From Epiphany to Mardi Gras!

Happy Epiphany Sunday!

Now that the Christmas and New Year holiday are ending, talk is turning towards Mardi Gras!
Dinner conversation the other night turned into an educational session for me, about the upcoming festivities (still over a month away.) I even practiced yelling, "throw me something mister!", which is what one hollers as the floats are going by apparently even if the person throwing things from the float happens to be female. This is a picture of what I was thrown during our practice. The colors the bear is wearing are the official Mardi Gras colors of course.

Yesterday my (N.O. LA) local community had a wonderful time at the home of a a woman who stayed with the sisters before I came. We had a delicious gumbo dinner. For desert we had King Cake which is eaten in New Orleans from the Feast of the Epiphany until Mardi Gras. There is a small plastic baby doll baked into the cake. According to tradition, the person who discovers the doll in his or her piece wins the prize of either hosting the party the following year or of at least bringing the cake. I did not get the prize; if I had, we would have had a lot of guests in Philly for Epiphany next year.

It was a short work week since my office was closed on both New Year's Day and the following day. In some ways the week did not feel short because a lot happened in those three days. There is never an easy time to be homeless, but this time of year may be the hardest.

I am doing well and hope you are too.
May the star that guided the wise ones to the Christmas crib, guide you on your journey during these days as we travel from Epiphany to Mardi Gras!