Lombardi Gras

Cousin Ann Elise and me at the Thoth parade on Sunday.

One week ago I was eating boiled crawfish, sipping Abita and soaking up the 60-degree sunshine.

It was the best day of my week-long vacation in New Orleans. I arrived Thursday morning via Denver, finished some work and crashed while family trickled in. Josh drove down that night and the three cousins in college brought friends. A cousin from Chicago happened to be in town for a sailing regatta. My sister even went down with some friends.

While my sister lived the spring break version of Mardi Gras in the French Quarter, I laid low. I ran in Audubon Park (in shorts!) I got coffee from my favorite neighborhood cafe, oysters from the bar down the street and went to dinner at a restaurant I frequented. We spent an hour in the Quarter, to pick up souvenirs and eat beignets. I didn’t even go to a Mardi Gras parade until Sunday.

But that was more than OK. After two weeks of small battles with the school district about public records, the break was much needed. Like me, most of the people I work with aren’t from Wyoming, so often our “vacations” are trips home. Last week was a trip home: lots of food, lots of familiar faces and lots of laughs. And I wore sweatpants almost the entire time.

I did make it out, and Lombardi Gras was the perfect term for the celebration. Saints colors and symbols decorated several floats. Owner Tom Benson was grand marshal of Endymion, coach Sean Payton rode in Orpheus, Drew Brees was King Bacchus. I heard “Stand up and get crunk” no fewer than 20 times. Who Dat? chants started every time a float stopped. I was a fan by proxy all season, but being there made me part of the Saints mania.

I love New Orleans for so many reasons. It’s alive but laid-back. It is a force to be reckoned with but doesn’t take itself too seriously. No wonder I can slip back into it so easily and have a hard time staying away.

Amid multiple requests for me to stay, to quit my job and move south, to come back for Jazz Fest, I stood my ground: I’m here for a while, and that’s fine with me.