The Big Easy?

Greetings from New Orleans where Dear Hubs, Adorable Stepson and I are currently on vacation, visiting and staying with my in laws.

Wow, what a place! Toured the French Quarter today, enjoyed delicious cajun food and live music, walked through the french market, gazed at the wide Mississippi, and loving every minute of it. This evening the guys headed out for an overnight stay in a true swamp cabin, and will spend tomorrow, Sunday, out on the gulf, fishing and bonding. “Mom” and I are off to Mass in the morning and then more city touring. She also promised a tour of this historic cathedral: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis_Cathedral,_New_Orleans

There are many street people in New Orleans. After Katrina the City wanted to “do something about” them, and opened talks between the street’s liaison and the government. The City wanted to move them into a shelter but the people said no, they would rather have their own hotel rooms. The city couldn’t agree to that, so they purchased tents for them which turned out to be a good thing because now they all live together in their large tent community in a rather prominent location, under a bridge just outside the French Quarter. As “Pop” was driving us back from our first foray into the Quarter today, we drove by this group of tent people. Dear Hubs and I plan to make a visit or two during the week, perhaps brings some pizzas or sammies. Also from the car, while waiting on a light to change green while we were still in the Quarter, I witnessed one street person get turned down and then ignored on two consecutive attempts for handouts in the span of just a few seconds. It made me realize that each second in the life of a homeless man or woman can mean the difference between eating or not, between health and sickness, between life and death.

On the road trip down here, we had our usual “emergency tuna pack meal” in the truck and were able to feed a man on an exit ramp outside Jackson, MS yesterday. Adorable Stepson was intently paying attention, especially when the man devoured a homemade cookie with a huge grin.

Soon thereafter I was gazing out the window at the beautiful Mississippi pines when there suddenly appeared a very tall cross and a sign that said simply “Enjoy God.” Must try to snap a picture on the trip back home. In smaller letters under Enjoy God was www.themission.org

More profound than the small experience of feeding one hungry person and the tall cross inviting me to Enjoy God is the amazing juxtaposition of New Orleans. In just under 24 hours Stepson has witnessed southern hospitality, colorful things, even more colorful people, how it feels to generously tip our lunchtme Blues band, really old architecture, what fried alligator tastes like (quite tender actually), extreme decadence…and the sight of the people under the bridge, extreme poverty.

Although I was looking forward to a week of relaxing and eating as much gulf bay shrimp as I could possibly stand, this vacation is shaping up to be a lesson in Mission.

More news as the week progresses. Meanwhile, enjoy God.

Jamie

Crab Lore and Enduring Love

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love endures forever.

The Tropic of Cancer (think summer), represented by crab, is the northernmost latitude at which ol’ Sol is directly overhead at noon. Alternatively, the Tropic of Capricorn (think winter), represented by sea goat, is the southernmost latitude for the same scenario. Cancer and Capricornus are the two dimmest constellations in the nighttime sky. The brightest of the five dim stars of the crab constellation is Acubens, an Arabic word meaning the claws.

Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever.

Our heavenly constellations were named by the early peoples of this bountiful Earth. Eventually the Greeks applied their legends. The mythological story of the Cancer constellation is thus. The goddess Hera commissioned the crab to distract her hated stepson Heracles (Hercules) while he battled the Hydra water monster. The crab pinched the toe of Heracles, but it was for naught as the demi-god crushed the creature underfoot. (That little crab didn’t stand a snowball’s chance!) For its unsuccessful but valiant attempt, Hera honored the crab by placing it in the heavens. Our little Crab, which occupies a small portion of the Beehive Cluster and is one of the Zodiak, resides just to the left and north of the Hydra Constellation.

Who by His understanding made the heavens. His love endures forever.

The sun to govern the day. His love endures forever.

And the moon to govern the night. His love endures forever.

According to astrological lore, the cancerian is intuitive, sidestepping, and crabby – be careful you don’t get pinched. Regulated by the moody moon, the crab’s emotions shift as often as the tide. This scuttling crustacean carries its shell shelter upon its back. As such, many cancerian homo sapiens I know tend to be overly protective of home, and especially of family. No, its not easy being a cancerian. Or a crab, as few could argue its unattractiveness among the animal kingdom. And several varieties are prized for their tasty flesh. My cancerian-born stepson, who currently aspires to be an Animal Cop, refuses to eat his coastal dwelling bretheren. I find that amusing and comforting.

And who gives food to every creature. His love endures forever.

My dear Hubs, my adorable stepson and I celebrate birthdays within three weeks of each other. How enchanting that three sensitive souls dwell under the same roof, especially when the moon is changing phases. We run the gamut, from animated dinner conversations to retreating within our shells. To our credit, assets include heaping hospitality, good humor, gentleness (one Fruit of the Spirit!), an affinity to nurture, and a shared love for parties. Especially of the birthday variety! Happy birthday to all fellow cancerians. Which of the following notable crabs said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.”:

• Ernest Hemingway
• Helen Keller
• Dan Aykroyd (‘May I have 55 words with you?’ -Beldar)
• Nathanial Hawthorne
• George W. Bush
• Ringo Starr
• John Quincy Adams
• Mike Tyson
• John Glenn
• Nikola Tesla

Scroll down for answer. But first, a word or two from God our sponsor:

• Crabgrass
• Mr. Krabs and the Krabby Patty
• Hermit Crabs
• King Crab
• Blue Crab
• Crab Dip
• The Crab Nebula
• Horseshoe Crab
• Dungeoness Crab
• The dread Coconut Crab (a fearsome species)
• Snow Crab
• Crab Rangoon
• Crab Apples

Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever. -Psalm 136

Thanking God for His enduring love and for another birthday,

Jamie Crabbycakes

 

Answer: US Pres. No 6, JQA

Kansas she said…

Greetings from tornado alley,

Gardner missed a couple of whoppers this week. Neighbors to the west and to the north have not fared as well. Here are some facts, and some fun quotes to liven the day:

The Country with the Most Tornadic Activity: U.S.

The City with the Most Tornado Hits: Oklahoma City

The Biggest Known Tornado: Hallam, NE, 5/22/2004. Two and a half miles wide.

The Deadliest Tornado: The “Tri State Tornado” of MO, IL and IN, 3/18/1925. 695 fatalities.

The State Song of Kansas: Home on the Range

“We must be up inside the cyclone!” -Dorothy

“She fell from the sky, she fell very far. And Kansas she said is the name of the star.” -Glinda

“The house began to pitch, the kitchen took a slitch! And landed on the wicked witch in the middle of a ditch. Which was not a healthy situation for the wicked witch. Who began to twitch. And was reduced to just a stitch of what was once the wicked witch.” -Munchkins

“Be gone before somebody drops a house on you too.” -Glinda

“Oh dear, I keep forgetting I’m not in kansas.” -Dorothy

 

Watching my head for falling houses,

Dorothy…er, Jamie