Wherever you go, there you are

 Good Morning~

Live Oak in Armstrong Park

 I'm still in New Orleans and it's been lovely so far; Jack has had a TON of work and I've gotten some painting and writing done. Could we do it, there's enough work to take us straight through until April- and he may come back down -but I need to head back north before then to my mother's in southern Michigan to help her after some surgery that she has scheduled.  Next year I plan on being down here for the majority of the winter; there's work enough to stay and we have a place to hang our hats.

  All of that being said, it's still the time of year when I start looking to summer and filling in the calendar with rental info, festival dates, opening times for the restaurant, and posting for applicants. Opening day for the restaurant is May 20th this season and the apartment will be available for summer rentals shortly before that. I still need to reevaluate menu items and prices but it's a little early for that. If I'm short-handed this year in the kitchen (meaning, just me in there) then I will need to cut items from the menu. I hate to do it, but I need to be able to get the food out...  Sometimes being practical supersedes creativity. 

  There's not a ton to update; my days are pretty low-key. I write or paint, walk the dogs, walk to the market, play with my potted plants on the balconies. We've had dinner a few times with friends but we're pretty much 'home bodies' wherever home currently is. Yesterday we walked to the outlet mall and then through the French Quarter because it was nice and warm and today had rain (accurately) forecasted. 

 Today it is raining as promised. I'm going to vacuum and straighten up the apartment and then figure out dinner. 

  Book 3 is coming along slowly; this story needs a bit more in the 'crafting' of the tale and is more complicated than the first two. At first, I was panicking that it wasn't going as quickly but I've settled into its own peculiar pace for now. It's going to be wonderful when it's done and available to readers this fall :-) 

  That's all for now; be good to yourselves~