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     After being up all night on call, I tried to relax. Closing my eyes I  listened to the soft patter of the rain on the windshield.  Even a dull day and a cold rain couldn't suppress the excitement we felt with our return to Docs Holiday.  I was glad Mildred was driving because I know that my normal "lead foot" would have been even heavier and the four hour drive would have been over in half the time.  This way we would arrive in one piece with no speeding tickets, but it seemed like a snails pace.
     Beth arrived at the boat the day before, bringing the spare props.  She called to say the boat was  in the slings and they were changing the props.  We arrived in time to catch the dock lines at the fuel dock.  As quickly as we could, we pumped in 450 gallons of diesel and put her back in her slip.
      When the girls went shopping, Tom and I got to work.  As I cleaned up under the motors to get rid of the "boat smell"...( ps. note to memory..A little Pine Sol goes a looooong way!)...Tom tightened up the packing glands then started work on the water fill gauge.  I checked the fluids in the motors, transmissions, and generator while Tom filled the boat with water. Finally,we changed the water filters and were cleaned up and waiting to go by the time the girls got back to the boat.
      A $25.00 taxi ride and we were standing on St. Charles Street looking to experience the essence of New Orleans, you know- Mardi Gras, jazz music and Cajun/ Creole food.  So, "How the hell did you wind up in an Irish Pub?" you ask.   Well, as we were walking along looking for the "essence of New Orleans" we heard Enya playing outside a pub with a sign saying Enya was playing inside, so in we went. No it wasn't the famous Enya.
                              
Enya and Ralph                                                                          It was a flaming red headed Irish folk singer who entertained us all night long with  her Irish ballads, ditties, and sing along. We were thrilled with the sing along "The Wild Rover".  If you have been to an Irish pub you will recognize this song by the Clancy Brothers which goes,  " I've been a wild rover for many a year and I've spent all my money on whiskey and beer" with the chorus, "No Nay Never - 3 hand claps-No Nay Never No More!"  With this song ringing in our ears we sampled Tullymore Dew, which is an irish whiskey and Smithwicks Dark Ale. These  soon became "Lassie,  Bring us another Dew and Smith and Wesson, which we quaffed  on the balcony overlooking the Mardi Gras parade. 
                                                      
                                      
                                    On the balcony of the pub watching the parade.

      It was the Krewe Oshun and the theme of the parade was children.  We marvelled at the precision of the marching bands, the gesticulations of the majorettes and the wildly choreographed movements of the dancers.  I can't begin to describe the ornate floats, but I can describe the beads and baubles they were throwing to the crowd...the little bastards hurt! Much to our amazement those on the floats could sling those beads all the way to the balcony.  Nevertheless, we braved the cold, sustained by our very attentive waitress who in good Irish tradition kept our glasses full.


                                                  
                                         Tullymore Dew and Smithwicks.
 
     Maybe we will get the essence of New Orleans tomorrow when we visit the French Quarter.  Right now my head is a little foggy and I'm off to bed.....damn Dew!

                                    
                                 To much Smith and Wesson and Irish Coffee and Dew!