THANKSGIVING

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. As for myself, it was!

Usually our whole family gets together for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but alas, our family dynamics are changing. The children are all grown up and are married or have attachments. A few of them have kids of their own. They have other commitments. It is harder to get us all in one place at the same time.

This is the first year that we haven't gotten together for Thanksgiving, and it was a sad time for me because it is usually the only time I get to see some of my family, and how the children are growing and changing.

On the other hand it was a happy time for me. It was the first time in many years I had Thanksgiving Dinner with just my kids and grandkids. It was very quiet, and though I worked extremely hard to prepare everything, it was nice to be with just my immediate family.

Unfortunately, I think I will have to retire as head chef at these events. It is too hard on the old bod...and the mind can't keep track like it should. This is evidenced by the fact that the garbage got to eat the mirliton casserole, the carrot cake and the stuffing. We couldn't. :( Once an excellent cook, but now so out of practice the garbage gets the goodies...somehow that doesn't sit right with me...

There were many things to be thankful for though. I won't list them, because they are personal, but they are much more important than what the garbage got to eat. The fact that we are all here is the biggest of them. How could you not be thankful for that?

Well, Christmas is right around the corner. It seems like the whole family get-together thing might be struggling to keep afloat. I hope not, but we'll see how things work out. Enjoy your Christmas shopping, preparations, parties, and whatever else you have planned for the month to come. It's always such a busy time!

Lake Pontchartrain in Mandeville, Louisiana

DazzleMe Logo

I have decided to change part of my logo. A "DM" and beads has always held a place in the center of the circle. That has now been replaced by a Fleur de Lis.

One reason I decided on the change is I no longer make just jewelry, but a myriad of other items as well.

Another is that I was born in New Orleans, LA and have always lived within two hours of the city. There is usually a special place in your heart for the place you were born, but when it is a place as full of history, mystery, uniqueness and fun as New Orleans is, you develop a very strong bond to the city of your birth.

The Fleur de Lis has always been a symbol of the city. It is also the symbol of our hard-working, dedicated, 2009 Super Bowl Winning, "New Orleans Saints"!

After Hurricane Katrina, the Fleur de Lis seemed to take on new life as the symbol of New Orleans and south Louisiana as we continue to re-build our lives, businesses and homes after such a devastating event.

So with all of this said, it has now become my honor to display it as part of my logo. Hope you like it as well as I do.

Well, it's the beginning of November already. The Hurry-Scurry is about to begin. I'm not sure why we wait till the last minute to do all of the things we need to do for the holiday season every year. Maybe it just enhances the experience for us. Maybe it's because we put off what we can until we can't. Either way, it will be several months before things get back to normal routines for most of us. It seems to me that the older I get the faster the years pass. Each year I just turn around and it's the holiday season again. I really wish I'd learn to prepare all year. I'm getting too old for all the Hustle and Bustle. Well, as I say each and every year..."Maybe next year!" Hopefully one year soon I will succeed, cuz I'm probably running out of time...

NEW ORLEANS LOUISIANA SKYLINE

This photo of the New Orleans skyline was captured from the window of a doctor's office several stories up. The Superdome where our beloved New Orleans Saints play, is on the left.

The Superdome was a haven for thousands of people after hurricane Katrina in 2005. It was severely damaged during the storm. Restoration was finally completed in August 2011and it was renamed the Mercedes Benz Superdome.

It is the largest fixed domed structure in the world. Its steel frame covers a 13-acre (5.3 ha) expanse. Its 273-foot (83 m) dome is made of a Lamella multi-ringed frame and has a diameter of 680 feet (210 m).

This photo can be purchases at my etsy shop. http://www.etsy.com/listing/84592589/new-orleans-louisiana-skyline-photograph