Slow as a Mardi Gras Parade

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Wednesday Hodgepodgers.

1. 'Slow and steady wins the race'...tell us about a time this was true in your own life. 

 The only thing I can think of was being in a sack race many years ago.  We always had a "Sadie Hawkins Day" at my college and one year my boy friend signed us up to compete in the sack race.  We realized from the first step that in order to win, we not only had to cross the finish line before everyone else, but also upright and together.  That required our every step being in sync.  We did it and won by going not too slowly and steady.  Geez, where did that memory come from?

2. 'As slow as molasses'...Do you like molasses? How about maple syrup? Caramel? Butterscotch? What's your favorite of the slow moving treats mentioned here, and what's your favorite food made with that sweet treat?

Maple Syrup would be my favorite.  I use Maple Syrup in quite a few recipes from Pork Chops to green beans, but my favorite way to use it would have to be poured to overflowing on a stack of pancakes.  No dry pancakes on my plate!

3. Your favorite slow song?

"Just As I Am"

4. Your favorite thing to make in a slow cooker or crock pot?

Soups

5. 'You may delay, but time will not.' ~Benjamin Franklin Are you more a hurrier or a delayer when it comes to unpleasant tasks that need doing? What are you currently either delaying or hurrying to get through this week or month?

I am becoming more of a delayer than I used to be for sure.  Before retirement, my job consisted of reports and deadlines, so I naturally carried this drive over into my daily life after retirement.  It's been six years and I am proud to report that I have successfully retrained myself.  Yesterday, I completed my task of making sure all our tax records were completed and ready to be taken to our CPA.  The box is by the door ready for Dick to deliver today.  Another year done!

6. Tell us three things you encounter regularly or even just occasionally that you find to be annoyingly slow.

1.  Certain gas pumps
2.  The time between visits with our children and grandchildren
3.  Falling to sleep

7. March is National Craft Month. Are you crafty? Tell us about something crafty you'll try in the next thirty one days. Or something crafty you'd like to try or wish you had the skill to make happen.

I used to be crafty.  Does anyone remember macramé or decoupage?  I haven't done a craft project in over 20 years and don't plan to resume.  I really haven't seen anything crafty that I would want to spend my time learning or working on.  So, no crafty projects in my future.

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

Dick spent several weeks helping a young couple find the craftsman home of their dreams in the Historic Highland District of our city.  One of the selling points of the house they fell in love with was that it is on the Highland Neighborhood Mardi Gras Parade route.  Mardi Gras is a big thing here!  

How BIG?  Today's paper reported that this years four parades brought our city more than $16.5 million.  Just one local business alone sold more than three semi-trailer loads of beads.  Another business sold over 16,000 King Cakes, and approximately 600,000 people watched at least one of the parades.  Maybe not as big as New Orleans, but BIG!

Louisiana King Cake

This past Sunday the couple invited us to join them and their families to watch the parade.  They also boiled 100 lbs of crawfish and shrimp not to mention potatoes and corn-on-the-cob.

So, let me share with you just a few of the 100 floats as seen from my perch on the front porch.

 See anything in common on these floats so far?

 The one thing in common would be the tons of colorful beads hung and accessible for throwing.

And the one thing you will hear shouted above the loud Jazz music along the parade route is

"Throw me something mister!"

And that is Mardi Gras Shreveport, La style.