Day Trip

Eric and I are going to Texarkana today. We had great intentions of getting up early this morning and getting on the road before 7pm. BUT, kids will change your plans. Last night we had a make-up softball game at 6:30. The game was close and went into overtime. Elizabeth's team lost to the number one team, but we ALMOST beat them. Well, when we were done, the coach informed us that we had another make-up game at 9pm. Glad it's summer time. We didn't get home until 10:30 and the girls were N-ASTY, so we had to have baths also. I put them in their PJ's after their bath, and they went straight to sleep.

We are going to Texarkana today to pick up more bible school supplies. My friend, Kerri, and I went last week, and of course I didn't have all I needed, so back I go. Eric is going along for this trip. We took the girls to MawMaw Shirley's this morning, straight out of bed!! I stopped in to see a patient on the way, and then we were off. We have stopped at Arkadelphia for a big breakfast We are stuffed! I had french toast topped with blackberry topping and whipped cream with a side of eggs and bacon. Yummy. Eric had eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy, and grits. He also is stuffed. We had a fabulous waitress, probably in her early twenties - there is hope for America. Just had to mention that, because good service is hard to find. We tipped her well.

We are also going to try to run a few errands and get some groceries when we get back to town. I have a baby shower at my house tomorrow for an old friend. We usually have these things at the church, but the church is bible school central , so I have volunteered to have it at my house. The cleaning fairy came yesterday and so the house looks nice and sparkly. I have high hopes that we can keep it that way until tomorrow.

Headed home.......

Yesterday we fulfilled our duties of our mini-vacation.....ate, slept, ate,slept. Well, not exactly. After a fine breakfast, we went shopping in downtown Nachitoches. Lots of little shops for women mostly. There was two shops Eric enjoyed. The first was the Mercantile store, reminded me a lot of the old Sheridan Hardware. They sold everything and anything you could need and even had an original 1917? cash register that they still checked our customers on. And the second store he liked was a cooking store. Yep, my husband! Well they had a lot of samples of the food they sold in the store and the "sales pitch" of samples worked. We contributed to the local economy. I also found a book in the local bookstore to buy and after shopping, we went back to our room and enjoyed a lunchtime nap.

When we woke, we had the munchies and the need to do something. We decided to walk back downtown and take a horse carriage tour of the town. We found some of the best pork cracklins to take on our tour. The tour guide was a young man, I would guess he was a teenager, but anyway, he loved history and was a great tour guide. He also pointed out some great places from Steele Magnolia's. After our tour, we found a street bench to sit and people watch until supper. We chose a local downtown restaurant, specializing in creole dishes. The restaurant was a little old and could use some fixing up, but the main course was really good. Eric had a gulf shrimp dish with a crap, lobster and shrimp sauce. I had grilled catfish on a bed of dirty rice and topped with a spicy crawfish sauce. We were successfully stuffed again. We walked back to our room, read and watched TV for the weather back home, then went and got ice cream at Sonic. Yeah, had to help the sweet tooth out.

This morning we had another wonderful breakfast. First course was a yogurt parfait with granola, banana's and strawberries. The second course was what our hostess called a pancake. I just called it cake. It was blueberry pancake that had pecans and Reese's morsel cooked in the bottom, topped with fresh whip cream, strawberries and bananas. Link sausage and grapes were on the side. It was very yummy. I love fancy breakfast.

We then packed up and headed out the door. Our tour guide from yesterday recommended that we visit Fort St. Jean Baptiste, where his dad worked. Sure enough, his dad was our tour guide today. The fort is a reconstruction based on historical records. I'm sure on busier days they do more re-enactments, but today was a slow day, which just meant more one-on-one time with our tour guide. By the way, dad told us today that he was a single dad. Nathan's mom had died about 9 years ago, and he had raised him on his own since then. He did a good job.

After touring the fort, Tommy recommended we go see some of the plantations. Eric was itching to head home, but once Tommy told us that one of the plantations was where part of "The Horse Soldiers" was filmed (starring JOHN WAYNE). It didn't take much to talk him into going then. Oakland Plantation was originally started around the late 1700's, was owned by the same family until 1989 and is now owned by National Park Service. What I enjoyed a lot about this home, was that the NPS has not restored everything back to the 1800's when the house was built, but kept much of the furniture the same because the family did live in the house until 1989. Of course the newest furniture is from the 50's and the ranger said the family were great pack rats, so it made it easier for the NPS.

Now we are headed home and should be home around 6 or 7. It has been a great weekend, but I can't wait to see my kids. See ya next vaca.

Natchitoches

I hope I spelled it right. Eric and I found good bar b q in Ruston yesterday. That was the beginning of our Louisianna food tour. What did we do before the Internet and GPS. Right before lunch, my cell phone's battery went dead, which has my GPS on it. We had my laptop looking for a place to eat, and had to use mapquest to get directions. A few years ago, we would have been stuck with McDonald's or Pizza hut on the main drag. We ate at Dowling's. It was a small bar b q joint and it was good, well, very good. Eric had the ribs and I had the brisket with bake beans and potato salad. Then it was on down the road to our final destination. We are staying at the Queen Ann Bed and Breakfast. We found this place on the Internet. I had heard about Nachitoches from the lady that "cuts" Eric's hair. This is the town where Steel Magnolia's was filmed. It's suppose to be the oldest town in Louisiana. The main street faces the Cane River (where they had the Easter egg hunt in Steel Magnolia's). It is paved in brick. Our B&B is nice. It was a little surprising that our room has large sliding doors right beside the parlor and front door. We were a little concerned at first about the privacy and when we opened the doors this morning to go to breakfast, we were greeted by the rest of the residents. Good Morning ! It hasn't been that bad though. We are the youngest here, and the rest of the residence are from Louisiana. One with a strong New Orleans accent. Our bed is very comfortable and I slept well last night. One problem around here is noise. OMG!! There is train you get use to, but the siren's from ambulance and police are terrible. This town is busier than I thought it would be and Front Street, where all the nice shops are, is very busy with local traffic. I haven't figured that one out yet. Also, last night when I laid down to sleep, I said out loud "I wonder what that door goes to." It's a locked door with a window pain above the door (I love it - very antique!). I found out this morning at 6:50 it leads to the kitchen. O well, I needed to get up anyway. Breakfast was served at 8:30. Bread pudding, breakfast casserole, sour cream grits and biscuit, and orange cranberry juice. It was very delicious and we had good company.
Oh yeah, and last night for supper we ate at a local place called Momma's Oyster Bar. We had oysters on the half shell, shrimp and crawfish. It was VERY good. We were able to walk there from our B&B and the local homes have really nice flower gardens. I could eat there again tonight, but maybe we will try something new. I am trying to get Eric to go to the Green Market right now, but naps are calling his name. May have to venture out on my own.

April Showers Bring May Flowers

A road trip is on our agenda today and this weekend. Eric and I have left the kids with the wonderful grandparents this weekend for a "duck season is over and I love you for not killing me through 60 days+ of duck season" trip. He surprised me late February with reservations to a bed and breakfast in Natchitoches, LA. Natchitoches is suppose to be the oldest town in Louisiana. We are on an adventure to find seafood and crawdads. Our plans are to nap, read, and eat. Rain is trying to dampen our spirits, but who cares - we are just gonna spend a great weekend together and not let the weather get us down. I hope to also find a few antique flea markets. I am looking for a biscuit cutter - the kind with a wooden handle and metal bottom. My mom has one, and I need one. I don't make biscuits much, but when I do, I always have to look for something strange to cut the biscuits. Also I am hoping to see some pretty azaleas this weekend. It may be a little too late though, because they are starting to grow old around home. So anyway, 150 miles to go according to the GPS. I think I may have to talk Eric into lunch soon. Maybe in ElDorada. Ive always wanted to stop there.