Penguins: Millicent and Hubie.

Today we went to the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas and went backstage for a meet-and-greet (and hold and hug and ask a bunch of questions and feed - rinse, wash repeat) with our happy neighborhood PENGUINS.  It was such an awesome experience.  This actually surpassed all of my expectations and I would definitely do it again.  Some details:

• The cost is $125.00 per person for non-Audubon members (please keep in mind that this is an additional cost to the general admission ticket).  For Audubon members, the cost is $115.00 per person (general admission is free).  There are NO specially-priced children's tickets.  The cost is the same regardless of age.
• Children under the age of 6 are not permitted.  What it comes down to is that these penguins have been handled by keepers since birth - and the penguins love interacting with humans.  A grabby little toddler or screaming baby might upset the birds and make them aggressive towards humans.  
• Any child/teen under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.  Therefore, parents cannot just pay for the cost of ONE ticket for their child and expect the staff (and other patrons) to watch their kid.  Nope, it's just not happening.
• Make your reservations WAY ahead of time.  I ordered our tickets online (ten days before the date I wanted) and found out that the time and date I wanted were all full.  Since I was able to be flexible, I *did* get my second choice (you are required to pay in full when you reserve) - but next time??  I'll order a minimum of 3 weeks ahead of time.
• And... you get a Penguin Painting to commemorate your day!!

So... here are some of my pictures from the Backstage Penguin experience:

 ^^  This is Millicent.  She's 8 years old and loves people.  The penguins "volunteer" to meet people - not one bird is forced to meet the public.  The keeper will ask "who wants to go out??"  And then picks two of the *volunteers*.  There is always a minimum of four - and then the keeper picks two.  

 ^^  This is Hubie.  She is 19 months old and was born at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas.  She was hand-fed, so she really enjoys human contact.  She was very affectionate, would nuzzle, and had an affinity for sardines.  Her color is not the same as Millicent's because she's so young.  Penguins molt once a year.  So, Hubie will molt one more time and when her new feathers come in, she'll look just like Millicent (but with different markings).  :0))

 ^^  Millicent is waiting for a fish-y treat!!

 ^^  Hubie (bottom right) and Millicent (upper left) help the keeper when he lays out the canvas.  They both enjoy having their feet dipped in non-toxic paint... it's cool on their feet.  

 ^^  The girls are ready to paint!!!  

 ^^  The girls are back in their enclosure (environment/home).  There are 37 penguins in the exhibit here.  About 1/3 of them are from other aquariums from all over the United States - they are placed here when renovations happen at their zoo.  Some are still pretty wild - so they will keep to themselves and don't like to be touched.  They are easy to spot, because they don't come close to any of us... even with a bucket-full of delectable sardines!!

 ^^  Swim, penguins, SWIM!!  

 ^^  They came up on the rocks to "greet" us - well, they came for the food.  We had plenty of fish.  Bribery at it's finest!!  

^^  Penguin handler, Darwin, passing over a cutie to love on.  :0))

 ^^  A plethora of penguins!!

 ^^  Big boy reaching to get some love (and a treat!!)...

^^  This young boy, Sabo, loved-loved-loved my husband's socks.  He didn't nibble or bite at him, he just kept rubbing his head and beak on the cottony-soft-socks.  So adorable!!

According to the handlers and keepers, penguins are as smart as parrots (although they do not vocalize beyond their normal calls, whistles, squeaks, grunts, and snorts).  They are very curious by nature and after being raised at the aquarium (by humans) they are eager to get attention from everyone.

And since I just couldn't pass them up, I bought some sea turtle earrings from the gift shop.  I *really* wanted the penguin ones, but a lady in front of me snatched up the last pair. 

^^  Awesomesauce!!

And, tomorrow (well, today really, since it's past midnight), I'll be going out to lunch with a couple of my friends and some derby girls.  Life is seriously fucking wonderful.

x0x0

Running of the Bulls. AKA SFNO2013.

7th Annual San Fermin in Nueva Orleans

This happened Saturday...

^^  14,000 people and counting.

^^  The running route (red) and meet-up point (yellow)...

All my derby girls from TCK showed up on Friday night.  Total hen-fest, gabbing, catching up, comparing outfits, discussing stockings and socks and pub-crawls... oh, my!!  Husby thought it was quite awesome to be the only guy in the house and opted to stay home and smoke a brisket for the post-Bull-Run-dinner.  We finally all got settled in and in bed around 2:00 AM (3:00 AM for me - I was excited and my insomnia kicked in).  

Alarm clocks started going off around 4:30 AM.  Too early!!  Spicy-ass Bloody Mary cocktails were mixed and we were all imbibing by 5:15 AM.  Since the ferry hasn't been running regularly, we called for a taxi and headed over to the Sugar Mill.  The taxi ride was about $20 for the five of us - so definitely affordable at $4/each + the tip.  We all had VIP access, which included a free open bar (Sangria, screwdrivers, gin-and-tonic, Hurricanes, and Bloody Mary cocktails were just some of the drinks provided) and all the food was catered by Rouses Market (mini Muffulettas, roast beef, ham, and turkey wraps, fruit trays, cheese trays, petit fours, and mini fruit tarts)...  delicious. 

 ^^  Dark delicious Sangria and a wickedly strong Bloody Mary.  Breakfast of Champions!!

We had a group of men dressed like Elvis Presley in our area (if there is more than one, are we supposed to refer to them as "Elvii"???) and two of my girls posed with them:

^^  Knotta Cupcake, who was a skating bull - posing in all her derby glory with the sneery impersonators...

^^  Breasaurus, who was one of the runners - showing off her Elvii love with some cheezy gangsta moves...

We even had representatives from the Westboro Baptist Roller Derby League (WBRDL)... they mock and wave around crazy signs which are all in reference to WFTDA rules (essentially the roller derby "bible") and act all sanctimonious.  I joined on general principle... as an atheist, I thought this was really fucking funny and quite brilliant, actually (along the lines of True Blood's "God Hates Fangs")...

^^  Protest, protest, protest!!!  

^^  Quad loves us!!!  

There were so many people there - and everyone had something funky going on.  Here are just a few random shots from the event:

^^  Almost-naked Blue Bull runner...  he was looking all cray-cray.

^^  Even though we greased Dr Krak up with the thickest, most viscous sunburn lotion ever (seriously, it was like zinc), she still got burnt.  Her temporary prison tattoo (of the bull) might not be so temporary...  oops.

^^  A mock Cardinal getting his ring kissed by our own Angst Muffin...

After the Bull run was over, we headed over to a local bar which had it's own in-ground pool out back. It was pretty fucking awesome.  We hung there for about 2 hours (and drank more copious amounts of booze) and after that, we taxied on home to The Point.  Everyone crashed for a couple of hours for a nap, and at 7:00 PM some of our friends who didn't attend the SFNO2013 festival popped over for beer, wine, cocktails, and dinner.  Husby had everything ready for us... a smoked beef brisket, German potato salad, various styles of chips, bread and butter, and a Southern Comfort pound cake.

Then... we hit up Bourbon Street and the French Quarter.  Round two.  Everyone survived.  I have no pictures of this because my phone had totally croaked by this time.  Knotta Cupcake's phone got fried in the sun (literally - all it had was a green screen and it made chirpy noises out of the blue), Breasaurus' camera didn't shut off right and ran down the batteries, Angst left her phone at home, and I have no clue if Dr Krak took any shots while we were in the Quarter.  All I have to say is this... it's probably best if there WERE no pictures taken that night.  As it is, I don't think that any one of us would pass scrutiny for public office.  

If you get a chance, you ought to come next year.  This is a fantastic event, which is FULLY adult-oriented (for any of you child-free, child-less, or empty-nesters reading this) - children are not permitted into the VIP sections, strollers are not permitted along the running route, and IF someone does take their child, they MUST be supervised by their legal guardian at ALL TIMES.  It's a bit pricey, but well worth it - and it happens during the low tourism season here in New Orleans.  Which means that flights are really cheap, hotels have great deals, restaurants and attractions are not crowded at all.  Viva Nueva Orleans San Fermin!!!  :0))

x0x0

Thundering. Thursday.

One of the most awesome things about New Orleans happens to be the (almost) daily afternoon thunderstorms.  I love them.  The Choggie, however, is NOT a fan.  She's crammed up under my desk - on my feet - which are gradually falling asleep.  It's so dark out right now it looks like twilight (and I'm not talking about that idiot who writes about "sparkly" vampires - I'm a "True Blood" kind of girl) and it's raining.  Our weather forecast doesn't look so hot for the festivities this weekend:

^^  Thunder-y every day!!

^^  Choggles is currently sitting on my feet.  Her head is the only thing that is NOT under my desk...

I'm super excited because four of my roller derby sisters are coming in tomorrow night - and then it's the Running of the Bulls on Saturday!!!  Husby and I have also decided to have a throw-down-hoe-down on Saturday night - while I'm boozing with the bulls, my better half will be smoking a beef brisket (an all-day process).  We'll be serving it on fresh po' boy bread with a choice of spicy ho'made BBQ sauce or a more traditional debris sauce.  Crackers, chips, dips, veggie tray, and LOTS of booze (okay - cheap wine and beer) will round out the party nicely.  We'll also be making a Southern Comfort pound cake (utterly delicious) for dessert.

Yesterday, I popped over to the French Quarter to pick up some tees for our upcoming weekend festivities, and popped in to The Red Lantern to get some socks to wear on Saturday (knee-socks for derby girls are pretty much mandatory!!) and I found the coolest little owl wristlet bag that has enough room to hold all necessary items.  It was a little pricey, but well worth it.  Check it out:

^^  Sorry it's a little blurry - but the caption reads "It's the little things".  <3

^^  Beer socks!!  I'm going to wear them with my black low Chuck Taylors - sexy, eh???

Annnnnnnnnnnd...  I dragged my friend A. over to The Company Burger (scroll down for the menu and booze listing) so that I could get my delicious fix.  At first, A. was a little wigged out that they don't put lettuce OR tomato on their burgers (they don't even have it on hand - the back of the staff tee shirts reads "BYO L & T").  Personally, I'm okay with this because lettuce always ends up wilt-y and nasty from the heat of the burger AND I prefer my tomatoes on their own or in a cold crisp salad.  Needless to say, A. is now a convert and has agreed that the lack of tomato and lettuce are not that bothersome (this was AFTER she tasted the awesomeness of their burgers).  Go on, it's okay to drool:

^^  Single with onions, cheese, bacon, pickles, and ketchup... small order of red onion rings and tots...

And this has pretty much summed up my week thus far.  Although, after looking at the picture of my delicious meal, I must say that I could probably totally go and grab another one.  Alas, my hips and ass would NOT appreciate this type of a meal TWICE in one week.  :0((  So, just because I'm feeling defiant, I'll leave you with this:

^^  Vag power!!

x0x0

Jam-Packed-July.

Unlike June, the month of July is bound to be busy-busy-busy.  It's not just my birthday month (I still cannot believe that I am going to be a whopping 38 years old) - but it's a New Orleans Festival kind of month.  Although the weather will feel like we are out frolicking in the middle of a fiery hell, the booze is sure to be icy cold and company is guaranteed to be utterly fabulous.  :0))

Coming up in a mere four days (July 13th - to be exact) - is the 7th Annual San Fermin in Nueva Orleans (Running of the Bulls).  Roller derby girls dress in black and red while wearing Viking horns on their heads (to emulate the bulls), while men (mostly) dressed in all white with red sashes RUN to get away from the bulls.  Oh, and the bulls are armed with wiffle-ball bats - where they beat the poor runners with if they get caught.  The festivities start EARLY (NOLA-style) at 6:00 AM (looks like I'll be drinking my breakfast... hahaha) and end around 1:00 PM.  Everyone will be returning to my house for a siesta, and then at 7:00 PM, the party will re-start at my domicile.  There will be lots of beer and lots of wine and lots of good friends.  Excitement!!  I love to throw a good party (people usually joke that they couldn't run for public office after attending one of my soirees) and the company will be excellent.

^^  San Fermin in Nueva Orleans 2012

**Picture courtesy of www.nolabulls.com

 ^^  My tee-shirt that I received with my VIP Package

^^  My kerchief, VIP Bracelet (AKA "Booze Permit"), and Beer Number

One of the most awesome things about The Running of the Bulls is that there are NO children allowed in the VIP tent (because of the copious amounts of alcoholic beverages) and strollers are prohibited along the skating/running route.  Any and all children under the age of ten MUST be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian (which certainly narrows things down when baby carriages are not allowed).  Once again, New Orleans is catering to those without children - probably one of the last cities in the United States to do so.  ::double-fist-pump::

Another great thing that will be happening in the Point over the same weekend as the Bull Run, is the re-opening of our local library.  It's been under construction for about 10 months (it was closed when we moved here and that was in mid-October).  It's literally only a few blocks away from our house - which is great - because we won't have to go all the way to the Algiers Library (which is about a 15-minute ride down the Parkway).  

^^  Who doesn't love a local library???

The next weekend AFTER the Running of the Bulls and the re-opening of the Hubbell Library, there is the up-and-coming Tales of the Cocktail starting on July 17th and running through the 21st.  Here is a brief description:

"The five-day event, from July 17-21, will feature a series of seminars, mixing competitions, "spirited" luncheons and dinners, complimentary events and invitation-only events. Popular and up-and-coming liquor brands will be showcasing their latest products in tasting rooms. And, as always, there will be "Spirited Awards" given out in sixteen different categories, including "American Bartender of the Year," "Best American Cocktail Bar," "World's Best Cocktail Menu" and more. The top four nominees for each category will be announced on June 7, 2013 on www.TalesoftheCocktail.com."

Depending on my liver recovery from the weekend of the 13th, I may or may not make it to any of the festivities offered by Tales of the Cocktail.  I'll probably need to save my liver strength for my birthday... 

Which we will be celebrating a few days early (the husby has to go on a TDY - Tour of Duty - for a month at the beginning of August).  So, he won't be "technically" missing my birthday, but he'll be busy arranging and packing things, so we're planning the festivities a couple days early.  I'm so stupidly excited because we are going to the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas for the extra-special PENGUIN EXPERIENCE.  I have been looking forward to this since we purchased our membership back in February!!

^^  Oh, Mr Penguin... how I love thee!!

And here is my most favorite video of a baby penguin named "Cookie".  I can't play the video very often (with sound) because it drives poor Choggie absolutely apeshit crazy (and she starts looking behind EVERYTHING trying to find the source of the noise).  And although "Cookie" is currently living at the Cincinnati Zoo, we have just had three new penguins born here in New Orleans.  I certainly hope that they are available to at least see (even if we can't touch and hold them).

After the Aquarium, I anticipate going out to eat somewhere... but the "where" has yet to be determined.  I always lean towards my tried-and-true Cajun-Creole happy place, K-Paul's, but I'm also looking at some other places where we haven't tried yet.  Quite honestly, I'm in the mood for an awesomely dirty-deluxe burger from The Company Burger - but since I can go there pretty much any old time, I probably won't choose to go there for my birthday.  

So, it's looking like my July is going to turn out FAR BETTER than the previous month.  Things have been just so depressingly crazy - it's about time I have something positive to look forward to!!

Happy-happy-happy!!

x0x0

Musical Wednesdays. Our First Time is Coming Up!!

Details, details, DETAILS!!!

Husby and I usually pick up our local independent paper - The Gambit - and besides the off-beat articles, they have a listing of all the different things to do (usually in each individual neighborhoods).  So, we were amazingly happy to see that Algiers Point will be holding a free concert every Wednesday night until July 17th.  They do request that patrons do NOT bring their own coolers/drinks - as they sell water, soft drinks, beer, and mixed drinks - and those proceeds go to keep the concerts free.  Since I'm planning on having a Hurricane, I'll just treat myself to one once I get down to the concert/mini-festival... I'm sure there will be some food vendors, too...

Which means... we'll be able to walk to the levee with our folding bag chairs, meet some friends, and hang out for an evening.  :0))

Drum roll, please...

Wednesday, June 5th, 2013

@ Algiers Ferry Dock

200 Morgan Street

6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Free Admission

Presenting:

Bag of Donuts 

Band Info

^^  Bag of Donuts (stage make-up free!!)

**Photo courtesy of the Bag of Donuts Facebook Page**

********************

Algiers Brass Band

Production Info

Band Info

^^  Second Line 

**Photo courtesy of the Algiers Brass Band**

^^  Artist portrayal of the Algiers Brass Band

**Credit for photo will be given as soon as I find out who the artist is.  Otherwise, this image is supplied by Google**

********************

I'm going to Instagram it up - and I think that husby might be taking his Canon (which takes way better shots than my iPhone 4S - but my phone isn't too shabby!!) and I'll be sure to get some good pics of the shows AND the crowds.  New Orleans people love to dance and shake their money-maker (after they've had a libation or two) and don't mind posing for pictures.

I'm seriously looking forward to a mid-week night out!!  :0))

x0x0

At This Juncture:

We're back to our regularly scheduled blog.

Memorial Day Weekend. Crawfish Saturday.

Memorial Day Weekend???

Started with a bang.  BOIL time!!

There is NOTHING better than a boil, great company, and plenty o' booze.  I actually find myself feeling bad for those who think a "party" consists of high-end cupcakes, some sort of fizzy drinks (non-alcoholic, of course), and worrying about how everything looks.  How does one do it??  To me, that would be the second circle of hell - I'd rather deal with crazy drunks rather than the Joneses.  True story.

Let's start off with Friday night.

So.  Went to Perino's last night (I had such a hard-on for some properly fried oysters).  We sat in the bar area (which also has electronic gaming machines - so no one under the age of 18 was allowed - SCORE!!) and ordered our deviously delicious seafood.

I had a basket of sweet fried oysters and curly fries.  Husby had the fried shrimp (which are JUMBO) and he drank a couple of Abitas.  Needless to say, I drove home.  ;0))  Perino's is THE place to eat fresh Louisiana seafood.  It's not fancy (not by any means), but the beer is frosty and cold, the menu is simple, and the food comes to you hot and fresh.  One of our very good friends introduced us to this very local restaurant, and I won't eat oysters anywhere else.  The decor is awesomely tacky, though...

^^  An alligator sucking down a beer??  WINNING!!

^^  Cheezy mural outside Perino's...  the crab isn't really looking boiled.

But the gator has a beer and is wearing "over-hauls".  <3

After dinner, we stopped at Barnes and Noble (again) on the way home - I had just found out that the new Joe Hill book was out (I've given up waiting for the trade paperback/regular paperback versions - I'm rough on my books and I love to have them forever), so I picked that up and found a book which was a collection of short stories/novellas by some of the best horror writers in the genre.  So, I started reading that today (Sunday - as I'm a bit behind).  :0))

So... on Saturday, the neighbors were having a crawfish boil.  Oh, yes.  I picked up a Bananas Foster Cake (banana cake with rum custard - if I were religious??  I would've had an epiphany!!) and some Mike's Hard Cherry Lemonade from Rouses Market (which is one of my favorite local stores here in NOLA)... and bestowed my friends with the gifts.  I also drank some Abita beer, white wine, and a lovely mixed (girly) cocktail.  Delish!!

 ^^  It was 10* cooler under the overpass.  I was glad to get some shade!!

^^  Looking down a side-street on the way to my house...  I love how I can see the city (even when it is beyond the levees AND across the Mighty Mississippi)...  shots like this make me appreciate living in New Orleans.  The difference between a "big city" and a "little neighborhood" are obvious, but not unreachable.  This city is FANTASTIC.

^^  Live crawfish.  Waiting to be boiled.  And, yes.  That is a boat paddle in the upper right-hand corner of the picture.  Certainly necessary for getting every last live crawfish into the boiling pot.

^^  It takes 30 minutes to boil the crawfish, potatoes, onions, mushrooms, garlic, and corn (along with cayenne and other Cajun spices) on a 80,000 BTU gas burner.  Sounds like the space shuttle taking off, it's so loud.  And when everything is done, it's spread out on a large table and everyone eats what they want - it's a communal experience.  We were really lucky - we had some out-of-country visitors (a married couple from Brittany, France - and an Irish woman on a short stay from Dublin).  It was very cool to teach them how to eat the crawfish and they really enjoyed the whole experience.  

^^  After dinner, L. (who works for the New Orleans Saints), took out her ring that she received when the Saints won the Superbowl.  It's from Tiffany's - and it is HUGE.  Weighs over 2 ounces with all the  gold, diamonds, and onyx... and it is heavy.  

^^  Here I am, wearing the ring (to give you some perspective, my solitaire is 1.2 carats - and the Superbowl ring makes it look minuscule)... I can honestly say that I don't think I've ever worn a piece of jewelry that is so very expensive...  

^^  View from the front porch after the boil.  Everyone is keeping their lights off, because right now - the termites are swarming.  Yes, you *did* read that correctly.  However, it was a really balmy night and the wind coming off the Mississippi River was lovely.  So, we braved the swarms.  ;0))

I didn't get home until well after midnight and managed to sleep until 8:00 AM.  Woke up, showered, dressed, popped some Tylenol, and headed to another friend's house because I was on doggy-sitting duty for her four pups.  Hung out there for about an hour and a half, ran the dogs until they were tired, watered and fed them, and headed home.  Where I promptly fell asleep on the couch while reading one of my new books (no, the book wasn't boring or badly written - I was just wickedly tired).  I managed to snap some pictures of the pup-dogs, though...  they were so happy to see me and so very cute!!

 ^^  Petey (the ugliest-pug-in-the-world) is wrestling with Clementine... the hairiest dog in the house.

^^  Petey's profile.  He has a massive under bite and the worst breath.  ;0))

I didn't get pictures of Sophie and Bootsy... as Sophie had jammed herself under an end table and Bootsy moves TOO fast for me to get a decent picture of her.  Maybe I'll be able to get a photo in the morning (when I head over to the Grotto to water, feed, and wee everyone).  

Speaking of tomorrow, I don't think we're planning on doing much.  I borrowed the Lord of the Rings trilogy from my friend, K. - so I'm thinking it's going to be a pretty laid-back day.  I'm thinking that we'll probably do some upscale bar-food (spicy buffalo wings, home-made pizza with a ton of roasted veggies, and some jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese, wrapped in bacon, and broiled) and we'll probably graze for most of the day.  Besides, it's supposed to be hot and humid here again, and I think it'll just be in our best interest to take it easy.

Because... come Tuesday, I'll be back at the gym for my 3+ miles on the treadmill and then off to the pool afterwards to hopefully start a tan of sorts and swim some laps.  I love, love, love to swim!!  

I hope everyone had a wonderful, relaxing, fun, happy, awesome weekend... because we most certainly did (and are technically still working on it).

x0x0

Fab Fashionista (for Derby).

So.  Today (after I met up with L. at the gym, popped in to the commissary, put groceries away, and bathed my sweaty ass), I realized that my loyalty card to Fleurty Girl would be filled up today IF I bought two new tee shirts (you receive double-stamps on your loyalty card every Tuesday).  Which means, I could get a *free* shirt!!  Ooh, la la!!  Since I had to run out to the post office, I figured I'd just pop across the river and do a little shopping.  Imagine my surprise when I found TWO of the tees I wanted were marked down to $10 each... so, I ended up getting four shirts for the cost of less than two (full retail).  Score!!  I feel like ol' Charlie Sheen today...  WINNING!!

One of the reasons why I wanted to pick some new tees out is because on Saturday, I'm heading up to Shreveport.  I'll be score keeping for my favorite flat-track roller derby team...  the Twin City Knockers (also known as TCK).  I simply needed something funky to wear for that event.  Now my biggest problem is choosing EXACTLY which tee to wear for the bout (as I can't wear anything with the TCK logo on it)...  I might have to draw straws.

Here are my finds:

 ^^  In New Orleans, the medians are known as the "Neutral Ground".  

Apparently, this is a hold-over from when the French and Spanish had colonized southern Louisiana.  The area between the settlements was known as "The Neutral Ground".  

 ^^  City of New Orleans - Ordinance No. 3267 (March 10, 1857).  NOLA was a trashy whore back then, and she's a trashy whore now.  However, the houses of "ill repute" are now lovely bed & breakfasts gracing the Garden District and Uptown.  The only indication that they were brothels are the red gaslights lighting the doorways at night.

 ^^  The Sazerac is one of the most famous drinks in New Orleans.  You can still order one at many restaurants - however, the absinthe which is used in the drink has changed.  Spirits distilled with wormwood (which is what gives absinthe it's hallucinogenic properties) is illegal in the United States.

 ^^  Well, Boston wasn't acknowledged in this quote.  However, I simply think that the author overlooked the awesomeness.  He's dead, so I suppose I can forgive him for this transgression.  ;0))

^^  And just for shits and giggles... this was the line at the commissary today.  Now, you may feel inclined to ask me just how many registers were actually open today... and I'd have to tell you that there were TWO.  And one was the express lane (15 items or less) and they didn't have the self-checkout open, either (personally, I can't stand the self-checkout because I never seem to be able to place anything properly in the damned bags).  Anyhow, the retirees converge at 11:00 AM - note to self. 

So far, this has been the pinnacle of my exciting week.  I'm very excited to be heading to Shreveport early on Saturday morning to help set up the track at 1:00 - and then the bout happens at 7:00 PM (of course, the doors open earlier and it's a BYOB event - $5.00/cooler - no glass bottles).  It is going to be a blast!!  I'll post a whole bunch of pics when I get home on Sunday afternoon.  

x0x0