Friday, May 24, 2013

Friday night grateful moment

There was this thought, while I was on the road, that I might actually blog... seems almost humorous in retrospect. My days away were filled with meetings, learning, listening, absorbing. The evenings were filled with walking and eating. Blogging? Just didn't fit into the mix, especially with lack of pre-planning.

But I am here to share tonight! And looking through my pictures was a quick walk down recent-memory lane. You know that feeling, when you're home only 24 hours and it's like you were never gone? Trip? What trip? Yeah, that. That's where I am tonight...

But entirely grateful to be here--home, safe and sound!

This week held a great deal of interesting talk about all things "client." If you're in business, you have clients. And they have an "experience" with you. What is that experience, and how can you make it better? (Gone are the days of just calling that customer service, by the way.) Just when I thought (at the end of day two) that we couldn't possibly peel that particular banana any more, in unique ways, there were interesting and thought-provoking presentations on day three! Go figure. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to listen and learn, and to be reminded that the work I get to contribute to is quite interesting, in the spectrum of industries. Working for a big conglomerate making widgets, running call centers all over the country (or India)? Not for me.

Had to share this picture of the group we shared some space with on Wednesday:


Didn't actually see any men in black, though...

In the evening my work colleague Molly and I walked and talked and walked some more. And ate. We looked at a hundred (really) different menus online and on the sides of restaurants, looking for interesting, healthful food. I know, healthful? In New Orleans? Fresh ingredients don't just grow on trees down there, apparently. Or if they do, they drop directly into a deep fat fryer on their way to your plate! Our persistence (or was it pickiness?) paid off and we had really good food.

We went to Mr. B's Bistro, a little French restaurant with a sweet courtyard called the Grapevine, Cafe du Monde for beignets, and of course, Emeril's. Everything was entirely yummy.

A few of the sights we took in:




We took a streetcar out St. Charles Ave., to see beautiful old houses and ride past Tulane and Loyola. But about halfway out, the streetcar stopped, and the conductor told everyone to get off, that he wasn't going any further as there was work being done to the tracks out ahead. Meanwhile, we could see the other streetcar ahead of us, continuing on... something didn't add up. But when the guy tells you to get off, you get off. And catch another streetcar back into the city. We chuckled and thought he made a pretty good example of what not to do, from a "client experience" perspective...




I took quite a few pictures of houses as we zipped along in the streetcar, but when I went back and looked at them, they all looked the same. Essentially, part of a house (never got my trigger finger timing down perfectly) with trees and sidewalk, and the houses are very similar: most have columns, are taller than they are wide, and on narrow lots, with porches and shutters. I felt a little like we were in the middle of a movie set for something like In the Garden of Good and Evil, which I barely remember, and it's set in Savannah, not New Orleans. But, still...

I came home Thursday from an oddly quick-but-long day of travel to flowers from my sweet husband (he missed me!), a clean house and the anticipation of Seth coming home this afternoon. Grateful grateful for my guys. I am blessed.

And, pretty much immediately upon touching back down in the Valley, I stopped by the Blue Mountain Humane Society and picked up a little furry friend who had been waiting to come foster with us this weekend.

Meet General:


General is a seven-year-old Corgi who was surrendered by an elderly woman going into assisted living care. He's sweet as can be, and best of all, Chief seems to like him pretty well. There's the usual need for reassurance and affection, but no real overt snipping and jealousy. They seem like they will get along and become buddies, and it already feels pretty natural to have General here. I'm stepping out in saying that, as we're not being all official-like until the weekend is over, so keep your fingers and toes crossed that all will go well. So far so good, and whoo-hoo for not having to go through the puppy stage; I'm very grateful for that! 

I hope your grateful list is long as you head into the weekend! May you find rest and peace and anything else you're looking for! I will be looking for some extra zzzzzs to catch up on; travel is never kind to my sleep schedule.

Peace.


12 comments:

  1. A CORGI??? And NOLA, all in ONE week??? You are the luckiest human alive. I'm still waiting for my parrot. ;) xoxo

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    1. Thanks for the chuckle. I had no idea my New Orleans trip would make you jealous, but I can see how my sweet corgi would. He's a bundle of love.

      Your parrot ship will come in one day, I just know it!

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  2. Your grateful moments always lead me into making my own lists - thanks for that. Also - General? Excellent. Fingers crossed for you over here!

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  3. Your grateful moments always lead me to make my own lists - thank you for that. Also, General? Excellent. Fingers crossed over here for you all!

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    1. I'm grateful for you in my life, lady. And happy happy happy for your adventures ahead! Whooooo.

      So far so good with the General-Chief weekend summit. Lots of laying near each other, and wanting equal petting time, of course. I'm good for it! :)

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  4. So lovely to see your photos...I know where those places are! You got some great 'snaps'.

    I made a recipe of Emeril's last night for supper...his chilli is great. I probably did not give it as much heat as he would have but I liked his basic recipe.

    And the little General...isn't he sweet? Happy for you all.

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    1. Emeril's place was definitely a highlight. Great food, low-key but stellar service, and overall a fun vibe.

      General is fitting in a-ok, just hanging and chillin'. He's our kind.

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  5. In that square where the benches are in front of the church?...there was a jazz band playing there the day we walked by and people got out and danced and it was very NO and so cool.

    As you walk toward The River there is a statute of Andrew Jackson; we broke into a song from our teenage years about the war of 1812...good memories.

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    1. Can't say I broke into song while walking around New Orleans, but I think the square you're remembering is the one I took the picture of. Lots of sitting around and musicians doing their thing...

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  6. I am just thrilled to hear about General. You have no idea. I can honestly say that I *know* how much joy a new furry member of the family can bring. Milo "borrowed" one of my stuffed animals (a big giraffe with a bell inside its tummy) that is almost the size he is and carries it EVERYWHERE. I've never seen a tiny kitten do anything like that. It's such a small thing but seeing him trot into the room with his tail straight up and the giraffe dragging along beside him makes me smile so big. And when I saw General's photo, I felt the very same way!

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  7. Getting away even for a busy line up of meetings can really re-charge you with love for the job; but travel is tiring. Nice pictures.

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  8. General is a cutie! Oh, and New Orleans...always wanted to go...haven't done so yet! Lucky girl!

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