Weekend Plans

Friday night: Celebrate the TGIF with a few St. Pauli Girls ~ a departure from my usual local fave, Abita, but hey -- it's OKTOBERFEST season!

Saturday morning: Take the boys and friend to see the new C-47 plane at the National World War II Museum. They are all excited.

Saturday evening: CHICKEN DANCE at the newly redone, renewed, rebuilt, recovered Deutsches Haus during their annual Oktoberfest. Dancing enhanced with some delectible German beers, schnapps, and wursts and kraut.

Zum Gemütlichtkeit!

Mighty Mississippi

She flows past us, from way up Minnesota, to half a block from our home, and out into the Gulf. Longest river in the USA, fourth longest in the world. The nearby levees make a nice walk for us. I imagine they are as steady, and strong as they appear.

Owen makes mental notes about the ships' names, and we try to look them up to find out where they are registered or where they are coming from. Of course, it can't compete with running up and down the grassy slope.

Naming Children ~ by Gina

~ An oldie from my archives . . .

It seems I have inadvertently named my children after my DOGS!
November 13 2004 at 5:34 PM

And this only just NOW dawns on me . . .We were outside feeding the rest of my birthday cake to the puppies and I accidentally called Heidi "Hayden" when it occurred to me just HOW close their names are.

Our other dog is "Otto" . . .

Heidi ~ Hayden

Otto ~ Owen

And this just NOW dawns on me!

Congratulations Anne & Kevin!

Happy Birthday Lily Margaret!

Who Dat? Who DAT!

You don't even have to be a Saints fan, or even understand football, to appreciate the BIG GAME on Monday evening. There are many other reasons to cheer for team that proudly wears the fleur-de-lis. It's our first event in the "Superbone" (as my 3-y/o refers to it) since Katrina.


Less than a year ago, owner - Tom Benson, threatened to move the team outside of the city, citing lack of economic viability to support an NFL team. What a stunning and wonderous surprise to us all, that season ticket sales are, in fact - record breaking.

We are here! We are here! We are here!

It's a HUGE media deal. The half-time show will nearly rival a Superbowl show -- with U2 and Green Day marking the event. Vince Grzegorek of Sports Central writes:

"The New Orleans Saints represent something to the city, a rallying point, a common cause, an escape from the devastation of Katrina, a sense of community, and a commitment to the city."

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SAINTS!

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO N'AWLINS!

The Haunting

If you know anyone who survived something just tremendous, like the Great Depression, or a war ~ then you know how they continually reminisce about those times and seem to relive them over and over again. Every little event seems to remind them of what they experienced.

So here I am, having just put out our Halloween lit-up-skulls-on-spikes and totally reliving where we were last year at this time. You know - if you search this blog for "skulls" you'll get, well - THIS post, and last year's where I wondered about the appropriateness of our Halloween display immediately following the storm. In the end, we decided to put them up because the boys love them, and any form of NORMAL would have been super.

So here I am, a year later. Skulls on spikes in flower bed, and totally recalling the days' decisions - when would be a good time to return to New Orleans? That we started out only to hear that we'd be evacuated for Rita, and nearly lost the dogs along the way. Remembering lining up every day for MRE's and ice and water, collecting canned goods that you'd never imagine existed (you know -that stuff you donate to the canned food drives, that looked so interesting in the grocery - stuff we still have a year later, like canned dried peas or liquid cereal - I am NOT kidding) ~ having to show an ID to cross the Parish line. Smelly refrigerators, mile-high piles of debris . . . (wait . . . some of that is still here . . .)

I don't think any of it will ever leave me. I am satisfied with that, really.

Marni ~ a Hebrew name meaning REJOICE!

Courage doesn't hide in caves.

~from a 9-11 poem ~ author unknown

2,996 is a tribute to the victims of 9/11.

On September 11, 2006, 2,996 volunteer bloggers
will join together for a tribute to the victims of 9/11.
Each person will pay tribute to a single victim.

We will honor them by remembering their lives,
and not by remembering their murderers.


Remember September 11, 2001

I am priveleged to honor Marni Pont O'Doherty




"My love and prayers to everyone and to Marni O'Doherty and her family."

Rick Springfield

So . . . I've started to write this tribute to Marni many times, and each time I start to list all the things I discovered about this remarkable young woman.

But I wanted to make this tribute more than just my list from google, and the New York Times employs far better writers than me! So here is what they wrote in tribute to Marni:

Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on October 27, 2001.

"Marni Pont O'Doherty was so focused that while she was still in college, she opened accounts to pay for her wedding and to buy a car with cash, even though she had neither a boyfriend nor a job at the time.

At 31, Ms. O'Doherty was the optimistic baby in a family of three children. She indeed married (outside, in an off-the-shoulder gown on an unseasonably cold fall day) and landed a fabulous job. She was a senior vice president at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods.

She had her silly side, too, and was always the one with the funny story, said her brother and sister, Steven and Stefanie Pont. Their younger sister threw herself into a series of hobbies, from needlepoint to painting to gardening, and delighted in researching amusing information and e-mailing her findings. "From the time she was 2 and learned to talk, she never shut up," Mr. Pont said. "Personally or professionally, she'd tell you every single thing. She always made it interesting."

__________________________________________

Moreover, I discovered that Marni was an avid reader, and a huge fan of Rick Springfield. She participated on an internet fan-site - where she was admired for her clever wit, and now very missed. Rick mentions his Number-One Fan at every concert he plays, now - and even dedicated two songs to Marni, including her favorite one: Soul to Soul.

Marni was a beloved wife, a adored daughter, a cherished sister, and admired friend. Her personality shines in her beautiful smile.

I have appreciated getting to know Marni. My heartfelt condolences to those who feel the void of her loss in their lives. I feel her loss now, too. I think of Marni often, when I hold my own children, and tears well up for her. Thank you for letting me share what I've come to know about her, and to REJOICE for Marni's precious life ~ over way too soon.

From Marni's Corner @ Ricktopia

In Memory Of
Marni Pont O'Doherty
1970 - 2001
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I usually don't forward on these things, but I found myself agreeing with a lot of this, so, at the very least, I thought I'd pass along some good fortune cookie advice:

-- Marni"

Words From The Dalai Lama

Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
Follow the three Rs: Respect for self, Respect for others, Responsibility for all your actions.
Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
Spend some time alone every day.
Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.
Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.
A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.
Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.
Be gentle with the earth.
Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.