Deep in the Heart of Texas!

Well folks, we finally made it to Texas today - we are staying at yet another Motel 6 just across the border - somewhere between Beaumont and Houston. We had an exciting day in New Orleans today. We went to the French Quarter where we spent several hours standing in sub zero temperatures hoping to gnaw on some deep fried alligator tail. Seriously! We gave up at one restaurant when some customers came out saying that the chef had walked out during their meal and that everything they ate was cold and it certainly wasn't worth the $35 they paid for lunch. Decision made! Down the street we trekked where we were able to eat at another fine establishment for about $50. But at least the food was hot!

So, we did some exploring around the city and then went in search of the 9th ward. We found the 38th ward which was also explosively damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The situation there is still quite sad folks. People are still living in campers out in the front yards of what used to be their warm and loving homes. We would literally see neighborhoods of a hundred houses with only about 10 of those houses occupied. We spoke to a store owner who said that the residents in each ward were only given less than $5,000 for all the damages and to rebuild their lives. He also told us that with all the locals chased out of town, the Big Easy is now becoming snobby lane because the rich are moving in and sucking up property and the like in the hopes of a big boom there again someday. He said that because of this, the place is getting more high class and rush, rush, rush......hmmmmmm...reminds us of the Phoenix area!

Anyway, we hit the road and headed toward Texas in the hopes of meeting up with my friend Tracy in Austin. Well, she wrote tonight saying that during the week of Christmas, she had picked up and moved everything to Tampa Florida!!!! DANG! Well...looks like there is another vacation in our future :-)

I got a call from my mom today while on the road - my dad gets his blood tested tomorrow and if all goes well and his white blood cell count is up, he will get his December 27th chemo treatment this FRIDAY! Whoo hoo!!!!! My inner hope and spirit hopes he beats this thing, but realistically I understand the gravity of his illness and realize I'm grasping at straws. One can always hope though.