isn’t it funny how people just put things off like that?

So she’s moving to the East Coast. And I’ve been quite melancholy because of it. Thus explaining my lack of posting anything the past few days.

Tuesday night I went over to see her at the apartment where she was staying. Up until the past few days, he seemed to be a great friend to her, very supportive, a good roommate. But something has changed, and we have no clue what or why. A few days earlier, he had started randomly harrassing her. No real reason why. And it made no sense. It scared me to leave her alone on Tuesday night – nothing she said was good enough when he called, and I was honestly afraid that he would become violent. But he said he wanted me to leave before he came home, so we scrambled and loaded up goodies I was taking home into my car, and I left.

Just after I got home, she called me back. He had started yelling at her, saying horrid things. He had taken away her keys, so if she went outside – even to walk her dog – she would be locked out. He was threatening to call the cops. He was insisting that he didn’t think she was really leaving town.

I got back in the car, and with Mike’s help, we got her out of there. Once I arrived, he never came out of his room. I still think it would have been much worse if I hadn’t been there – but I was. I needed to be. Over the years, we have been through a lot together. This time she needed me, and I was happy to help.

Now he is attempting to harrass her via e-mail. He has no clue where she is though, and I am thankful for that. I am drained though. Lack of sleep from the other night, stress, everything all rolled up in to one, I am tired. However, I am happy to know that she is safe and moving back out East. She has a strength that she doesn’t see, but I see it in her. She is a wonderful friend, and I wish her nothing but the best. My only regret is not spending more time with her while she was here.

Speaking of friends I don’t spend enough time with, Mike and I are heading out later to New Orleans with Doug and Chelsey. I’m looking forward to the break from everything. And I have a total of seven cameras packed to take with me, so I’m sure there will be photographs to look forward to over the next few weeks. No, really, I don’t have an issue with cameras. I swear, I don’t.