The Clampetts go to New Orleans

Monday morning while we were all recovering from a little case of viral nasopharyngitis (the common cold) Shayna got the idea to head down to New Orleans for a couple days... seeing as how Shayna will be ready to pop in a few weeks we decided it was as good a time as any with my weird work schedule (swing shift). We waited a day so we could drive the 5.5 hrs in the early morning... Trace traveled surprisingly better than most adults. Upon arriving in what is appropriately termed "the dirty south", we were a little worried we had set out on a family adventure, and ended up in Hades. After dropping our car off at the hotel and checking into our room, it seemed a little less derelict. Beignets and local musicians on Royal Street, constantly averting our eyes on our walk down Bourbon Ave, riverboat watching at the waterfront, taking a historic saloon themed family portrait... we did it all! Trace was in rare form as he constantly pointed at trash on the street saying "ewww" and at smokers, saying "na no".
During our dinner at Huck Finns the chef and manager were being interviewed on camera... so our festive Jambalaya meal was free... of course with that kind of luck we had to order desserts.
Besides chasing every pigeon on the street, the hotel was the highlight for Trace. He loved riding the trashcan while saying "yee-haw", and getting to take a bath in a real tub (at home we have have a plastic storage bin he baths in). Shay and I took advantage of having TV and watched 4 or 5 episodes of chopped on the food network. It was a great trip! The drive home was smooth, and we feel very blessed to have not gotten mugged by gypsies or bitten by an alligator while visiting the city with the motto "A lazy current... The seductive howl of an accordion...A splash too loud to be a fish...Pick your passion". We may never return, but it was lots of fun.

 

One Rotation Down..

The first rotation is over and we are all still alive. I spent over 200hrs with Dr Christopher Cummins in Ripley MS (home of the souths oldest flea market) and almost 40 hrs driving to and from his clinic. My first rotation was awesome! Dr Cummins is a southerner to the core and gave me opportunities to stretch beyond my comfort zone daily. Speckled throughout the 5 week rotation period were experiences including: being sung to by a geriatric that had fallen asleep during an exam and woke melodically; getting to guest star on the "Ask Dr Cummins Show" on Ripley's very own TV station; and getting to wear mardi gras beads all day on the 12th. We are indebted to his wife for serving us shrimp and grits, Paula Deane style... It was amazing. Since I don't have an Iphone, packing light each day of clinic was not an option. I always have my little worthless phone on me (worst trivial decision of 2011 was buying that thing), my laptop in the car for studying (listening to podcasts), and our halfway reliable tablet in clinic for drug referencing. I consider this set-up the caveman Iphone.

Shayna and Trace spent their days at the toyota plant RV "park" and going on "adventures". One of these consisted of RV lusting, and they later included me in this covetous practice. The Sherman RV dealer is just 10 miles from where we stay, and is filled with residencies that are considered trailer but far from trash. We felt a little guilty knowing that ruby (not getting any younger or any less wrinkles) was faithfully waiting for our return.

Norma, Shayna's classy black southern midwife, has been up to visit a few times. She has been delivering babies for 18 years and we are so happy we found her (there is only one other well established midwife in MS and she is down on the gulf 6hrs away). Shayna is a champ with this pregnancy and we are so excited for this baby to get here (its quite the little gymnast, I wouldn't be surprised if there were twins in there).