It Has Been a While

It's not easy in the Big Easy if I have not already said so. I saw my last entry was in July and I realized just how fast time has passed. It tends to when you are engulfed in learning a new (and brutally tough) job, and tending to the caretaking duties at home. Things including time tend to drift past almost unnoticed...BUT there is a magic in this city- I know it. I just have not had much time to discover it.

There have been some bright spots, though, that show the presence of said magic. The Saint's winning season has been a blast to follow. Its hard to explain because I was so used to the Cowboys winning and if they did not, the city would turn on them until they won again. Here, the Saints have been longing for such a magical football season. Maybe we brought some of that magic with us from Texas. I mean we came here in June and New Orleans had the worst heat wave in memory so we definitely brought Texas heat. In December we saw the most rain New Orleans has ever seen in a single month-something over 24" so we brought some water too. During this time (sans the last 3 games) we got to share in the joy of some great Saints football. You could literally feel it in the city the day after a win. People were excited, talking about it, commercials thanking the Saints air, songs were composed, and the list goes on. Maybe we brought the conference championship and hopefully a bigger championship too. Saint's football has been a wonderful experience.

Some other magical things I have discovered. There is some amazing food here. Yes, its a given but I am not one who lives on creole food and seafood all the time. I have found amazing pizza, italian food, burgers, and the joy of cooking more too. The stores here have some really unique items so cooking has become fun again. Celebrations...I attended a Halloween parade in the French Quarter which was really fun. It was a mini Mardi Gras and quite a taste of crowds for me for me (I'm leary of crowds and it was crowded but nothing like our trip to the Monday night football game with the Saints playing Atlanta) but it was so cool to see the floats and costumes. Christmas was nice-both here and on our visit to Dallas. It was hard to leave Dallas (wonderful to see snow there) but I did get back to New Orleans. I decorated the house with all kinds of lights and 2 trees. I cooked truducken, andouille sausage and pecan cornbread stuffing, and all sorts of other things. Now it is Mardi Gras season. I am in the process of making our Christmas tree a Mardis Gras tree and enjoying different kinds of king cake. I am discovering the magic a little at a time.

There are the downsides too. The job is brutal, there have been 11 murders since the first of the year, corruption is being exposed all over the place in many of the cities around New Orleans along with New Orleans. Thank goodness a new mayor will be coming in. There is noticable racial tension be it at the schools, on the streets, even in public places like the mall or stores. It's definitely a divided city.

Other than that its still the Big Easy even if its not always so easy. You have to take it for what it is. You need to seek out the magic.