Mar 13 - It's a Surprise!

I've been in Louisiana for five weeks, now, and my first visitor arrives today --- well, that's the best surprise of all. Friday the 13th doesn't scare me one bit!!

Jessica, my daughter, was due in on Saturday, but today (Friday) she called me from "the bridge." That would be the bridge over the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge. From there, you are only 45 minutes from paradise. But before you get here, you have to cross the 17 mile long Basin Bridge, over the Atchafalaya Basin (huge swamp!!) and the Pont Breaux over the Bayou Teche. I guess with so much water in Louisiana, it is not surprising that there are a LOT of bridges!!

The other surprise is our mystery destination for the evening. We get in the car and head west on I-10. After driving nearly to Texas (not really) we get off the interstate and drive even more west, then north, then west, then north --- the roads really wiggle around out here!! We are driving through crawfish country where the fields are ponds with traps. Finally, out in the middle of nowhere, rounding a bend with nothing on either side of the road as far as the eye can see --- there is a parking lot with over 100 cars and, fortunately since I'm getting hungry, a huge cajun restaurant. It's DI's and Briggs Brown is playing with other family members.

Briggs Brown is a teen-ager who has been playing accordion since he crawled out of his crib. DI's is a restaurant owned by his grandfather. The other musicians are all family - dad, cousins, uncles, etc. This is really a family place with babies dancing in grandma's arms and couples of all ages two-stepping around.

While taking my turn around the dance floor I can't help but notice a table of maybe 20-25 adults, each one with a huge tray of crawfish in front of them. The trays are 18 inches across and mounded high with bright red mudbugs. Snuggled in among the crawfish are corn on the cob and boiled potatoes. Crowding the table are the other trays which will soon be over-flowing with crawfish shells and other uneatables!!

Jess has a great introduction to Life in SW Louisiana. Up to this point she has only seen New Orleans. As any of you can attest, Cajun country is a whole 'nother ballgame!!