Saturday, Fun Day Mardi Gras Style

This has been a very entertaining day.  It started with a Mardi Gras parade in Foley Al.  Lori and I went without the guys.  Can't imagine why.  Actually Don was going to go to a gun show and Tim just didn't want to go.  Well, the girls did have a hoot.  We jumped around catching lots of beads, a little candy, and a couple moon pies.  A sad moment was when we realized the parade was over...lasted a speedy 20 minutes...at tops.  When Lori said that's it,  I was so surprised.  Surely not yet, I thought.  But yes, it was the end.  So we gathered our new treasures, and chairs and headed for the jeep. 

As I said yesterday, my knowledge of  Mardi Gras is very limited.  So I went online to retrieve info on it for you and also me.  The word Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday.  The name comes from the ancient custom of parading a fat ox or calf through Paris on this day.  The ox was to remind the people not to eat meat during Lent.  Lent runs from Ash Wednesday thru Easter Sunday.  Mardi Gras  season begins on Jan 6, the 12th night after Christmas.  Mardi Gras Day is always 47 days prior to Easter.  The info also said Mardi Gras can be anytime between Feb. 3 and March 9 depending when Easter falls.

The Tuesday Mardi Gras falls on is also known as Shrove Tuesday.  The name comes from the custom of confessing sins on the day before Lent.  Shove means "to be forgiven one's sins."  Some of the customs people have do are wearing giant masks, dress in colorful...gold, green, and purple clown costumes.  Beads, candy, and moon pies are tossed to the crouds from floats during parades.
Another custom is the King Cake or 3 King Cakes.  It is a round cinnamon cake with icing dusted  with colored sugar sprinkles of green, gold, and purple.  The cake has a small trinket inside, usually a small plastic baby... said to represent Baby Jesus, and the person getting that piece of cake has various privileges and obligations.  It is served from Epiphany Eve to Fat Tuesday.
Mardi Gras began in the US in Mobile AL in 1703 and in New Orleans in the 1730s.

That's a lot of facts.  If any of the above is incorrect, please forgive me.  Just used the internet for this info.

I received a comment asking me to post events and happenings, so I hope this will do the trick.  But really sometimes there is nothing to share.  I will try to better, Ralph.  haha

                                                        Mardi Gras parade in Foley AL

                                          Lori buying Girl Scouts cookies before the parade

                                                              JR ROTC of Foley HS

                                                                   Foley Steel Drum Band

                                                   The only two firetrucks...new and old

                                                                            1950s Ford
                                                                 This one is for you Jacki

                                                                           The End

                                                                Joei and her King Cake
                                               The baker forgot to add the baby...boohoo

                                                   Don carefully biting to find the baby


That's it for tonight...more tomorrow

Life is good
God is great
Nite all

                                             I love sealing my blog with a beautiful sunset

                                                            It just keeps getting better