I started to feel like the flu was coming for me on Monday evening – appreciating what poor Kara had been dealing with for most of the parade season.
I had arranged to go with Kenny to Tipitinas at 5am on Mardi Gras day. The Indians were coming out accompanied by a concert by Bill Iuso. Yes – things really do start that early on Fat Tuesday. Kenny texted and called that he was on the front porch – and I just couldn’t get out of bed. Sorry Kenny! It was kind of him to send evidence that he had been there before biking off to enjoy the show.
While I was sitting around feeling sorry for myself, Kenny was cruising around the downtown and Marigny areas, running into friends and making friends with strangers:
That’s Randy, Amy, Brian, Lisa and others dressed up as cereal boxes, not to forget the milkman. These guys are always very creative with their costumes, and I’m sure they are already discussing the plan for next year.
Amy got this picture with local star musician, Jon Cleary:
Our neighbours clowned their way down to the Marigny and back – very adventurous:
By Thursday, I had enough and made a visit to urgent care center. A chest x-ray was all clear, so they gave me some flu medicine, cough syrup and some medicine to use with a nebulizer (that really helped.)
Diana headed back to California and the guys were all off in Colorado skiing – so things were quiet around town.
Kara and I were feeling sufficiently better on Sunday to attend the Mystical Krewe of Barkus parade in the Quarter. This was rescheduled due to weather and Sunday was a perfect day for it. A new parade to me, I enjoyed it more than I expected to, with the dogs providing some great entertainment. Here are some pictures and videos of the excitement:
And it wouldn’t be a parade without Chris Peet and his Love flag – this time in a dog suit:
I’m really glad we made the effort to get out and enjoy one last parade to close out the season.
Here’s a cautionary tale from our local music writer, Keith Spera, who lost part of a front tooth trying to catch a mug thrown from a float:
I haven’t been able to focus on reading this week, and don’t have any new music to report.
Coexist peacefully, with kindness and patience for all!