Mardi, Mardi, Mardi Gras! March 14, 2011

Greetings, blogosphere! I salute you after many months of silence! You must forgive me–I’ve been in grad school, trying to learn how to write so that my sentences will evolve into sleek, pelted, swimmy things–like otters–instead of clumsy, bushy, lumbering beasts.

But that’s not what I’m here to talk about today. I want to talk about a promise I made and kept. The promise was to myself, and I made it standing in my kitchen one year ago on Mardi Gras day. I had spent the morning watching costumed revelers and parades online. While the citizens of New Orleans danced in the city’s rare light, I was in Texas, sitting at a computer in my pajamas. For supper I made a big pot of jambalaya, and tried to get drunk and dance in my kitchen, but it only made me feel sad and silly and far from home. I looked my husband dead in the eye and said, “Next year I will be at Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Come hell or high water, I will dance in the streets.”

And I did.

Preservation Hall band parades through the Marigny.

Krewe of Bacchus parade float.

Here I am on Lundi Gras, gorging myself on King Cake.

Here I am on Mardi Gras day, dressed as Eve (of Biblical infamy) with a lady whose sign says it all.

It was one of the best days of my life, and it only took me about twelve seconds to realize that I never want to be anywhere but New Orleans on Mardi Gras day, ever again. There IS no other place. Stay tuned for more….