It is 7:30 AM on a Saturday and why am I awake? Oh well. Got the coffee, got my computer and am watching “Chulo the Stupor dog” chase Lovebugs. He may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he wakes up every day wagging his tail, ready to conquer the back yard and seek some prized treasures. The storm, with all the predicted downloads of rain, has obviously not touched my little piece of paradise. It is a perfect morning to sit outside, collect my thoughts, ignore my children (who are watching mindless Saturday cartoons) and wait for the snoring giant to get up.

Hubby and I sat out in the backyard last night; chit-chatting and enjoying a beer while the mosquitoes feasted on us. It was too nice to be inside (besides, the kids were in there). He asked me, “Did you ever think you would end up living permanently in Louisiana?” My answer, “I had no idea where we would end up, but knew it would be somewhere warm.” We talked about all the places we have lived and all the Army dream wishlist move lists we have made (which really is a freaking joke- since you never end up where you want to go). He asked me if I remembered that New Orleans was an option about 5 years ago and we stuck it on the bottom of the list. I have the memory of my dog Chulo, who forgot that he chased a dang lizard in that very same spot 5 minutes ago and it packed up his bags and moved next door. So the answer was, no, I don’t remember. My reply, “well I guess I never associated a beautiful suburb like Mandeville with the city of New Orleans. I guess I never thought this would be a good place to raise a family.”

This is “Heaven on Earth for me.” I don’t want or need any more than this. I don’t want a bigger house (but an updated bathroom and kitchen), I don’t think the grass is greener somewhere else. And from moving around the U.S., I know dang well that the grass isn’t greenest when you choose to make it that way. Some people will never be happy no matter where they live, what they do and will always have in their mind that someplace is better. Yep, suburbia of a fantastic city, with wonderful and warm people, with tons of activities, with family events, with warm weather, in a middle-class neighborhood is the perfect place to plant ourselves and blossom!

~Greta, The Princess of Positive has spoken~
(c/p at NOLA.com- see how long it takes you to find it)

4 Replies to “Did you ever think we’d end up here?”

  1. Girl I can relate. New Orleans was not even on my radar screen for places in my life I might live. I guess it is a well kept secret.
    The third paragraph in my blog post about why I stay sounds right along the lines of what you are saying.

    I love it here too. Today a native told me that after 5 years of living here you get to say you are from here! I only have one more year to go!

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