Happy Mardi Gras

[Jeff Teuton]

AS the crystal clear sky greets the day, it is Mardi Gras. The Krewe of Southland will host hundreds of people from infants to old folks like myself and my wife to celebrate Fat Tuesday. We line up about 45 pickup trucks along our 3 blocks of parade route featuring the Krewe of Houmas followed by the Krewe of Cajuns. Parade festivities start about 11 am as the first precession hits the streets of Houma, Louisiana. It ends when the last float (somewhere between 40 and 50) leaves the official parade route. The parties along the route have already started with Cajun chefs presenting their best. We will have the usual hamburgers, hot dogs, green onion sausage, and numerous attendees will bring their specialties; gumbos with potato salad, jambalaya, shrimp fixings in every form, and what each chef and Cajun Cook is most proud of, and of course a few King Cakes. Our local Biker Club is in charge of security and provides the DJ for a little background music. Each float has it's own music system, most costing many thousands of dollars. In our area success is measured by how much of a pickup truck bed you can fill with beads, trinkets, stuffed animals, and many other different throws. There will also be several hundred others who join us as our area for observing the parade and festivities. Tomorrow is the beginning of Lent, so you pray for forgiveness and pray for horsepower and get ready to go racing in late February in Houston. Happy Mardi Gras