These words come to you today
from the historic city of New Orleans! We had an uneventful flight in last
Sunday. Both of us are delighted to be visiting a city that we’ve
long wanted to experience. What we’ve seen so far, we love.
We’ll be taking a bus tour of
the city and possibly one in a mule-drawn carriage later in the week. Yes, I
said mule. One of the first things I learned here was that apparently those
animals are better suited to the heat of summer than are horses.
Perhaps it’s because of this
particular locale, but I’ve noticed the conventioneers have been arriving
earlier than in years past. My beloved and I have been in the habit of coming
several days ahead of the traditional Wednesday start; we like to have some down
time before the busyness that is RT. Generally we have spent
either sight-seeing or reading, and for my beloved, enjoying not getting up at
four a.m. for the workday. This time, it did surprise us some to see so many
checking in on Sunday.
I have, as is my custom, rented
a motorized mobility device, and am once more a terror in the corridors of a
hotel. I do my best not to be a hazard but sometimes that speed dial gets edged
away from the “tortoise” symbol and closer to the “hare”. But I can assure you
that it has been several years since I’ve run over anyone.
The room we’re in is a corner
room, with nice wide windows and a view of the Mississippi River. So far we’ve
only indulged in one tourist experience, and we found it by looking out our
window. We couldn’t help but notice a paddle boat docked not far from us. A few
times a day, we’ve seen people lined up to get on board. Then, with a loud
whistle, that boat pulls out, and returns a couple of hours later.
The Steamboat Natchez hosts
three cruises a day leaving from here in the French Quarter and last night, my
beloved and I enjoyed their dinner cruise. We booked the event as much for the
experience of being on the water as for the meal and the live Jazz Band on
board. We thoroughly loved the evening.
My husband particularly enjoyed
the fact that he could go and visit the engine room. He told me upon his return
that the boat is a “diesel powered steam driven” vessel, and that while docked
(which it was when he took this tour) the two large pistons were moving in and
out slowly. My beloved has told me more than once that he believes he worked on
a ship of some sort in a previous life.
The dining room serves two
sittings for the evening meal – an early one while still docked, and a later
one, on the water. That made sense, since I imagine there are some who don’t
like to eat while in motion. We took the later seating, because we’ve never
really been bothered by sea-sickness.
Well, there was that time back
in 2011 when we were on a cruise. Returning to port, the ship followed hurricane
Ophelia up the coast. I spent the roughest part of that excursion in our cabin.
My husband, on the other hand, was sitting out on the bow deck with a few
similarly misguided men, as the ship cut deep and the waves splashed high on
either side of the vessel.
That time I was, I must admit,
a tad “unsettled”.
Of course, the best part of
coming to any RT convention, no matter where it is, is seeing fellow authors and
meeting face to face with my readers—some of whom came here to New Orleans
specifically to meet me.
That humbles me, and honors
me—but it really doesn’t surprise me—because I have the very best readers in all
the world.
Love,
Morgan
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