My friend Robbie wrote about my birthday party in his blog today. He reminded me of my Bucket List Louisianne. I wrote about it when I first moved here. I worked on it awhile and then got distracted by everyday living. I noticed today that I’ve crossed off quite a few in the short time I’ve been here. Some I planned to mark off the Bucket List, and others I just happened to do without any intention other than having an invitation. There’s a few more I need to cross off this list this year.
Take a swamp tour- Drive Highway 1 to Grand Isle
Tour Laura Plantation- Teddy’s Juke Joint for Blues
- Chase a Chicken (the real Cajun Mardi Gras)
Paddle to the Queen Bess Island Rookery- Tailgate at LSU on a Saturday night
Discover the Tunica Hills/Clark Creek
Dance at the Magnolia Cafe in St. FrancisvilleDiscover my roots at the Rural Life Museum & Burden Center in Baton RougeCatch my own fish and cook it (Deep sea fishing)- Sleep in a four-poster bed in a plantation
- Wander Windsor Ruins on a fall day (Port Gibson MS)
Ride the St. Tammany Trace by bicycleTake an early morning walk in the French Quarter
- Take a sunset cruise on a Biloxi Schooner
- Friday lunch at Galatoire’s in New Orleans
- Drive your own Boudin Trail – Sampling boudin all over the state
- Visit Afton Villa when the azaleas are in bloom
- Abita Springs Opry
- View photographs from Natchez chronicling the years 1850-1950 at the Stratton Chapel in Natchez
Watch the sun set on the Mississippi River- Take a cemetery tour
Zydeco breakfast at Cafe’ Des Amis in Breaux BridgeVisit the Huey Long statue at the State Capitol- Find a Conrad Albrizio Mural
Eat an original muffuletta at Central Grocery in New OrleansChristmas Eve Bonfires- Paddle Virgin Cypress at Lake Fausse Pointe State Park
- Take a ferry ride West to Algiers
This evening a friend of mine in Memphis sent me a link to an article that the New York Times published on Baton Rouge’s blues scene. I had no clue the area was once known for Blues Music, and it seems that I live two blocks from Phil Brady’s, a place where live music abounds. Teddy’s Juke Joint is on my Bucket List, so I guess I’d better make a date to check it out. I already know about the Red Dragon Listening Room which hosts a lot of live music in a theatre-type setting. I get their emails with their scheduled performances, but I rarely go. I don’t know why, other than the fact that last year’s budget cuts kept me engaged in free or really low-cost activities. At $20 – $50 a show, it’s not really expensive – especially the $20 ones – but I cut it out all the same. I need to look at their schedule again and get some dates on the calendar. I can always go indoors to listen to live music in July and August!
This weekend has been a mix of fun and feeling a little bit off. I had a fabulous time on Saturday. You can read yesterday’s blog for more on that. But this morning I woke up in a real funk. I felt down and extremely sluggish. I felt the same way on Friday. I hope to settle in for an early night. I took a long walk on the levee today with a new friend and had brunch at Another Broken Egg. I was hoping the sunshine and the walk would perk me up, but I didn’t shift emotionally. This evening I headed over to the Red Shoes for a sacred circle that I attend on Sunday evenings. I felt very quiet, but I was very happy to be among friends and fellow spiritual travelers.
I’m settling in for a quiet evening listening to some soothing music. There’s a dog snoring gently beside me and a cat purring in my lap. I’m sipping some Chinese herbal tea, and I’m hoping they will do their magic. I’ve slept like a dead person Friday and Saturday night, so I hope for more of the same deep sleep tonight. I’m off tomorrow for MLK day. I hope it will be a quiet day, but I do really need to get some intense exercise. Hopefully, I’ll wake up feeling energetic first thing. I was supposed to run the half marathon today in the Louisiana Marathon, but my knee injury late last year canceled that. I had to watch the runners running by my house with some jealousy. But, congratulations to my friend Tracy who completed her first half marathon today! That’s a huge accomplishment, and it’s not ‘half’ of anything. It’s a challenging race distance on its own!
I’m already thinking about Mardi Gras. I downloaded my parade tracker last week, and I want to attend some of the earlier parades as well as the ones the weekend before. I plan to chase a chicken at the old time Mardi Gras this year. It was on the calendar last year, but our plans got derailed by frozen bridges across the Atchafalaya Basin in a freak cold spell. We’ll hope for better weather this year!
1). Thank you for the encouragement and congratulations!!
2). I admire the beautiful ZEST for life with which you approach every day. You inspire me!!!
Do you want to do the Crescent City this year?
Yes ma’am. I signed up last year right after the race. I don’t think we are doing the bus this year though. We talked about getting a van instead. The bus stayed around WAY to long last year. You are welcome to join us. It will probably be me, Bobbi Jo, Angela, Judd, Trey, Heather, Mike, Joann….. You met many of these good people last year on the bus.