Mardi Gras

Today is Fat Tuesday. We all got up early to get Page up and out to the airport in Houston. She flew back to Seal Beach to help her Mom as she gets home from the hospital. My Mom picked her up at LAX. Her parents didnt know she was coming. Her Dad walked into the house and was so surprised.... and called her a poop (I think). They are glad she is there. She will be there for 2 weeks. Lacey drove her to the airport (2 hours away) and back by herself. Sean had to go to seminary and school, and I had to get Sean to school then off to work. Work is so busy. I am trying to put a new doctors office together in less than 30 days - order furniture, equipment, phone systems, notify patients, ads in the paper, hiring new staff for the office... (see my entry on stress previously..) and that is just one project. I have two others very similar to that and trying to juggle the demands of my boss and doctors, and staff. This project is really stressful because she has to be out of her current space before the end of March because another doctor leased the space. I had 4 weeks to order furniture that normally takes at least 6 weeks to make. Somehow, they say they can have it ready for me.

Anyway, back to Mardi Gras. This morning before work, I put some red beans, bell pepper, onion and celery with beef sausage into the crockpot. By the time I got home tonight, it was ready. I cooked up a pot of rice and we had red beans & rice, a Louisiana favorite in honor of Mardi Gras. I made "crescent" rolls, since New Orleans is also known as the Crescent City. I had the King Cake on display on my Mardi Gras tray. I used Lacey's purple spoons and knives. I had Mardi Gras cups, beads and mardi gras doll on the table. It was fun. But only Lacey and I enjoyed it. Page is in California and Sean had to go to tennis practice. (He did eat when he got home). I used my Wheat Montana Bowls for the beans and rice, for a nice touch of our home in the Rockies. The beans and rice were delicious. The King Cake was lousy! haha. Last week we got one from Julie Anne's Bakery of cream cheese and strawberry (yummy) this one was from Tubbs and was praline. It sounded good but did not compare to the cream cheese cake. Next year we will stick with Julie Anne's.

Well Mardi Gras isn't over for me yet. I'm on my way out the door. I am serving Mardi Gras dinner to the night shift employees at the hospital from 10 - 11 p.m. Then I can come home and crash before work tomorrow. Happy Mardi Gras everyone!