What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.

Sunday, March 06, 2011

Throw Me Something, Mistah!

During the long winter, with not much fun stuff to do, we anxiously look forward to two events - The Kite Festival and Mardi Gras.  These event both normally fall in March, but this is the first year that they were both on the same day.  It was a had decision, but in the end we chose......
Mardi Gras.  Mardi Gras is without a doubt, my absolute favorite day of the year.  It is so much fun.  Everyone is in a good mood.  There is laughter and happiness and joy and it makes my heart happy for a few hours. 
 I always take my camera to take photos of the parade, the excitement, the people and the fun.
 But, then they start throwing those damn beads and my plans go straight down the toliet.  Yesterday The Breadman went with us for the first time.  He managed to catch the first string of beads and he handed it to me like he didn't want it.  The Bean pushed it back at him and said, "Keep it.  For the next hour, nothing else is more importnat in the whole world than getting those beads!"  And, he is right.  Those beads are very important!  For that hour, anyway.
There was a lull in the bead throwing, so I managed to snap this photo of the parade coming down the street.
Then the beads started flying again and I was obsessed with catching them.  (A side note - do you see the shadows on the street of the people?  They stood next to me and made out the entire time they waited for the parade.  Is that really necessary?  I mean, I don't mind a peck on the cheek or a sweet smooch.  But, open mouthed noisy slobbery kisses coupled with butt rubbing?????  I think not.)
After the parade the floats park in the parking lot and they play Zydeco music and everyone dances.  The people on the floats continue to throw more beads and trinkets.  Then, when the whole thing is alomost over, they start tearing down the floats and they throw almost everything out to the crowd.  You ought to hear the crowds SCREAM when they hold up a poster or a prop.  It is so funny to hear people scream out "FLAG! FLAG! FLAG!" like getting that flag is the most important thing they will ever ask for in their entire lives.  Last year they threw a sandwich to the crowd and people were about to have a heart attack screaming for that sandwich.
In the end, we caught a slew of beads.  I caught 40 (including a much covereted one with beads as big as golf balls), The Breadman caught 45 and The Bean caught 57, plus two T-shirts and a fancy tricorn pirate hat thrown out by the captain of the pirate ship.  I saw the Captain throw his hat out into the crowd and I watched it bounce off hands, heads and fingertips as it made it's way across the crowd.  I finally saw one had grab the brim.  When I looked to see who had it - The Bean was grinning ear to ear.  I don't know how he managed to grab it when all those giant college boys were leaping in the air after it.  But, then again, he is as tall as most of those boys.  :(

Now that we are home, I don't know what do do with those silly beads.  They were vitally important at the parade.  Now?  Not so much. 

Have you had any Mardi Gras fun??????

*I would LOVE to go to the real Mardi Gras someday.  I know our little small town parade would be nothing in comparison. But, until then, it will have to do.

5 comments:

  1. Girl..I went to NO to Mardi Gras one year, long ago. NOT a family event. I saw obscenity in ways I had never seen before!

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  2. I'm going to the Quarter Tuesday with the hubby and the dog, who will be wearing the fabulous cowgirl hat I made for her. You wouldn't believe how many people from all over the world take home a photo of my dog! She gets alot of beads, too. Two years ago she was one of the judges in a singing contest at a gay bar! Wonder what will happen Tuesday.......

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  4. PERFECT.
    Y.O.U. obviously didn't do enough if Y.O.U. ended up with the least beads ;-) !!
    TOO FUN!!! and that photo of The Bean and The B-Man is the best that you have shown! You have to make a frame with some of the beads and print that baby!!!

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  5. Shara, thanks for sharing your Mardi Gras day - looks like a lot of fun and the beads were a bonus!

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