Saying Goodbye

So...I'm not really into spreading Debbie Downer-ness, but I feel the need to blog about this.

At this current moment in my life, my grandmother (my favorite person on the planet) is dying of cancer (she was diagnosed, finally, in January and it has been a long, painful goodbye since then).  She is nearing the end this week just in time for Easter (which is sort of ironic, but incredibly sad at the same time).  Easter is such a time for renewal and rebirth, and my grandmother is reaching the end of her life here on Earth.  However, I try to find comfort in the fact that her soul will have a new life in Heaven with my grandfather, her brothers who have long since passed and her father who passed away when she was in her teens.  (All of this is my Catholicism coming out in me.  It brings me comfort in this otherwise incredibly shitty time in my life.)

I don't know how to prepare this for.  I don't think you really can.  Earlier tonight, I put together something together that I want to say at her funeral that is being planned tomorrow even though she hasn't died because it is that immeninent according to everyone who knows anything about medicine, etc.  I guess realisticly I know this too, but it's so hard to imagine my grandmother, my sweet Shirley, not being in my life anymore.

I used to call her almost everyday on my way to work to check in with her.  I am truly her granddaughter.  She has no patience (hello me), she is an AVID Saints fan, she is very critical and worries about everyone (I don't have that too much yet, however, it's coming more and more as I get older).

Saying goodbye is never easy, but I feel like I am having an especially hard time with this situation.  Again don't mean to go back to my Debbie Downer-ness, but I just wish I someone's chest to cry on.  I feel like I can lean on my friends, somewhat, but I also feel ridiculous but they all have their "someone" that they turn to in times like these, so I can't really get in the way of that/don't want to.  Hello awkward.  I'm hoping the combo of my grandma and grandfather, up in heaven, looking over me will help bring some success in the man department.  (I realize that I haven't posted about my breakup which happened since the last post - that will be for another day).

Anyway, I just wanted to say, once again (I've said it a lot to my friends), that the long goodbye absolutely SUCKS.  There's no other way to describe it.  The only things that seem to help are trying to be a good daughter (my poor mom has been playing nurse to my grandmother this entire time - she deserves a medal or ridiculously fabulous vacation or all of the above), my friends that keep me laughing and pinto grigio....

Below are some pictures of me and my Shirley over the past couple of years.  Our relationship has definitely grown during my 4 years of living in Nola.

My 26th bday dinner at Bayona last year.  Last bday Shirley will be here to celebrate :(

I was her plus one to a wedding in Nola  a few years ago.  We had a great time.  She was a great date :)

Ultimate moral of this post - cherish your grandparents and spend as much time as you can with them.  They will never be around as long as you want them to be.  

I will forever love and miss Shirley!!

Cheers!

Christine 

Men...

I realize I haven't done this blog thing in a while, but maybe one day, I'll get into doing a weekly post, but for now, it is what it is.

So...as most of you know, my history with men is, let's just say, lacking at best, minus a few random hookups that never lead to anything except either heartache (one in particular...) or nothing at all.  Now, minus the heartache, I'm fine with nothing developing with those other random individuals.  I'll chalk those up to life experiences or just drunk nights at the Goldmine... Whoops...

Anyway, I'm now, shockingly, kind of in a relationship.  Of course, his stats, etc. do not meet my mother's criteria of prince charming on a white horse that is supposed to come sweep me off my feet, marry me and have beautiful children with me (her grandchildren that she's wanted since I could birth children, let's be honest), but nonetheless, I'm happy-ish.  However, there are still things I'm trying to figure out.  Like:

1) When are you supposed to wear "cute" things to bed?  I mean, I have shorts, etc., but you know what I mean.  I don't exactly own things in that department.  Shocking - I know.

2) When the hell can you get mad about lack of communication?  And when I mean lack of communication, I'm not talking about not tell me about his feelings, etc., I'm literally just talking about communication.  My man friend at the current moment sometimes fall off the planet on the weekends and then re-surfaces on Sunday nights.  Now, grant it, I know when he's with his daughter (sorry Mom, he has a child and not just a child, a teenager...) or whatever the hell he's up to for the weekend, but I guess since he knows I know his plans, he doesn't not feel the need to communicate.  Let me just say - it makes me nuts!!

3) I feel like I'm supposed to buy said man friend a Christmas present, but what's the appropriate amount to spend?  It isn't like I'm rolling in money (thanks student loans), and I have no clue if/what he might be getting me for Christmas.  The one thing I thought about getting him, after doing some googling, he isn't getting.  The damn thing costs around $400.  I can tell you one thing - we aren't at that level at all.  There would need to be a significant diamond on my finger for me to spend that much on one person's Christmas present, minus the rents and my awesome grandmother.

So...those are a few things I'm currently trying to figure out at the moment - MEN.  However, as some of you married folks might atest, I feel like I'll always be trying to figure men out.  I just hope I get to the point and just trying to figure one out.  I'm not cut out for this dating shit.  It makes me nuts.  I realize we all have to go through it, etc., etc., but I'm just not normal in any capacity when it comes to men or other things in life, so I just need something to work itself and I can be done and my mother (yes, this matters to me, even though, ultimately it shouldn't) is happy too.

Until next time...Cheers and Who Dat?!?!

Who Dat Party!

So....this is one topic of life that I have figured out.  How to throw a proper Saints viewing party.  Unfortunately, last week the Saints forgot to win the game to add the perfect ending to a good night of football, food and friends.  They better like look like getting it together this weekend when they come home to play their first home game against the Bears.

The year the Saints won the Super Bowl (woooo hoooo!!!, never thought I would say that) I started a little tradition.  I make jambalaya, Emeril's recipe doctored by me (I use some excellent andouille sausage recommended to me by an old black man who works at Rouses who knew his shit about sausage and some shrimp, I do not use chicken because I avoid touching raw chicken as often as humanly possible)

Side note about chicken - I like chicken just fine, but seriously, I can't stand to touch it raw.  So, if you come to my house to eat, don't ever expect to have chicken unless I purchased it at Popeye's along with the best tasting biscuits on the planet.

Ok, back to my tradition.  I make jambalaya and have people over.  The tradition worked for every game during the Saints super bowl run, so I thought I would get back to business and bring back the tradition this year.  So far, it hasn't worked :(  Damn it!  Anyway, below are pics from the party.

Delicious Jambalaya!!

Party Spread - festive table cloths courtesy of Cher (my mother, for those who might not know - although, I'm pretty sure no one is reading this that doesn't know me)  Also, thanks to Megan for the salad, Debbie for the chips and dip and Perrine for the ridiculously good Bee Sweet Cupcakes! (yum!!!)

Me and Mr. Cooper who helped himself onto the couch (Don't judge, but Mr. Cooper had to be sedated for that evening because the dog is more into football than me, if that's possible), so he was even more needy than usual.  I think I might try a little less sedative the next time I have a football party.  However, this will not be a weekly occurrence because of the need to sedate Mr. Cooper...

Anyway, this is one topic of life I've figured out.  However, no worries friends, I have plenty of areas of life that I haven't even remotely begun to figure out, so more postings to come.  Men and my bizarre dating life will be the topic of the next post.  I know there is some interest in this topic because I don't exactly have a normal track record with men or dating.  No idea why, but whatev, I'll get my shit together at some point.

Until next time...WHO DAT?!?!?!

Weekend Recap

This past weekend was so much fun. The highlight was definitely Saturday night.  Another one of my grad school friends is departing Nola, this time for NYC.  There aren't too many of us left in this city anymore, but it's forcing me to get out of my comfort zone and try to make new friends and get involved in this city I love so much.  Still trying to figure out how to do that successfully...

To celebrate my friend's going away, we all gather at the Davenport Lounge at the Ritz.  That was my first time there, even though I've been trying to get there for the past 3 years, sad...  Well, I'm so glad I went, and I will definitely be going back.  I LOVE, LOVE to dance to an almost ridiculous degree and I have no skills and the more adult beverages I consume the less I care about what I look like or how many people are actually on the dance floor with me.  (Note to self, you didn't over indulge Saturday night, still managed to dance and not make an ass of yourself.  Remember this for future wedding receptions and various other functions)

On Sunday I took at trip to my grandmother's house, and I always bring my dog, Mr. Cooper, with me.  Apparently he has a rough life and wants to escape.  My grandmother and I decided to take a random trip to Lowe's, but in the process of getting out the door, Cooper escaped!  He took off down the street (thankfully at least, away from the main street, but unfortunately toward the woods) and of course, would not listen to me when I was yelling at him to stop, sit, come back, etc.  Awesome, here I am sprinting through a 55 year old and older community, running through people's yards screaming after my dog in 115 degree heat and oh and when I finally do catch up with Cooper, he doesn't have a collar on and I don't have a leash...  So, needless to say, he got away again.  This time on his run back toward the busy street and my grandmother's house, he decided to say hello to a lady and her two dogs while she was unloading her groceries. Thankfully, the lady was a dog person and offered to keep Cooper in her house while I ran back to my grandmother's to get his freakin' harness and leash.  (Note to self, the dog needs to wear a collar at all times, regardless of what the damn groomer said - the groomer who made your dog go from cute sheep dog to questionable gay fairy dog)  Pictures below.  So...my Sunday afternoon was slightly eventful, but all is well now and Cooper will now have a collar on at all times.

Pre-Groomer

Post Groomer...

Mr. Cooper's hair has quickly started to grow back, thank god, but he will not be visiting that particular groomer again...

Literally...Still Figuring It Out

        So...this is my first blog post.  I don't really know what I'm doing, but I want to learn.  My friend is going to give me some tips tonight hopefully at happy hour.  We're going to have beverages at Oak.  One of my favorite bars in Nola.  It's definitely not a typical Nola bar.  Everything is white on the inside, chic, etc.  Not exactly what you think of when you think of Nola.  However, it's a good atmosphere (they generally have some live music) and the drinks are very reasonably priced.  It's a wine bar, but I rarely get wine.  Wine and I, unfortunately, have developed an unfriendly relationship over the last few years.  It's truly unfortunate because I used to put it away like a champion in college, but oh college days...  Can't drink like that anymore/don't need to drink like that anymore.

Here's a pic of my friends and I at Oak on NYE 2010/2011

Clearly we're all sober...

Well, that's it for my first post.  I really just wanted to see what it would look like on the blog.