i survived mardi gras!

but was there any doubt that i could?

meaning to wake up early early on friday morning, i slept through my alarm and woke up to a text message at 9:30am (i wanted to leave before 8). all i can say is that i blame karaoke, really cheap drinks and a 3 am last call. anyway, savannah, josh, evan, mike and kate c. showed me a hell of a good time in georgia.

one ibuprofen and big gulp of mountain dew later, i was heading down I-95 to Jacksonville, FL and then hours and hours on I-10 through the panhandle. my excitement at finally getting to see alabama and mississippi was quickly diminished by a traffic jam in mobile that had me sitting stationary on a bridge for an hour. once through, i was only a short drive (because drive time has become so relative) from my destination of new orleans. after getting directed rather directly to the parade route (text message from katherine: park at napolean and st. charles. i'm wasted) i knew i was really in the midst of my first mardi gras.

after marching directly with the parade to meet my newest dear friend, kathering buras, i was greeted with a strong hug and given a beer immediately. i can't say i caught any beads that night, but i was given many in the spirit of true southern hospitality. one hour and several BK nuggets later, Katherine was asleep on her sofa and her college friends were making fun of her.

the next morning we made our way downtown to the hotel room which katherine's family has occupied every mardi gras in recent memory. sitting atop st. charles street, the second floor balcony made the perfect perch to watch all the parades and catch more beads than i even knew existed. as kate's family- uncles, aunts, cousins- buzzed around us, the day seemed to melt into exactly what new orleans is; as the creoles say: laissez les bons temps rouler.

kate's aunt convinced us to take a nap in between parades, and i drifted into dreams of that scene in gone with the wind when all the girls go upstairs to rest. i woke up two hours later, head starting to throb and still sleepy. i told myself i must need another beer, and went into the bathroom to grab one from the tub.

the next few days are sortof a blur. wake up early, head hurting, beer in hand, carrying ice chests and lawn chairs and catching more beads and beer cozies and stuffed animals and then crashing into bed to start again the next day. on monday after watching orpheus (i think) uptown we went home, all thinking that we were still on the trajectory to "go out". i made a phone call, and when i emerged from the house, the crew had collected food orders for Burger King and started a fire on katherine's front patio. we made smores, drank beer and ate nuggets and fries. i was the first out, around 11pm, but was still outdone on Mardi Gras day, when kate and her friend lauren were up before me around 8am.

yesterday, mardi gras day, was rather anti-climactic. we watched zulu, a traditionally african american parade in which the people wear black face, grass skirts and throw coconuts (eeesh, right?). we finished by watching the truck parade, which as melanie put it "give's everybody a headache. all you hear is apple bottom jeeaans- BRRRRRRPT (truck horn)- boots with the BRRRRRRRRT"

we all had a feeling that it will take several days to wear this holiday off, but what a time it was. katherine was a gracious host and i can now say that i have been to mardi gras! thanks new orleans.