All that Jazz

Another week of goins on goin on! Barb was off to the clubhouse to do be crafty while I hung out at the rig keeping busy with stuff. I finally started working on the rocking chair that I brought down to learn a new caning pattern. At first glance, I didn’t think it needed a lot of sanding etc to splash a coat or two of varnish on it but upon closer inspection, it need a great deal more attention so the sanding has begun and it’s coming along nicely.

On Friday, we lunched out at the LA BBQ with new friends from ERPU row and met up with another couple of SKPs and had a fun time – what can go wrong, good food and good company always equals a good time.

While Barb was off being crafty, I wired an outlet on the outside of the shed. It wasn’t a big job; I just had to add onto the existing system but again, a little more difficult than first thought. The previous tenants used # 10 wire – a little big for standard outlets, the ground wire was being difficult and wouldn’t stay snug under the ground screw.

Sunday, we tried to upgrade our satellite TV system to HD. I was given an oval dish from a friend back home but it would not capture the signal at all. I tried using our existing dish but could only get a weak signal. After trying a few different permutations, we decided that the plastic LNB holder was not the correct one for our set up and we’ll have to wait for this upgrade until we return back home.

Tuesday was dinner at the clubhouse and free entertainment after. Chuck Stevens sang lots of tunes and sounded like ‘ole Blue Eyes’, Manilow, a little of Willie Nelson and James Taylor. It was very well done and again, a fun time.

Wednesday was the bus trip to the Crescent City, the home of jazz, Creole food, beignets and Mardis Gras – New Orleans. We had a great time, even though it was about our forth time there, there is always something new to see. We left very early – we had to meet at the clubhouse at 6:30AM – I didn’t know clocks had those numbers on them! We arrive in ‘Nawlins’ around 11 and a group of us head out as if we know where we’re going. The first stop was to pick up a muffuletta at the Central Grocery – it was advised we get it early as it is a popular sandwich and could be out if we waited for lunch. Of course, I can eat – after all, we had breakfast at 6AM!

Our next stop was to browse through the French Market . It is a street flea market with lots of stuff, crafts, jewelry and of course, food stops. Walking through the Market, we end up on Barracks Street and turn toward Bourbon Street, the heart of the French Quarter. The architecture is like nowhere else, almost every building fronting on Bourbon Street, has a balcony edged with wrought iron railing. Not sure on how truthful this fact is but these apartments on Bourbon Street rent for as little as $900/week – yikes!

I can't walk and chew gum yet this guy plays 2-3 instruments

Lorna, Barb, Barb, Dan, Gloria, Skip & Ed

One of our group has difficulty walking so it was time for a break and where best but a jazz bar. It must be the time of the year as there was no live entertainment but the bar keep turned on a stereo system to keep us amused – we were the only patrons there. From here, we continued on to Toulouse and turned south toward Jackson Square. We came upon a group of street buskers playing unusual instruments – upside down washtub, a washboard, a suitcase as a drum, the drummer stepped on a ‘hotel desk’ bell as well the conventional string instruments. It was very entertaining and an abstract from the day. We picked up another couple of our travelers at Jackson Square and then headed over to the Café Du Monde for a chicory coffee and beignets – a must stop for anyone coming to New Orleans. On the way, we ‘played’ with a mime, dressed as a cowboy. He wanted a kiss from the girls and to shoot off the private parts of the guys. Our next stop was on the tram and to look over the Mississippi and ‘watch the world go by’. Soon, we were loading back on the buses and on our way back to the Plantation. It was a great day.

We have long time RVing buds in Winnipeg that we email often and had not heard from them in awhile so was sort of thinking maybe they just might come down this way this winter. Well, to our surprise they dropped over for a visit on Sunday and we had a great time with catch up chat and stories. Of course, being Sunday, I’ll stop here as we go to the ice cream social. Hope all is well where you are…..