Plantation Tour and Fall and Wedding and Swollen Foot

Yesterday morning Michael and I drove about an hour outside of New Orleans to visit an historic Creole plantation, Laura Plantation.  We enjoyed the approx. 40 minute tour throughout the house, gardens and even got to go inside one of the slave shacks to get a very small glimpse into what life was like for them on this plantation and then visited the gift shop where I purchased a lovely bottle of vintage type scented cologne, Sweet Oil and a bottle of sweet Pecan Liqueur.  Sorry, no link provided for that one because it's alcoholic.

Since we hadn't had any lunch and our stomachs were growling and having tasted the delicious cooking of Oak Alley Plantation's restaurant only three miles down the road once before, our mouths were watering for some Chicken Gumbo and their homemade Pecan Pie a la mode.  Sumptuous!

After a satisfying afternoon lunch we took a stroll for some pictures on the grounds of Oak Alley.  Michael ran off ahead of me for some pictures that really weren't worth going after because of all the people and a big tree trimming truck on the path in the way.  We had gotten better ones the last time we visited, so, I stayed behind and took my time breathing deeply and taking in the beautiful old oak trees that line the walkway.

In the above picture there is a brick porch that drops off to a concrete walkway that is hard to see in this photograph, but nevertheless is there.  One little step.  Where am I looking?  Every place but where my eyes should be looking: down.  In sandals, one little misstep and down I go with a thud.  Very ungraceful, too, with a SPLAT.  Skinned my left knee and ripped a hole in my jeans, just like a little kid.  Worst of all, the top part of my right foot began swelling up immediately and turned black and blue.

Needless to say, we went to Tom's wedding and I danced my butt off anyway; I love to dance.  It's amazing what two Tylenol and a glass of wine will do.  I wore a capped sleeve, just below the knee full skirted black dress with a little white polka dot print and a wee bit of black netting peeking through the bottom of the hem.  My shoes for the ceremony were pretty little strappy sandals with mid high heels and a tiny rhinestone flower for decoration.  Regardless of the swollen foot, I was footloose and fancy free for dancing at the reception in a pair of sparkly silver sequined flat footed sneakers.

Today we're on our way home and my foot isn't looking or feeling very happy from all that dancing.  More swelling and a darker bruise.  We saw an H sign for a hospital in some rinky dink town off the highway and decided to take a chance to get a quickie x-ray, just in case.  After two hours I'm proud to say we're back on the road with our 5th wheel in tow and my ankle wrapped up in a bandage and propped on a pillow on the dash.  Just a very bad sprain so it seems.  Could involve a ligament but wouldn't know for sure without an MRI, which I'm not waiting around for.  Time and rest will tell.

California or bust!