Books in New Orleans

I loved being surrounded by all these books in New Orleans!!

Mississippi Gulf Coast

Our trip to the Mississippi Gulf Coast was over all too soon. We arrived after dark on Saturday October 9. It was raining and we had no idea where we were going. The traffic was heavy and we quickly realized we were in the middle of the Cruisin' the Coast group. We found a room at the first place we stopped. Supper was hash browns and waffles at the Waffle House. I have to say it was really good. I guess that shows how hungry we were. Watching the cars was fun and the rain slowed. The rain was heavier on Sunday morning. We couldn't check into the hotel until afternoon so we drover up the coast. The farther we got from Biloxi and Gulfport the more I liked the area. Storms had blown sand all over the road, backhoes were scooping it up and putting it in dump trucks. The wind from the gulf was blustery and I got out of the car to let it blow in my face. I could have stayed in the wind all day. We found a bookstore in Pass Christian, making me anxious to visit it later. I found out later I could have gone in on Sunday. We checked into the hotel around 3 and found it all to our liking. I was especially happy to see the soaking tub. Later we rode the shuttle to the conference site and talked to several people. On Monday morning John Wayne went to the exhibit hall and I ventured out to look for Spanish Trail Bookstore. After asking for directions 3 times I found it and it was well worth the trouble. I stopped to go through Beauvior, the last home of Jefferson Davis. After having a fine there I drove to Pass Christian and made my first visit to Pass Christian Books. Another visit was to follow on Tuesday. It was full of treasures. After that book stop I went to Ocean Springs to the Walter Anderson Art Museum. I loved every thing in it and did some Christmas shopping. If I can bear to part of any of it! At night we went to look around in the casino, no gambling for us. We had fun watching the old ladies play the slots. On Wednesday morning we checked out of the hotel and drove to New Orleans. Walking the streets was fun and we found a couple of book stores, Faulkner House Books and Arcadia Bookstore. We then had beignets at the Cafe du Monde before heading toward KY.  

On our way to Biloxi we went through Oxford MS to visit Square Books and Rowan Oak, the home of William Faulkner. I loved walking through the house and grounds. It was a quiet place that had a life of its own.

Several wonderful books came home with me. I'll list them in the next entry.

Fast Internet

We added DSL to our internet service tonight. Now that I have it I can't think of anything I'm in a hurry to know. Olivia is asleep on the air bed. She had a hard time going to sleep, I guess she her nap a little too late. She watched a Sesame Street video twice before she fell asleep. I'm cold so guess I will freeze to death when it really gets cold.

Susan says the girls had good days at school. Leah didn't get time-out. At 17 months old I wonder how much good it can do. But guess it can't hurt.

I must get things ready to go to Biloxi. Hopefully the weather will be warm and dry. No idea what clothes to take. I need to take several books. I don't want to be caught with a little time and nothing to read.

The flowers at the edge of Mama's garden still look fresh and new. She tells me about the flowers that grew there when she was a little girl. Peonies, lilac bushes, she says any flowers grew if Muddy threw them on the ground. She takes after her mother, though, the seeds die before they hit the ground. I can make things grow if I try. I haven't touched a flower or herb for 2 years. Maybe next spring the garden bug will bite me. I can remember peonies growing in our yard when I was little. But Daddy kept mowing them down. Usually just as they were about to bloom. Easter flowers were everywhere but only a few have survived, or have been replanted.

The hour is getting late and I need to read.

Fat Ankle

I have swollen ankles, especially the left one. I may have to drag out the old crutch. I substituted in the 4th grade today so didn't sit down at all except for lunch. I had a good day, the kids were great. I need to sink into a book. I think I want to read The Egyptologist. I saw a signed arc on amazon so may order it later. No babies tonight but Olivia will be here tomorrow. I'll miss Kristin, Elizabeth, and Leah since they have been here the last 2 weekends. I like to have them all together. Next weekend is my class reunion and the next weekend we go to Biloxi. I hope I find a signed book by Eudora Welty. I've been thinking about my I Am From poem and think I might write one that tells about me now or at least as an adult. But it might be too sad. I'm studying on it. I need to work on pictures. But too tired tonight. If I had a cold bowl I would eat some multi grain cherrios. I don't like cereal in a warm bowl. I misspelled warm as worm. A worm bowl, that is an idea. Off to read.  

Can't sleep

Can't sleep tonight and I have to be up and out the door in the morning to teach 4th grade. Today I was a substitute special ed teacher. It seems the house is too quiet. No babies sleeping beside me. Can't seem to settle on what to read. I need a serious book store visit, I guess. I could just stack the books I have here that are unread and pretend I am in a bookstore. I could pay with shekels like Kristin and Elizabeth use when they play bookstore. Maybe poems would calm me, maybe I should write one. Some thoughts:

unable to sleep

stretched arteries

clots of blood

that pain in my chest

shhhhh

shade trees

lop-sided failing to shelter/shield

letting in unwanted spirits

fear

shhhhh

'night

No need for fear. Sleep now.

Arthur Dalton House

Robert Altoona

Today and yesterday Mama and I were able to spend time with our long time friend, Bob. John Michael left us his jeep on Monday and we made a trek on White Rd. to see the remains of the Arthur Dalton house. Turning the motor off we were able to listen to nothing but quiet. No phones, no tv, no motors. It didn't last long since we all three tend to talk at the same time. The Dalton house is in ruins, the roof falling in, the walls buckling. Enough of the house is left to let us know how wonderful it once was. In places daylight can be seen straight through from back to front and from side to side. When the leaves have fallen the house will be more visible from the front. The trees hide most of that part of the house. It's impossible to know if the house had a front porch. I would guess that it did, with posts holding up the overhang, shading the Daltons on hot summer afternoons. Arthur's wife was named Susannah, Susannah Dalton, I like the name. A good name for a story. White Rd. passes the Dalton house to dead end at a sewage treatment facility. Turning around and driving back toward the highway we were able to see the sunlight filtering through the trees on both sides of the road. Gullies go up and down the hillsides filled with rocks smoothed by heavy downpours.

Bob will be returning to Iowa in the morning and it will probably be months before he is back. Mama and I look forward to his visits and lament his leaving. Today we laughed about the silly things we used to do. They used to pick me up at school , blindfold me, and make me guess where they were takingme. I could never guess, but the destination was always unusual. It seems like things aren't so carefree anymore. And I'm sure it wasn't that carefree for them then. I had stresses then too but I mostly remember the fun we had traveling over country roads in Bob's silver Comet. Not long after he got it I threw gum out the window where it stuck and strung all over the car when I rolled down the window to get it. He probably snashes his teeth to this day but he didn't say a word.

Some of the best things I know were learned from Bob during the time he stayed at our house. The recordings of Broadway musicals that he left with me when he moved away are still part of my collection of my favortie music. Some of the funniest things happened when Bob was around and also some of the saddest things I ever heard were told by him. Even now he has the ability to make me laugh and cry, sometimes at the same time.

He called me Little Sister when he stayed with us and I sometimes I still sign e-mails to him with it. He's a good big brother.

Olivia is sleeping in the living room. I'll take her upstairs later. She may have to sleep a bit with her Da-da before she can settle in on her bed next to mine.

I don't know what I want to read. I've looked at books tonight and can't seem to zero in on anything. I'm sure that will change before I go to bed, I have to read before sleep.

It's just days now until we go to Biloxi. I'll have to think about clothes and more importantly, what books I want to take. My goal in Biloxi is to buy a book signed by Eudora Welty. Surely I can find one.