Labor Day Weekend, Part II

Ok, my weekend did actually start in New Orleans. My best friend, known in the blogosphere as Right Wing Sparkle - and I met one of her blog friends, Greta of kissmygumbo.com, in the French Quarter. They are members of a conservative group of women bloggers know as "The Cotillion." They decided that, since we happened to be there on a weekend known in the gay community as Southern Decadence, it would be great fun to ask the gay folks wandering around the French Quarter a few questions! Hot topics that week included the re-building of New Orleans and the whole Sen. Larry Craig debacle.

After the biggest daquiri I've ever had, and a beer, and a quick trip to St. Louis Cathedral (I was fearful for body and soul), we marched our little selves right down to Bourbon St. Holy Cow!

The audio is horrible and there's a bar scene that goes on a little too long, but the folks that we visited with were all quite nice. Granted, nobody bought us a drink and the atomosphere was surreal.

Greta was the bravest of us all, Sparkle got her game face on pretty quick (but she was ahead of me be two beers) and I was happily the cameraman.


View if you dare!

My Labor Day Weekend...a bit late

Every year my mom and I go to our family reunion in Biloxi, Mississippi. It is a BLAST!!! We have a LARGE Irish Catholic family and I love seeing all of my cousins and aunts and uncles and assorted extended family and friends who are considered family and so on and so on. Mom's birthday is always on Labor Day weekend and that just adds to the festivity. She turned 81 this year!

The family reunion is always a regatta with everyone sailing whatever they own. It can be a sail board, a sunfish, a catamaran, whatever. An elaborate handicap system has been devised over the years and the whole thing is fabulous fun! This event takes place every Labor Day weekend at my aunt and uncle's home on the back bay.

This year it took place on the same aunt and uncle's... lot. Their home was lost to Katrina. It is still a beautiful place to be. They rebuilt their pier, the swimming pool stayed and they kept the port-a-cache. Nearly everyone lost their boats, but we still had a fantastic time. This year I feel the celebration was especially jubilant because everyone was ALIVE!

One of the many things that I love about our family reunions is that everyone is always happy to see each other. I never hear any mutterings about "Oh great, so and so is here." It's always a joyful occasion. I've heard friends complain about having to go to family reunions or gatherings and I'm always so thankful that we don't have that animosity in our family.

The weekend was even more special because we celebrated the 25th anniversary of my cousin Kevin's ordination to the priesthood. He celebrated Mass at his childhood parish and it was followed by a lovely dinner in the parish hall.

I'm thankful for so many things in my life, but truly this big, wonderful family is what I am most thankful for!