Since this year is evenly divisible by four, and is not a century year divisible by four hundred, we get an extra day this month. Hooray. So what.

But--here in southern Louisiana it's Mardi Gras time. I think they said there would be something like 16 parades rolling in the New Orleans area this weekend. Thanks to yesaterday's rain, there will be several back-to-back parades.

And since there is a certain "problem" associated with waiting for parades--and having a beer or coke or two--one church on a parade route has come up with a fund-raiser. Yes--they are selling potty passes.

At work today I finished up Allison and got her entered into the computer, then was handed another collection. This one is from a woman born the same year as I was, and she took a great deal of care in assembling her memorabilia and scrapbooks. She has all sorts of little notes attached explaining details of what various things mean. Example: one little post-it has the info that she divorced husband #1.

She has identifications of most of the people in pictures.

It is going to be really easy to get this collection processed.

She also has a bazillion photos--many of which are ID'd on the back. (This also means I will be putting a LOT of pictures into archival holders. I hope the order for more comes in soon.)

I barely scratched the surface today. I wanted to leave early (parade traffic) and the university is closed until Wednesday. That's when I'll really get going on this project.

On my out of New Orleans I debated whether to take my usual route home--on the street that was almost fully parked-on at 0645. Or, whether to take I-10 and then catch I-12 and get off that where WalMart and a bunch of other stores are. I needed a couple of things--not urgently--but as long as it was moderately convenient I did a minor shopping. The cats were getting low on cat food and I was out of quick-fix breakfast goodies.

Taking I-10 eastbound across Lake Pontchartrain is neat because you can see the progress of the new bridge. I look at the workmen on pilings some 30 feet above the water. I know they all wear life vests, and I'm sure they are tethered, but there would not be enough money to get me up there.

I gather from news reports that this structure is getting some international attention. It is certainly moving along at a good pace.

Back on the home front, I really need to eat more apples. Aside from the health and nutritional benefits, the raccoons really go for the apple cores.