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When B and I finally drove into Milwaukee, I had downed a liter of green tea and I told B that if he didn’t stop the car to let me find a bathroom, there would be blood on my hands – we finally found our destination and while he was putting money in the meter, I scooted ahead, ran into the lobby, and at security while trying to get to the restroom noticed one of my reporters standing there (surprise). I was brief in my hellos as I had a mission – later she sent me this email:

I was impressed by how fast you talked the guards into it. I have seen them refuse to allow people into the building before–even when they had pressing needs. You were very persuasive!

We wound up back here for a little after the street fair entertainment – and I still could not get over how sometimes you’re racing towards where you think you are going, but when you get there it just doesn’t look like what you thought it would…And Neil is singing, “I am, I said, to no one there”…So one gal is down on the couch and me, I’m on the blog, and the rest have entered the ether – but here’s what I have to say – there are people who look like there is a reason to want to delve deeper, but you’re generally turned off when you get through layer number one and realize what is in their head, and then there are those who you desire to know deeper, and you get to one fathom deep, but can’t really tell what is going on because the first layer is polluted with bad habits, mental baggage, false insecurity, guarded appearances, controlling pathologies – you are exhausted just having taken a peek – in the end, it all comes back to whatyagonnado?

Except it’s not easy – I went to Pilates and got kicked out because L forgot to put my name down as a regular on Saturdays. Then went by the LaLa to meet the tile guy because he had questions, but he didn’t show up, so I came home, and right when I walked in S, my contractor, called and said G had told him I was going to be there to meet with him – ack – back to the LaLa.

Then a break – I went and got the J-man and took him to the toy store on Magazine Street to let him pick out his birthday present – which was a high powered Mercedes. I switched cars so I’d have the carseat and L&M ended up meeting me – but they parked Blue on their empty lot across from Whole Food and when I got to it, it had a big fat ticket on it.

Make my way to Lowe’s to look for the pantry doors, clips for the shelves, grout, etc – and that takes forever – finally come home and get a call that the gas range which needs to be in when Pieri comes to measure on Monday is in – so back in the truck and head back to Lowes.

OH MY GOD – does it stop? Is death when it stops? Good lord.

Just got off the phone with G – making a perfect margarita and headed to the streetfair to hear the Stringbeans. A well deserved respite from a Saturday from hell.

There is a thick fog layer blanketing New Orleans creating a surreal atmosphere. There is also a thick fog inside my head as I’m fighting off something that wants to throw me down. I’m hoping for clarity inside and out very soon, but it might take the rest of the day for the air/mind to clear.

Popped into Swirl for the Friday night tasting and Sylvia was pouring the wine – Sylvia with the good hair. And the Roller Derby girls were there selling tickets rolling around on their skates – most of them are very fly. Fatima was in the house, serving pasta from her about to open restaurant La Vita next door. Her husband Bob joined her later – and he was hysterical, talking about how he has become a road maniac since Katrina and so tomorrow was getting up early to drive to Foley for the farmer’s market. La Vita opens next week.

Ham and Teresa came in pumped up from having just been to their house closing on Hagan – their first. They’ll start painting this weekend. They said Cafe Minh had opened in the old Michael’s on Canal – Minh used to have LemonGrass on Carrolton next to Brocatas.

Little Tokyo is staged to open soon in the old Chateaubriand – the sign is up but on the building it has a big Coming Soon notice. Doson, the noodle house, next to Wit’s Inn is open as well and is getting good reviews.

All we need is for the market to be bought and a small grocery to open and our neighborhood will be back better than before.

Peggy had a studio sale of her pottery, so I was the first one there and bought a couple of pieces. What I wanted were pieces of her sculpture, but right now, outside of my price range, considering the LaLa still needs and needs and needs.

For those who don’t know her, she has created pots and dropped them down around the streets signs along the bayou. She’s in the process of doing one for Alcee Fortier park over on Esplanade. What a wonderful gift to us.

So the whole point of Hanukkah is a miracle happened – oil that was supposed to last for one night lasted for eight. I was lighting my menorah tonight and hoping that the money I have for the next month, will last eight months, so I have enough for the LaLa. Miracle thinking.

The shutters are being fitted back on the windows, but a lot of them got hammered with the stripping and so they need to be fitted on the window, then removed and fixed, then stained and varnished, and then put back. You do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around, hey, that’s what it’s all about.

I ran into Giovanni at Whole Foods on Magazine Street – he started to kiss me hello and I sort of reared back. I don’t think I need to be hugging and kissing my tile guy until he finishes the job. He’s actually doing a great job putting the baseboards in, so he deserved, probably, at least a hug.

The cabinets are all pretty much in and Pieri is coming Monday to measure for the slab and thresholds. The only cabinet that still needs work is the pantry, which was left as is and will most likely stay as is, till Ken returns after the New Year.

Brian, the electrician, came by and hung the ceiling fans on the porches and in the spare bedroom. They look great!

Bob came by and removed the glass from the window that was leaking and reglazed and recaulked. Fingers crossed.

Painting continues. Soon I’ll be in the house.

Going to pick up the Bean this morning from the pokey learned that Endymion is riding in MidCity in ’07 despite opposition from the police force and other city officials.

Yee Ha!

Don’t know why when I travel I always gain better insight than when I am sitting at home – but on my little sojourn to the Midwest, I came to some inevitable truths about me – I need behavior modification because my body and mind are so used to thriving on chaos that I can’t sit still – I am desperately seeking stillness – note to self: where can I find stillness? or how do I cultivate stillness?

Touched down to a foggy veil covering New Orleans this evening – today in Milwaukee, the snow was banked up against the streets – it snowed a week ago I think, good grief! – then we were driving back into Chicago, straight into a parking lot of traffic and the air outside was muggy and cold – how is that possible?

Last night walking to the Blackbird for dinner from the Hyatt, Chicago stood out in with its muscular architecture and Michigan Avenue with its holiday lights was in its best form – I passed the corncob buildings designed by Bertrand Goldberg and it made me sad, because I missed seeing my friend Robert as the Milwaukee road trip was a last minute addition to my schedule.

Driving through Wisconsin – B commented on the beauty of the rural landscape, but I was happy to see the familiar terra firma of New Orleans, even if it was obscured by mist.