Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Driven to Distraction

It feels like living in New Orleans is just a series of distractions. Once we got through the holidays, we had Mardi Gras, followed by St. Patrick's Day, French Quarter Fest and JazzFest, with all sorts of other festivals sprinkled between. I've started a post-JazzFest diet to work off off the food and libations that go along with said distractions. For me though, JazzFest is the BEST distracation of all. You can't beat the variety of music, food and arts & crafts. This year there was no rain the entire time - first time that's happened in 12 years. 

Thursday, Day 2 for us.

Gentilly Stage the second Saturday, day 3 for us.



Sunscreen and hats are very important.

The Decemberist rocked the Fais Do Do stage the first Sunday.
Actually, it's been weeks since we've had any rain. I have to water my garden every other day, my allergies are out of control, my car is covered in dust and pollen and my office building is sinking. Now our attention gets focus on another distraction, the rising Mississippi River. It's flooding parts of Memphis and other areas of north. Levees have been blown up to relieve the pressure on them and spillways are being opened. We have the Bonnet Carre spill way upriver from New Orleans that was opened Monday that funnels water into Lake Ponchatrain, which an event unto itself. There is talk of opening the Morganza spillway, which is upriver of Baton Rouge. It's going to flood thousands of people who live along the Atchafalya River, but there's no way the powers that be will let Baton Rouge or LSU flood.

Am I worried? Eh, not yet. Though I was thinking now would be a good time to make sure our "disaster kit" is up to date.

To come: my JazzFest schedule.