There is a 'Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator's Office'...but....

It has only a few sentences on this incident, and was last updated on 4.30.10.  See below.

Good God.

http://www.losco.state.la.us/admin/newsflash.asp?newsid=284

Go for it boys....we love you....

Happy Easter!

Y'all!!!  I took an amazing trip on the Creole Nature Trail this weekend with the dogs.  It's late and my internet connection is acting funny so I won't post pics tonight, just had to post this one from today since it IS Easter and all....

Super Sunday 2010

And it was...a SUPER Super Sunday. A gorgeous day, with a home cooked breakfast eaten on the patio after some coffee and cigarettes. Went by bicycle to see the festivities where all the Indian Tribes meet. Normally it's done on St. Joseph's day, but the Indian chiefs postponed it for a week this year for some reason, not sure why. It's been a lovely, lovely March that certainly did 'come in' and 'go out' as two different entities, but it's been an almost rhapsodic spring so far, temperature wise. Some more loveliness follows....

The father of one of John's students in full regalia.

Everyone gettin' in on the music, marching away.

A very serious look from a very seriously talented suit-maker.  All these Indians make these suits themselves, it takes all year and a lot of money for each of these amazings.  Les Blank is a documentarian who has done all kinds of films on creole, cajun, and New Orleans culture. His first film on New Orleans Mardi Gras, which includes the Indians, was done in 1978, but I've found there isn't a real knowledge of this culture, even in this town, as it's a very secretive element.

The crowd getting them all hyped up.

It seems this tradition is still going on strong, the young men look transfixed...

After school classes

It turns out that I am taking two classes this month, the OSHA 30 hour safety course for work, then Sonji and I are also taking a cooking class at a community college here in town.  New Orleans-style, Spanish and French style cooking.  This week we cooked chicken and sausage gumbo, fried green tomatoes, BBQ shrimp and bread pudding. It's a 3 hour class that goes by very quickly, then we get to sit down and eat it when we're done!  It's a blast, actually, which I didn't really expect, but it's good to connect with a friend who's a co-worker occasionally to get away from always talking about the madness that is Katrina Recovery.  Her aunt, who is an amazing cook, showed some of us gals how to cook gumbo 2 weeks ago before she left to go back hom to Cali.  This gumbo was similiar, but it had a few differences in the cooking method, although both their roux's looked the same, like crunchy peanut butter, see......

Sonji didn't quite get through the entire recipe before she started cooking so there was still a 1/2 stick of butter left that should have been in this pan.  Shore wuz good tho'!

The below shot is the Gumbo pot from Auntie's recipe.

and Courtney diggin' all up in the Auntie's gumbo.

SUPERAMAZINGNEWHOUSE!

So...biking around on Mardi Gras day I found this jewel in the Mid-City neighborhood a few blocks from the Fairgrounds.  Just in time to get it ready for Jazzfest....for any friends that would like to come visit!  The SCREENED IN PORCH is what drew me to the place, such a lovely thing.  There are many more skeeters here than I thought, and they are ruthless.  It really makes hanging outside on warmer days difficult, and a screened porch allows me (and my doggies) the freedom to move between the two worlds in way more comfort.  I'm very excited...a new house, a new bike, a new outlook, a great city with an NFL championship.  Things are good.

Mardi Gras - the end

Well, I missed a lot of the parades due to sheer exhaustion, and very very cold weather.  (well....cold for us....in the 30's and 40's).  This shot, taken during the truck parades after Rex on Mardi Gras Day, sums it up pretty well.  It was a lovely, if chilly, day...warm in the sun.  I was tooling around on my (new to me) bike all over the city with John, and when we would see a good spot to catch some loot we'd stop and holler for awhile.

Here's what St. Charles Ave looks like right after the last truck rolls on Tuesday....

DATs RIGHT!

Photos from the Saints parade last week - the Saenger Theatre is my photo, the rest from the Times-Picayune.  Saints superbowl win, Mardi Gras.....this town is NUTS right now.  Great, in so many ways....