Entering Cajun Country - Day 2

We made it to Lafayette Louisiana!  Today we drove seven hours to our final destination.  We spent a lot of time looking for wildlife on the drive. Unfortunately we didn't see anything. Unless you count the interstate roadkill -- a wild boar, an armadillo and something white and fluffy that we couldn't identify.  The boys were very busy looking for an alligator in every stream, river, swamp and bayou we passed. No luck tho.

We found it amusing that the rest stops in Mississippi had security guards in their air conditioned security shed, and a golf cart parked near the guard shack. As if the golf cart could run someone down on the interstate if there was trouble.  Uh boy.

We finally arrived at Simon and Dawn's apartment mid-afternoon.  Neither of them were home. Debbie, my MIL, was making the wedding bouquets. Aunt Amy took Corbin and Owen swimming in the pool while Ben and I checked into the hotel and found the floor of the van.

The hotel is a vast improvement over last night! Even Ben thought last night's place was dirty and said he would have gladly paid the extra $40 to stay at the holiday inn!  If he comments I know it's bad!

We'll be staying at the Hilton Garden Inn across from the Cajundome in LaFayette for the next two nights.  The hotel is beautiful, the room is immaculate, the pool, whirlpool and fitness center are inviting, and they serve a full breakfast each morning.  Aunt Sarah and Uncle John are staying across the hallway, my in-laws are in a hotel down the road and Amy and E are staying with Simon - for now.

The boys were thrilled to find a green lizard near the pool and can spot those little buggers instantly!  They have keen critter detection but haven't been fast enough to catch one yet.

To keep the boys entertained we walked around the apartment complex in search of lizards.  My nephew Leo (18 months) toddled along with me.  We met Grandpa along the way and continued our walk through the property.  I was fine with the heat (94-degrees and muggy) until the last half-block and suddenly the sweat began to roll and I was drenched!

The men split from the women for dinner.  The ladies took the three little boys with us and we ate at Copelands, a New Orleans themed restaurant.  They are also known for their cheesecakes but we were too full to try one!  Grammy and Aunt Sarah watched the boys while Amy and I met Dawn and eight of her friends for a Ladies Night/Bachelorette party.  The men ate at a cajun restaurant (Ben said the alligator tastes just like chicken) and shot pool at a pool hall.  The alcohol was flowing at both parties.  I stuck to my regular Diet Coke on the rocks.  I like to live life on the edge.

I'm realizing that folks in the south are not in a hurry, nor do they really make plans ahead of time. Perhaps it's the heat (or the alcohol) that keeps them laid back and relaxed.  I'm unsure of the plan for the wedding tomorrow.  We are spending the morning at the hotel - swimming, eating breakfast, and swimming some more.

Bah for now y'all.