Three Rights and a Left: It's the most wonderful time of the year

No, silly, not Christmas - Mardi Gras! For most people, the end of December brings a sadness that comes with the close of another holiday season. But for those of us from New Orleans, the grandest season of them all is set to begin this Wednesday, January 6th on the Feast of the Epiphany. It is the official start to the 2010 carnival season, and it means that the parade I ride in is only five weeks away!!! This will be my fifth ride in the Krewe of Muses, and it will be the tenth anniversary of our amazing Krewe of more than 1,500 dedicated women, with more than 750 of them riding in this year's parade. The theme of our parade, which changes annually, will remain a secret until the day of our ride. It is kept closely guarded by all of us in the krewe because mystery is a part of what makes Mardi Gras so special. Each float will bare a politically and socially relevant and satirical title that will relate to the theme of the parade, and each rider on the float will wear a headdress that represents her float's title. The headdress (which is designed and put together by the members of each float) is of utmost importance because the winner of the headdress contest gets to ride in the "Title Float" (the first float of the parade) in the next year's parade - a HUGE honor. Fingers crossed it will be the women of Float 18 taking home this prize!! We have come so close in the past, and I just have a feeling this is OUR YEAR! I am so excited that the season is almost here, that I just had to share this little look into the life of a Muse. Here's some pictures from the parade last year...

Here is a picture of our headdress from last year. You can't see it here, but the whole thing lit up! It was beautiful.

This is my riding buddy, Sarah, and me at our float's luncheon at Galatoire's Restaurant on Bourbon St. Lunch at Galatoire's is a true Mardi Gras tradition.

This is Sarah and me at our parade's pre-party right before we heard the sirens of the motorcycle unit of NOPD announcing that it was time to board the floats and head down Tchoupitoulas St. for our big ride!