Thursday Cannon Fodder: Mardi Gras

Good morning, TSF. There’s not much interesting doing in the old noodle today as of yet, for whatever reason. It’s been unseasonably warm in D.C. for the past few days and that’s going to continue into next week. I’m sure we’ll pay for it with another polar bomb or arctic vortex in February. Sadly, it seems like climate change has severely decreased the amount of snow we get around here. Bummer.

I’ve been listening to New Orleans / Mardi Gras music the last few days in my post-Christmas blues. Even though it isn’t for another month and a half, the upbeat, jazzy, party sound is perfect for the early January doldrums. My mother is from Louisiana, and every year we have a family Mardi Gras celebration. She breaks out the purple, yellow, and green streamers and beads, and we eat po-boys, red beans and rice, and king cake. I believe one year we had boudin balls, too.

Are there any smaller, regional / cultural holidays that you celebrate even though most people probably don’t? What are the traditions?

P.S.: the Arsenal New Orleans supporter group does their own Gooner Gras around Mardi Gras time, it’s really cool!