QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS

Heya! I've been retired for almost 2 months now and I must say that the whole thing is pretty easy to get used to. Yet I am in a quandry. I have contacted the BIG boss at my old office and told him that I would like to return to work for 3 days a week. I'm hoping that it will be enough, if I bank all the money I earn, to visit New Orleans for an extended stay of 3-6 months. However, he called a day or two later to let me know that it may be awhile before budget approval is secured. The problem is that if I can't get my butt to New Orleans by the end of January or so, the whole thing might be a mute point. You see, I need to get back here before the ugly hot/humid weather hits and thusly, hurricane season. I want to be back home by the end of May, probably, so I really need to get back to work soon to save enough money. And so I can leave for NOLA by the end of January. If it all doesn't happen soon enough, I'm thinkin I would still go back, but would have to change the New Orleans plan to a nice vacation somewhere else plan. If that turns out to be the case, I guess I could still visit New Orleans for a week or so now and then. I hate that I don't know how it will turn out. But I'm trying to get rid of any and all control issues (not many but some created out of necessity by working 9 to 5 for almost 35 years), and so I'm trying to become entirely "Go With the Flow". Per usual, I'll keep ya posted.

Now a little info on my second quandry. I'm thinking of adding to the armband tattoo I already have (see photo). Since I am so in LOVE with New Orleans, I am playing with the idea of a Fleur de Lis inserted kind of behind my armband tattoo. I want it to be feminine yet show strength, utilizing shading for depth, etc. Or maybe the whole thing should be in shading to rather signify that New Orleans is always in my thoughts. Or if I was really bold and courageous, I could do a Fleur de lis on the other arm and it could be bursting out of my skin. Obviously to signify that NOLA has gotten under my skin.

hmmmm........the photos I've included are examples of Fleur de lis' that I've stolen off the net.
I would combine these into a single tattoo.

If I actually end up doing this, I will do a post to my blog with the final art. I'm not going to do it unless I am TOTALLY excited by the artists design. Saturday we tooled around Midtown while Larisa's brother, Steve, got a cool tattoo at The Royal Peacock Tattoo Parlor. A guy named Jesse, a friend of Noah's, inked Steve's work. I am going to chat with Jesse sometime in the next few days and see what he can come up with. I will definitely keep ya posted.....well.....until next time......

I'M RETIRED!!!! YAY!!!

Well, hey there! Well, its official.......I am retired!!!!! YAY!!! I retired on my birthday which is in the first part of May. I am trying to decide now is I should go back to work as a sorta consultant on July 1st. I work for the government so its a program called Retired Annuitancy. They pay you your retirement benefit plus when they hire you back, they pay you at an hourly rate equal to your last rate of pay. Does that make sense? I've always wanted some extended time in New Orleans and the only way I can do that is to go back to work for awhile to pay for it. But it sure is fun NOT working. So we will see soon enough what my decision is. I need to let them know by June 15th and that date is quickly approaching.

Speaking of New Orleans, I just got back. I went with Anna and stayed for a week. We stayed in a new (to us) hotel called the Place d' Armes. It was just gorgeous. Old for sure, but clean and great staff. It had several gorgeous courtyards with fountains and pool and lush flora,etc. The room provided all the Frenchquarter charm you could ask for. And the price was VERY reasonable. I definitely will stay there again. This trip was mostly partying and eating. Didn't really do or see any of the extra NOLA stuff. I actually stayed up and out til about 1 or later (2:30 am once!) every night. Guess that proves I can still hang, huh? New Orleans is coming along nicely, albeit slowly. The Quarter and other touristy areas look better and better all the time. The rest of the city still has a long way to go, though. The next big thing for me will be when the St. Charles streetcar is up and running. I'm told that will happen in early 2008. Hopefully, I will be there to see it happen?

Back to my retirement......I have recently found out that I will not get my first check until sometime hopefully later this week. Nice of them to tell me that ahead of time, huh? So I am watching my pennies at the moment.....I paid my mortgage on the first, but very little $ left over so hopefully that check will arrive very soon. I am kinda keeping a low profile, hangin around the house, gardening, cleaning, watching movies......just trying not to spend money. It still beats working, tho!!! HA!!!! Until next time.......