NEW (TEMPORARY) HOME

New Orleans, Louisiana -Mandeville-to be exact! Never did we imagine we'd ever live in the "south". But never say never. The location conjures up imagines of warmth, sweet smells and maybe a little jazz. On the contrary cold, rainy with "snow" flurries have been the order of the day. The bayou during the winter has a rather dismal and dead look. But celebration does abound. With our arrival the New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl setting off historic party time along with the Mardi Gras excitement. We've been fortunate to share in all the fun times. Go "Who Dat Nation!!"

We decided to get a little furnished apartment while"Bon Temps" is taken apart and getting a few repairs. It's a great opportunity to clean her up good and also come back to a warm place to sleep at night. They say this is really unusual weather and spring is around the corner. We're ready to turn that corner. Meanwhile we're exploring the area and finding friendly people and learning all about the devastation that Katrina and broken levees caused. The city is slowing rebuilding and their spirit is strong. Mandeville is on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, 22 miles from New Orleans. It is a country-feel community compared to the hustling big city of New Orleans. People would come here to escape the heat and epidemics of the city. It still maintains a feel of small community, bed and breakfasts, antique shops and nice little restaurants. The shoreline is swamp and marshland. According to legend , pirates such as Jean Lafitte, buried treasure taken from the Spanish merchant ships along the Gulf of Mexico, here along our shores. Today swamp boat tours abound but rather than gold they find the treasures of nature: alligators, egrets, herons, turtles, and nutria. It's still an exciting place to hide.

Cruising along the Gulf of Mexico will be an adventure for us. We understand the waters are not brown as Lake Pontchartrain is where we are docked in the Bayou Castine at Prieto Marina. The lake is 40 miles east to west and gets no deeper than 12 feet. Wow! We plan to stay here until it warms and repairs are finished on Bon Temps then head south out the Rigolets and discover the Gulf coast of the United States and on to the Bahamas and ??? Let the adventure begin!