And "So Long For Now" to Mississippi

Last Wednesday I left Lizana. Tuesday night Karen played dirty and pulled out all the stops to get me to stay. Not only was her daughter, Ivy there, but her granddaughter Janessa as well. She is an adorable little 3 yr old. I took a couple of pictures but I was using my phone camera and she isn't capable of "holding still." So until Karen sends me some, you'll have to take my word for it.

AND she loves me! Her Mommy dropped her off and she spent the whole night around my neck.

Fortunately no one was around on Wed morning when I pulled out.

Fr Pete, Karen and Glenn, their grown kids, Lindsay, Christie, Tiffany, Darrell, and 11 yr old Ivy really have become like family. I will see them again. Sometime. Just don't know when yet.

I went from Lizana to LeFleurs Bluff, a beautiful campground in Jackson.



I visited Lesly and her cats all weekend. On Thursday, Vince and Lonnie came up from Irish Bayou. On Friday, Ronnie and Ann brought their vintage Airstream that's so shiny it blinds you.

In case you've forgotten, Vince's last name is Saltaformaggio. One of those old New Orleans Italian families. He loves to cook - outdoors over propane - and his food is INCREDIBLE. Thursday for the four of us he fixed Chicken Picata.

Friday for the six we had a catfish fry. He tried the dry batter that Karen sells and pronounced it "Pretty good." Ann made hush puppies that were simply perfect. Lonnie added a wonderful mayo free potato salad. About the best Lesly and I could do to add to that menu was a mini keg of Pecan Ale from the Lazy Magnolia brewery in Kiln, MS. Or, as REAL mizzippi people say, "The Kiln."

Saturday Lesly's friend, Becky joined us for Vince's famous barbeque pork ribs.

OF COURSE we had Ann's cheese and garlic grits each morning. And on Sunday Ronnie produced the world's lightest cinnamon buns - yeast rolls - 4" high - in a dutch oven - using charcoal.

I just got an email from a friend who said she hadn't read the blog as regularly as she should because, 1. It's been a very busy summer. and 2. "I have found that I am often hungry after reading of your adventures."

Sorry, Jul. I guess I just did it again !

But in all fairness, we don't JUST eat.

We drink, too.

Lonnie found a machine called a "Margarator". Which is a "Smoothie" machine that makes a gallon of perfect margaritas - and keeps them frozen AND slushy at the`same time. Not that they keep very long.

And we talk and talk and talk.

And laugh and laugh and laugh.

A LOT.

Even before we start drinking.

It's very hard to leave these incredible new friends. But, as Airstreamers say, I'll "see them down the road."

"So Long for Now" to N'awlins

Yesterday I got on the Honda and rode the 75 miles to Irish Bayou. Lonnie and Vince, the friends that provided a place for me to live before I came to Lizana had just returned from 8 days in Las Vegas - a "business trip" for Lonnie.

But they were rested enough to welcome me with a gallon of margaritas and some great conversation. Then we went to the French Quarter for some of the best gumbo in the world.

At Evelyn's Place, a really seedy dive on Chartres St. I found Evelyn and her gumbo 25, well maybe 30 years ago when I asked a cocktail waitress at one of the "fancy" places, "Where do you go to chill when you get off work?" It's another of those places, like the thrift shop in Laguna Beach, that I consider "mine" even though I never got there more than twice a year.

But whenever I walked in and said, in my best N'awlin's accent, "Hey Dahlin', where Y'at?" Evelyn would put down her drink and her cigarette, come out from behind the bar and give me a kiss. Then she'd look at me for a minute and say, "Helicopters. Right?" and if Mary Ann wasn't with me, "Where's that lovely lady of yours?"

Every time we visited, Evelyn would put a big pot of gumbo in the fridge for us. We'd pack a couple of dozen gallon freezer bags and put them in a freezer chest, duct tape it closed and bring it home as baggage. One year I said, "You know, if this duct tape fails, those freezer bags are toast. So what's the point?" After that we just poured a few gallons right into the freezer chest and REALLY duct taped it shut.

I hadn't been in 10 years. I heard that Evelyn had died in Feb. and I couldn't leave the area without paying my respects with a cold long neck. Having Lonnie and Vince along for support really helped. I don't think I could have done it alone. The memories, oh the memories. GOOD ones, but still.

The lady working asked if I'd been a "regular". I said, "Sorta. I've been away a long time. And I've heard about Evelyn." She took my hand and said, "Oh good. I'm not very good at telling people."

This link, Evelyn's does a much better job of capturing the spirit. But they missed one picture that helps explain why Mary Ann loved the place, and Evelyn as much as I did.


Can you say, "Kindred spirits"??

And one for me



If you look REAL close, in the upper left corner you can see part of a VA Tech and a UVA banner. Obviously, Evelyn would let anybody in.

We drank a little, ate some gumbo and red beans and rice, and cried a little. Well, a little more than a little. But as my counselor used to tell me, "The only reason it's all so hard is because it was all so wonderful."

Yes,I know Life IS Good, but I still miss her so much.

It's going to be very hard to leave my wonderful new friends, already like family, here in MS and LA. But I'm ready to go back to VA.