Geezer On The Go

Sad to say, with coronavirus, my global wanderings have been put on hold. This post is a wallow down memory lane from a Louisiana jaunt last January. We met up with family and spent a few days in New Orleans before heading south to Houma, their stomping grounds. In my many visits to NOLA I had never toured the Historic Voodoo Museum. Tammy (sister-in-law), Kayla (niece), Barry, Robin and I all partook in the adventure. Meanwhile, Conde, Greg (brother-in-law) and Chance (partner of Kayla and son of Barry & Robin) went to a bar. The museum was truly a visit to another realm. Based upon the offerings from visitors, I’m thinking the spirits really like money and cigarettes. Barry was astounded that we actually paid good money to get in. Made for some colorful conversation and photos.

We visited one of Chance & Kayla’s old haunts. A quintessential neighborhood bar on Magazine Street. Mike (Lafayette cousin) met up with us for the evening. Tammy and Chance shot pool (both sharks) while Kayla, Conde and Mike connected. I wandered around, taking in the scenery. A good time.

There are some mainstays in NOLA that never lose their shine. Pat O’Brien’s for a hurricane (too potent for this gal) and Felix’s for raw gulf oysters (I prefer the Pacific NW varieties).

Photos below: Robin, me, Kayla & Tammy in front of O’Brien’s flaming fountain. Chance and Kayla photobombing an intended romantic shot of Tammy & Greg. And, Oysters Galore!

Out on the town, we caught the Joan of Arc parade. It wasn’t Mardi Gras but it sure was fun, for me. Others perched on stools in a nearby bar.

When in NOLA, you gotta get in some jazz.

Barry is enjoying two fisted wine under Conde’s skilled tutelage

Kayla, Conde and I visited the New Orleans Museum of Art. We wandered about the way groovy sculpture garden. And we checked out a good exhibit on the impact of climate change on glaciers. Definitely a good time. Below, I tried to get Conde to strip down and follow suit but he respectfully, and with good spirit, declined.

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New Orleans is a perfect city for wandering about and checking out all the oddities and glory. Enjoy this slide show of fun images:

Houma

Robin and Barry headed home and the rest of us met up in Houma (pronounced HoMa), a one hour drive southwest of NOLA. We rented a house on the Intracoastal canal and commenced family time in true Louisiana style. Peggy (mother, grandmother & mother-in-law) rounded out the crew. Three of us had mid-January birthdays and it was the time of the epiphany. Much to celebrate. While in NOLA we started with a king cake (baby baked inside) for the epiphany. And in Houma Peggy added a cheese cake for the birthdays. In Louisiana, great food and family are synonymous. Laughter and libations included.

A crawfish boil was an absolute must. We got live “mudbugs,” shrimp, veggies, eggs for deviling and created a huge feast. This is the royal “we” since I mostly supervised and helped cut up the veggies for the boil.

We finished the evening off with a beautiful cheesecake that Peggy scored. Each slice a different flavor. Gotta try them all! Here is where a true confession should be divulged. First time Conde took me to meet his Houma family, we stayed 10 days. It was 1983. I gained 15 pounds! Man-oh-man I do love the cooking down there.

Meanwhile, we watched giant barges float by and mother nature gave us some glorious sunsets.

Kayla, Chance, Conde and I took a day trip through the bayous to Chauvin. There we visited an entirely different artistic interpretation of a sculpture garden. A fellow by the name of Kenny Hill settled in this place and commenced creating bigger than life hand built statues and structures. He is a Vietnam veteran with a huge spiritual mission and an interesting story. He is still alive but no longer in the area. The garden is now tended by the art department at NSU. The land is rapidly eroding threatening a collapse of these works into the bayou waters.

I can’t wait until we can travel again. Seeing the peeps in Louisiana is high on my list.

For all you Geezers On The Go – Keep on Keeping On!