Jury Service: Reflections--Late Hours

This post continues my reflections on jury service, based on my recent experience as a potential juror in a voir dire in Orleans Parish Criminal Court. Although I felt that we jurors were treated in a respectful and friendly way by the individuals with whom we interacted at the courthouse, I also noticed that the system itself has several disturbing elements. My previous post focused on the prohibition against juror note-taking. This post will focus on late hours.

I was disturbed to find that jury service in Orleans Parish Criminal Court may require hours that are (to my mind) unreasonable. Jury service may require hours that go well into the evening or even well into the night. No one goes home until dismissed by the judge, and the judge may decide to keep going, even though it may be past 10 p.m.

Although I myself was not subjected to late hours during my recent jury service (the latest I was at the courthouse was 3 p.m.), others were subjected to late hours. I find this disturbing, and especially so since the preliminary information one receives from the Orleans Parish Criminal Court about one's coming jury service says NOTHING about the possibility of these late hours. Potential jurors can show up for jury service expecting the day to end by 5 p.m. and find that they are not dismissed until much later. This can pose a serious problem for single parents or for anyone with responsibility for others' care.

Although I am not responsible for the care of others, I see two difficulties for myself with these late hours. First, I am very much a morning lark--not a night owl. The later it gets, the less well I function. If I were expected to deliberate as a juror at 10 p.m., I assure you that the quality of my deliberations would be greatly diminished by fatigue. I find it unreasonable to expect quality work from jurors at such a late hour.

Second, Orleans Parish Criminal Court is located in a dangerous neighborhood. I would have safety concerns about walking back to my car after dark, especially at such a late hour as 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. This concern in the back of my mind would very likely affect the quality of my deliberation. Of course, one can walk to the parking lot together with a number of other jurors and an accompanying deputy, but still, there is the drive through the dangerous neighborhood to get home. Also, not everyone has someone waiting at home to insure that they arrive safely or that a search is conducted immediately if they don't. For some, if they don't make it home safely, this won't be discovered until they don't show up for work the next day--or even later, if they are retired or don't work.

I believe that jurors' days should end at a reasonable hour, such as 5 p.m. Going later into the evening should be a rare occurrence, and going into the night simply shouldn't happen at all. Most important, jurors should be TOLD, in the preliminary jury service information, about the possibility of late hours.

Jury Service: Reflections--No Note-Taking

My previous post provided information about jury service, based on my recent experience as a potential juror at a voir dire in Orleans Parish Criminal Court. During a voir dire, the judge and attorneys explain the case to be tried and question the jurors so that they can choose the best ones for the particular trial. While I found the judge and the attorneys to be polite and friendly with us, I was nonetheless disturbed by some aspects of the system. 

This post will begin a deeper reflection on those disturbing aspects, beginning with the fact that Louisiana law does not allow jurors to take notes.

In Louisiana, jurors may not take notes but must rely on their memories. I find this disturbing. It might be okay for a trial that lasts just a few hours, but some trials go on for days or weeks or even months. Even in a trial of a few hours, though, I believe that notes would greatly improve the effectiveness of the jurors. Here are my own reasons why.

FOCUS. First, taking notes helps tremendously in focusing my attention. If I have to listen for an extended period of time, my mind is apt to wander. Note-taking prevents this.

VISUAL BIAS. Second, I am a very visual person, so seeing something written down, especially if I have written it myself, helps me tremendously in remembering. I remember far more readily what I have seen in print than what I have only heard spoken. When I used to take tests in school, I would often remember the correct answer by visualizing it printed on the page of my textbook or written in my notebook. I would see, for example, a mental image of the correct answer printed in the last paragraph of page 42. Also, when I would memorize piano music, I would actually memorize the printed score; as I played a piece from memory, I was actually reading the score in my mind.

RELIANCE ON NOTES IN DAILY LIFE. Third, my memory is not as good as it was when I was younger, and I find that, in my life in general, I rely more and more on notes. If I want to remember something, it is important for me to write it down.

STRAIN, RESENTMENT, INDIFFERENCE. Fourth, not being allowed to take notes in something as important as serving on a jury would probably have a negative effect on me that would unfold like this. I would be apt to strain very hard to remember what was being said because remembering what unfolds in the trial is so important to the fate of the person on trial and to society in general. That is, it would be horrid to find an innocent person guilty and subject that person to undeserved punishment, and it would also be horrid to find a guilty person not guilty and subject society to the presence of a dangerous individual. So I would work very hard to remember, and this would be mentally and emotionally exhausting. This exhaustion would lead me to resent the system that required me to work so hard to remember when it would be so much easier if I were simply allowed to take notes. This resentment could have some unconscious effect on my perception of the trial. Alternately, I might find the process of remembering without notes to be simply too much and so decide not to try so hard to remember. My attitude in this alternative scenario would be, "Well, if they don't consider a trial to be an important enough occasion for note-taking, why should I strain to remember?" I would just sit back, listen passively, and whatever I remembered, I would remember, and whatever I didn't remember, I wouldn't remember. None of this is conducive to good juror-ship.

I understand that the prohibition against juror note-taking used to be much more widespread, but that now many states allow jurors to take notes. Louisiana, however, does not. One reason given is that note-taking prevents jurors from observing the facial expressions, gestures, and body language of witnesses. Well, an experienced note-taker like myself can easily take notes and observe those things as well. In fact, those non-verbal communications would be an important part of my notes! Another objection to note-taking is that, during jury deliberation, jurors might tend to trust one juror's notes more than another juror's memory. Well, jurors simply need to be reminded that notes can be mistaken just as memory can be mistaken.

To my mind, the reasons in support of juror note-taking far outweigh the reasons against it. I believe that Louisiana law needs to be changed to allow jurors to take notes. When you have an important event where memory is crucial, YOU TAKE NOTES!

My next post will continue my reflections on my experience with jury service.

Jury Service at Orleans Parish Criminal Court: Things to Know

Recently I had my first experience of jury service. This was in Orleans Parish Criminal Court. My schedule required me to show up for four days in a row and to wait in the jury pool until called. On Day 1, I was called for a voir dire but was not chosen for the jury. (During a voir dire, the judge and attorneys explain the case that will be tried and question the potential jurors to see which jurors would be the best ones for this particular trial.) On Days 2, 3, and 4, I simply waited in the jury pool and was dismissed about mid-day. On Day 2, I ran into a colleague who had the same schedule as mine, so we passed the waiting time pleasantly by chatting.

This post will list some things to know about jury service in Orleans Parish Criminal Court. Since I was not chosen for a trial, my experience and information are limited to waiting in the jury pool and attending a voir dire. My next post will reflect more deeply on jury service itself.

INITIAL SUMMONS. I received an initial summons to appear in the jury room to receive my jury schedule. Since I teach and would have been scheduled for the middle of the academic semester, I requested a postponement. This was easily granted. I did have to show up very briefly on the scheduling day, but this could be accomplished during lunch time. I appreciated the friendly and accommodating nature of the staff in providing me with a less disruptive time for jury service.

SCHEDULE. Orleans Parish Criminal Court requires four days of jury service, usually twice a week (Monday & Wednesday or Tuesday & Thursday) for two weeks, but there is also the option (which I was given) to serve all four days in one week. Of course, if one is chosen as a juror for a trial (I wasn't), one may have to serve longer, depending on the length of the trial. In addition, one has to serve all four days. For example, if one is chosen on Monday for a trial that lasts through Wednesday, one will have completed three days of jury service and must still appear for the fourth day to wait in the jury pool.

PARKING. I received a juror parking permit in the mail to hang on my rear view mirror so that I could park for free in one of the nearby parking lots.

ENTRANCE. Entrance is MUCH quicker if one enters through the side door on South Broad Street instead of the main door on Tulane Avenue. At the main door, one will nearly always find a long line and harried guards. 

WAITING ROOMS. There is a large and a small waiting room, where jurors wait to be called. The smaller room is usually designated as a quiet room, but it wasn't quiet while I was there. The larger room was actually quieter. Upon arrival, one signs in and then finds a seat and just waits.

COUNT-DOWN. There are twelve courtrooms in criminal court. In each juror waiting room, there is a screen that initially shows the number 12. As each courtroom acquires the jurors needed for the day or reaches an out-of-court settlement, the number on the screen goes down. When the number reaches 0, the jurors still in the waiting room are dismissed for the day. When this happens, a cheer goes up from the waiting jurors! 

FOOD AND BEVERAGE. Food may be taken into the juror waiting room, but not beverages. Beverages (including water) cannot be taken into the building at all. There is a water dispenser where you can get free water. There are also machines where you can purchase bottled water, soft drinks, and junk food. I heard that there is a sort of cafeteria on the second floor but that the food choices aren't very healthy. It's probably best to take one's own food.

HOURS. This is important because it is not included in the preliminary information sent to potential jurors by mail. It is important to know that there is no clearcut end of the day during jury pool wait time, voir dire, or trial. Potential jurors and jurors can be required to remain at the courhouse until well into the evening or even into the night. It is NOT necessarily the case that one will be able to leave by 5 p.m.

VOIR DIRE. While waiting in the jury pool, one may be called for a voir dire. I was called for a voir dire on Day 1, along with 50 potential jurors, from whom 12 jurors and 2 alternates were to be chosen. (The alternates must attend the entire trial so that they can step in should any of the jurors become incapable.) During this voir dire, the judge and attorneys explained the case to us and questioned us to see who would be the best jurors for this particular trial. I felt that the explanation and questioning were done in a friendly way.

NOTE TAKING. I learned that jurors are not allowed to take notes during voir dire or during a trial. Jurors are required to rely on their memory. I find this odd.

JURY SERVICE VERIFICATION FOR EMPLOYER. If needed, a juror can receive a jury service verification slip to give to his or her employer. This must be requested and obtained at the end of each day of jury service.

STAFF. The staff in the juror waiting rooms were friendly and helpful.

This post has provided some information about jury service in Orleans Parish. My next post will reflect more deeply on jury service.
 

Cajun Mardi Gras 2013 - Experiences Beyond the Courir

My last several posts describe the experience of my friend David and me in Cajun Louisiana for Mardi Gras 2013 and our participation in the Faquetaigue Courir de Mardi Gras. This post will describe other aspects of our experience in Cajun Louisiana, besides the Courir.

RAYNE, LA. We stayed at the Best Western in Rayne LA. This turned out to be a good choice. Rayne is on I-10, just beyond Lafayette LA. A short drive north from Rayne are the towns of Eunice, Mamou, Church Point, Basile, Iota, and others - many of which have Courirs de Mardi Gras.

THE FROG CAPITAL OF THE WORLD. Rayne LA is the Frog Capital of the World! The frog motif is everywhere! David and I ate in the Frog Cafe across from the Best Western, where the breakfast menu features meals called Bull Frog Breakfast, Toad Breakfast, and Tadpole Breakfast, each with varying amounts of eggs and other breakfast items.

ZYDECO BREAKFAST AT CAFE DES AMIS. On Saturday morning, February 9, we got up early and drove to Breaux Bridge LA for the amazing Zydeco Breakfast held every Saturday at Cafe des Amis. The music is lively, and people dance right between the tables. The dancing gets wild and furious, and the floor actually shakes!

RICE FIELDS AND CRAWFISH. As we drove through the Cajun Louisiana countryside, we saw acres of rice fields, all flooded in order to catch crawfish.

ACADEMY OF THE SACRED HEART - GRAND COTEAU, LA. We drove into the grounds of the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau, LA, a beautiful boarding school in the country. This is a sister school to the Academy of the Sacred Heart in New Orleans, which I attended from pre-Kindergarten through 12th Grade.

LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY EUNICE (LSU-E). I also drove around the campus of LSU-Eunice. It's a fairly small campus and was quite deserted due to the Mardi Gras holiday.

EUNICE BOUCHERIE AND BACKBONE STEW. On Sunday, February 10, we spent some time in Eunice LA, where a boucherie earlier in the day had yielded a variety of pork dishes. I tried a bowl of backbone stew, which was absolutely delicious! It relaxed me for the rest of the day!

PRAIRIE ACADIAN CULTURAL CENTER - EUNICE, LA. This Cultural Center has many resources to understand the traditions and culture of Cajun Louisiana. It is here that we saw the very interesting and informative video Dance for a Chicken: The Cajun Mardi Gras and met a woman named Bursia who crochets and quilts at the Center and has many pieces of her beautiful work on display and for sale. Bursia also provided information about the Courir de Mardi Gras, as she had grown up with the tradition.

THE MISSED CHURCH POINT COURIR DE MARDI GRAS. We thought we would watch the Courir de Mardi Gras held in Church Point LA on the Sunday before Mardi Gras, February 10, but when we arrived in Church Point, we found that the Courir had already passed. However, we had an even better experience! We saw a costumed Mardi Gras walking along the highway and asked him about the Courir. He told us that it was over and asked us if we could give him a ride to Higginbotham LA, a small nearby town. He had missed the bus that would have taken him home and was faced with walking for miles to Higginbotham! We gave him a ride - and enjoyed talking with a Mardi Gras from the Church Point Courir! He was eager to share his very conservative political opinions with us, to which we simply replied, "Hmmm" and "Ah." When we got to his home, he hopped over his fence and waved goodbye to us.

CHEF ROY'S FROG CITY CAFE. This is a recommended restaurant in Rayne where we didn't get a chance to eat because it was closed a lot of the time we were there. The hours didn't correspond to the times when we were actually in Rayne - plus Chef Roy's is normally closed on Mondays and was closed on Tuesday, February 12, for Mardi Gras. However, I would really like to eat there in the future.

D.I.'S RESTAURANT. We didn't manage to eat at D.I's, either, but this is also a place where I would like to eat in the future. It's on Highway 97 in Evangeline LA, but really it's a restaurant out on a country road in the middle of rice fields - yet I hear it's always crowded. (It reminds me of Middendorf's Restaurant in Manchac LA - closer to New Orleans - sitting out there on the shore of Lake Maurepas. The directions page of Middendorf's website includes instructions on how to get there by boat. And it's always crowded.) We were told that, near Mardi Gras, D.I.'s has a dinner event where Mardi Gras from one of the nearby town Courirs come through and interact with the diners.

L'ACADIE INN. I want to end with a word about the very friendly family-owned and -run L'Acadie Inn on the outskirts of Eunice LA. The proprietors, Kelly and Lance Pitre, are incredibly welcoming and hospitable. They facilitated our participation in the Faquetaigue Courir de Mardi Gras. If I stay in Cajun Louisiana again, I would love to stay at L'Acadie Inn. I could tell that the Pitres really take care of their guests.

Cajun Mardi Gras 2013 - Further Reflections on the Courir de Mardi Gras

My last post described my experience participating in the Faquetaigue Courir de Mardi Gras 2013 in Cajun Louisiana. In this post, I will reflect further on the Courir.

In case you haven't read the previous post, a Courir de Mardi Gras, or Mardi Gras Run, is the Cajun way of celebrating Mardi Gras. Costumed and masked participants (each participant called a Mardi Gras) trek from farm to farm, on foot or on horseback, to beg ingredients for a community gumbo to be cooked and shared later in the day. Below, you see the Mardi Gras walking from one farm to another.

Mardi Gras participating in the Faquetaigue Courir walk from one farm to another.

I would call the Courir de Mardi Gras a form of high play. As I understand it, it is an acting out of the peasant, or perhaps even the serf, role in a society where the wealthy land-owners held the power.

On Mardi Gras, the peasant grabs some of this power. Unrecognizable in costume and mask, the Mardi Gras represent peasants begging for food and coins from the wealthy land-owner. But the peasants have the power of anonymity and the license granted by the mis-rule of the day. In complete disguise, they are free to threaten and play tricks on the land-owner as they over-run his farm, chasing chickens and creating mayhem.

I could tell, from my participation in the Faquetaigue Courir de Mardi Gras, that this re-enactment provided huge fun, great release of energy, high entertainment, and joyful celebration for the participants, both Mardi Gras and farm hosts. The Mardi Gras vied in chasing and catching chickens, engaged in mock fights, provoked the "vilains" (who were armed with whips of rope to "keep order"), and danced energetically to the Cajun music of the Courir musicians. Everyone seemed to be having a marvelous time!

Mardi Gras in Cajun Louisiana is a most lively celebration in preparation for Lent. Cajuns are mostly Catholic, so Lent is observed. I got up early on Ash Wednesday and went to Mass at Saint Joseph's Church in Rayne LA. I found the church about 3/4 full for the 6:30 a.m. Mass.

One thing that is quite different from New Orleans Mardi Gras is the deep connection with the land. From what I saw, many Cajuns still live on and from the land, and life is closely connected with the land. It was probably not so long ago that, when the land did not produce enough, starvation became a real possibility, and life was in jeopardy. In fact, I think that life was often hard, making life precious and worthy of celebration.

The Mardi Gras in each Courir walk across the land, on foot or on horseback, stopping at the farms of their neighbors. It is a great celebration of the land, of the food that the land yields, and of the community that lives on the land.

I was incredibly impressed with the friendliness, openness, and hospitality of the Cajun people. The young people on the Faquetaigue Courir de Mardi Gras (most participants were in their 20s and 30s) were welcoming and happy to share with my friend David and me about their lives and their culture. We are especially grateful for the hospitality of Kelly and Lance Pitre of L'Acadie Inn just outside Eunice LA, who opened the door for us to participate in the Faquetaigue Courir.

I will conclude with a list of several sources that David and I found helpful in informing ourselves about Cajun Mardi Gras.

• BOOK. Carnaval! by Barbara Mauldin (2004). Gives a history of carnival and describes the carnival traditions of various cities in Europe and the Americas, including Cajun Mardi Gras and New Orleans Mardi Gras. Generously illustrated with gorgeous photographs - like a coffee table book.
• BOOK. Cajun Mardi Gras Masks by Carl Lindahl (1997). Describes various types of Cajun Mardi Gras masks and shows how they are made. Generously illustrated with great photos.
• BOOK. Mardi Gras, Gumbo, and Zydeco: Readings in Louisiana Culture by Marcia G. Gaudet (2003). Exactly what the title says.
• VIDEO. Dance for a Chicken: The Cajun Mardi Gras by Pat Mire (1993). An excellent video about the Courir de Mardi Gras and its significance.

My next post will describe experiences other than the Courir de Mardi Gras during my visit to Cajun Louisiana.

Cajun Mardi Gras 2013 - Faquetaigue Courir de Mardi Gras

My previous post showed my friend David and me in our Cajun Mardi Gras costumes and masks. This post describes the Faquetaigue Courir de Mardi Gras, with photos by David.

In Cajun Louisiana, Mardi Gras is celebrated with a Courir de Mardi Gras, or Mardi Gras Run, in which costumed and masked participants (each participant called a Mardi Gras) trek from farm to farm on horseback or on foot to beg ingredients for a community gumbo, which is cooked and shared later in the day.

David and I spent Mardi Gras in Cajun Louisiana, expecting to watch a Courir de Mardi Gras as it departed or arrived in one of the towns. Serendipitously, we received an invitation to participate in a Courir! A woman named Andrea, with whom we chatted at the pre-Mardi Gras festivities in Eunice, told us about the events organized by her daughter and son-in-law, Kelly and Lance Petri, who own and run L'Acadie Inn on the outskirts of Eunice. We decided to drop by L'Acadie Inn, where we met Kelly and Lance - and where we received an invitation to participate in the Faquetaigue Courir!

To participate in a Courir de Mardi Gras, a proper costume and mask are required. David and I had already made Cajun Mardi Gras costumes and had those with us, so all we needed were masks. My previous post shows how David beautifully embellished two bare-bones Cajun Mardi Gras masks that we purchased in Eunice. Then, we were all set!

On Mardi Gras morning, we met at L'Acadie Inn, and then drove over to the gathering site for the Faquetaigue Courir. Faquetaigue, as I understand it, is the name given to a group of small communities on the outskirts of Eunice. The word "faquetaigue" means "turkey" in one of the Native American Indian languages. It is pronounced something like this: fack-ee-tie-yay.

Below, you see the Mardi Gras gathering in their costumes and masks prior to the Courir.

The Mardi Gras gather for the Faquetaigue Courir de Mardi Gras!

Babies gather, too, in the arms of their dads!

After instructions from the Capitaine, we got underway, walking from farm to farm on VERY MUDDY roads! It had rained hard throughout most of the previous day, and the ground was muddy, muddy, muddy!

The Mardi Gras walk from one farm to another.

Upon arrival at a farm, the Capitaine formally requested permission to enter the property. When permission was granted, a flag was waved, and the Mardi Gras poured into the yard. We fell to our knees (in the mud!) before our hosts and raised our hands to beg for the gumbo ingredients while singing, "Donnez quelque chose pour le Mardi Gras!" ("Give something for the Mardi Gras!"). Our hosts then walked among the Mardi Gras, handing out ingredients and even money. Usually a chicken was provided, but the chicken was loose and had to be chased down. Then, to thank our hosts and to celebrate, we danced to Cajun music played by musicians accompanying the Courir.

The Mardi Gras beg for gumbo ingredients on their knees!

Musicians with the Courir play Cajun music in a farmyard to thank our hosts!

The Mardi Gras thank our hosts and celebrate by dancing!

And more dancing!

At the mid-point, we stopped in a large field for a rest break, which included boudin (a Cajun sausage). I had been told that we would be having this boudin break, and I had imagined receiving the boudin in some sort of sandwich. I was surprised to be handed a big, long, fat sausage to eat by itself! It was delicious!

One of our last stops was at the grave of Dennis McGee, one of the first Cajun musicians to be recorded, and his wife, Gladys. Out of respect for Dennis and Gladys and their contributions to Cajun culture, the Faquetaigue Courir musicians played at their graveside, and a priest led us in prayer: we said the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the Glory Be.

At the end of the Courir, David and I were exhausted! We didn't have the energy to stay around for the gumbo, but went back to our motel and crashed!

ADDITIONAL INTERESTING POINTS about the Faquetaigue Courir de Mardi Gras.

• TREME. The Faquetaigue Courir de Mardi Gras is the one shown in Season 2 of the television series Treme.
•  MUSIC. The Faquetaigue Courir is one of the most musical Courirs. Cajun musicians accompany the Courir and play as the Mardi Gras walk from farm to farm and then dance in each farmyard.
• PROPER COSTUME AND MASK. Everyone in the Faquetaigue Courir must wear a Cajun Mardi Gras costume and mask. No beads, trinkets, or other items specific to New Orleans Mardi Gras are allowed.
• PARTICIPATION. Participation is required! Everyone in the Faquetaigue Courir must help in begging for gumbo ingredients (and sometimes chasing chickens) and must thank the hosts by dancing! No spectators!
• LES VILAINS. The rules are enforced by "vilains," who wield whips made of rope with which they actually hit any Mardi Gras who gets out of line! There is a lot of good-natured "provoking" of the "vilains" and engaging in mock fights, which the "vilains" run to break up with their whips!
• MY TREATMENT BY THE VILAINS. Much to my surprise, far from being flicked with the whip, I was treated quite respectfully by the "vilains," who several times offered me their arm to step over an especially muddy puddle!
• AGE. The Faquetaigue Courir is relatively new. It was founded in 2006. Also, the Mardi Gras on the Faquetaigue Courir tend to be young - in their 20s and 30s. David and I were the oldest participants, but we found the young people very friendly and happy to talk with us.

Me!

FINAL SHOUT-OUTS!

• A huge thank-you to DAVID for creating our awesome masks and taking the wonderful photos in this blog post!
• A huge thank-you to the very generous and hospitable KELLY AND LANCE PITRE OF L'ACADIE INN just outside Eunice and to Kelly's mother, ANDREA. Check out L'Acadie Inn at its wonderfully named website: http://www.hotboudin.com !

Cajun Mardi Gras 2013 - Our Costumes

My friend David and I spent Mardi Gras 2013 in Cajun Louisiana, where we had the marvelous fortune to be invited to participate in a Courir de Mardi Gras, or Mardi Gras Run. This involves costumed and masked participants trekking from farm to farm, sometimes on horseback and sometimes on foot, to beg ingredients for a community gumbo to be cooked and served later in the day. Each participant is called a Mardi Gras.

My previous post describes how I made my costume and shows photos of the costume itself. This post will show David and me in our costumes, and future posts will describe additional elements of the Courir.

David and I had arrived in Cajun country with Cajun Mardi Gras costumes, but without masks. Both a proper costume and a proper mask are required to participate in a Courir.

The Cajun Mardi Gras mask is typically made of wire mesh. We were able to buy masks in Eunice LA, but these were very plain - just simple suggestions of eyes, nose, and mouth painted onto the wire. David was eager to embellish the masks, so we bought some art supplies, and David went to work with awesome results! We took the photos below in our motel rooms on the evening before the Courir.

Me in full costume and mask

Me, showing mask up close

Me, without mask

David in full costume and mask

David, showing mask up close

And finally, here is a lagniappe photo (below), This shows costumed and masked Mardi Gras gathering for the start of the Courir, with me (back to camera) in the foreground! You can a see a bit of how David's and my costume compared with those of others.

Costumed and masked Mardi Gras gather for the Courir! That's me in the foreground!

A huge thank-you to David for creating our fantastic masks! My next post will tell more about the Courir de Mardi Gras itself.