NOLA bound!!

I am going to the Essence Festival this year in New Orleans.  It is the Wednesday before the 4^th of July and pretty much the only thing keeping me here is the fact that I have a meeting at 2.  I really need to run to the Dollar Store for stuff I probably don’t need, but I DO need it so that is my justification.  I just popped 2 sudafed, the REAL Sudafed, because the case of wine I bought last month had a lot of cheap-ish wine and sometimes when wine doesn’t agree with me I get a sinus headache which really sucks.  BUT I will be using that wine for something for my shindig next week!!  Someone will like it!

So I have taken on the task of caring for my mom.  Most days its fine, but last night after she already got in the bed, she heard me laughing or maybe she saw the light on and came back out.  It was close to 11 and wanted to chat.  I was like Lady I am done talking for the day, I’m going to bed!  She was like OH you don’t wanna talk to me!?!  And I said NO I’m going to bed!  The thing is we have a great relationship AND she has dementia, so even if her feelings were hurt (which they were not) she’ll forget by the morning.  I KNOW that sounds horrible, but it’s the truth.  I thought it might be a good idea to find a support group for adults caring for their elderly parents.  I read one article where the lady took over her mother’s finances because the mom got caught up in a lottery scam and it was so sad.  And then I went to a forum where folks had discussion boards.  Well I went into a few of the ‘rooms’ and they were talking about how the father fell and had to get a hip replaced and then the other was about the mom who fell over a bag of cat food even though that same bag had been in the same spot for months.  SOOOO it got real depressing REAL FAST!!  And I was thinking, where is the lighter side of this?!?  I know it can be a struggle and a strain and it could be depressing but I can’t wallow in that!  I need humor!  Right now the most annoying thing is when I come home my mom asks me how my day was about 5 times.  I can say something different each time and she wouldn’t know.  One day I said I’m not telling you!  And she was like ooh ok… and then 10minutes later asked me again!  Her dementia is moderate but some days are much better than others.  She has to constantly remind herself of why she is in Baltimore living with me.  When the news comes and they do a local story she literally says out loud oh yeah I’m in Baltimore.  And then she says James Lee (her cousin/brother raised by my grandmother and was the 1^st to come to this area) wanted me to come to Baltimore, but I finally made it here!

Ok I just downloaded Adele and I really feel sorry for whoever can hear me trying to sing!!  LOL

I’m trying to decide if I’m hungry, if I leaving right after my meeting, and if I should go get my toes done now or wait until after the meeting.  Decisions decisions…  I missed my window of it not raining.  I actually thought the sun was coming out and it did for a good 15 minutes. 

This is the 1^st time I’m going to Essence and I am so excited!!  New Orleans is already (or at least was prior to Katrina) one of my favorite cities.  The vibe and atmosphere is just so chill!  I am really curious to see how having that many black folks is going to change or enhance it for me.  And then there are the clothes.  In my head and on paper I know what I’m going to pack, but  I’m wondering if it will be the big fashion show that I think it might be which means absolutely NOTHING because comfort trumps fashion for me any day.  I have my little pillow Adidas flip flops and I will be rocking those if they match the outfit or not LOL I just downloaded an deleted everything from my camcorder and I need to get some batteries (OH YEAH THAT’S WHAT I NEEDED) for the camera.  I printed my boarding pass and I’m good!!  I am so looking forward to Beyonce, Jill Scott, Mint Condition, New Edition, Anthony David, Big Daddy Kane, PJ Morton and believe it or not Keysha Coles (LOL).  MAXWELL, how could I foget that sexy son of a biscuit!! Lord that new video with him and Alicia Keys is HOT HOT HOOOOOOOOOTTTTT!!!  I am looking forward to the parties!!  And drinking in the streets!! That is always a draw for me :)  And bumping into celebrities and MEN!!  I need to look at and flirt with men!! Short men, tall men, light men, dark men, young men, old men... MEN!!!  Dag I sound real... something not sure what LOL  I got my all white actually I think I need to pack 2 white outfits just in case. now I'm just rambling because I really am hungry and I really am ready to go!!