#uncoffeed...

The sky this morning is pale ocean blue - dull and thick with the water that lingers on the edge of a coastal storm. I'm 3.5 hours inland but the residuals of hurricanes are far-reaching. I made coffee last night, because I'm gross and like it room temperature and also like to grab it when I first wake up at dawn's early crack so I can coffee nap. Yes, this really works . Hurricane Florence is pummeling the Carolinas; Abby the Cockatiel and I watched CBS coverage for a few hours yesterday. Most of the interviewed voices reiterated that they felt lucky and ready to get back to work; I heard someone say the one thing they would like donated is cleaning supplies. My heart gets happy to hear a pragmatic person speaking to the world. I started watching a TV show called The First , starring Sean Penn (Abby didn't seem interested.) It's set in New Orleans, a city that will always hold a piece of my heart and soul. The city itself is a cliché for something that cann...

I have lived in a lot of the United States.  In fact, it wasn't until this decade that I learned how to go on vacation and come home again, instead of just moving to the place I wanted to see. I can apparently blame this on my Scots-Irish heritage.  I once planned a vacation to visit cities on I-10: Houston, New Orleans, Mobile. I'd lived in these cities during my youthful wanderings and I wanted to show my husband some of my history. I also wanted to see them again as a tourist who could afford the nice restaurants, instead of a single mom who could barely pay the bills. The trip was successful in the latter regard, and in the end I felt awesome. I was able to figure out which of my feelings were based on my experience in that city, which were based on friends who may or may not still be there, and which were for the city itself. I still go back to NO whenever I can - it's a Restore Point for the culture that is important to me: art, music, banging cuisine. Rich m...