I can only speak from my personal experiences with this topic and I can only speak about Mandeville, St. Tammany Parish (the Northshore or North Shore), but thought it was worth sharing. For the past week, I have been house shopping for my parents. They live in the same house they bought when they got …

D’uh, they are both interactive (I LIVE for comments-hint). Well readers, as you know (or you don’t and should read my archives), my parents are visiting from MA and they hey have never ever been to Mardi Gras before. So, I spent the day explaining (too freaking cold to go to a parade today) why …

listen Ya, My Cousin Vinnie – a classic. Now go around saying “yoots” all day. Oh wait, many people in Louisiana already say that (bwahahahaha). So Friday night I got a long overdue call from my good friend from Oklahoma. Her family moved away from Oklahoma 4 months after we did (us- January of 2007 …

update: I so could sooooo live in this house made of containers Could shipping containers be the answer? I am not just talking about these in place of the FEMA asbestos trailers, but as a well designed, able to fit into New Orleans alternative. Brad call (985)807-4805 me – let’s talk about this option. Talk …

Spent some $ this week and also saved some (hubby– I shop to save money – makes perfect sense). I am an internet junkie and could do all my business on-line – but who does it help or hurt? One of my personal missions when we decided to move to Louisiana was to do my …

Tomorrow is our neighborhood yard sale. I can’t wait to unload all this useless crap bunch of treasures. If we haven’t used it since we got here – gone – outta here – bye-bye! I better hurry up and sell all the toys the kids ignore before we find out that they are coated in …

I had to put the SNL land shark skit (safe for work) when I wrote “knock” – just seemed like an obvious fit (at least in my warped mind)! Last night I had the pleasure of going to a beautiful home filled with wonderful people in the once devastated area of Lakeshore Metairie. This area …

A reader and friend of mine (Mena) recently sent me some e-mails that were post-worthy. She gave me her permission to post it. Gosh, I need to stop thinking of life in “posts.” Positive thoughts are contagious! BTW(by the way) – It is Sept 30th, I am sitting in my backyard writing this, in my …

Update Saturday – pictures & still wondering if the rumor about Mayor Nagin holds any water. I did my share this evening and contributed to the Abita Beer fundraising for the front entrance of our subdivision (thanks Troy- he works there). My fantabulous Lakewood Heights(awesome website) neighborhood in Mandeville of about 120 homes, had at …

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 …

* last day for me to register to run for Governor – guess I’ll pass for now & hold out for world domination! * I counted 385 houses for sale in Mandeville today on Realtor.com. 143 of those were over 300K. 22 over 500K * I think I’m going to be a Fred Head – …

Yesterday, I was having a wonderful conversation with a born & raised local dad from my son’s baseball team. He was asking where we had lived, grew up, gone to college and how we ended up here. * When I told him we had lived all over the US and knew we would end up …

I recently met Milena Merrill in person. If the name doesn’t ring a bell, it should. Milena is the Northshore NOLA.com blog coordinator and master of EVERYTHING she touches, a remarkable woman. She shared her Katrina story with me, and as usual, my chin just dropped. But, her “it is what it is” attitude and …