Salmagundi
Here is my horoscope for today, which I include because it is pertinent: There may be a comfortable place between serving others and being selfish. Your sweetness inspires you to act in a selfless manner, but you have the common sense to realize that you must also take care of your own needs. Avoid getting swept up in a cause, unless it is a personal issue that is close to your heart.
And speaking of causes – we all went out to rally to have the monstrosity that Bell South erected torn down. And of course, there was the person who said “hundreds of thousands of people were displaced and you are going to rally about this?” and you dismiss that one because you know there is truth in his statement but you fight the fights you know you can make a difference on. But after the rally a woman in the neighborhood found out that in taking down the structure it would delay our land lines by perhaps another three months. She questioned the rally and whether it was worth it.
My friend H countered with his own wisdom on the matter: “The original plan for the I-10 was for it to go over decatur street and have all six lanes overlooking jax square. the argument that ensued was largely led by a single person, who luckily won. that argument delayed NOLA having an expressway to the east. (the alternative, claiborne wasn’t much better!) If you’re willing to tradeoff your neighborhood for 3 months of service everytime something needs to be done, than you should just move to metairie where there are no restrictions…. If they offered to put it in her yard, because every neighbor needed service, what would she do?”
Tales of the city continue – walking around the bayou with the dogs, a friend of N called to her and pulled his car over – J – works for the fire department and lost everything. Then went to Pilates and T brought me a sweet, thoughtful card that said – “Only time can mend a broken heart” and inside “But alcohol makes a damn good patch” and his sweet words. What a dear. Then onto Something Different, which sadly is going out of business because there is not enough business but I guess in some good way I got 50% off on birthday cards. N called to say that she was stuck on the Causeway exit with a flat tire waiting for AAA to come who gave her nothing but problems for not having renewed and she said “how can I renew when I haven’t gotten mail since August?”
News that G, my new friend, might move to Knoxville because she can’t take the city anymore and her family is there. It’s all saddy.
I broke down crying after my second run in with the finish guys at my house. Because when I first met R and he was disputing something that S and B had decided on, I said look S is an architect and B is a craftsman so I trust their opinion on this – well R can’t seem to let a minute go by everytime I see him to dis either S or B – finally today he said who is this S anyway – and I said he is the architect of this house not to mention my estranged husband. Then I left but had to go back over there and so this time I told them that I don’t appreciate being argued with on every detail – and then I said I am trying to do this without any skills whatsoever or any innate knowledge about how a house is built and S is in San Francisco and B is no longer working with me and I knew both of these people and trusted them – I don’t know any of you and so far every person I have dealt with has caused as much damage as good – QED the bobcat tear in the porch, the window smashed from the sheetrockers, the wood floor in the bathroom pulled up even though it wasn’t supposed to be. And then I just started crying and everyone stopped in their tracks and the room got very quiet. Then they all started talking at once about how they were going to treat the house like it was theirs and they would make sure every detail was perfect. And I was so beside myself, I just said, okay then, and left. AGHHHHHHHHHH!
Met C at Brasserie for a cocktail that turned into quite the evening – later, we met up at the R Bar with M who we both think we know from elsewhere but no one could remember where. She introduced us to C who “dances” at one of the clubs in the Quarter and it just so happens was staying at a cute B&B down the street with a hot tub – so we all went – accompanied by the documentary guys from Nebraska – who are doing a Sri Lanka vs New Orleans documentary – trying to compare the two tragedies – C’s room was all the way in back, tucked way at the end of a lush path of elephant ears, pokeweed, and lizard’s tail, we all got in the hot tub that was set to chicken bath temp and had a very interesting conversation about Cuba, Nebraska, Sri Lanka, New Orleans – a serendiptitous evening. Then C and I walked back to our bike and truck and went home.
C is on her way to Australia for four months hoping for an epiphany – I need to start a campaign to get people to stay or come to New Orleans – instead of everyone leaving.
I rode my bike through the park the other day and marvelled at the wildlife – the hunch back common racoon that crossed City Park Avenue causing me to slow down, the turtles on the logs in the pond, a yellow-crowned night heron that was on the banks of the pond, the little blue herons that are abundant in the bayou, the lone great egret that appears from time to time in the bayou, the viceroy butterflies that make my heart go pitter patter when I see them. All of the glory of nature that is right here at my finger tips is cause for celebration.