BLACK AND GOLD - SUPER BOWL

WHO DAT!?!?!
It was a stellar ending to a not so stellar weekend.  After spending the better part of two days laying in bed or sitting around the house close to the kleenex and wrapped up in a snuggie, I was finally able to drag myself into the shower late Sunday afternoon, then watch the Saints-Vikings game.

I had to pass up lunch at Texas Roadhouse with KenEllie (although LINDA WENT) and then a Mexican feast at MD/DLGs (although LINDA WENT).  At least I got to see the playoff game and watch the ball sail through the uprights to clinch a win and the Saints first EVER trip to the Super Bowl.

Now it's on to Miami to face homeboy and hometown favorite Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts!  I hope the play by play is a little less bias than they seemed to be yesterday.  It almost seemed as if the sportscasters were really pulling for Brett Favre over the Saints.  It was pretty much all they talked about.  After the game Scott Fujita, in response to a question about Favre, replied, "Tonight is not about Brett Favre, it's about the Saints."  I couldn't agree with him more.!!

The bottom line is that, although many will be pulling for Manning because he is a "favorite son", the fact of the matter is that a)he is NOT a Saint and b)he never has been a Saint, to the Who Dat Nation should have no problem knowing who to be rooting for!!  GEAUX SAINTS!!

A BENEVOLENT BRIDE

I guess I've been a bit distracted since my last post.  The whole situation in Haiti is occupying a lot of my thoughts.  I didn't even give a shout out "Who Dat!!" after the Saints beat the Cardinals last Saturday.  Now we're looking ahead to the Vikings and Brett Favre this coming Sunday.  They are the only thing left standing in our way to the Super Bowl.  There doesn't seem to be very much "trash talking" going on for this game.

It's hard to trash talk about the folks from Minnesota when you hear about this particular couple from Duluth.
With a h/t to The Deacon's Bench:

Duluth native Leah Bogen and fiance Will Nicholson were eating breakfast and chatting about wedding plans on Sunday morning in their Maple Grove home. At the same time, Bogen was reading the newspaper and was struck by a story from Haiti that included leg amputations and unsafe medical conditions.

The contrast of the earthquake devastation and the party planning struck her.

She made a decision right then and there to donate the money they planned to spend on the reception dinner — 25 percent of their wedding budget — to people in Haiti. Her fiance didn't need any convincing.

No "bride-zilla" there!! As I mentioned in my homily last weekend, it seems that these natural (and sometimes man-made) disasters such as Katrina, the tsunami, 9-11, and now Haiti's earthquake(s) tend to bring out what is good and caring in people. While natural disasters are often nature's way of renewing and rebuilding the earth,they also often result in suffering, pain, and loss of life. One positive result is the magnificent outpouring of love that is the world-wide response to these tragedies.

Please pray for the people of Haiti and for all who suffer; physically, mentally or spiritually.

WHEW!!!

The Christmas season is over and still a few days before Carnival is in full swing. We packed away the Christmas decorations today. Next is the tree (artificial) and then we're done!

While relaxing I've been paging through a book given to me by KenEllie that is terrific!  Beautiful pictures and the meditations are wonderful.  Thanks, again, KenEllie for the book! It's awesome!

It's 4PM and the temp here in NOLA has climbed all the way up to 35!!  Looks like another cold night.  The 12 foot high ceilings are great in the summer when it's hot, but guess where all the heat goes when it's cold!

Speaking of Carnival (see first sentence), we've got plenty of room if anyone is thinking about checking out this unique experience!  Company is always welcome!!

Congrats to my niece, Rachel, who found out she is going to have a baby BOY!  Plans are to name him Duncan Joseph.  Again, congrats and our prayers are with you for a happy, healthy bundle of joy!!

And best of luck to Big J and Janet as they adjust to their newest addition, Andie.  Hope she settles in quickly and quietly so J can get his beauty sleep.

GLOBAL WHAT?????

The temperature was 29 degrees this morning when we left for work.  29!!  Here in New Orleans!!  I mean, in the SOUTH, people!!  What is wrong with that picture?  And I can't help but wonder just how cold it would have been had we not been in the grips of this Global Warming thingy!!  It boggles the mind!

Had a great New Year.  H2F's parents, sister and cousin came to NOLA, arriving on her birthday.  They stayed a whole week, so we got to visit.  The only drawback was they insisted on cooking every night, and not just a little snack, either!  We had a roast beef dinner, a ham dinner, a turkey dinner, well... you get thte picture.  Great food, not so great for the midsection.

New Year's eve H2, H2F, sister, cousin, Big Boy, Big Boy's wife and little Big Boy and I walked up to the ferry landing to watch the fireworks.  It was a pretty perfect night, with no low lying cloud cover, so the fireworks display was really great!    The only downer was that apparently a 60 year old guy had just dropped dead up the street from us at around 10:30PM.  We had police cars, firetrucks and emergency vehicles flying by the house.  It wasn't until H2 arrived home from work and walked up the street that we found out what had happened.  Of course he had to announce to the neighbors (within earshot of me, of course) that, "A guy dropped dead.  But he was pretty old. He was 60."  Thanks, bud!!

And, if you want a chuckle, check out this story.