Down here in bayou country, the March winds have ushered out the last chilly days of winter and have left behind the anticipation of the mild spring days of April, the blooming of the Louisiana wild iris, and the ripening of the Southern Dewberries.
It was 1979, and I was working as a dispatcher for ODECO. She answered the old black phone in her native tongue, her words lost on me. I had called her house to ask if her son, the crew boat captain, happened to be home. Hoping she could understand me, I continued in English, “He has to go on a run right now.” His boat was next up to take a trip out to the Gulf to deliver emergency equipment, and as night dispatcher, it was my job to find him. She understood me well enough to relate to me in broken English where she thought he might have been.
And the question was asked over and over day after day, “Mom, can we please take the mudboat out into the marsh today?” And finally, there was a day I could agree to do just that. The conditions were that Termite had to get everything ready to go the night before, so we could leave…
Well, my dear folks, it’s way past time for a blog post, and I’ve been silent for far too long, but certainly not by choice. I’d like nothing better than to have the time to write several creative posts per week for you; alas, neither time nor life has been so kind.
By now, most of you have watched the most-watched show in the history of the History Channel, “Swamp People”. If you haven’t, then tune in this Thursday at 8:00 Central Time. These alligator hunters have become local heroes, and are just about as real as they come.
It’s something my father would jokingly quote from time to time for no apparent reason. I would wager a guess that my three oldest children still recall hearing him say it. I wish he were here now so I could ask him where he first heard that phrase and why it came to his mind so often. It was just something Daddy said, we accepted it; and while I can’t speak for my siblings, I was even amused by it.
Looks a lot better than the take out Chinese I had. Plus I bet it warmed up your kitchen, which mine could have used!
Oh yea, Cuz, it was delicious and the kitchen was cozy and warm. The oven is the only heat we have on that side of the house, anyway!
And a lot better than the frozen pizza I had while shuttling ice chips and Sprite to RenRed.
Well, nurse HH, I hope he’s on the mend today. That virus stuff gets old real quick!
And we had lemon icebox pie for dessert !
Oh now, you really outdid me there! Was it really lemon “ice box”? Oh my goodness. And you didn’t save me a piece?
If I made a lemon icebox pie no one but me would’ve gotten any. I only make them about 4 times a year just for that reason. I can eat the whole thing!
Looks great!!! Which wine did you chose?
Now, MD, you know I don’t drink wine. But I’d be glad for you to recommend one!