The Trip That Finally Made My Wife Haul Off And Slug Me In The Face (COMPLETED 10/2)

But of course. The scenic route.

Don't worry, I know a short cut!

:sad2: Ask me about the first time I drove the kids down to Disney.

Hey pkondz, what happened the first time you drove the kids down to Disney?

Just once I'd like to find a town called Cold Springs.

Maybe they did... and it's a ghost town now.
Who'd want to go to Cold Springs?


And then of course I Googled it and there are a few. :rolleyes:

But of course. I wonder if their tourist business is doing well.

I (sort of) think they do.
At least... it sure feels good to soak in hot water when you're sore.

Agreed. I don't know if it heals anything, but it feels nice.

Whoa! That's really drawn!

It's irresistable!

Pkondz's methodology for avoiding Captain_Oblivious. Go somewhere that costs anything. Anywhere. Really.

Pretty much. Except it doesn't work at Disney World for some reason.

Really! Had no idea.

Me neither, until I looked it up!

No it's not. It's 1,458 miles away.

We can make it! I'd be tempted, actually. Especially if it meant I could stay in the Old Faithful Inn again.

:laughing: Yeah, those kale freaks are weird!

:rotfl2:

1347c0f84a327499190b591b334ba8b5.jpg

This might be the most succinct picture of marriage I've ever seen.

I was looking at the first photo of the buildings and thinking just that.

::yes::

Actually, if the water's hot and not spraying suicidally hard.... that would be nice.

It all depends on the pressure.

Remember this?


::yes:: Never p--- off James Bond.

I want to know who can urinate in vapor? Is that like a super power?

:rotfl2::rotfl2: Top 10 Rejected X-Men: Vapor Leak.

How hot was it? Tepid? So hot you couldn't touch it?

I think I read it's about 140 degrees. You are allowed to touch it there. I didn't try.

That's... weird. Probably selling it for profit.

No idea. I thought it best to just avoid the guy.

Sounds like my kinda place!

Everything is better with ice cream!

Total fail!

I will hang my head in shame.

Holy crap!

Makes me wonder.... did they plant it there to increase the amount of people paying to dig? Hmmmm????

Collusion between them and the water park?

Sort of like salting the mines, huh? I dunno. But according to the records, people have been finding diamonds there for years.

How long was he "happy"?

Maybe a half-hour? We didn't last long in the blazing heat.

Well... it's on par with my Harley Davidson quest. I get it.

Oh, good. So what we're doing is perfectly normal.

Cops coming?

We were so far off the grid, I don't know if cops have ever been there before.

So you go to Oklahoma. Got it. That's a relief.

Who leaked that info to you? Your #1 guy? He must be a whiz.

Not going to pee on it?

Well, we already took care of that.

OMG. I so want that! Looks amazingly good! But I see you didn't award a drooling Homer... so... not that great?

I was on the fence with a Drooling Homer award. Part of me wanted to award it, and part of me was thinking, "I can't give EVERYTHING an award." It was really good. You wouldn't be disappointed.

:laughing: Those are great.

Chuck Norris jokes never get old!

:lmao: Now that's clever!

I love a place with a sense of humor.

Too bad you missed each other.

Yeah, it was a shame we couldn't see her.

Wow! That's really nice of her!

We were really touched by her generosity!
 
Erm, correct. I have more from doing the same, but the opposite direction.

I didn't think that ever happened!

Did I ever tell you the story about how there was a complete, well, eh hemm, almost complete, volume set of Lennin's writings in our outhouse when we moved in?

No, I don't think I heard that one! Sounds like some...interesting reading.

Yes. Oysters (Still don't understand that one), beer, shrimp...

I'm not sure who thought lobsters and crabs looked appetizing, either. All this stuff had to have been the result of a dare.

I'll bet you did. And you KNEW I'd take it.

::yes::

Too funny, the Captain_Oblivious males mark their territory in Oklahoma. Knowing what I know about Oklahoma, it wasn't the first time, nor the last. You are right, when you gotta go, you gotta go.

If we ever get back to Oklahoma, maybe we'll re-enact it for old times' sake.
 
Don't worry, I know a short cut!



Hey pkondz, what happened the first time you drove the kids down to Disney?

We decided to just drive to Chattanooga on the way back. Nice short 8 hour drive. Nothing crazy.

Except... for the not one... but two accidents that made our 8 hour drive a 13 hour marathon.
And yet... the kids were surprisingly good! I was so impressed that the first Walmart I saw, I pulled in and told them to pick any movie they wanted.
(We still had a couple hours ahead of us at that point.)

But of course. I wonder if their tourist business is doing well.

I'm gonna guess.....



No.

Pretty much. Except it doesn't work at Disney World for some reason.

That's okay.
Just keep posting a ticker so I know what dates to avoid.

We can make it! I'd be tempted, actually. Especially if it meant I could stay in the Old Faithful Inn again.

::yes::

This might be the most succinct picture of marriage I've ever seen.

:rolleyes1

It all depends on the pressure.

Agreed. Needles? I'm out. Nice hot water all over? Yes please.

::yes:: Never p--- off James Bond.

::yes:: They never did show what happened to that guy.

:rotfl2::rotfl2: Top 10 Rejected X-Men: Vapor Leak.

:lmao:

I think I read it's about 140 degrees. You are allowed to touch it there. I didn't try.

140!
You are allowed... but are you able?!?!

No idea. I thought it best to just avoid the guy.

Good call.

Everything is better with ice cream!

::yes::

Sort of like salting the mines, huh? I dunno. But according to the records, people have been finding diamonds there for years.

"Ethel. I think I'm going to go down to Harry's pawn shop and pick me up a couple diamonds. I'm gonna toss 'em in the field and tell those gullible folks that they're just laying out on the ground in the field. That should be good to drum up a few thousand bucks. I'll just keep doing that every year and we should be able to quit potato farming."

Oh, good. So what we're doing is perfectly normal.

No. Just means we're both weird.

Who leaked that info to you? Your #1 guy? He must be a whiz.

:laughing: I see what you did there.

I was on the fence with a Drooling Homer award. Part of me wanted to award it, and part of me was thinking, "I can't give EVERYTHING an award." It was really good. You wouldn't be disappointed.

Oh! OKay. Got it.

No, I don't think I heard that one! Sounds like some...interesting reading.

Um... dude?

People aren't going into the outhouse and using the books on their eyes.
That's
why they're incomplete.

Right, @Steppesister ?
 

Something about a left turn in Albuquerque.

We decided to just drive to Chattanooga on the way back. Nice short 8 hour drive. Nothing crazy.

Except... for the not one... but two accidents that made our 8 hour drive a 13 hour marathon.
And yet... the kids were surprisingly good! I was so impressed that the first Walmart I saw, I pulled in and told them to pick any movie they wanted.
(We still had a couple hours ahead of us at that point.)

:faint: Brutal. But nice work by the kids! Must be good parenting.

And the movie they picked was...Air Bud.:sad2:

I'm gonna guess.....



No.

Can't say as I'd be booking trips to Cold Springs.

That's okay.
Just keep posting a ticker so I know what dates to avoid.

*deletes ticker*

Agreed. Needles? I'm out. Nice hot water all over? Yes please.

::yes::

::yes:: They never did show what happened to that guy.

He's now a spokesman for the Sun-Dried Raisin Co.

140!
You are allowed... but are you able?!?!

:confused3 I looked it up again. 143 degrees F.

"Ethel. I think I'm going to go down to Harry's pawn shop and pick me up a couple diamonds. I'm gonna toss 'em in the field and tell those gullible folks that they're just laying out on the ground in the field. That should be good to drum up a few thousand bucks. I'll just keep doing that every year and we should be able to quit potato farming."

:rotfl2: It's been a great business plan for decades!

No. Just means we're both weird.

Ah. That's a much more likely explanation.

:laughing: I see what you did there.

:rolleyes1

Um... dude?

People aren't going into the outhouse and using the books on their eyes.
That's
why they're incomplete.

Right, @Steppesister ?

You know, I thought about going there, but stopped in an attempt to use good taste.

Yeah, I don't know why, either. Never stopped me before.
 
Hey Mark - I haven't posted on this report but I have been following along but I wanted to warn you that National Chocolate covered raisin day is this Saturday March 24 so beware
:rolleyes1 :squirrel: :rotfl2::scared1:
 
Chapter 8: The One With All That Jazz


No rest for the weary! Our third day in a row featuring at least 5 hours of driving. This one would be broken up in the middle—two hours east to Vicksburg, Mississippi, and then another 3.5 hours south to New Orleans, Louisiana.


We tried one last time to get together with Lisa, but her court case was early in the morning and she just couldn’t squeeze any time in. So we settled for a hearty wave as we drove by her hometown. Next time, Lisa!


We crossed the Mississippi River once more and entered the city of Vicksburg, MS. It was here that I invoked Dad Privilege and forced convinced the kids to visit a U.S. Civil War battlefield: Vicksburg National Military Park. I had my reasons, though.


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For one thing, this was the site of one of the most important battles/turning points in the war. The city of Vicksburg is perched high on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi, and thus made a terrific spot for defensive fortifications that essentially guarded and controlled the river. For the first half of the war, this was a Confederate stronghold that enabled them to control all naval traffic attempting to use the river. The South used it as a major supply line and also cut off Northern goods from reaching any international markets using this route. President Lincoln himself spoke of Vicksburg being the “key” to winning the war.


Northern General U.S. Grant was sent out from Tennessee to take the city, but encountered heavy resistance and several failed attempts. In April 1863, he sent the Union naval fleet, commanded by Admiral David Porter, on a daring run down the Mississippi at night past the guns of Vicksburg. Although they did their best to remain silent, they were spotted by Confederate lookouts and came under heavy fire. But despite being discovered, the fleet was able to slip past the city and unite with Grant’s army. This eventually enabled Grant to surround Vicksburg.


The city was so well defended, it was tough sledding for the army of the North to make any progress in capturing it. After two failed assaults, Grant decided to dig in and lay siege to the city. Rumor had it he would be replaced if he failed to take Vicksburg. After 47 days, with all supplies cut off, General Pemberton of the South surrendered the city. Along with the Battle of Gettysburg, this marked the beginning of the end for the Confederate Army.


So, being more than just a run-of-the-mill battle in the war, I forced convinced the kids it was a worthy stop. We watched the film on the battle in the visitor center and then kind of blitzed our way through the driving tour. I knew the kids would see it as the standard monuments and old trenches/fortifications you see on your standard run-of-the-mill battlefield.


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However, there was one stop we were definitely going to see: the wreck of the U.S.S. Cairo.


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The Cairo was an ironclad gunboat serving the Northern army. In December 1862, while leading an expedition up the Yazoo River (north of Vicksburg), it had the distinction of being the very first ship ever sunk by an electrically detonated torpedo. There was no loss of life. It sat in its watery grave for about 100 years before recovery efforts began in the 1960’s. After a long process of recovery and restoration, the Cairo was partially reconstructed and put on display at the battlefield in June 1977. We were stopping to see it because—well, it’s a restored gunboat. It’s the definition of awesome.


Don’t believe me? Look:

awe·some
ˈôsəm/
adjective
adjective: awesome

1. extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or fear. Qualities found in U.S. ironclad gunboats.
"the awesome power of the atomic bomb"

synonyms:
breathtaking, awe-inspiring, magnificent, wonderful, amazing, stunning, staggering, imposing, stirring, impressive; More

antonyms:
unimpressive
o informal
extremely good; excellent.
"the band is truly awesome!"


The museum and gunboat are located in the far northwestern part of the park property. It’s pretty obvious what is original and what has been restored, but the full effect of seeing the gunboat resurrected is pretty cool.


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The museum has a model on display showing what the boat would have looked like it its heyday:


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You can even board the ship and walk around a bit. Or re-start the siege of Vicksburg, if you’d like. Cannonballs are 2 for $20 in the gift shop.


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Once we’d finished oohing and aahing over the ship, we returned to the visitor center, where it was pit stop/PB&J time. Then we set out on the drive south to New Orleans.


Not much to tell you about on the drive. Don’t tell them I said this, but Mississippi isn’t the most exciting state to drive through. Then again, it has trees, which is more than I can say for North Dakota. Somewhere along the way we drove through a thunderstorm but it didn’t slow us down too badly. We arrived in New Orleans sometime after 3:00 p.m. I found a pay lot downtown near the waterfront, and we walked from there to the French Quarter along the Riverwalk, which borders the Mississippi.


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True confession time: Many, many people love New Orleans. They love its culture, its history, its vibrant arts scene, its music, and its general sense of “the rules don’t apply here.” But I confess that I am not the world’s biggest fan of New Orleans. Part of it goes back to my last visit as a kid, when we caught people trying to break into our family car. A bad experience can always color your judgment of any place. But I also find that the same attitude of “rules don’t apply” often lends itself to people going way, way too far. Instead of just being quirky or coloring outside the lines, you get a lot of boundary pushing. Weird-for-the-sake-of-being-weird. That’s not really my thing. And if the rules don’t apply, then often your general standards of common decency don’t apply, either.


Still, one bad experience doesn’t mean you should write off a place forever. And so here I was, 30 years later.


In our time walking around the French Quarter, there was music everywhere. That was wonderful. Jazz bands playing on the street corners. Music wafting out from various stores and restaurants. You can see where Disney may have been inspired.


The buildings were lovely, too. Here’s Jackson Square:


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And some of the general architecture we saw walking around:


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Imagine those sights with a heavy backdrop of jazz, and you can see why this place would have appeal. But, as we walked around, we also saw less appealing sights. A shirtless guy wearing a loin cloth, leg bare up to his hip. Another shirtless guy, in dress pants and suspenders with a porkpie hat, screaming obscenities into his cell phone. A panhandler begging for money, and then cursing out a lady who said no, following her down the street as she did so.


Could I see things like this in any city? Probably. This is purely subjective. It just felt like a higher concentration of these guys here.


We made our way to the Old U.S. Mint building, which was the temporary home of the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. And I do think it’s pretty cool that there’s actually a National Park dedicated to the history of jazz music.

This stop was mostly for Julie, who is a pretty big jazz and big band fan. In fact, she's played both concert and jazz bass for years. Because she's awesome.


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Unfortunately, since their regular visitor center was being renovated, the temporary exhibits were a sum total of…two rooms. We weren’t there more than 20 minutes (including the mandatory gift shop visit). So there wasn’t much to write home about.


(I was going to say there wasn’t much to get jazzed about, but then I decided that was terrible. Wait, I guess I just said it anyway. This fills my #Dadjoke quota for the chapter.)


Anyway, we did get to see Louis Armstrong’s first cornet.


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And Fats Domino’s piano.


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And Pete Fountain’s clarinet. I admit that I have no idea who Pete Fountain is. But apparently he played clarinet.


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The other big draw of New Orleans is, of course, the food. This is a premier destination for seafood, Creole dishes (mostly involving seafood), Po’Boy sandwiches (mostly involving seafood), and high-end gourmet cuisine. Foodies come from all over the world to visit the restaurants manned by some of the most famous chefs in the world, such as Emeril Lagasse, Leah Chase, Susan Spicer, Tory McPhail, Adolfo Garcia, and others.


(Lagasse was the only one I’d ever heard of, but thanks, Google!)


You can visit Antoine’s, Austin’s, Arnaud’s, Galatoire’s, Commander’s Palace, Brennan’s, Meril, and so many more high-end restaurants in town—far too many to list.


And of course, we are uncultured swine with an aversion to seafood, so we skipped all of those places and went to a pizza joint. The sense of disappointment I feel coming through the computer screen from all of you is palpable, to say the least. Welcome to the Louisiana Pizza Kitchen.


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You have to admit, that’s a cool building. Thankfully, it was also cool on the inside, as the humidity thanks to that thunderstorm was sweltering. It felt good to sit down and cool off for a while.


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The pizza was very good. Best I’ve ever had? No. But a solid choice, even if we’re forced to get at least one cheese pizza every time because Drew won’t eat any toppings. Can you believe my son would be a picky eater?


I think we also had a pepperoni pizza, which was not pictured, because we suck at food pictures.


We couldn’t fill up on too much pizza, because we had one more stop to make. We made our way back towards the riverfront and stopped to grab a table at the world-famous Café Du Monde.


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This place was founded in 1862 and has an extremely limited menu: coffee and beignets. Beignets are French-style doughnuts, brought to the area by French settlers (the original Cajuns). They’re basically square pieces of fried dough covered in enough powdered sugar to instantly turn you into a diabetic. New Orleans is famous for them, so we figured we couldn’t leave town without a sample.


myNUfeHM04vVs4O3tRac1vvm0iFCP0iqa-nS3YldRm0YI79_Noy_7sfcXgOjuJ4LyQdUjbZfXfpApWHwVB3fC_h4w3I_WDbwIKp1PIUJVp-cNJLJVh7xMnGiWnIxq_8spzh53KJ5yF2sS6t7gz44up_Cv32iyvAaAblh9GWZt_aN_g6jn4xiA0Mh-YgATQrhd5cW-UZWwLHgWXgwXaEU_lK-XfNyfgQJMQzXLlCXYNfqf9BykHeFsIfVJjL1qvUnDitQW5R56qa2YPcmNV8jrBAl1_PvhN2u2bCRb6QKmPWVvXJS7qcaylqmS0nytdQzZMkuX5k3de0WQNZGQoJACKzVbRkvUBk7aQRjMRt4aTXdB5EzRQvy3V6jYUnDDUJWLUzca3dSTw_joZy3LA7Y02vm8fCYMXduc1Uq7Y7s5N0AWN-EF5CoAEpK7qkzAVbgQrLdML4nBrBXHOJN0tU6GzYT7hap37M8GfxYRu3EZ1hHh9Lx3RdSdey_jBXRDrRAqbzR8iWVHRIcTAcq_UUsepHykyfSMPasrQ3iv2Mju-g8sUCKDzg4s8fKCDCvVHUPEwT56R7YqCdmftopcfctHD1WEyhc5tusLn7j45n6=w1243-h829-no



They seemed to be a big hit with the crowd. I mean, it’s fried dough and sugar. What’s not to like? I was worried Sarah would try and hog them all to herself, so I subtly worked to move them out of her range.


0sLbDsuSbH86eyKUiMl9Y7O7wAzgVUCUB6Qc-N1j19itbzzknWDIV9CoX6pbTUvofgob2TUaPdufoT-BkFUKYPLL3FE7FCcNZ9srci3fLT0ZbXBoi3xkYubLpS-YlOPz6GdG6XJwSIQfKMjytJf7uPbNmaoQhz7zvtcizoUdQ6r_1A3eKnAhI_oFs6inZgoyLIL6VPT1PHLuZ7LMt1gYWrrxq8PILlqZ0NI-qRbBtmjEd6JXQjWEe1IzSMwV11QbglayK7eHP9Q_oi6Uh5yJglzPiZNeRIWKHaOkLogESwAsb3H6qJaYv323bGE3B4xLuN6M99FzLMtymIsFu7LstZWCYL78i74n7lum5QTalJM4HYOCqa2psfQULIvdPt0bs2dnqLSsjN73l_PaUKInEQIaTKWUWiGy38DcXaDMcOX7I3XFnykY13QruOtHn79sHR1MabiUA4aCwJo4lAolq2Zv6hDSybotUYOn6feXWGPz6FqIVnYJYcZ5XxuS73cJCXv1pFBz_IzYl3oxOPgLZAb2F8jAmLGk-wq1gkaPZCuf54dDVCl8drIan3iwH5XXje55yAwTgibci505rJCvtZrdIALFGTCGPvK1ETTP=w1243-h829-no



Scotty seemed to approve. But it was more fun watching the effect of all that sugar on Drew. Or watching Julie pretend to smile at the effects of all that sugar on Drew.


A5BDcRFgUcOlbzg217yf47O8BIxXjd9S6YZoqxmO7FV-qopjQzQCI_jDewBFDKZZSEPQQHpEhd61gEtUuoc7Hlf_3NHqFdfnNMD3tsZaQMZzGKS4a_b4Zb_TlqiXDqFdXpj_nBDLPXGmUHN7ukz2omjO_vOtFspzJTALPk0r_OEFGzJ0kTKUGIEcrKROsbGU9F34gXLB2_DEEKP48VuL5N9U-aIvYVfr2NPfhySzUJnZtJWifI3epf3e0KkFBov_W_bWRrmTH8S9Bm8DcYQW-JZ1jlkxeQ2ulCNpuw7CZ9OPKxarG4y6Fn_QPtQU_uxR6Xtk-GBcPp5CGQLGeF_QejZhfDVOgsYSxBD2odrPKkCQHaKTjOT8NyHLEd4VHjyacaoCzplQcasuPcaQe5XDm4cbcTUTLC79vYAuYlpHRnz3qFr6bqhndBKLHqq5XnIQT-pZc86aUr_F2Lypu12qkBntZvX7dt-GFlvczlJR-BNx_dlPCgCkRbfqRBoEK_ttUoJhRwiQUSgEx_d3yAVtYfwhVQ8mv2-O8zWy5IQJtoX99NF3XXnNtlpwxW28QCbmQl7DALh-UsBoaDmtYK7P1MG7INS6xTjY3zlIk2M4=w1243-h829-no



I mean, it’s like, going straight to my brain, man!


KhAuIlYtpqg7tUsfupJhJpFxv2XySu93BqviMB0ijk_Cps3RnkcW9fPdNsSaR61njoZ41EB6jlW0gqFs6D9h2jwnX12eEmZTwH0qjY_hIf5te_MMyFWrvmPFO_lj1h7n37xO-nul2fLJhQ0al63I-oNWr6UzhTt9Ouh1STk81GfDVF2Gljz-Azq7GH3qOX3mZRPLhlbNk9qFN0fMbnDe3yeOxbGBvTR-RaOArRnPpJmxYeDs0rRJ6ys31mQJXJ2Wdj9sBc1SNJsDzsRYguq91HGnGRXZG2KuAwMyHs9D0BonnhkigFpR9BeqUSBMidIlCkYndAEBhUht9UFdcppizlM0V89l2ZJWhMJ-d2hcelXTBBgTmecRhzs2Bon6Ahzm06ygqJ0Rgb2jwUb6Ifcy5r0qm00vZ7f4mdRQ2BmxBo-TmmziAuBeA9loYd_VWcuE00VAH8D0VbNoeKTz3_l70RbxEMssajTHDU5Zw9QOiJEWsZa6XTzkLszgCQ11L6ef28StkIOsDjMTxWslLRGVnSWiIEUeuyWEjvpHUcDJzW5Farf-m_WgmjOATdJ_5eHHVew3pCevUG0w-uLLAmzkpYrwW8JGzR9fEz9q1paV=w1243-h829-no



Don’t look now, but I see future memes with that photo.


With that, we took a leisurely evening stroll along the Riverwalk back towards the van. Along the way, we passed one of the famous riverboats—the Natchez, ready to take tourists for a ride down the river.


nX3wl7uSw4Fv9kUKyMOGFI7SNfmpqazjR4sRFPbRT8JowEgcTw9-iLyB4YdtE1uVyqMSIWAEROkcRt-jgzFN9LaJXHGDXJZbtvPLserTHya8FVl0hNgmr3tsWsIX0i39xSUkq3wROLx5lF4W3mWHKutANZ_ZMkr9-0cA0X94vcd9vean_zwMgI8OyORmMCrR9o56Q1WqK5KcbUIjElcO9Jlx-GlxdD-N8qDu7Hl_blNh48g29m4mmnuAvXKhCvkoaHRq1wkJw_if8fJnlm9ddYUM25H9q8Sa4kfR4QaztSIxjCc2OiHim52nWd3oM0cX2AL-wSMvPHcSnHE8aIKoFglvfetLru_ZpnsiA42w6zYLNendsjSINX9yMZceiwRMWdz0JjIkRoK7oVMlyESpCnuOElHS6ztdESMzWnnCgJfYaShXFpC9kAy4amma-cuhroUu4cpLcnhjd0XOlisJ4jmXedl5giyuEAPzlMT_YfKgFXcyDlYrfV4V0VX71pOrW8z4OSBNj3NvD-ZgtCOw8hnlJ7n_53Ttume1nWbVuILaTjg8GDWK0ODNV9_9lSp0JujmzDpRqcRL-pDak25ceC8Gxmb174lybNzzt2Ke=w1243-h829-no



As we were walking back, we passed Jackson Square again, where a few locals were trying to hustle money from the tourists. One guy was hassling people to pay him after taking their photo for them. Another guy picked me out and told me he could tell me exactly where I bought my shoes from.


Um…ok. I already know where I got them, so I’m not sure why I need him to give me this information. I declined, but he kept pressing me. Scotty wanted no part of this conversation, so he hit the turbo boost and speed-walked ahead of me far down the path. If you’re taking notes, remember in the future that Scotty is not going to have your back in a fight.


Well, that might not be true. But I know he won’t have MY back in a fight. Anyway, I managed to fight off the persistent shoe fetishist and get on my way. We crossed the river to the east side of town, and filled the van up with gas before heading to our hotel. And I think I got ripped off at the pump, but I can’t prove it. I was sure I pushed the button for the regular 87 octane gas, because that’s what I always do. But somehow I got charged for the premium. It’s possible I pushed the wrong button, but…


Sign. Win some, lose some. Onward we march.


Coming Up Next: Our kids’ first taste of the Gulf of Mexico. And for any of you who have ever wondered how I’ve never been struck down by a lightning bolt after some of my comments, well…stay tuned.
 


Something about a left turn in Albuquerque.

No idea what you're talking about. I just posted a picture of a rabbit.

:faint: Brutal. But nice work by the kids! Must be good parenting.

Nope. Must be something else.

And the movie they picked was...Air Bud.:sad2:

Actually... I think it was some Barbie movie.

Can't say as I'd be booking trips to Cold Springs.

Pass.

*deletes ticker*

Rats!

He's now a spokesman for the Sun-Dried Raisin Co.

:laughing:

You know, I thought about going there, but stopped in an attempt to use good taste.

Yeah, I don't know why, either. Never stopped me before.

That was very unlike you.
 
south to New Orleans, Louisiana.

Nice! Bucket list destination for me.

We tried one last time to get together with Lisa, but her court case was early in the morning and she just couldn’t squeeze any time in.

Too bad. Nice try, though. :)

It was here that I invoked Dad Privilege and forced convinced the kids to visit a U.S. Civil War battlefield: Vicksburg National Military Park.

It was nice of them to succumb to your will agree to go.

For one thing, this was the site of one of the most important battles/turning points in the war. The city of Vicksburg is perched high on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi, and thus made a terrific spot for defensive fortifications that essentially guarded and controlled the river. For the first half of the war, this was a Confederate stronghold that enabled them to control all naval traffic attempting to use the river. The South used it as a major supply line and also cut off Northern goods from reaching any international markets using this route. President Lincoln himself spoke of Vicksburg being the “key” to winning the war.

Interesting bit of history there.

Northern General U.S. Grant

I read that 2 or 3 times. General United States Grant? Shouldn't that be United States General Grant?
Then the nickel dropped Oh! Ulysses S. Grant! :sad2:

(And... just out of curiosity, are you surprised or not that a foreigner would know that?)

Rumor had it he would be replaced if he failed to take Vicksburg.

Eep! No pressure!

After 47 days, with all supplies cut off, General Pemberton of the South surrendered the city.

Huh. Yeah, I guess that would do it all right.
And yet... I can't help but think of medieval siege engines, et al.

Along with the Battle of Gettysburg, this marked the beginning of the end for the Confederate Army.

Again, interesting. Really. Not just typing "interesting" = "boring".

We watched the film on the battle in the visitor center

How was it?

However, there was one stop we were definitely going to see: the wreck of the U.S.S. Cairo.

No. Way! You got to see an ironclad?!?!? How cool is that?!?!?

It’s the definition of awesome.


Don’t believe me? Look:

Well, I'll be darned.

(Good job on that. Looked convincing enough that I tracked down the actual definition you used. ;))

the full effect of seeing the gunboat resurrected is pretty cool.

I bet! I'd like to see that.

The museum has a model on display showing what the boat would have looked like it its heyday:

Huh! Not at all what i was expecting.
Was thinking more Monitor. Although it is closer to the Merrimack.



You can even board the ship and walk around a bit

Okay! Okay! I'll go visit!

Cannonballs are 2 for $20 in the gift shop.

Totally worth it.


Every millennial should be required to wear Sarah's shirt.

it was pit stop/PB&J time.

Death, taxes and Oblivious family PB&J.

Don’t tell them I said this, but Mississippi isn’t the most exciting state to drive through. Then again, it has trees, which is more than I can say for North Dakota.

I'm glad you mentioned North Dakota.
If you didn't, I was gonna.

But I confess that I am not the world’s biggest fan of New Orleans. Part of it goes back to my last visit as a kid, when we caught people trying to break into our family car.

Huh. Yeah, not the best memory.

A bad experience can always color your judgment of any place.

Totally get that.

Instead of just being quirky or coloring outside the lines, you get a lot of boundary pushing. Weird-for-the-sake-of-being-weird. That’s not really my thing. And if the rules don’t apply, then often your general standards of common decency don’t apply, either.

Interesting observation.

And yet.... the optimist in me sees how the ones that rules don't apply to can also do great things.
Compose wonderful music. Make impressive or inspiring art.

You know?

In our time walking around the French Quarter, there was music everywhere. That was wonderful. Jazz bands playing on the street corners. Music wafting out from various stores and restaurants. You can see where Disney may have been inspired.

Oh, man. That sounds just great.

The buildings were lovely, too. Here’s Jackson Square:

Very nice. ::yes::

And some of the general architecture we saw walking around:

I don't need general architecture.
Colonel or even Major architecture would be fine.


Dang, that's pretty.

Imagine those sights with a heavy backdrop of jazz, and you can see why this place would have appeal.

::yes::

But, as we walked around, we also saw less appealing sights. A shirtless guy wearing a loin cloth, leg bare up to his hip. Another shirtless guy, in dress pants and suspenders with a porkpie hat, screaming obscenities into his cell phone. A panhandler begging for money, and then cursing out a lady who said no, following her down the street as she did so.

Ugh.

Not great.

And I do think it’s pretty cool that there’s actually a National Park dedicated to the history of jazz music.

Huh! That's.... odd! And yet.... cool, too.

Unfortunately, since their regular visitor center was being renovated, the temporary exhibits were a sum total of…two rooms.

oh.

(I was going to say there wasn’t much to get jazzed about, but then I decided that was terrible. Wait, I guess I just said it anyway. This fills my #Dadjoke quota for the chapter.)



Anyway, we did get to see Louis Armstrong’s first cornet.

Okay... cool!!

And Fats Domino’s piano.

Also cool!

And Pete Fountain’s clarinet. I admit that I have no idea who Pete Fountain is. But apparently he played clarinet.

Also... wait... who?

The other big draw of New Orleans is, of course, the food.

::yes::

And of course, we are uncultured swine with an aversion to seafood, so we skipped all of those places and went to a pizza joint.

facepalm_zpsb4hvgtwd.gif


The sense of disappointment I feel coming through the computer screen from all of you is palpable, to say the least.

Oh yes. Yes indeed. Very much so.

You have to admit, that’s a cool building.

I don't have to admit anything!!!




But yes. It's a cool building.

even if we’re forced to get at least one cheese pizza every time because Drew won’t eat any toppings.

Sounds familiar.

Can you believe my son would be a picky eater?

No but the milkman always was... uh...

I'm sure it's just an aberration that he'll outgrow.

We couldn’t fill up on too much pizza, because we had one more stop to make. We made our way back towards the riverfront and stopped to grab a table at the world-famous Café Du Monde.

Okay, now we're talkin'!

Beignets are French-style doughnuts, brought to the area by French settlers (the original Cajuns).

Not quite. Cajun is from the word "Acadian" (When you say it with a French accent, is sounds pretty close to "Cajun".) Acadian's were originally settlers from France who settled in Nova Scotia Canada. They lived there for about 150 years before the English won the territory and deported them, seizing all their livestock and possessions.
Not a particularly bright moment in Canadian history.

New Orleans is famous for them, so we figured we couldn’t leave town without a sample.

::yes::

I was worried Sarah would try and hog them all to herself, so I subtly worked to move them out of her range

:laughing: Smart move!

But it was more fun watching the effect of all that sugar on Drew. Or watching Julie pretend to smile at the effects of all that sugar on Drew.

:lmao: "This is your child."

I mean, it’s like, going straight to my brain, man!


KhAuIlYtpqg7tUsfupJhJpFxv2XySu93BqviMB0ijk_Cps3RnkcW9fPdNsSaR61njoZ41EB6jlW0gqFs6D9h2jwnX12eEmZTwH0qjY_hIf5te_MMyFWrvmPFO_lj1h7n37xO-nul2fLJhQ0al63I-oNWr6UzhTt9Ouh1STk81GfDVF2Gljz-Azq7GH3qOX3mZRPLhlbNk9qFN0fMbnDe3yeOxbGBvTR-RaOArRnPpJmxYeDs0rRJ6ys31mQJXJ2Wdj9sBc1SNJsDzsRYguq91HGnGRXZG2KuAwMyHs9D0BonnhkigFpR9BeqUSBMidIlCkYndAEBhUht9UFdcppizlM0V89l2ZJWhMJ-d2hcelXTBBgTmecRhzs2Bon6Ahzm06ygqJ0Rgb2jwUb6Ifcy5r0qm00vZ7f4mdRQ2BmxBo-TmmziAuBeA9loYd_VWcuE00VAH8D0VbNoeKTz3_l70RbxEMssajTHDU5Zw9QOiJEWsZa6XTzkLszgCQ11L6ef28StkIOsDjMTxWslLRGVnSWiIEUeuyWEjvpHUcDJzW5Farf-m_WgmjOATdJ_5eHHVew3pCevUG0w-uLLAmzkpYrwW8JGzR9fEz9q1paV=w1243-h829-no

:laughing: Perfect!!

As we were walking back, we passed Jackson Square again, where a few locals were trying to hustle money from the tourists. One guy was hassling people to pay him after taking their photo for them

:sad2: Oy.

Another guy picked me out and told me he could tell me exactly where I bought my shoes from.


Um…ok. I already know where I got them, so I’m not sure why I need him to give me this information. I declined, but he kept pressing me. Scotty wanted no part of this conversation, so he hit the turbo boost and speed-walked ahead of me far down the path. If you’re taking notes, remember in the future that Scotty is not going to have your back in a fight.

:laughing: Okay, I'll remember that.

And to not wear shoes.

Well, that might not be true. But I know he won’t have MY back in a fight.

Good point.

And I think I got ripped off at the pump, but I can’t prove it. I was sure I pushed the button for the regular 87 octane gas, because that’s what I always do. But somehow I got charged for the premium. It’s possible I pushed the wrong button, but…

Hmmm... hard to do. Maybe you just accidentally pushed the wrong one?
 
Um... dude?

People aren't going into the outhouse and using the books on their eyes.
That's
why they're incomplete.

Right, @Steppesister ?

Roger that.

Sooo, I finally have some downtime on my night shift, but the DIS is now about to go down. I will come back and read again if I'm not busy at 3:30. :)
 
Okay, I'm back. Did you miss me?

(No. Of course not! Smart people are SLEEPING!!!)

Rumor had it he would be replaced if he failed to take Vicksburg.

Yeah, that'd be motivating.

The Cairo was an ironclad gunboat serving the Northern army.

COOL!!!

We were stopping to see it because—well, it’s a restored gunboat. It’s the definition of awesome.

Correct!


A future cannonier in the making. ;)

But I also find that the same attitude of “rules don’t apply” often lends itself to people going way, way too far. Instead of just being quirky or coloring outside the lines, you get a lot of boundary pushing. Weird-for-the-sake-of-being-weird. That’s not really my thing. And if the rules don’t apply, then often your general standards of common decency don’t apply, either.

A perfectly summed up explanation of my aversion to Portland.



Despite its... weird, it is a lovely city in some respects.

We weren’t there more than 20 minutes (including the mandatory gift shop visit). So there wasn’t much to write home about.

So, better than a Disney gift shop then.

You can visit Antoine’s, Austin’s, Arnaud’s, Galatoire’s, Commander’s Palace, Brennan’s, Meril, and so many more high-end restaurants in town—far too many to list.

.... which you also had to Google. ;)

New Orleans is famous for them, so we figured we couldn’t leave town without a sample.

Duh.


:lmao:

And I think I got ripped off at the pump, but I can’t prove it. I was sure I pushed the button for the regular 87 octane gas, because that’s what I always do. But somehow I got charged for the premium. It’s possible I pushed the wrong button, but…


Sign. Win some, lose some. Onward we march.

D'oh!!! It'd been interesting to watch a few other customers' transactions.
 
No idea what you're talking about. I just posted a picture of a rabbit.

Cute li'l fella.

Nope. Must be something else.

Pure blind luck, then.

Actually... I think it was some Barbie movie.

:sad2:

That was very unlike you.

Sorry. I'll try not to let it happen again.

Nice! Bucket list destination for me.

Well, get on that!

Too bad. Nice try, though. :)

We'll make it happen next time. We at least owe her a gift basket now.

It was nice of them to succumb to your will agree to go.

Unfortunately for them, I'm driving the van.

I read that 2 or 3 times. General United States Grant? Shouldn't that be United States General Grant?
Then the nickel dropped Oh! Ulysses S. Grant! :sad2:

(And... just out of curiosity, are you surprised or not that a foreigner would know that?)

Actually, I am surprised! And it was an oversight on my part not to spell that out the first time.

Eep! No pressure!

Our history would have been much different, for sure.

Huh. Yeah, I guess that would do it all right.
And yet... I can't help but think of medieval siege engines, et al.

Those would be cooler than just surrounding a town and closing the roads off.

Again, interesting. Really. Not just typing "interesting" = "boring".

I'm glad! I always wonder if I'm diving too deep into this stuff. I just want to give context and explain why it was a worthy stop for us.

How was it?

Not bad! Told the story of the battle in clear fashion.

No. Way! You got to see an ironclad?!?!? How cool is that?!?!?

::yes:: That was the best reason to visit, by far.

Well, I'll be darned.

(Good job on that. Looked convincing enough that I tracked down the actual definition you used. ;))

:rolleyes1

I love going completely over the top when selling a joke.

I bet! I'd like to see that.

Another excuse to visit the area.

Huh! Not at all what i was expecting.
Was thinking more Monitor. Although it is closer to the Merrimack.


Yeah, I'm not sure what made them vary the designs on these, but they all look a little different. The Monitor really is a weird-looking boat, but I can see the strategic value. It's almost like a submarine.

Okay! Okay! I'll go visit!

I'll stop twisting your arm, then.

Every millennial should be required to wear Sarah's shirt.

::yes:: Glad you noticed that. We love that shirt.

Death, taxes and Oblivious family PB&J.

At this point...yes. People look forward to all of them with equal anticipation.

I'm glad you mentioned North Dakota.
If you didn't, I was gonna.

Man, once you've done that drive...:faint:

Interesting observation.

And yet.... the optimist in me sees how the ones that rules don't apply to can also do great things.
Compose wonderful music. Make impressive or inspiring art.

You know?

Absolutely! I was trying to overcome my own bias and be as balanced as I could in my observations. Great art usually comes from those who don't conform. I mean, jazz is basically an entire art form devised from the idea that the normal rules don't apply. So yes, there's a great deal of value in that. The world would be a much more boring place if everyone was the same.

Pros and cons with anything, I suppose. As my old boss used to say, "Feel free to think outside the box. But please remain within the Circle of Sanity." It's no secret that New Orleans, like Vegas, has its seedier, less family-friendly side, and some of the behavior we saw was enough to remind us of that and create a little unease as we walked around.

To each their own, though. As I said, many people love it there. I'm glad we visited, even if it's just to say it's not my thing. You can only really say that if you've made the effort to go and experience it.

Oh, man. That sounds just great.

Lots of music! That was pretty awesome.

I don't need general architecture.
Colonel or even Major architecture would be fine.

How about minor architecture?

Dang, that's pretty.

::yes::

Ugh.

Not great.

Kids, I'm gonna direct your eyes over to this side of the street now. I'll tell you when you can look back again.

Huh! That's.... odd! And yet.... cool, too.

A little different. Like the city.



:teeth:

Okay... cool!!

:thumbsup2

Also cool!

:thumbsup2

Also... wait... who?

Oh, good. I'm glad I'm not the only one who had no idea.


I get that a lot.

Oh yes. Yes indeed. Very much so.

Mission accomplished!

I don't have to admit anything!!!




But yes. It's a cool building.

Every house down there seems to have a really beautiful balcony and amazing iron work.

No but the milkman always was... uh...

I'm sure it's just an aberration that he'll outgrow.

:lmao::rotfl2::rotfl:

Okay, now we're talkin'!

Mmmmm...fried dough...

Not quite. Cajun is from the word "Acadian" (When you say it with a French accent, is sounds pretty close to "Cajun".) Acadian's were originally settlers from France who settled in Nova Scotia Canada. They lived there for about 150 years before the English won the territory and deported them, seizing all their livestock and possessions.
Not a particularly bright moment in Canadian history.

Really? Wow, I had no idea. I just made the connection that it was formerly French territory and I knew the Cajuns had French roots. But I had no idea that they actually came from Nova Scotia. Thanks for informing me--that's actually pretty interesting. I'll go back and edit the chapter. I hate messing up on stuff like that.

:laughing: Smart move!

You saw that sandwich Sarah ate earlier in the trip. Don't get between her and her food.

:lmao: "This is your child."

I get that a lot, too. :rotfl2:

:laughing: Perfect!!

I don't know how we got that shot, but I'm really glad we did.

:laughing: Okay, I'll remember that.

And to not wear shoes.

::yes::

Hmmm... hard to do. Maybe you just accidentally pushed the wrong one?

It's entirely possible that I made a mistake there. It's just one I've never made before or since. And I noticed the price while I was pumping and thought, wait, I pressed the regular button. I even questioned it inside, but of course they weren't going to believe me.
 
Okay, I'm back. Did you miss me?

(No. Of course not! Smart people are SLEEPING!!!)

Well, I WAS sleeping. I guess I'm up now. Geez.

Yeah, that'd be motivating.

::yes:: Do this, or you're fired. Yep, that works.


::yes::

A future cannonier in the making. ;)

Just not in the house, please!

A perfectly summed up explanation of my aversion to Portland.

You get it, I'm sure. I have no problem with non-conformists or people who think outside the box. Just be considerate of others, is all I ask.

Despite its... weird, it is a lovely city in some respects.

Very much so. You can see why Walt Disney was inspired to include New Orleans Square in Disneyland.

So, better than a Disney gift shop then.

I bet I could put their coffee mugs in the dishwasher!

.... which you also had to Google. ;)

::yes:: Guilty as charged. :rotfl:

D'oh!!! It'd been interesting to watch a few other customers' transactions.

That would have been very awkward, though. Excuse me, can I watch your gas pump?:lmao:
 
I've been following along (lurking) and am finally caught up. So glad you got to enjoy Memphis BBQ Co.!! No stop at Graceland?? :tongue: We are heading up to Asheville in July so I'll put Luella's on my list of potential places. Looking forward to the rest of the trip report!
 
Pure blind luck, then.

That's the only kind you have, no?

Well, get on that!

Trying!

Unfortunately for them, I'm driving the van.

No idea what you're going to do when Sarah starts driving.

And it was an oversight on my part not to spell that out the first time.

Nah. I got it.

Those would be cooler than just surrounding a town and closing the roads off.

But the vegans would be upset about all the cattle flinging.

I'm glad! I always wonder if I'm diving too deep into this stuff. I just want to give context and explain why it was a worthy stop for us.

Nope! All good... and good to read.

::yes:: That was the best reason to visit, by far.

::yes::

I love going completely over the top when selling a joke.

You succeeded.

Yeah, I'm not sure what made them vary the designs on these, but they all look a little different. The Monitor really is a weird-looking boat, but I can see the strategic value. It's almost like a submarine.

Yes! I always thought with that low profile it would have an advantage.
Except... easy to flood?

At this point...yes. People look forward to all of them with equal anticipation.

:laughing:

Man, once you've done that drive...:faint:

Once?


:sad2:
:faint:

As my old boss used to say, "Feel free to think outside the box. But please remain within the Circle of Sanity."

I like that. ::yes::

It's no secret that New Orleans, like Vegas, has its seedier, less family-friendly side, and some of the behavior we saw was enough to remind us of that and create a little unease as we walked around.

I get that.

How about minor architecture?

Nope. I'm against it.

You have to be. It's what holds it up.

Kids, I'm gonna direct your eyes over to this side of the street now. I'll tell you when you can look back again.

::yes:: My mom did that to me in Paris when I was little.
They didn't realize when they booked the hotel that it was in the red light district.

Every house down there seems to have a really beautiful balcony and amazing iron work.

Really! Wow.

Really? Wow, I had no idea. I just made the connection that it was formerly French territory and I knew the Cajuns had French roots. But I had no idea that they actually came from Nova Scotia. Thanks for informing me--that's actually pretty interesting. I'll go back and edit the chapter. I hate messing up on stuff like that.

Nah. Leave it. They were French at some point.

You saw that sandwich Sarah ate earlier in the trip. Don't get between her and her food.

True.

It's entirely possible that I made a mistake there. It's just one I've never made before or since.

I would've said the same except.... this one time...
 
I've been following along (lurking) and am finally caught up. So glad you got to enjoy Memphis BBQ Co.!! No stop at Graceland?? :tongue: We are heading up to Asheville in July so I'll put Luella's on my list of potential places. Looking forward to the rest of the trip report!

Mmmm...that BBQ was really good. Hope you get a stop at Luella's!

No Graceland...I've never been a huge Elvis fan. Actually, I have a funny story about that. I'll tell it in a separate post below.

You've heard...
People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
Now, as Paul Harvey said, here's the rest of the story...
People who live in any houses should not shoot cannonballs.

Rules to live by!

That's the only kind you have, no?

Well, there are those who say you make your own luck. I subscribe to the blind luck theory, though.

No idea what you're going to do when Sarah starts driving.

Thankfully, she's petrified to take the wheel of the minivan. So that's still in my control.

But the vegans would be upset about all the cattle flinging.

Vegans get upset about everything.

Nope! All good... and good to read.

Whew!

You succeeded.

Woohoo!

Yes! I always thought with that low profile it would have an advantage.
Except... easy to flood?

Well, that's what all that iron is there to prevent.


Nobody would be dumb enough to do it more than once.

I like that. ::yes::

That one has stuck with me through the years!

Nope. I'm against it.

You have to be. It's what holds it up.

In that case, don't move.

::yes:: My mom did that to me in Paris when I was little.
They didn't realize when they booked the hotel that it was in the red light district.

:scared1: That would make quite the impression!

Really! Wow.

Sure seemed like it was everywhere.

Nah. Leave it. They were French at some point.

Allrighty then.

I would've said the same except.... this one time...

I guess we'll never know.
 
Well, there are those who say you make your own luck. I subscribe to the blind luck theory, though.

::yes::

Thankfully, she's petrified to take the wheel of the minivan. So that's still in my control.

Mine! Mine! Alllll mine!!!!!

Vegans get upset about everything.

"Like, OMG! You're a murderer! How can you, like, eat that???"
"But it's broccoli!"
"I know!!!"

Well, that's what all that iron is there to prevent.

What floats?
Small rocks?

Nobody would be dumb enough to do it more than once.

Necessity. Only out of necessity.

Ya gotta put up with the bad to get to the good stuff.

In that case, don't move.

Frozen.



Where have I heard that before?

:scared1: That would make quite the impression!

Nope! She did a really good job of distractions.
 
Playing catch up here so I have a lot to say.

We were going to drive up to Hot Springs this past weekend but realized that it was St. Patrick's Day and the city was hosting the world's shortest parade....98 feet! Joey Fatone and Napoleon Dynamite and Morris Day and the Time were all going to be there and every hotel was sold out even those stanky stank older ones waaaay down the highway. Oh wait, there was the one room that I had booked at the rate of $199 a night when it's normally $100. Yeah, we decided to cancel and will probably be going in April or May.

Anyway.....sorry that you didn't have more time to explore Hot Springs as there are other things to visit than just the bathhouses. Like Al Capone's car and the Gangster Museum, the Hot Springs Tower and the scenic drives.

Every time we do the free bathhouse tour, I wonder how folks kept from being electrocuted in those box sauna thingamabobs. Did you see what we call the "torture room"? The one where the doctor (if that's what he really was) had all sorts of contraptions that they strap you in. Scary looking.

Oh filling up jugs of the hot "healing" water is THE thing to do in Hot Springs. Like people fill up their trunks and back seats of their cars with them. We always get a few jugs when we go but not like many people do. @pkondz , you can definitely touch the water but you don't want to do it for very long. It's HOT! HOT! HOT! One thing that we have noticed about Hot Springs is that there are a lot of older folks so maybe those waters do have healing powers and make 'em live longer.

Unfortunately, there are quite a few folks who are bumming along the streets of Hot Springs. We go every year...several times a year...and have for years. We used to see this one lady every single that time that we went. She was pushing a shopping cart filled with all of what we assumed was everything she owned.

Glad that you got to stop for the famous Purple Cow ice cream. It is hard to get past the color but when you do, it really is quite good.

You were right in your description of the diamond mine being out in the middle of nowhere. We always forget just how far from everything that it is. The fields didn't look freshly tilled. When we have gone, the dirt was a lot more loose. Even though you didn't find any diamonds, you can now at least say that you've diamond mined.

The pictures of y'all at the Oklahoma sign had me cracking up! Of course I had to tell John and Hunter about the peeing. They thought that it was hilarious.

I've got to try the burger restaurant in Shreveport! My niece and her husband have eaten there and said they loved it. The calling card and the stuff written on the walls of the bathroom is a good indication that the owner has a great sense of humor.

When I realized that the meet wasn't going to happen, I had to put Plan B in motion and welcome y'all to Louisiana. I'm glad that the gift basket went over well with the family. I hate that we missed one another but hope that the opportunity comes up again in the future and I'm not stuck going to the drab courthouse to help someone fight with their spouse about who should get the bathroom linens and the Home Interior decorations that have been stored in the attic for upteen years. You know what though? I swear I could hear y'all yelling "Hey Lisa" when you passed through my hometown.

How many of those 2 for $20 cannonballs were loaded up in the van after your trip to Vicksburg?

You are so very right about the drive through Mississippi down to south Louisiana. It's boring as heck. Nothing to see except maybe the occasional odd shaped building like those I post in my trip reports.

New Orleans. I ain't lost nothin' there so I'm not anxious to get back. That's what my daddy used to say. When people ask me where I'm from and I tell them Louisiana, they usually ask me two things....Do you go to the French Quarter a lot? and Do you know the Duck Commander or Swamp People guys? Haven't been to the French Quarter in over ten years and yes, we know some of the Duck Commander guys.

Seeing bums and getting harassed by the locals doesn't make for a good impression of New Orleans, a town which is so rich in history. It's a pity that your memory of the city from when you were young wasn't made better when you took this trip. It's really too bad that the jazz museum was closed and you could only visit a little bitty part of their exhibits. At least you got to experience Cafe du Monde and their beignets. A trip to New Orleans isn't complete without beignets.

Whew, sorry for the novel but as I said, I was playing catch up.
 
"Like, OMG! You're a murderer! How can you, like, eat that???"
"But it's broccoli!"
"I know!!!"

It's funny because it's true!

What floats?
Small rocks?

Very small rocks! (one of my favorite throwaway lines in the whole movie)

Necessity. Only out of necessity.

Ya gotta put up with the bad to get to the good stuff.

Yep. That's what we've been telling our kids for years. "You want to see Yellowstone? It's not close to anything, so you have to do the work to get there."

Frozen.



Where have I heard that before?

:scratchin

Nope! She did a really good job of distractions.

Good job, mom!

We were going to drive up to Hot Springs this past weekend but realized that it was St. Patrick's Day and the city was hosting the world's shortest parade....98 feet!

I really wish some of the Disney parades were only 98 feet.

Anyway.....sorry that you didn't have more time to explore Hot Springs as there are other things to visit than just the bathhouses. Like Al Capone's car and the Gangster Museum, the Hot Springs Tower and the scenic drives.

If we'd had time, I would have wanted to go up in the tower. The view looked great from what I could see.

Every time we do the free bathhouse tour, I wonder how folks kept from being electrocuted in those box sauna thingamabobs. Did you see what we call the "torture room"? The one where the doctor (if that's what he really was) had all sorts of contraptions that they strap you in. Scary looking.

We saw all sorts of torture devices in there!

Oh filling up jugs of the hot "healing" water is THE thing to do in Hot Springs. Like people fill up their trunks and back seats of their cars with them. We always get a few jugs when we go but not like many people do. @pkondz , you can definitely touch the water but you don't want to do it for very long. It's HOT! HOT! HOT! One thing that we have noticed about Hot Springs is that there are a lot of older folks so maybe those waters do have healing powers and make 'em live longer.

Maybe there's like a whole secret society or something.

Glad that you got to stop for the famous Purple Cow ice cream. It is hard to get past the color but when you do, it really is quite good.

That was great! Weird at first, but it quickly became a fight over the ice cream.

You were right in your description of the diamond mine being out in the middle of nowhere. We always forget just how far from everything that it is. The fields didn't look freshly tilled. When we have gone, the dirt was a lot more loose. Even though you didn't find any diamonds, you can now at least say that you've diamond mined.

It would have been nice if the dirt was looser. It was very hard-packed and tough to make any progress, especially in summer heat.

The pictures of y'all at the Oklahoma sign had me cracking up! Of course I had to tell John and Hunter about the peeing. They thought that it was hilarious.

We keep things classy around here!

I've got to try the burger restaurant in Shreveport! My niece and her husband have eaten there and said they loved it. The calling card and the stuff written on the walls of the bathroom is a good indication that the owner has a great sense of humor.

Good burgers, too! I think there are two in the Shreveport area. We ate at the one in Bossier City.

When I realized that the meet wasn't going to happen, I had to put Plan B in motion and welcome y'all to Louisiana. I'm glad that the gift basket went over well with the family. I hate that we missed one another but hope that the opportunity comes up again in the future and I'm not stuck going to the drab courthouse to help someone fight with their spouse about who should get the bathroom linens and the Home Interior decorations that have been stored in the attic for upteen years. You know what though? I swear I could hear y'all yelling "Hey Lisa" when you passed through my hometown.

That was incredibly sweet of you to send the gift basket to us. You didn't have to do that at all! But what a cool surprise when we walked into the room!

Glad you heard us! The other drivers looked annoyed.

How many of those 2 for $20 cannonballs were loaded up in the van after your trip to Vicksburg?

My attorney has advised me not to answer this question.

You are so very right about the drive through Mississippi down to south Louisiana. It's boring as heck. Nothing to see except maybe the occasional odd shaped building like those I post in my trip reports.

Still better than North Dakota, though.

New Orleans. I ain't lost nothin' there so I'm not anxious to get back. That's what my daddy used to say. When people ask me where I'm from and I tell them Louisiana, they usually ask me two things....Do you go to the French Quarter a lot? and Do you know the Duck Commander or Swamp People guys? Haven't been to the French Quarter in over ten years and yes, we know some of the Duck Commander guys.

"Ain't lost nothin' there..." I like that line! Totally stealing that one.

Seeing bums and getting harassed by the locals doesn't make for a good impression of New Orleans, a town which is so rich in history. It's a pity that your memory of the city from when you were young wasn't made better when you took this trip. It's really too bad that the jazz museum was closed and you could only visit a little bitty part of their exhibits. At least you got to experience Cafe du Monde and their beignets. A trip to New Orleans isn't complete without beignets.

Beignets are awesome!

I think the city has contributed a great deal to the art and culture of the U.S., and that shouldn't be discounted. But it definitely has its seedier side, too.
 

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