Heading Down South to N’Orleans

Ray and I are leaving bright and early tomorrow to journey slowly to New Orleans.  We are going slowly because we love to visit places along the way.  We will tour Civil War battlefield sites and go to a baseball game.  I also plan to shop.  Like all Canadians I find the US to be shopping heaven, especially with the Canadian dollar is near par.  I read a study about the price differential and overall things in Canada still tend to cost about 15-20% more on average, not to mention the much better selection in parts South.

When we arrive it will be just in time to attend the American Bridge Teachers Convention and I am really excited because I will be the one to make the actual presentation to the winner of the ABTA Mpp Bridge Teacher of the Year award.  Cameras, action!  Many of the nominees are traveling with lots of students to the event.  I hope the finalists who don’t win are not too disappointed because in my mind making it to the final group is a victory.  Besides meeting and talking to all the teachers, its always fun to see everybody at a Nationals.  Gavin and Jenny Wolpert are visiting Toronto and they stopped by yesterday.  They tell me that they will be having a booth at the nationals to help interest people in their new website www.bridgewinners.com  and to print convention cards for people, free.  They are going to be very busy with the booth, playing and a baby.  Although Jenny says the nationals are very child friendly.

I am feeling better than I have in a while although I am worried about asthma and hot humid New Orleans so I may act like a vampire and only come out when the sun sets and Cafe Du Monde is open 24 hours a day.  Ray has booked us in for a birthday dinner at Emeril’s.  We had fun reading the menu online.

For the first time in as long as I can remember I will not be taking an books to read.  I have put a number of ebooks on my iPAD including some of our bridge books.  I am going to see how much I like the ebook experience.  The great news is I have taken rather a lot of ebooks with me and it is not occupying space in my suitcase.

I won’t be blogging for a while.  I may have a chance to write a blog or two once I am in the hotel in New Orleans, we will see.  I am not taking my computer just my iPAD – I am in love, but Ray will have a portable with him.  I expect when I get home I will have a chance to blog about the later stages of the Spingold and I may just have to blog about Teacher of the Year even before I return home.

Some times it seems like 24 hours a day is just not enough!  Bye for a while.  And keep sending comments about bridgeblogging.  We do need your help.  (Check my previous post).

Linda