HAPPY MARDI GRAS!

Since it’s not midnight, I can still say that to my blog peeps…HAPPY MARDI GRAS!

I just came home from all of the hoopla and this has got to be the biggest carnival season since…I can’t remember when.

NavySeal and I left the house around 7:30 this morning. Found a parking lot and paid the $30 for the day which, isn’t bad considering its mardi gras day.  Also, I don’t have to worry about being towed being in a lot.

We coughed up the price to sit in the grandstand seats again this year. Even though they raised the price, it was worth it. We got there at 8 a.m. and found our perfect lil spot in the front.

The most amazing thing happened this mardi gras….ZULU STARTED EARLY!!

Wow.

NOLA folks know that, Zulu is notorious for starting late…and breaking down.

Not today though…

they were too busy trying to beat the rain that was threatening to put a damper on the day.

They hit Gallier Hall at 9 a.m.

And before I forget, I have to talk about the Mayor of New Orleans

Mitch Landrieu.

Mitch had a ball today! I love the fact that, Mitch is so down to earth….his energy is magnetic!

After he rode in on the horse, he went to Gallier Hall and when Zulu passed, I was looking for him to be in the stands.

The mayor was on the street with the Zulu Walkers dancing his lil tail off!

Way to go Mayor!

Zulu passed quickly and had  really nice throws this year.

I was able to get 7 coconuts from Zulu!

Coconuts are hard to get and being able to get 7 “golden nuggets” is really something.

That’s what happens when I’m my cute, bubbly self…it rains coconuts.

I gave three of them away.  One to a young lady standing next to me,one to an elderly lady and the other to an elderly man. The elderly folks were both with an international club that had come to NOLA from England.

Rex followed about 15 minutes later and the truck floats were right behind Rex.  Most of the people in the grandstands left after Rex so, they had maybe about 30 people in our area after that.  That was fantastic because, we had beaucoup room to move around after that.

We headed home around 3 p.m.   We were around a fantastic bunch of people and I gotta say, those elderly people hustle more than the younger ones for that stuff!

I don’t like to bring all of that stuff home but, I do love to catch it!

Once I catch it, I usually give it away but, some I just had to keep.

Look at my Katrina beads!  It has the fema trailer, the blue tarp roof, the stinky fridge with chocolate city on it and a looter!  They’re awesome!

 

Here are my other favorites…surprisingly enough, they all came from Zulu.

 

 

As much fun as I had this season…and I really had a wonderful time this year,

I’m glad it’s over.

I’m tired.

Tomorrow, I plan to rest and recoup.

I’m really going to miss those king cakes though.

 

 

 

 

NOLA Ramblings

*sigh* I’m trying to be like a good neighbor..I really am but, this right here is driving me.

What is this you say?

Well, it’s a truck float…or a soon to be truck float.

Whenever they get started.

My lovely neighbors are breaking all kind of zoning codes having this thingamajig back here.

We have one of the tightest zoning codes in the city here in “the park” and this thingamabob ain’t supposed to be back here…

they’re supposed to have it at Louisa and Almonaster.

Where the other truck floats are waiting to be worked on.

For the folks that aren’t from here,

on Mardi Gras day, after Zulu and Rex hit the streets,

the truck floats follow…which makes it pretty much an all day affair.

Cuz, they have lots of truck floats,

rolling all behind one another, blowing their horns

and tossing lots of stuff.

Ya catch more stuff from the truck floats than from Rex and Zulu combined on that day.

Families and friends usually get a truck float for themselves,

decorate it, dress in their costumes and have a wonderful time up there.

We’re planning to do a truck float ourselves…maybe next year(note to Oracle and SIL)

Part of me wants to call the “po-pos” and tell them they have to move this monstrosity

but, I actually want to see how it turns out.

Aww what the  heck, it’s Mardi Gras time,

On March 8th, it rolls out anyway.

Here’s a good clip of some truck floats rolling on Mardi Gras day..