FAT TUESDAY!

I was born in Mobile, Alabama so all my life all I've heard, (at LEAST a million times!), this FACT: MARDI GRAS started in MOBILE. NOT New Orleans (as Nawlins peeps like to think!))LOLOLOL!!!!So, if you glean anything from my blog today, this is your trivia to tell people when MARDI GRAS is brought up! You heard it HERE! haha


Early Memories of Mardi Gras:
 I remember Daddy holding me up on the balcony of the old Admiral Semmes Hotel and watching the parades. I HATED them. I was SCARED TO DEATH I would fall and to this day, I have a big fear of heights! I remember Daddy said, "Sweetheart, I wouldn't drop you for the world". I trusted him, but I was afraid the BALCONY would fall. I hated it. I remember running back off the balcony in tears. So much for my mom and dad's great plan for me to have the best view of the parades!!!! So, no great memories of Mardi Gras parades in my early years. The masks scared me/ I got hit in the face once with a moon pie and that was it. AS I GREW OLDER and we would go back down there for them sometimes, I liked it SOMEWHAT better. I Still thought it odd how Mobilians went BONKERS about it all. It seemed an odd holiday to me! Still does! LOL! ....Terry's aunt/uncle lived in Mobile and they invited us to one of the BIG BALLS down there the first year of our marriage. The M.O. T. Ball (Mystics of Time). Terry had to wear a tux and I had to have a formal ball gown. we went about 3 times in a row and I swear, I've NEVER BEEN AS COLD as I was in my entire life as I was WATCHING THE PARADES on the street and watching people practically killing each other for beads and moon pies. Again, not a huge fan. Guess if we had not moved back to the 'Ham and stayed in Mobile, I would've been more into it. But now, not so much. About all I like about it is the KING CAKE and I swear, after eating them for years (I buy them in Publix now!), I have YET to get the baby. I take that back. ONE TIME I did. Guess I just had REAL babies instead! HAHAHAHA! I wish I could post some of the pix of us at the M.O.T. ball but too lazy to try and find them. So, I'll just put MY MOTHER dressed up in her beads and Mardi Gras glasses instead. I made these yesterday! She just  cracks me up and is such a good sport to let me "dress her up" and make her pix. She's a sassy 96 year old, that's for sure! We talked about old Mobile days yesterday and I think she thoroughly enjoyed remembering past Mardi Gras and her friends there. I have no memories living there b/c we moved back when I was about Daisy's age. But, I have HEARD THE STORIES and remember going back down there for many visits and HOW LONG it took in the car!!! HAHAHA....
I hate to say this (sorry, Mobilians) but I like New Orleans Parades better! MAYBE because I'm older (?) but they are WAAAAY cool. AND, the people, quite honestly, don't act nearly as crazy as the folks in South Alabama do! Sorry, it's true. Terry and I have been several times to N.O. for Mardi Gras  b/c our anniversary usually falls right around Mardi Gras time (except this year!). I made Terry a scrapbook of our trip one time and so I just rand and found the album (I actually could find it!) and made some pix of the pages from our trip. We LOVE New Orleans and is so glad they have pretty much recovered from the terrible hurricane.We love to eat at "Antoine's" (and love looking at the Mardi Gra Memorabilia ) and love to stay close to Bourbon Street. Just a fun place to visit and walk around! I LOVE ME SOME NEW ORLEANS! ..Ok, ok, I love MOBILE, too, but let's just be honest. New Orleans knows how to put on the Mardi Gras best. Whether it started there or NOT! LOLOLOL!


Enjoy your FAT TUESDAY. Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow is ASH WEDNESDAY!