1. Perspective on Earth Day
I’m not usually one to embed videos or even click on them, but…well, this is something worth seeing from CatholicVote.org:
The ad they’re talking about is up close here.
2. The psychology of hair
What is it with hair? I’ve wondered this before, but I keep coming back to it. Yesterday, I went and got an amazing haircut. It changed my perspective completely. Why is that? And does it really matter?
Yes, yes it does. At least right now for me.
Here’s the picture, in part because my husband isn’t here right now to see it for himself:
3. Crawfish boil
These words might mean nothing to you. They might even make you think of small critters that are best used for bait. But I assure you that, to me, these words are a beautiful thing. They represent the joy of social life in New Orleans and the best of local flavor. I haven’t actually ever been to one before, but I have this picture of them…the writer in me is just, well, rubbing her hands together.
Those of you who listen to “Mary in the Kitchen” on the Catholic Foodie show should be warned…I’m sure to find Mary at the crawfish boil! 🙂 (I call myself a Mary geek for a reason!)
4. Jazz Fest
Speaking of local flavor, today I’ll be at the New Orleans Jazz Fest. I sort of stumbled into this…and I’m strangely excited. This is not the sort of thing that’s in my repertoire. I like music, and I like food, so I don’t know why I’ve never been to a Jazz Fest before (unless it was pre-college days…I don’t remember!).
My sister-in-law is particularly excited about Lionel Richie. As for me and my always-hungry-to-avoid-the-nausea pregnant self, I’m pretty impressed at how much food I’ll be able to choose from!
5. The dirt pile
So the reason for all this fun in New Orleans is that, down here, every couple of years, you have to add dirt around your house. It has to do with living on sand.
(The Midwesterner in me has to take a moment to snort in disbelief.)
There’s this great dirt pile in front of my sister-in-law’s house that showed up right before we got back yesterday morning from our awesome haircuts. There’s also a Bobcat in the driveway. Tonight, my construction whiz brother-in-law and his wife arrive. After a day at Jazz Fest, we’re spending Saturday doing the Great Dirt Spreading Adventure. (I don’t know how much help I’ll be. But I will be taking pictures.)
6. Public toilets
And, in other news, potty training is going so well that I’m thinking of hiring my sister-in-law. There has been a bladder infection, a week away from Daddy, and at least one other complication, and
The only remaining challenge…public toilets. My two-year-old wants nothing to do with them. Yesterday at lunch in a local restaurant, she pooped on me. (Yes, you read that right.) I had to wrestle her onto the potty, but she made it clear where she stands on these things.
7. Jeans for the hard-to-fit
Can I just put in a plug for Lands End? I ordered jeans for my daughter after spending a horrifying morning wrangling her into something like ten pairs at a nearby store. I came home, measured her, and ordered a pair from Lands End. They arrived lickety-split, and though they won’t quite work, I was once again thrilled with the service and, this time, the ease of returns.
(We’re going to use a pair my niece has outgrown, which came from JC Penney. I’m not sure how soon I can handle another shopping trip with my hard-to-fit girl and her sidekick sister, even if I have an extra adult or two with me.)
Lesson learned: measure first, go through niece’s closet second, check Lands End next, go shopping as desperate last resort (and not without latte in hand and chocolate stashed in purse).
You’ll find all the Quick Takes over at Conversion Diary today.
I don’t miss much about the South (Southern living, not so much for me), but my oh my, do I miss the crawfish boils. There is nothing like eating a steaming hot potato boiled with the crawfish in spices so hot they make your lips burn. And there’s also nothing like really working for your dinner. You really should make an effort to go to one while you’re in N’awlins. 🙂
Sarah, we had a public potty issue, too. I got one of those soft padded mini seat “rings” at Walmart (ours had Dora on it – bonus!) and kept it in the diaper bag. It helped a LOT – she didn’t worry about “falling through,” I knew it was clean and it put her more in control of the situation. Just a thought!
Oh how I do miss living in the south!!! I could smell the crawfish boiling in that video. I have many wonderful memories of eating crawfish in the backyard.
While you are in NOLA, I hope you have been able to see some of the beautiful churches around my home town.
Eat some crawfish for me!!
It has been the public toilet issue that has kept us from making the full-blown plunge into potty training Something about juggling an infant and a strong-willed (sorry Dr. Ray) toddler in a confined space with germs. And when my toddler was the age of my infant he dropped my keys down an airplane toilet…I have issues…
LOVE the haircut!
Sarah, your hair looks great!
Wow! Rockin’ Awesome!
Hair. Crawfish. Jazz Fest. The Catholic Foodie. All in one post!
Now, the hair thing. Well, you know, I don’t have much of it. And I’m cool with that. Really. I like being (almost) bald. That’s why I shave my head. I think it’s also why I love long hair on women, particularly my wife and daughters. 🙂
Crawfish. Don’t get me started! As you know, I am a Louisianian. It’s in my blood. This year has been a light crawfish year for us, unfortunately. We’ve been to a couple of boils, though. Normally, we boil 3 or 4 times at home during the crawfish season. But we haven’t even boiled once at home this year. Too expensive.
I do have short video that you have inspired me to post. It needs a little work first, but I’m gonna do it.
Jazz Fest. ‘Nuff said. Except that I wish I was there. 🙂