NOLA Day 2

Our first full day in NO was mostly work for David and I, so we didn't get out until the evening. Stephanie arrived in the afternoon, and she and Faby headed out for a Blue Man Group show. So the Bears wandered out into the French Quarter and down Bourbon Street to see what we could see (there's a lot to see). Of course, we had to stop in at the local Voodoo shop for trinkets.

Thomas, Mama, and William checking out

Eventually we wandered into the Orleans Grapevine for dinner, and sat in the lovely little courtyard.

It was one of those rare opportunities to get pictures of all of us.

Brother Bear aka Thomas

Angel/Squishy Bear aka Michael

Thunder Bear aka Willaim

Including US!

The rarely-caught-on-film Papa Bear and Mama Bear

Part of traveling to different places is trying out the local cuisine. We're pretty sure this was pickled ochre. It didn't go over very well.

"How tiny can I make this bite?"

Deciding whether or not baked clams are something one should eat, eventually William decided "yes" and actually developed a taste for them. He had two, despite describing them as "sea fat." I think the large dose of melted cheese on top helped tip the scales in the clam's favor.

"Fatty...and fishy...perfectly balanced with cheese."

And, of course, tasting new foods means also sharing new foods with everyone at the table.

One of the few times these two will share anything. Win!

Happy memories with my boys.

Possibly the best ice cream I've had in my life. Chocolate, vanilla, and coconut in a gingerbread-ish bowl!

This was definitely shared all around

And, yes, on the walk home I did take a moment to appreciate the view.

 

Definitely worth $5 for the kiss I got. And for the record, Papa Bear took the pic.

 ***

Today was the seventh anniversary of William's diagnosis with Type 1 Diabetes. It's always a rough time of year for me, particularly since it always falls within a week of (or on) Mothers Day. The past few weeks have also been difficult for William, hitting the wall with the unending maintenance required to keep him alive and healthy, the frustration of inadequate and imprecise treatment, and the reality of no cure on the horizon. I don't know if it's just coincidence he's struggling around his anniversary, or if he's experience the same type of anniversary trigger I have for the past six years. William was diagnosed while we were on vacation in Orlando, FL, so traveling at this time of year is something I was feeling some trepidation about. For whatever reason (or no reason), the date passed with no emotional upheaval for either of us. Perhaps we need to plan on a get-away to a new and interesting location for each anniversary...