Solar Return '08

This is what I did for my birthday yesterday; I made beignets for breakfast. Polina, the tow-headed child, dusted them with powdered sugar.

I had 8 little people, ages 6-15, spend the night with me. They are children of 3 siblings, and a friend of Julia's stayed over too. It was an impromptu slumber party, spurred on by one of my sister's emergency surgery (she's recovering nicely). Julia and Shelby baked chocolate chip cookies and they were all gone before morning. That is probably why one of them had trouble getting to sleep and was disrupting others. They all started up in the living room, except Polina - who went to sleep in a bedroom, hours before the rest. At some point, Julia made her way to her own bed.

During that time, I took Aaron and his girlfriend to a movie - "Jumpers", he said it was very good - driving out to the country where his girlfriend lives to and fro. And then the next morning, well after breakfast and right before fixing lunch for the peeps, I had more taxi-ing to do for the rest of the day.

It was not a restful day. I couldn't have planned to have so much love surrounding me during my solar return. It just happened, and I accepted and appreciated it for what it was. I did grumble to myself once in a while that I should be sitting with a nice cup of tea and my newest books, but each of the children that were here were so anxious to please me, and were so happily doing what they wanted to do and being where they wanted to be, that I couldn't begrudge them that.

My nephew, Joe, asked me if I was having a good birthday so far, and I had to tell him "yes indeed, " and I meant it.

I am still recovering...

I'll never be the same. I worked last night and went out after. I cannot hang with the young and disaffected. I am way too sensible. Driving home after margaritas, across the longest bridge in the world is uncool. Never again. I think costuming for Mardi Gras was a way to mask a big drinking problem for some people. (pun intended) I should have spent the night at my friend's house, but didn't want to wake the house (husband) up to tell them. I hate feeling like crap. Did I say never again yet? Never again. Blecchh and retch.

Never mind

If you read the previous post, you'd understand. I found these pictures in an unlikely and new place. Rejoicing. Still trying to figure out how to view the videos I thought I made. Oh well, something is better than nothing. I decided the internatlization of the day matters to me more than a photo impression. It's just a lot of fun in my screen save slide show - while I am in the kitchen at the table, or cooking supper, or background for visiting with a friend over a cup of tea.

Mercury retrograde moment

I usually chalk stuff up to Mercury retrograde instances and resign myself to do over, restate, re-this or that, no big deal. In this case, I am bummed out. Not even the joke I posted to jokemail today could raise my spirits beyond a small forgetfulness, and then bummer mood again.

My trusty camera, of which I am very attached, broke a few days before Mardi Gras. I borrowed my reluctant daughter's for the days event into the French Quarter yesterday. It's the first time in years that my husband and I have been kid-free and able to venture in for the big day.

My teenage children were parked with family and friends in comfortable, safe Metairie. There was still a crowd there, just not the same.

Anyway, I was dressed up in one of Grandma Mimi's ball gowns from back in the day. It had pink peacock feathers all around the top of it. It would have been gorgeous if not for the big rust-colored stain on the back of it. I quickly changed into plan B outfit, jeans and a top that Julia picked out, after seeing and video-taping with Julia's camera, the longest train of people, all very colorfully, creatively, uniquely outfitted in costumes and masks and headgear of all fashions. They were each and every one of them impeccable in originality and design. It was so awesome of a display. I was stymied. There were drummers and trombones amongst them, so the march and dance down the street was the most spectacular, spontaneous entertainment I have ever seen.

You'll just have to picture it for yourself.

Now.

I have no pictures or videos. I took another one that was equally, or more, entertaining because by then I got the hang of Julia's camera. Or at least, how to take pictures and videos.

It ran out of memory after a couple of dozen shots. I couldn't figure out, or maybe wasn't able to, delete some of her old prints. That was my first bummer. I couldn't take any more pictures of all of the amazing, interesting, clever costumes and make-up.

I wasn't interested in getting shots of women showing and fondling each others breasts. I accidentally ran into a blog with lots of those pics a little while ago. There were plenty of people taking pictures, and shooting film. In real life, not all of them will make "Girls Gone Wild" videos. People of all shapes, sizes, and ages show their tits.

None of that matters. I uploaded the pictures and video clips that I was able to get. Then a screen asked me if I wanted to delete pics from the camera after I saw that they were uploaded. I told it "okay." And now the prints are all gone. I don't know what happened. I tried searching, I looked for them, and then hope against hope I searched the camera, just in case they really didn't get deleted.

In the scheme of things, if I allow that it is a Mercury retrograde moment, and that yesterday was a void-of-course-Moon, I will also have to allow the idea that it will be a do-over next year. I know what to expect. The void-of-course Moon meant that I couldn't plan or count on anything - so putting out my desires to the Universe - I had to remain flexible of how it worked out. And it all did so remarkably in each way.

I ate well, shrimp poboys for lunch and beignets and cafe au lait before we left for the day. I had a couple of largish margaritas, heard great music, danced and played, and celebrated the rhythms and colors of life. Thank goddess for diversity. It was an expansive experience - Mardi Gras '08. The memory will just have to remain internalized.