Am I There Yet?

This island I live on is making things downright impossible! I have a 1pm flight out of Boston on Thursday (that'd be today since I'm post dating this post)... and you know what I have to do to get there? I'll tell you... off I go:

• wake up around 5:30am (which means I'm just gonna wait and sleep on the plane)
• leave for the ferry boat about 6:30am
• take the 7am ferry
• arrive on the mainland at 7:45am
• take the 8am bus to Logan airport
• arrive at Logan around 10am and sit on my ass waiting for the 1pm flight
• board flight
• arrive in Houston, TX
• switch to next flight in under 30 minutes
• arrive in New Orleans around 6pm
• meet up with my friend Graham so we can go back to his place and drop off my stuff
• try not to drink so much that I vomit... what? it IS St. Paddy's, and I will be in New Orleans....

(Holy Sucktastically Long Travel Day Batman!)

I'll have all day Friday to recoup, and try to get any last minute stuff from the stores near Graham's place. I'm leaving the majority of toiletries here to save room and make sure I have just one small carry on bag, all I really need is the dress & shoes I'm wearing on Saturday. Seriously, a change of clothes is like all I need. If I need a t-shirt or somethin' I will borrow one from Graham. Though... I am kinda excited to wear this one dress I bought last year that has yet to see light of day. So, ok.. the outfit I'm wearing to the wedding AND the other dress I am dying to wear.

this'd be the dress for the wedding

and the shoes... like you care haha!

Graham conveniently lives in the Garden District in an area called "Black Pearl"... and yes I am always on the look out for pirates when I wander up to St. Charles to catch the trolly into the French Quarter. (I have yet to see one, but that DOES NOT mean they aren't there!) I'm not overly afraid, Graham is like 6'6 and while he convinced me to look all "goth-y" last time I was down there.... he is the real deal...and I can't imagine any pirates would want to do anything other than run away screaming. Stupid pirates.

Me & Graham lookin' all gothtastic last April in N.O

Graham is the bass player for 'Suicide Assyst'

He's also one of my favorite human beings with a true heart of gold. The older I get, the more I realize how rare that is. Everyone should be lucky enough to have a friend like Graham in their life.

Brandi & her daughter Hannah

On Saturday my ex fiance (Brett) who is, bar none the best ex fiance a girl could ever hope to have, (seriously, he rules! ) is driving across lake Pontchartrain causeway to pick my ass up and take me over to Mandeville for his sister Brandi's wedding. She is the reason I'm going down there. I adore that girl, and I think I will always consider her my sister... and her daughter Hannah is, for all intents and purposes, my niece. I'm sure my ex's wife still hates me, and hates the fact that I am still close to his family, but I am sick of trying to go out of my way to help her understand that I have no interest in being "with" my ex. We broke up for a reason, that reason being we were never meant to be anything more than the very best of friends, anything beyond that was just stupid wishful thinking on our part. Wishful thinking that lasted 5 years, over TEN years ago.

Brett & Brandi

Last time I was down there Brandi & I were walking along the riverwalk and sorta fell back from the group so we could have a lil' "one on one" convo... and as she slowed her gait she looked at me and said in that sweet southern accent of hers....

"Damnit Gill-yin, you were supposed to be my sister."

I linked my arm into hers and said .....


"What makes you think I'm NOT?"

Yeah, I love that girl, and watching her get married this weekend is going to be the cherry on top of all the awesomeness that has taken place so far.

Brandi & her soon to be hubby Don

When I stop to think about all that has transpired since January 1st... my brain sorta turns to pudding.... I still can't believe I experienced it all, thank jeebus I take a zillion pictures!

My year so far:

• Welcomed 2011 in London
• Went back to the highlands of Scotland to see all my friends for my birthday
• got to go to Paris (!!!!)
• had my feet eaten by fish
• came back to the USA and scored an awesome 2nd job for the summer
• and now I'm going to New Orleans to spend time with some of my favorite people?!

it's not even Spring yet!... Man, 2011 is lookin' pretty good!