Two Cups Of Latte!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, the extra exclamation points were not an accident. I am supremely caffeinated! I am now on my SECOND 20 oz latte at this lovely little Internet Cafe in Shreveport, La.* But the first one tasted really good, and I ordered another, and now I'm thinking maybe that was more than I really needed. :) But that's alright. Expect dispatches to come from here for the next ten days (ish). Some days I may not be able to drag Andrew over here, and/or just be busy. But the wireless connection works just fine, and I'm very happy. This was the shop that started me on my little quest to get the new laptop (Pele!) and it works just fine. For half a sec when I first got here I was worried, cause the little indicator bubble that says "Wireless connection available" did not come up. But it did after a minute. So.

Now I'm grooving with my Real Player, which I loaded with about forty CDs last week, (for some reason my Rhapsody service won't work here.... I don't know why, but I don't really mind). Annabelle the Sheep is grooving away to the soundtrack from The Craft-- I totally love it when she gets the backup singers. :)

The coffee making clerk is a cute blonde high school girl who was despairing earlier cause someone called her "Ma'am." I told her that I remember my first "Ma'am" and how it made me feel old. She said "I'm not even 17!" I know. I know. My first Ma'am was about then, too. Young folks always get excited when they hear I'm an English teacher, like I'm going to magically impart wisdom to them just by being in the room. But girls more than boys-- maybe cause girls are generally better at writing than boys of that age, and it's something they can sorta do.

So more details-- last night we drove up here using back roads, cause it shaves almost an hour off of the travel time, even when you don't count not having to go through Austin rush hour traffic (which usually adds at least an hour to the trip, so that means at least 2 hours saved). It was a pretty drive-- rolling Texas ranches and trees and green green grass. Small towns with those old circa 1940 brick buildings, a really yummy burger joint in Palestine Texas called Chips that had FRITO PIE (although I truly regretted the onions later). There was this one ranch along the highway that was HUUUUUGGGE. There must have been thousands of cows ranging about as far back as you could see. It was actually really kinda cool. Strangely enough, I saw at least four watermelons lying on the side of the road as we went by-- not in the same spot, mind you. Miles apart. Also not completely kersplat, like you would think they would be if they fell off a truck somewhere. Just lying there, looking dejected. But not like they grew there-- like they were left there by a little watermelon toting Hansel & Gretel. I don't quite get it. (Yay! Prince just came on my playlist!! "When Doves Cry")

Okay, so that's totally enough random chatter. I need to go get some cat food for Tituba (who came with us, by the way, and wasn't too thrilled with the car ride). And some groceries for our little tiny fridge in our hotel. And, ummm, get some work done, too. (Oh, that! Whatever!)

See ya tomorrow!

*Actually, it's Bossier City, Moxie Java, which is on Airline drive over by the Old Navy/Books A Million. Here's a little shout out for those looking for something like the place!