I'm Not Really a Waitress ~

Confession: (wait for it...)

I had my first pedicure when I was 50. Yes. I know. What was I thinking??

Pedicures are the bomb!

It feels good. And my toes are cute, my feet are softer, and I just feel pretty. And it's not a temporary pretty either - I'm happy every single time I glance at my toes...for weeks. That's a lot of bang for my buck.

So what do you do when girls get together? You find the best salon with the best Asian ladies (no brag, just fact) and get pedicures.

I almost always choose OPI. I like the polish and their colors have the best names. Seriously fun. Here's a few of my favorite colors:

I'm Not Really A Waitress

Barefoot in Barcelona

Cha-Ching Cherry

Cozu-Melted In The Sun

Samoan Sand

Bay Bridge Sunset

Chocolate Shakes-peare

OPI Red

And here we are...pretty toes and all.

Do you have a favorite color? Shout it out!

Gator Girls: Season 2!

We're not swamp people though we're Cajun right down to our gumbo making, 2-step dancing, crawfish boiling, deer hunting-roots. I don't even like eating alligator all that much...tastes like chicken, but chicken is better.

But I like gators in small doses - books...movies...TV. I don't mind if they swim in the canal while I drive by, safe in my Pilot.

There's a renewed interest in alligators the past few years, mostly due to the popularity of "Swamp People" a TV series (on the History Channel, no less) dedicated to hunting gators during the month-long season in Louisiana.

What you are about to witness is real, the participants are not actors.

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Our grandgirls went to Chateau des Cocodries last year:

Except for one crazy and unfortunate incident when one of the babies pooped on the floor, it was a rousing success. Audiences raved.

And so...

A little older, a bit braver, still blonde, and with a new swagger in their step, the Gator Girls are back for Season 2!

If I were an alligator, I'd be on the lookout for these two.

Alahna is almost 9 now, and Kirra will be 7 in a few months. They're a force to be reckoned with.

Yes, life can be tough in the swamp. But as the Gator Girls always say, "No guts, no gator!"

They welcomed Aunt Jennifer back on their team too. She serves as a medic and a calming influence, in case there are injuries. The fact that she's not (currently) blonde is a minor issue, but so far the head honchos love her and her place on the team is secure.

There's a storm rolling into the bayou soon and it's going to be a wild one. But no worries. Such is the life of Gator Girls in Cajun country.

Gator Girls. The legacy lives on. The tradition continues.

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(Remember...don't try this at home.)

Barefoot Blue Jean Night ~

Yeah, I love that song by Jake Owen...it's got that summer feeling. And while I wish I was on the beach somewhere watching fireworks for 4th of July, I can at least pretend, right? Right.

OK, now that we have that settled, here's my project. Taking a clue from online blogs and Pinterest (that site is so fun, but really it's as addictive as chocolate). I started, took apart, changed course, started again, and whoo-hoo, I gave birth to something!!

I made a wreath with a coastal, barefoot blue jean night feel. OK maybe that doesn't just roll off the tongue but I think it rocks. :)

I cut up a pair of old jeans, ripped the legs in strips, and wound the strips around a straw wreath from Michael's. I left the cellophane wrap on the wreath, it seemed to make it easier to wrap the denim strips. When I finished each piece (I didn't measure) I just pinned each one in the back with straight pens.

I hot glued some starfish and red stars on and then used some clear elastic cord (for making jewelry) to help the starfish hold. I really wanted to get some thick white rope to tie at the top but since it's almost Independence Day, I just put some sisal and ribbon and called it good.

I'm going to hang it by the front door but it didn't show up very well in pictures there so I hung it on my neighbor's fence. Don't worry. It was on my side.

I hope each of you have an awesome 4th of July. And if you're lucky enough to be on the beach, barefoot, wearing jeans and watching fireworks streak across the night sky...you're lucky enough!

Never gonna grow up
Never gonna slow down
We were shinin' like lighters in the dark
In the middle of a rock show

We were doin' it right
We were comin' alive
Yeah, caught up in a Southern summer,

barefoot, blue jean night

And that's the way it is ~

May always brings good times...Mother's Day (awesome, I felt very loved), birthdays (my oldest, Justin), and crawfish time. AND the American Idol finale! Yay for Phillip winning the whole thing. It was a trip having Josh Ledet, a local guy, in the running. He came in 3rd.

This month started with a bang. Literally.

In an attempt to answer the phone my Mac slipped off my lap, and the full weight (corner down) fell onto my toe and broke it. I moaned. I groaned. I cried. I took pictures of the damage and sent to Jennifer at the ER to impress her. Then I sent the same pic to the boys and my sister, for sympathy. The phone call that led to the disaster? A telemarketer.

So, my toe had to be wrapped and taped and I couldn't put on closed shoes for weeks so I called a time-out in my life and decided the best, most productive use of my time would be to attend the trial of "Thelma & Louise" (see previous post).

So I did. Every single day. It was an absolute blast.

I'd never attended a trial before, much less one of this magnitude. This murder had everything - sex, gambling, cheating, intrigue, greed, a dysfunctional and contentious family, and as many characters and storylines as a John Grisham novel.

I became friendly with the news media (local TV and the newspaper) as well as the national media (the producers from CBS News sat by me often), law enforcement detectives, the sheriff (he gave me his seat during closing arguments) the prosecutor, the FBI expert, the mistress, the family of the victim. Just to name a few. The last day of trial, I got there at 8:30 am and didn't leave the courthouse until after the verdict was announced 11 hours later.

YES...this story will be featured on "48 Hours" on CBS, look for it to air this fall!

I will forever be sorry I wasn't on this jury but I have to say, if I had been, I'd have voted the same...GUILTY. A friend and I watched as the two women convicted of the crime were driven away to jail. I felt good about that.

What an experience! I learned a lot about the judicial system. And I gained a new appreciation for the work of the prosecutor's office, as well as the men and women who gave 3 weeks of their time to sit on this jury. Long hours.

Finally, I'm just enormously grateful to law enforcement for all they do and mighty proud to be the mother of a police officer (Jason, son #2).

May, 2012. And that's the way it is...

Voir Dire

Voir Dire is a French term for "speak the truth". I received a summons for Jury Duty beginning last Monday. Yes!! As long as I'm not on death's door or about to board a ship for foreign ports, I want to serve. I do.

A few years ago I was picked as a potential juror on a criminal case. During voir dire (when the attorneys get to question you) I was asked many questions....mostly about my knowledge of DNA. I was not chosen. Fast forward to last Monday. From a jury pool of about 200, they picked 50 names. I was # 47. Only one trial needed a jury (12 jurors and 2 alternates). I watched as the defense attorneys and the prosecutor wrangled with the first panel and then the second. Lots of people were excluded right away. By Wednesday after lunch, I was sworn in.

During the Thursday morning and afternoon sessions, my group was questioned. What took so long was that there was a list of at least 50 or so potential witnesses in this trial and they question you to see if you know them. Plenty of people did...not me. Some were related to multiple people on the witness list. Cousins, aunts, ex-husbands, you name it. Some were neighbors, former co-workers.

Here's just a few questions I got: Do you have any law enforcement personnel in your family? (yes...I'm a mother of a police officer, Los Angeles Police Department.) Have you ever been to ____'s Lounge? (no, and I've never heard of it) Did you follow the Casey Anthony case? (yes) How do you feel about serving on this jury? (I'd be pleased to do my duty as a citizen) And so forth.

Attorneys for both sides can challenge a juror for "just cause" (if they believe you're biased) or "peremptory" for which they don't have to give a reason.

I was released. And disappointed. But that's the way our american judicial system works. And it's the greatest system in the world, flaws and all.

I'm going to try to catch a few sessions of the trial this week, as a very interested observer. I'd welcome company if anyone wants to come along. :)

By the way, you can read about this trial on this site: (click around and you'll find it, it's the only big trial going on now...defendants are two women, charged with 2nd degree murder)
KPLC - TV

Because I was released I can now discuss, read about, research, or even blog about it.

Too bad I wasn't picked. They wouldn't have found a more willing, a more interested and unbiased juror with an attention to detail and a good memory (no note taking allowed in capital murder trials) than me. Seriously. And that's my voir dire.

Rolling in the Deep ~

Last month we did some rolling in the deep on this baby:

The Carnival Magic is gorgeous, really!! We did a 7 day cruise, eastern Caribbean. Ports: Key West, Florida...Freeport, Bahamas...Nassau, Bahamas. Since we were onboard for Valentine's Day, we dubbed it the Love Cruise. Think what you will.

She's a new ship. The only other ship I'd sailed before was the Conquest, which was very cool and a big ship too. But, The Magic is a Dream Class, over 1000 ft. long. I loved that!!

Here's some stock photos of some of what Magic has to offer. Up first is SkyCourse, the first ever ropes course at sea. That must be a thrill, if you're not bothered by heights. I wouldn't know. But it's fun to watch. We talked to one of the guys in charge of this and he says Carnival takes this very seriously. And he said it's a total blast.

Here's one shot of Serenity Deck, an adults only area. If the chairs look comfy, just know that they are. One of the crazy good things about The Magic is all the different decks/areas they have for you to relax outside. One of our favorite places was on deck 11 aft, quiet and relaxing with magnificent views.

This is the Atrium (lobby). It goes from deck 3 all the way to the top. It's pretty, and the glass elevators are shiny and sparkly. (I like shiny things) Notice the long sofas? They come in handy if you're a people-watcher, and I am.

This shop is called Cherry on Top. Of course it's just darling, filled with pricey treats of all kinds. Sweet things in shiny containers to put in cute packages with shiny ribbon...well you know where that's going to lead.

Carnival's Waterworks. It was a bit chilly on our cruise but I bet if you're there in warmer weather, you can play the heck out of this (if you're so inclined). They have several giant waterslides and more things than you can count.

This next place is adorable. Like other cruise ships, there are dozens of places on the Magic to eat, most included in the cruise price, some you pay for extra. But unlike others, this ship has it's own family-style Italian restaurant. It's called Cucina del Capitano. You choose your meat or seafood, your pasta, and your sauce and they fix it for you, along with a signature Caesar salad. It was delicious. You can eat free for lunch or have a more elaborate dinner (with desserts) for $12 each. It's charming...love the wall art too. We only ate there once but for sure I want to go again next time. And there will be a next time.

OK, here we go, here's our pictures. Me and the Bear. Papa Bear. (I call him that sometimes. Breaker breaker Papa Bear.) Nevermind - wrong story. Wrong decade. Wrong century.

And our favorite cruising compatriots...Charles (brother in law) and Lou Ellen (sister). Better known (on this cruise) as the people who swim with dolphins.

We stopped at Atlantis, on Paradise Island in Nassau. It's where the wealthy play. And the cruise passengers walk through and look. I am a bit taken with my own picture of this water thing, so here you go.

Lots and lots of yachts.

I believe the dark blue one is my very favorite. Now why didn't we ("we" is my sister and I, the guys really don't care) look up the vital info on this beauty and see who owns her. Maybe it's not too late....google is my friend.

Final thoughts...

Rolling in the deep is an excellent way to spend a week. And I say that in all seriousness. I'm someone who gets carsick if I have to ride an hour in the back seat of a vehicle and I never, not once, felt queasy.

The Carnival Magic was everything I imagined and more.

Really, people...the amenities!!!!

(amenities are in the eye of the beholder...)

Key West (come as you are)

Key West, Florida...where the signs say "Come as you are" was our first stop on our cruise last month. It's a small place, only a few square miles but it's interesting and artsy and kind of pretty. The whole island vibe, the we're-cool-and-we-know-it attitude, and the historic areas all add up to a fun place to visit. Be aware though...it's a liberal minded, liberal culture, alternative values kind of town. (No worries, we avoided posing with the naked statues.)

We rented a 4-person electric car to cruise around the island. It was sort of like riding in a souped-up golf cart.

The infamous Sloppy Joe's saloon.

We passed by Ernest Hemingway's home but didn't have time to stop. I'm not such a Hemingway fan anyway, but I was sort of interested in the cats on site, most of them still are bred to have six-toes.

However, when in Key West, take a pic with Hemingway....

The sisters. Oh yeah, we're cool. And we know it. ;)

My brother-in-law Charles, eating the Kermit's (award winning) Frozen Key Lime Pie.

We had lunch at Pepe's, the oldest restaurant in Key West, known for oysters, steak and key lime pie (like everyone else on the island). Not friendly service...but they don't have to be, they trade on their name and the homemade menu items. I ordered the Oyster Medley. They were good, but small. Once was enough.

We ate on the patio. Here's the chandelier over our table. I bet it's pretty at night.

We got a parking ticket while we were there. (we were targeted, I'm sure of it). Big Daddy wasn't such a fan of Pepe's. This is his happy face.

What's a nice guy like you doing in a place like this?

Key West is eclectic. And they're proud of that. On Duval St. you can see a seafood shack right next door to a Birkenstock store, just across from Fast Buck Freddie's (souvenirs), a museum, an independent art gallery, and a Coach store.

Yes, we stopped at Coach. I took this khaki and red puppy home:

Pretty scooters, all in a row.

Goodbye, Key West.