Bon Voyage/Bienvenue

                       My friends and family know how to do it up right! After a hellatious week of meetings, classes, trip preparation, and then a Sammie cat who refused to travel on the very early morning of departure ...wine, nibbles, and grand people on both ends of my journey was just what the doctor ordered. I'd streetcar-ed down to Canal Street in all directions to pick up the rental car at Budget. The cell phone went off while I was driving down Canal on my way to the post office to pay bills before leaving. I waited to call back till I got to the post office lot...it was Eric. I needed no encouragement to head over for a glass of wine (that Eric milked from the bag with great expertise), Louie boy kisses, and a card for Mom and Dad's anniversary. I don't know what got into me, tired, overwhelmed, bordering on weary...I raised my glass to say "Cheers" and said "Chips" instead. We roared, et voila...corn chips and pineapple salsa appeared.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   The almost 700 mile journey became more stressful before I even left Columbus Street. (That's a Sammie cat story all its own for another time.) Forcing me to leave later than usual, I then had a minor issue with this brand new rental car that began at the Missouri border. It niggled at me all the way, with multiple stops to try to call Budget. At many exits all the way up southeast Missouri, there was only emergency cell phone reception. (That too is a story for another time.)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              I made it to Kat and Tom's to pick up the key to 411 an hour behind schedule, but there it was...a sausage and mushroom Imo's pizza (with a side bowl of healthy broccolli) for a little dinner together. By the time I got to Elizabeth it was 6:30, and I knew by then-Michel would be waiting. And he was, with one of the prettiest tables I'd seen in a long time. I'm here. I'm a little more rested. Huge thanks to be friends and family...really-friends who are chosen family in so many ways! Love y'all!