Background: TV reporting the big parade for the Saints.

I was watching it for a while, but parades with throws move slowly to begin with, and this one is pretty special. I'm not sure how many floats are in it, but it's a bunch. And just about every high school band from the area, plus others such as the military ones, are out there.

I can hear the TV from my "office" and I don't think the parade is anywhere near over.

Cats seem to have decided the other one is OK. There have been a couple of games of chase already. Spots is now exploring the closet, while CC watches.

Back to the parade.

The floats there are all decked out in Saints regalia. Mardi Gras is not very far away, so tomorrow the floats will be going back to their Carnival appearances.

The lead float has a huge replica of the Lombardi trophy.

The "usual" number of bands are in the parade--not only high school but a few college ones.

The high school bands around here always have such good-looking uniforms. Back (over half a century ago) when I was in the high school band the uniforms were pretty tacky.

But the various Mardi Gras krewes pay the bands in their parades, and so they all have really sharp uniforms.

I was donating platelets this morning and the staff members were talking about going in to see the parade. Schools in surrounding parishes were letting the kids out early so they could get to the parade. I'll bet the absentee rate tomorrow is pretty high. Slidell is about an hour's drive from New Orleans under normal conditions. Post-parade conditions are anything BUT normal.

I now have a Saints "CHAMPIONS" shirt.

And a box of Elmer's chocolates. I think that's a Valentine's special. One never knows what goodies come as a "reward" for donating, other than the t-shirts.

Back to the parade-watching.