On Track Post Spring Break

We all spent a week in South Louisiana for Spring Break and it was really awesome. I have not been back home in springtime and aside from the torrential rain storms that crop up, it's an amazing time to be there. Not too hot, the wild irises are in bloom, the new leaves are on the trees. And crawfish are in season!

I'm guilty of promoting the idea that Louisiana is all about overeating and drinking a lot. That is part of the culture to a point, but there's so much more. I get homesick for my mom's cooking, but it's the landscape, the humid feeling, thunderstorms, the whole rhythm of the place. This goes for my bayou country as well as New Orleans.

My parents backyard along Bayou Lafourche in Raceland, Louisiana

We started our trip with our family's annual Good Friday Crawfish Boil. Not as solemn as the local religious establishment would like, but a long time tradition that is too good to mess with. In fact, I always thought it was called "Good Friday" because of the crawfish and family time!

These guys are MASTERS at the art of Crawfish boiling!

One of the cousins brought some old photos from 1961, so this thing is at LEAST that old.

That's my daddy front and center. 

Easter Sunday started out very rainy and we had to drive into New Orleans for my goddaughter's First Communion. It was a great day. Entered in pouring rain and left with glorious sunshine.

The next day, we drove west to Avery Island and toured the Tabasco plant and Jungle Gardens. The Tabasco tour has been revamped and seems to still be in development. I got a great whiff of the putrid smell of fermenting hot sauce but not enough pay off scent from the finished product. Way different from the old days when you got to be inside the plant and they'd open up a barrel for you to smell. Still love the beautiful "Jungle Gardens," tho.

The next day, my mom and dad took the kids to our family fishing camp and my husband and I got a couple of days in New Orleans. We walked a little bit on Magazine, then in the Quarter where browsed our favorite bookstore, FAULKNER HOUSE BOOKS, and had a cocktail at Beachbum Berry's. Then, we spent the night at my friend's newly purchased mid-century wonder in the neighborhood of Gentilly. The next day, David and I went to the New Orleans Museum of Art and the sculpture garden and lunch at Cafe Degas.

The storms started to roll in and after dinner at Jacque-Imos, we sat on the balcony of my friend's spare apartment and watched the wind blow the clouds. Magic!

Oysters and a cocktail at St. Roch's Market in the Marigny.

Gorgeous live oaks and puddles in City Park in front of the museum (NOMA).

Fun with shiny art in the sculpture garden.

Balcony view in the Carrollton neighborhood AirBnB thanks to our generous friends!

We got back to Raceland in time for another big storm and braved Highway 90 to take the kids to see the WWII Museum. Should not have been surprised to discover that most people in driving distance had the exact same idea! Super packed!

Our last day turned out to be gorgeous and we watched the kayakers, canoers and other paddlers come down the bayou from Thibodaux for the annual PADDLE BAYOU LAFOURCHE. Now, we have another non-food/non-boozey reason to go back in spring!

All in all, a great trip.

AND, guess what?

I lost a pound!

I got back on track with exercise and returned to the gym on Monday and again on Tuesday. Hopefully we have some momentum here with some weight loss, too!

Next post, we'll get back to business. I think it's important to reflect on good times that are NOT about obsessing about exercise and weight loss, tho!

Life is good! Ca c'est bon!