The Move

Jeff & I drove from NOLA to Phoenix last Thursday...got here Friday night. Packing up the house & still trying to get to see all the kids & grandkids, not so easy lol. Packed all day Sat. & rearranged the sheds so all our stuff thats not going to NOLA has some place to go that I don't have to pay for :-) Jeff & Dani helped some....but really most of it I had to do. Neither one of them knows what I want & or need to take lol they'd just mess it up & then I'd have to do it anyway! We're done now & ready to head back, but I'm sick today & have no wish to travel that way :-).

So we got to see all the kids....OK not Tom & Diane (bummer).......& all the grand kids *great big smile* Corrine came down to visit & we went to Teri's for dinner on Monday, was great...got to visit & play with grand kids. Dinner was good too! Jeff & Jo took Mikey out to see the Harley & next thing ya know all the kid are out there & want to sit on it :-) Everyone got a turn....Mikey loved it, going vroooom vrooom lol, Madi thought it was great till it started :-(, Carter, Landon, then Craig....Everyone had fun...Was sweet to watch all the little ones with Pops & his bike, kinda made me think of my dad with all my girls & his bike...how much they loved spending time with him. Got some good photos , will post them later.

Tuesday Corrine went home...I love seeing my sister!!! More packing *ugggg*

Wednesday was more packing & Landon's baseball game....Was a great game! & a great time spent with the kids, Jo came with Ree & Ryan too!! Gave the boys the footballs, Madi her tutu, Ree her pearls...got to visit more with the girls & even Deb :-) Jeff took Craig & Landon for a ride on the bike....looked like they loved it. Just like their momma did!

Thursday....more packing I think I'm getting close to done woohoo. Trisha came over after her DR.s appt. We went out to lunch & had a real good visit!

Friday sooo busy, last of packing, get the truck license transferred for the lady who bought it, baseball game for Craig, Jo's for dinner after!!!

Got up sick this am so Jeff did last min packing into shed...cleaned carpet....I went back to bed. Got up w/ headache double uggggg! just finished loading up the trailer & gonna be on the way home soon....Really looking forward to it! I miss the kids, grand kids, & friends...but really love NOLA.

Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras has been one heck of a great experience so far....The parades are awesome, some of those floats are super elaborate, and so are the outfits. Business has been real busy too, which I always love lol. Jeff & I went to the Saints Victory Parade last Tue night, about froze to death, but it was super cool to see the whole city out for their "boys"...I have watched the people here for years & since Katrina it's been all about being victims, & how they survived the 'storm' , Sadness & hardship was all over their faces....since the Saints started winning & they knew they had a chance at Super Bowl, faces started changing....no longer were they the victims, now they are winners cause of 'the Boys'. I think this city needed something great to happen to it just to get over being victims of a storm from hell. So many people lost so much & now it's all about what they have & were they are going......all because of a winning football team!!! Amassing what can & will make people look at things in a different way!!! I love the fact that these people, who are so friendly & will take you into their lives & give everyone a chance & have had such a hard time these last years, finally coming out of it emotionally.
They still need help rebuilding, but now they all seem to have tons of hope, which seemed to me to be lacking for alot of them. I also love that I was here to see this awesome change to NOLA & her people!!

For us it means parades & never seeing Brenna....21, first Mardi Gras, boys chasing her everywhere....no wonder we never see her lol....maybe after Mardi Gras is over lol. Even Jeff likes the parades & beads....OK honestly he likes the parades & the women flashing to get beads from the balconies..PIG lol. We went to the French Market to day & he pigged out on New Orleans food while I shopped woohoo for both of us...

Business has been nuts, work all day on Bourbon...tons of customers. Then over to Royal to work till midnight...also with tons of customers...Mardi Gras is good for the wallet :-)
It's all over on Wed. so life should get back to what New Orleans considers normal...abbynormal lol.

Saints nuns....


Jeff giving some little girl a lift so she could see the floats going by.....

Long time no Post

Been a long time since I posted...Been real busy working & trying to establish myself here in New Orleans, the city is full of good readers & standing out is not an easy thing. But some how in the last few months I have managed to do so....

Last week the store I work at on Royal got a call from a 5 star hotels conceeair ( & yes I know I spelled that wrong) about me! Wanting to know what kind of readings I do, how much I charge & availability!! Apparently I had read for 1 of their guest who then went back & raved about the reading (woohoo) & wanting to have someone to send other guest to they thought they should get the whole scoop from Damon! Travis ( the Conceeair) also called & spoke to me after talking to Damon & since then I have been super busy.....Travis also spoke to other hotels & sent them to talk to me today at the store I work at on Bourbon.....again WOOHOOO!!!! This is a very good thing business wise, especially in a town full of people who do what I do!!!!! I think I'm the only person in New Orleans who reads faces so that's a real big plus too, I can offer something that no one else has. The only draw back so far has been 3 days running of double shifts! I have got to make sure I take at least 1 day off & stick to it no matter what! But I'm having fun & this is kinda good for the ego LOL.

Walking alot here...most everywhere actually. I'm not loosing any more weight but firming up alot now! Had to buy new boot as I wore one pair out in the last 3 months LOL. Any excuse to get new clothes or shoes is a good thing I think ;-) The Pugs have all gotten in better shape too...even Lily has lost weight lol.

Brenna's getting her GED & looking for a job. Hard to find one of those no matter where you are & for someone with on experience it's even harder but she'll get one sooner or later & in the mean time t least she's trying! She's making new friends & getting out of her shell & that's a real good thing!!

Jeff's doing Physical Therapy & hating it, but it's helping him so he keeps going. The weather is finally starting to warm up so may be he can start going fishing soon & that will surly make him much happier lol. In the mean time he plays poker on line, walks the pugs, comes & sees me at work & sometimes even cooks dinner lol.

Soooo Thats how things are going right now in NOLA....Hows things in your world?

New Orleans Place

Settled into the new place in NOLA finally! Brenna & I both have jobs, & I will start reading in Jackson Square as soon as the rain clears up! Brenna hates her job (shot girl at a bar) & is looking for something better.
The Appt. is looking like a home now. Above is the view from our balcony.


Gus guarding said balcony!!lol


door on one side goes into kitchen, door on other into bedrooms, this is 1/2 of living room.


This is the other 1/2. We go out the window behind Jeff to go out on the balcony! That's how you get out there, the windows!!!
The rooms are huge! You can't see it from the pictures but they are! The balcony is probably 10ft wide & goes all the way around 2 sides of the appt. it's too cool!

When we walk the pug we go down the middle....everything is one way streets here. So there's this great 'green' down the middle of Esplanade. Oaks & Banana trees, sweet smelling flowers & flowering trees (no clue what they are, need to find out) ferns & spider plants. Pugs & I love the walks. OK not Lily so much. She thinks she should get carried or have a stroller! Lazy Pug!! There's even a great dog park in the Quarter, but we haven't had a chance to get there yet...to busy trying to get set up & get jobs & all that most wonderful stuff *sarcasm* We walk everywhere practically, & are up a flight of stairs so all of us are in a bit better shape than when we got here LOL

Jeff can't wait to get his fishing license...the Mississippi river is only 10 blocks from our place. AZ doesn't have the same kinda fishing lol!

Headed home soon

Well we will be headed home soon!!! Will only be in Phoenix for about 2 weeks then off to New Orleans for 2 months at least!
It's been a heck of a summer....I now know that I can support myself if I ever have to, that I do know how to run a business, & what shows I should or should not be doing to make good $$. I missed Jeff something awful while we were apart & we have decided that should never happen again!! And for him & I it's been great having him up here & being together again :-)

This last couple of weeks has been very hard on Jeff as his "last" friend is dying.....The last of his Vet. friends, I think he sees himself as the 'last man standing' & does not like it at all! Danny's in the hospital now & today is coming out of a chemical induced coma that the DR.s put him in to hopefully give his family & friends enough time to get there. They are taking him out of the coma today so that they can all say good bye....I feel so bad for all of them. Especially Nancy (Dannys wife) & Jeff. To loose your husband....don't even want to go there! To loose your best friend of sooo many years!!! All I can do is try to be there for them both.We will be headed home sometime next week, Jeff needs to stay to help Nancy for a few days & grieve on his own & with her.

Once we get home things will be super busy again.....want to see all the kids & grand kids. Have a Tea Party with my friends & girls...Enjoy a Full Moon ritual with my friends & Family...May be even get a trip to Sedona in!!! Then it's pack up & head to NOLA :-).
I'm looking forward to reading in Jackson Square & walking the Quarter & seeing all the people I have meet over the years of visits.

First weekend of WRFF

Well finally a weekend that went well!! Hot for Washington, but Jason & I had a great spot, right up front just past the front gate, by the food court & pirates. We had them coming & going & waiting for food....YAHOOOO! Jason was pretty busy on sat selling Shannon's stuff, & I was not so busy in the morn, but was hopping all afternoon! I made back the booth fee, enough to pay the third weeks booth fee & pay Jason & still have a little left over...again YAHOOOOOOO!!! Jason celebrated by buying himself a bracelet from Shannon :-)

I didn't get much time to run around & visit friends like I use to do at this faire, I'm a vendor now & don't get to get out much LOL. So every body came to me...I could get way use to this ;-) The Knights stored their stuff at the tent, I stored the jewelry at the archery range over night, everyone came by to visit during the day at different times....I had a blast!!!

My brother Jay, his wife Kris, & their youngest son Flint came to faire on Sun. I went back to have a smoke & he followed me, I told him he wasn't suppose to come in the back, he laughed & said "Chief of Fire Dept"....Oh yeah duh. I didn't get to spend much time with them, but they said they had a great time & are going to come back on the 3rd weekend, Flint plays the fiddle & wants to see Alexander James....
Flints pretty damn good, I've heard guys on Bourbon St not as good as that kid! No prejudice here at all, honest!!!

Lily went on Sat but had to stay home on Sun...To hot for her. She was to close to heat distress when we got her home on Sat night & that was after wetting her down at faire with a hose!! She had fun & played Queen till about 2:30 when it got above 90, then she just couldn't take it anymore. Gus on the other hand had nooooo problem!! I had taken the puppy kennel. Didn't need it! I had him on a leash all weekend & he was such a little gentleman!! I still call him Gus the Barbarian & everyone thinks it's just the cutest name....just doesn't really suit him anymore :-( I love that he's well behaved but miss the little monster all at the same time! Lily as a little monster is not a pretty or cute thing at all...just ask Chris or Frances or Pat or anyone who has ever met the PUG! She was such a....any way, when I got home tonight because Gus got to go & she stayed home, & I am still being treated to pissed off pug attitude!! hopefully she'll be over it by morning LOL

Hope everyone have a great weekend too!!

Just an Update

Well the last few weeks have been busy, but not too profitable! First Chris & Pat from Phoenix came up, then we headed to Sherwood OR for the Robin Hood Faire. On the way we stopped in Hood River & went on a train ride...It was awesome. Old train, lunch, great view, great people to share it with. Then on to the hotel. The event was Fri night, & all day Sat. We set up on Fri morn & went back in the afternoon so we could be ready.....Made Hotel fee, booth fee & nothing else. The event people were very happy to have us there, the Cathlice Church was happy to have us there...the other Churches not so much! Every time I would go have a smoke I was acosted by a preacher & told I was going to Hell because of what I do for a living....To bad for them I know the Bible too! Sent most of them away thinking about what I had to say :-) Silly people should not judge others, not their job!
Home on Mon. Back at work on Tue, Wed, Thur. This is inbetween picking up Frances at airport Wed night, going to Pikes Place on Thurs Morn with her & Chris...Then on Fri getting ready for Highland Games in Enumclaw.... Set up on Sat Morn. 7am. Ready to work by 8 am uugg. Work till 11 pm...Make back booth fee cause the people can't see where we are. Insert BAD word here. Take Frances to airport Sun afternoon OK Pat did that...work at Games till 6pm making 60 over booth fee YaHoo! Tear down, go home...Chris & Pat pack up, get ready to head home Mon afternoon.
Mon monr....Chris scooter breaks...no one can fix it soooo they are stuck here till Wed afternoon. I work tue...Not one singel client, over 80 in store....Wed scooter gets fixed Chris & Pat get to ariport & I go home no work for me today....
2moro I get to go set up fpr Washington Ren Faire in the morn, work from 3 to 7, YaHoo I get fri off....Not really I have to go get display for jewlery, umbrela for clients at faire, take it all out to the site, then may be I'll get to rest.
Faire starts on Sat. 2 bright spots are I get to see Jay 2moro & Jeff will be here next week
YAHOO!!!!!
Shheeeshhs I think I need to slow down a bit.