More Freshman move in tales 8/31/04

The biggest snafu we had was related to the recently washed "down" (as in down and feathers) items in the linen "space bag" (you know, the ones you suck the air out of with the vacuum cleaner 'til they shrink up to a fraction of their original size!). It seems that despite letting them tumble all night and hanging them in 90 degree heat and bright sun for 5 hours, there was still wet down deep inside two down comforters (one throw with fleece backing that Gramma gave him last Christmas), when I sealed them in the linens space bag before we left. Needless to say they smelled like wet dog (everything in there did, but the other items were fine after a quick airing) when we opened them up over 24 hours later. Fortunately, we were able to open a window and I quickly removed the offending items. I returned them fresh as a daisy the next afternoon after spending a delightful morning at the Prytania Street Washateria, which I adored (I know you don't believe me but I swear it's true!). It was decrepit in some respects and definitely in an interesting "transitional" neighborhood (Coliseum Square in the Lower Garden District), but it was newly painted, with new clean ceramic tile floors and all new machines. A delightful elderly black proprieter who was taking turns sweeping the sidewalk out front with changing a tire on his car at the curb (an activity that seemed to me to be suspended pending cooler evening temperatures) said they were renovating. Fortunately, it was right around the corner from my hotel, so I could come and go while I was getting ready to check out. I will say that there's no need to worry about hot flashes in NO. They're not discernable from just the way it is. From the washateria, which gave new meaning to the term "hot spot", to schlepping gear from the car to the room, it was akin to being steamed. The university had a tent with pizza and drinks outside the dorm and cookies and drinks inside, which was nice. Parking was relatively close, and there were hand trucks available but we didn't really have enough to need one. I was the last parent to leave in our little group and we needed a second trip to the new Super Wal-Mart on Tchoupitoulas Street (Chop-i-tool-us, as best as I can tell), down by the river in the Warehouse District. It had just opened on the 25th and Xavier, New Orleans University and Loyno were moving in (Tulane was a week ahead and started classes last Wednesday), so, after breakfast for lunch with son, we picked up roommate and other friend from home (whose parents had all left), and made one last run into chaos. It was wild. We came back and unloaded, assembled and deployed the *stuff*. I handed over his PowerBook that I'd been using on the trip, got him hooked up to the school network, took a few pictures and said good-bye. He's set to go and the guys directly across the hall, who they also hung out with at Orientation, already feel like old friends. Darling boys. One said to me, "Mrs. X, I think I'm going to be homesick." I had just met him. I said, "Darlin', I *know* you are. It's ok. *Everybody* will be at one time or another." It was so sweet. His parents had dropped him off Friday then headed to the beach near Pass Christian, LA. The came back through on their way home Sunday and took him out to dinner. I like the way they think.