Today was a New Orleans kind of day, as N. would say.  I had no particular plans, but what started as brunch with friends ended up being a day of fun in Mid-City, riding the new bike around.  It was my first trip with the bike loaded up.  This being New Orleans, my panniers were filled with Mardi Gras beads on their way to some friends who will repurpose them for Metairie’s St. Patrick’s Day parade next weekend.  The bike rode great with the weight once I got used to it, and I was happy to get those beads I once screamed for out of my house.  After brunch with N., D., M., J., and S., I headed to my first crawfish boil.  But first, a stop at the gas station for beer and sundries.  I snapped this picture as I waited for the walkers to catch up with me.  I love the water stretching out, the open sky, and the birds flocking and feeding, though I’m glad I had my distance.  It was just plain beautiful out there today.  And a crawfish boil was a great way to end it.  Now, I’m not much of an animal eater, and the tray full of crawfish was not the most appealing thing I’ve ever seen.  But K. walked me through the process, though I still wouldn’t suck the heads, and I managed to eat a few before talking myself out of it.  The potatoes, corn, celery, and mushrooms that cooked in that pot were delicious.  The loveliest part, though, was lying in a hammock with a beer, listening to music, watching dogs play and friends laugh.  This is summertime, and it’s only March.  Wonderful.  By fall I have a feeling I’ll be sucking crawfish heads like a champ.