Lalis Week-end or "I'm not sure we can take on the world anymore."

The satisfaction of a good meal and wonderful friends

Well, I was in heaven or close to it is past week-end. We had a Lalis get together in New Orleans, of which I have decided there is no other place like it in the world. The weather was beautiful, the food was wonderful and the fellowship was the greatest. We arrived Friday afternoon to hugs all around after which we got comfortable and talked until late in the night. We dined on Barb's wonderful vegetable lasagna a la Jimmy Gordon and solved every problem that the world faces.

The next morning we awoke to beautiful weather and prepared for the day. After our morning coffee and chatter, we headed to visit Ellen's daughter's (Elizabeth) new home in the French Quarter. The house is just like one would imagine for a French Quarter home--pale yellow, burgundy shutters, and a balcony overhanging the street. At one point we heard a vegetable vendor in his truck chanting over a loud speaker, "I have tomatoes, I have mangoes, I have carrots." As I said, only in New Orleans.

We gathered Elizabeth and her roommate Jasmin and headed for a much anticipated jazz brunch at Commander's Palace. The Lalis have shared many meals together, but this one had to be one of the best. There was a brief celebration of my birthday, and after a great meal we headed back to Barb's to change and drive to the shoreline of Lake Pontchartrain. We laid on quilts and sunned, talked, worked a group crossword puzzle, and dozed. We then headed back to Barb's and fixed a light supper of caprese salad. We again talked into the evening, minus Ellen who spent the night with her daughter.

Sunday morning came too soon, and we prepared to head back to our homes. One thing that was made abundantly clear this week-end was that we are a bit vulnerable at this point in our lives. When we were all working together in the Language and Literature department at Mississippi Delta, we could pretty much take on the world and accomplish what we set out to do. We could probably do it now, but much more energy would have to be expended. We discussed our families, our grandchildren, MDCC, the world in general, religion, politics, and our aches and pains. We drew energy from each other to hold us over until our next gathering in February, and I am not so sure we really want to take on this world at this point anyway. Here's to the Lalis!