Random Ramblings in the Age of Worry: To New Orleans and Back

I am back from my mini-Easter vacation!!! My first road trip with the Man of Steel and my dad was a success. Celebrating one of my favorite holidays with my family and good food is something I can’t capture in words. What I can do is share some of the nuggets of goodness that continue to bring me joy from this weekend trip.

Road Trip – my Dad is the greatest (like ever) and he decided this trip he was going to play backseat driver. He wanted to be chauffeured (driving Mr. Daisy style) so that is what happened. That way he was able to be in my fiancée’s ear the entire time. My favorite reoccurring line was “why are you doing that, you shouldn’t get in this lane…well let me be quiet, cause I’m not driving” Either way my dad also imparted quite a bit of historical knowledge on us. For a man that planned to sleep and rest he actually talked for 6 of the 7 hours we drove (coming and going). The man has lived an adventurous life; I’m actually surprised I turned out so responsible (pretty sure that was my mom and her goody two-shoes karma). Other facts I learned: 95% of our road trips involve rain, my dad supports peeing in nature’s bathroom (the woods) instead of gas stations, dogs are fair game for kidnapping, Alabama has been under construction since the 70s, Missouri is not for me, and Thailand has the best "herbs"!

Living History – my grandmother (in all her 91 year old glory) shared so many great stories with me during my trip. I was educated to the importance of marriage and how to make one work! I was also informed about the tradition of a Hope Chest (which I apparently will be receiving since I am newly engaged). I learned a little bit of this and whole lot of that, including the magnificence of Johnnie Walker Red, a fine whiskey indeed.

Gross streets of New Orleans – sure the food is great and the nightlife is 24hrs but NOLA is no place for the weak of stomach! We decided to stay downtown and get our tourist on, what we found were blood stains, vomit, and the health hazards galore. Dear girls walking around without shoes aside from the dangers of broken glass and rusty nails, people pee and barf on the street, so put something on your damn feet. You would be surprised how many folks were not wearing shoes!

Family Fun – I love my family and they bring me such joy. From my tell it like it is grandma to my aunts and uncle, who are hysterical. The only people I know that can cuss each other out in love, talk politics and religion (while watching King of Kings), then turn around and teach you the art of grilling and the proper way to drink liquor. A well read, well versed group of nuts that welcome any challenge. We had several generations of Cordier’s all at one house and it was epic!!!

Evolution of the Easter egg hunt – apparently times have seriously changed. When I was kid you were lucky if your Easter egg contained candy. You were also lucky to not get poison ivy while hunting for them. At the Easter egg hunt we held this weekend, the eggs were stuffed with money (dollar dollar bills ya’ll). Then somebody lost a bracelet and offered a $10 cash reward to whichever kid could find it! Thanks for setting the bar too high family, I don’t want to have to maintain this expectation of cashing in at family functions in the future (family time is painful and free, check the history books).

Who are you? - Meeting and re-meeting family you haven’t seen in years is always fun. For the record telling me "that’s your cousin" doesn’t exactly explain the family connection. Especially in New Orleans where cousins can be blood related or come by way of marriage, relationships, or street convo. Who’s your daddy (or momma)? That is the only way to tell who you belong to!

Drinking – I still love drive through daiquiris shops. That’s all I can really say about that! Dad I wasn’t drinking or driving (not simultaneously I mean). I did drive, then drink but never at the same time or in reverse order. I did however drink and walk because New Orleans lets you do that!

Invest in a pick-em-up truck - the streets in New Orleans are terrible. You feel like you constantly have a flat tire or that you may have run over a drunken body. Eventually the paranoia subsides and you realize why everybody drives trucks; to combat the streets and to tow grills of course. I felt like I needed to invest. LC truck driver coming at you *honk honk*!

All in all, we had a great trip. We have some business collaborations in the works and plans to do it all again sometime soon. I love holiday weekends!!!!