GEAUX SAINTS!.

I am not a football fan (or most other sports) I waste my time reading or blogging or going to meetings. Sitting and watching sports just does not appeal to me. I used to enjoy watching the ice skating but the networks ruined that by having commentators who had to make remarks about everything. I just enjoyed watching the beautiful skating and it did not matter to me what the move was called...or whether it was a double instead of a triple or if the skater could have done it just a little better...doesn't matter. y I just want to watch and enjoy

However one of the teams is from one of my favorite cities, New Orleans so I will have to say that I am for them. Besides the "saints" song above is one of my favorites. I had Myrna play it at the end of my mother's funeral and if I were having a funeral I would have it played at mine.

I have been to New Orleans twice. Both times to go to a National Education Association meeting. I drove down both times and loved every minute of it. The first time I drove down alone and stopped in Memphis on the way down and had to visit Graceland. (I am an Elvis Fan) and also Jackson, Mississippi to go to an art museum. After my meetings I flew my (i think) ten year old nephew down and he joined me for a couple of days in New Orleans and the trip home. About 8 years later we did it again but this time he was with me for the whole trip. He didn't have any interest in seeing Graceland so we came home another route.

New Orleans is a gracious, edgy, raucous city with personality plus. You can walk along the waterfront and be assailed by the closest Jazz or Blues band. The woman walking next to you may be a man and some of the kids had safety pins through their eyebrows. ( I guess to keep their eyeballs from falling out.) I won't mention the smells, although in places they are pleasant but the ones on Bourbon Street are not.


The flora is wonderful. Spanish Moss hangs from the trees and there are flowers all around and the food in the restaurants is to die for.

The Audubon Park Zoo, the trolley car and the Cafe Du Monde with chicory flavored coffee and Beignets. Absolutely perfect.

The music is the soul of the city and on our second visit we lied about Jon's age and went on a tour of the Jazz clubs. I think he got as big a kick out of being in an "adult" club as he did listening to the music.

On the way home on the first trip we went to Oak Alley plantation for a tour and the lady on the balcony was a man and she(he) told me the little lizard we saw was a gnu. I thought that he (she) said "I (ah) know" and was somewhat frustrated until being told how it was spelled. I asked Jon later if he knew that the lady was a man and he said "Of course." Now I knew because he (she) had an Adams apple but Jon said he could tell because of the voice. You could not tell because of the aroma. Youth Dew. My favorite to this day. I love the South. The laid back quality of life and the warmth and beautiful green. We had a lot of great trips to go to the meetings and saw a lot of the country. I miss having him to go with me on my trips but such is life. Things change. I will be watching something else tonight but secretly I will be rooting for the Saints. Go marching in, fellas.