After passing through Atlanta. . .

After an early start to my Wednesday, my day was quite productive. Major progress in apartment and office packing, phone calls and informing utilities of my upcoming move culminated into settling myself into the flight from Los Angeles to New Orleans with continued productivity on my laptop. Amazing that a 3.5 hour flight would deposit me in south Louisiana and in a car to my parents' house for a late night supper of my mom's cooking! Nice thought, but not so fast!

After circling over New Orleans airport waiting for the dense fog to break long enough for us to land, fuel quantity finally dictated that we divert to the nearest open, unfoggy airport. . . Atlanta, GA! So, at 3:30 am, I found myself in a cab with a lost driver looking for the hotel United Airlines had given me a voucher to for the "night". With 2 hours of sleep under my belt for close to 36 hours, I made it to my parents' house yesterday around noon! Amazingly unphased by the extended journey home, I arrived happy and less stressed than I have been in a long time.

It felt so good to sleep in til 8:30 am today!!! I wanted to get a workout in this morning so my mom suggested I go to the gym with her for her "Silver Sneakers" exercise class. Sure, I was in the mode of organized exercise classes, so why not?! It sounds so innocent and easy doesn't it. . . Silver Sneakers? Yep, it's an exercise class for senior citizens, but after an hour with my mom and a bunch of spry coeds, I had actually worked up a sweat! I have to admit, I couldn't help but smile with good humor as I got my heart rate up with a group of AARP members to the sounds of Neil Diamond and Elvis!!! FUN! After the class was over, I finished off my workout with running a few miles on the treadmill.

Today was a beautiful day that flirted with temperatures between 78-82 degrees! I was in shorts all day!! My dad returned from the camp on Grand Isle with a few dozen crabs that he boiled up for us to eat. Man were they good!!! I realize that I post similar pictures to these every time I come home, but I just can't get enough of boiled seafood!!! For those of you who aren't lovers of these tasty little crustaceans, this close-up picture of the meat in a blue-crab claw will probably gross you out. But for the rest of us initiated boiled seafood addicts, this is tasty treasure from the bayous!!!

Hope everyone is getting to their holiday destinations in spite of the weather and that you end up with folks you really want to spend the season with. I'm looking forward to some down time with my family, and of course lots of great eating and conversation!