Live via the free wifi in the Eastern Iowa airport, I’m waiting for my 6am flight to Dallas and then on to NOLA! I got most of my pre-trip chores done at my apartment, but this beginnings of a cold or some other illness made it difficult. I managed to get to bed at 10pm, but then I woke up coughing for an hour, followed by waking up for an hour thinking of things I had forgotten to pack. The only thing that merited me getting out of bed to pack it was my Arthur Hardy’s Mardi Gras guide. My alarm went off way too early at 3:30am. Thank goodness for my crazy loud old-fashioned clangy alarm clock.

The PA system just announced that my flight is looking for a volunteer to switch flights. While I’d love that $200 travel voucher, I want to get to NOLA when Tracy and the Mulvey’s do. Hopefully I won’t get bumped. My previous flight option didn’t have me getting into NOLA until 5pm. 12 hours of traveling? Um, no.

Happily, I was able to check my big bag for free. I could’ve checked 2 bags free since I booked my original ticket so long ago. That will be handy for coming back. 50 pounds of beads checked free? Yes, please.

I want to get there, have some lunch, go to Napoleon House for a Pimm’s Cup, then have some tasty dinner, then call it a night. I need one night of decent sleep. Thankfully there aren’t parades until Thursday.

Many thanks to Sara for getting up super early to bring me to the airport. You rock, Sara!

NOLA, here I come!

I’ll be in New Orleans 49 days from today. I can’t wait!!
After way too much Christmas sale shopping (75% off at Target!), I came home to find a box outside my apartment door. Imagine my delight when I opened it and found this:

Mini King Cakes from Randazzo’s Camellia City Bakery. A post-Christmas, pre-Mardi Gras gift from Lisa. Thank you!!

A close-up:

So tasty!!!