Mardi Gras

Remember I told you my husband has a sense of humor? One year we all dressed as good fairies for Mardi Gras. Bob got more throws than anyone!

The Iris Day Parade This is the view from my float in the downtown area (Saint Charles Avenue) during the parade.	The crowds on Canal Street are serious! For the Iris Day Parade they are about a half a block deep. For the night parades they are much bigger!

From the left to right: Stacy, Lollie, Erin, and Reneé. Notice those little yellow "belts" drooping from our shirts? Those are our safety belts to keep us on the floats! Our costumes represented our float - Silent Pictures, and we here we are dressed as directors.	Erin's mom and I are best friends. It is so wonderful to share these special moments with your favorite people. Erin and her family spend Mardi Gras in New Orleans with us - they come down from New Jersey. The girls all ride in the Iris Parade. Iris was/is the Goddess of the Rainbow and is the oldest (chronologically!) all women parade krewe. This photo is on the way to "loading" up our floats.

This was taken just before the float began to roll. Notice we do not have our masks on, and the abundance of beads hanging behind us. Well, I have to tell you that (from left to right:) Reneé, Stacy, Erin and Lollie were sitting on additional beads and throws until halfway through the parade!	During the parade we often see people we know and here I am (with the batch of beads up in the air) waiting until the person I want to "catch" all these treasures gets closer to the float. Notice that the mask is in place and gloves are on!

	Sometimes the parade will stop. Tractor breaks down, the Queen's toast at City Hall ... for what ever reason, you can chat with the crowd. Here I am asking to see driver's licenses as the person who has traveled the farthest distance will get the beads! It is illegal to "throw" while you are stopped and I consider it rude not to talk to these people, so I chat with them to find out how they are enjoying Mardi Gras.


Here are JC and Skylar (from right to left) all loaded up on the top deck of their float. They ride in the super parade Bacchus. It parades at night and the crowds are much more rambunctious. They carry mostly pearls and long beads for the famous stories about what people will do to get a strand of these beads are true!
	Last year after we had brunch at Commander's Palace on Lundi Gras, we took carriages downtown to see Rex arrive at the waterfront. This is the kid group. From the left: Andy (he's a boy), Andy (she's a girl), Erin, JC, Stacy, Jessie and one of my surrogate sons, Bill.
This is the parent's carriage. From left to right: Lottie, our friend Chris, moi (in my sequined Mardi Gras suit. The kids call it "Mom's Suit of Lights"), Bob, and Dr. Bruce.
	Now a veteran rider, Skylar no longer has his mask on early! From left: Skylar, Mr. Bob, Dr. Bruce, and JC. The theme of their float last year was "Games People Play" and they are dressed to compliment the Monopoly board on their float.

Rex This is Rex arriving by Coast Guard Cutter to the Riverwalk to greet the King of Zulu and the Mayor of New Orleans, Marc Morial, on Lundi Gras evening. Rex is the King of Carnival ("Rex" and "King" are synonymous) and he has arrived to receive the key to the city and to proclaim Tuesday for Mardi Gras.