Slidell magazine 43rd edition

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF SLIDELL

LAISSEZ LES BON TEMPS ROULER!

magazin magazine Vol 43 February 2014

Mona turns 30

Celebrating Slidell’s Quirkiest Krewe !

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Kendra with artist James Michalopoulos “Take a chance! All life is a chance.

The man who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare.” ~ Dale Carnegie The third week of January was a busy and event-filled one for St. Tammany businesses and charities.

Three major annual events were held at the Northshore Harbor Center – the Slidell Women’s Civic Club Mardi Gras Ball, Starry Starry Nights (the Chamber Awards ceremony), and the Real Man of St. Tammany Gala to benefit Safe Harbor – all within one week.

Slidell Magazine was there for them all - taking pictures, visiting with friends, meeting new people, enjoying dinner, drinks, and LOTS of dancing. Mostly, I enjoyed simply being there and the fact that I was a part of it all.

How do I always get invited to the best parties of the year?

I buy a ticket and show up. It’s that easy.

At the Real Man of St. Tammany Gala, I was honored to meet one of my idols, artist James Michalopoulos. (For those of you who aren’t familiar with Michalopoulos’ paintings, I encourage you to look up his website – you’ll instantly recognize his colorful, skewed imagery of New Orleans houses and funny farm animals.

Not to mention his SIX Jazz Fest poster designs.)

Now, I’m not a star-stalker. But meeting James Michalopoulos was a BIG deal to me. I heard his name announced at the live auction, and heard them say he was in attendance to sign the print he donated (which raised thousands for charity).

Lemme tell you – I was on him like a pitbull on a pork chop. I couldn’t let the opportunity to meet him pass me by. I introduced myself, and his warm Southern personality and charm erased any intimidation about the fact that I was speaking to a world-renowned artist.

art, and life. But, when I do call him, now I won’t just be another fan. I’ll be “the person from that thing we went to”.

And, sometimes, that is all it takes to make a friend.

I met him because I took a chance and I showed up.

I have a friend, Hannah Rucker, who has an email signature on all of her correspondences that says, “No matter how you feel -- get up, dress up, and show up!!”

Sometimes, that – and a little courage - is all it takes.

I don’t go to these functions with the intent of meeting famous people or to promote my business. I go to the events because they’re fun and they support great organizations. But, the fact of the matter is this: business and personal connections are made and proffered at these events – and those connections have helped to make my life and my business better.

I’ve opened myself up to new experiences, new people, unknown possibilities and potential. I’ve made myself vulnerable to rejection, while maintaining optimism for acceptance. It’s a risk that’s yielded huge rewards for the charities I benefit, the friendships I share, and the success of my magazine.

Who knows what will come of meeting James Michalopoulos? We chatted for awhile and he even offered a painting for the cover of Slidell Magazine (I almost fainted, I swear). I’ll follow up with a call or visit and hope to get the opportunity to talk with him more about the magazine,

magazine PO Box 4147 • Slidell, LA 70459

www.SlidellMag.com • 985-789-0687

Kendra Maness - Editor/Publisher Editor@SlidellMag.com Alan Lossett - Graphic Design Lee Kreil - Staff Writer Contributing Writers: Donna Bush EFOP / Sli-Ku, Lee Kreil The Storyteller, John Case Jockularity, Corey Hogue Pet Points, Jeff Perret, DVM Slidell 20/20, John Maracich, III Crimi-mommly Insane, Leslie Gates Dan Crowley Charlotte Lowry Collins Lori Gomez Mike Rich Rose Marie Sand

www.LoriGomezArt.com MikeRich@mypontchartrain.com Rose@RoseMarieSand.com

Slidell Magazine now available at all Slidell

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ef o

Extraordinarily Fascinating “Ordinary” Person of the Month

by Lee Kreil Sponsored by:

Matthew Wallace

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February 2014 Foreward: I want to thank two people. First, my Editor for always encouraging my writing and allowing me the tremendous honor of being a part of Slidell Magazine. Secondly, I want to thank Nancy Richardson for creating EFOP and for delighting and enlightening us each month by writing about the many Extraordinarily Fascinating Ordinary People of Slidell. The two of you have set a standard that I will endeavor to continue through my interpretation of EFOP. Nancy, your writing will be missed in the magazine and I wish you well as you start another journey. Kendra, thanks for giving my writing a home…

Lee Kreil

A Life of Possibilities This month’s EFOP is an individual that has accumulated a long list of professional, as well as personal, accomplishments over the course of his life. Matthew Wallace has logged many miles “down the winding road that is life” as he calls it; with those miles logged both figuratively and literally. The literal or “physical” travels have taken him around the world and have granted him the opportunity to experience people and cultures from many diverse backgrounds, then allowed him to bring this knowledge back home to Slidell to share it with everyone. His figurative or “spiritual” travels have revealed more and have taken him

even farther; they have shown him the light that is his Lord and Savior and the route to salvation. Professionally, he has won many victories and has earned even more honors and accolades than most others in his field.

Personally, he has touched the lives of countless individuals through his teachings and through his example. His life has shown him that young or old, and friends or family, and black or white doesn’t matter; what matters is that anyone can be lifted by faith and lead the kind of life our EFOP has experienced. By the way, did mention that Matthew Wallace has managed to do most of this before he was 22 years old?

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At more than twice this young man’s age, I found myself instantly pulled in by his energy and glow. He has a smile that will light up a room and a personality that is even brighter. If you were to ask Matthew simply “How’s it going?” or “How’s life treating you?” you would probably get a reponse similar to the one I got.

He gave me a brief, polite answer but then quickly turned the question back on me. “I’m great Mr. Lee,” he began, “But I want to know how you’re doing. Did you have a good day? I was excited about meeting with you and getting to know more about you...”

“Hey, now,” I had to kindly interrupt. “Who’s interviewing whom here?”

This is who Matthew Wallace genuinely is. When Matthew entered the restaurant for our interview, he approached two employees, making conversation with both in between smiles and laughs. One of them, he has known for several years, while the other employee he had just met. You would have never guessed which one was which from the way they were interacting. “I just love talking with people. See that table over there,” he said, pointing. “I would love to just walk up to them and tell them ‘hi’ too. If more people just walked up to each other and started talking, how cool would that be? I think we need to do that more. Things would be better if we could get to know each other better. Just think of all the things that are possible if we did that.”

Matthew has a book he created and carries with him. He continually adds to it, updates it, and references it. It is his “Book of Possibilities” by Matthew Wallace. As with his life, it is open and has room for growth. While not a published work, the book is a reflection of Matthew (or maybe he is a reflection of the book).

It is filled with quotes, lists like “Best Books to Read,” axioms, goals, his bucket list, and on and on. Everything in it will educate you, steer you in a positive direction, or help you become a better person. Matthew knows his book. It also has many certificates, awards, and recognitions of wins and achievements within the martial arts world. And I do mean world.

Before Matthew took on the world, he had to start a little closer to home. Lucky for us, home is Slidell. Born and raised in the Camellia City and a graduate of Salmen High School, our EFOP has earned an Associates in General Studies and is continuing his education at Southeastern Louisiana University working on his BA, with an emphasis in Criminal Justice. At the age of 10, he started down the path of Martial Arts and competition that led him to open a school for martial arts located along Gause Blvd. Here at home, he attends church, works another part-time job, volunteers, and does public speaking. Matthew says, “I am very happy here. I am doing good things here and am having an impact on the city I grew up in. With my work at Lion’s Pride Academy [his martial arts school] and talking with area kids about bullying and staying out of trouble, I know I’m changing lives.”

How does a 10 year old boy decide exactly what he wants to do with his life and then take every step necessary to make it a reality?

“My brother Josh and I were looking through my father’s drawer in his room. Kids do that kind of stuff when they’re 10. We found this scrapbook my father made for himself with a lot of Karate stuff in it. My father wanted to learn and be involved with the sport. But when us kids came along - my sister Jill, me, and then my younger brothers Josh and Zach - dad had to put his dreams on hold and take care of his family. From that day, when I found out what Dad had given up for us, I dedicated myself to learning

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great conviction. “A kid gets bullied and that kid turns out to be a bully to someone else.

I think some of the problems with teen violence and addiction and other problems are a direct result from bullying. I want to be an example for troubled and bullied kids. I want to help. I want to show them that, with a little hard work and a lot of faith, all things are possible. I want them to have a place to feel safe. For the atrisk teens, I want to work them out so hard and give them an outlet for their aggression that they will be too tired to cause trouble!”

Karate and Martial Arts.” Matthew continued, “As I grew up and got better at it, every time I learned a new kick or jump or reached a new belt color, Dad would be proud. I remember Dad battling sickness as I was growing up, but every time I accomplished anything, it’s like he didn’t seem sick for that moment.”

Matthew’s accomplishments were numerous he won several state championships, including Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Alabama, and Texas. National titles followed. In 2008, Matthew won his first World Champion and runner-up World Champion in Forms.

It was then that Matthew Wallace was inducted into the Eastern USA International Youth Black Belt Hall of Fame at the age of 17 for Male Black Belt of the Year. Because of this honor, he was asked to compete on Team America under the American Karate and Ju Jitsu Union (AKJU) representing the Southern region of the USA for Team America.

It takes a great deal of dedication and motivation to achieve the level of success Matthew had achieved to this point. But a pivotal point in his life was about to happen.

Right before leaving with Team America to travel to several different countries for competition, Matthew found out his father was diagnosed with a terminal illness.

“Right before going overseas, my father got his diagnosis and was given six months to live. Dad insisted that I go on the trip. His last words to me before getting on the plane were, ‘Matt, bring home the gold!’. I was full of emotion but I didn’t want to let my father down.

Every kick and punch was for him. I thought that if I lost, maybe something bad would happen to Dad.” Matthew did what his father requested, bringing home a Gold medal, along with a Silver and two Bronzes. “Team America finished 2nd in the World,” Matthew says with pride.

Our EFOP kept winning and his father kept fighting, living beyond the original diagnosis.

Matthew was inducted into the adult Eastern USA International Martial Arts Hall of Fame for Outstanding International Black Belt Competitor. He returned again to the Irish Cup competition where he took 1st in the World in Men’s Lightweight Point Kickboxing Division winning another Gold, Silver, and Bronze.

The next several years would see Matthew’s success continue and grow, winning numerous more medals in Irish Cup competition as well as earning his way into four more Hall of Fame’s.

During this time, two important events would play out and again play a pivotal role in this young man’s life. Upon a successful return with Team America from the international competitions, his martial arts instructor and 6

mentor, Master Charlie, had a message for him. Matthew explains, “Master Charlie told me that the competition was like my senior research project. He told me that this was the perfect opportunity,, and I should open up my own Dojo. He was ready to close Lion’s Den down. I didn’t know what to think. That place was my whole life. I accomplished so much because of him and that gym. But he said it was my time. I wanted to keep the same name but he refused, saying I needed to make it my own. Since a lot of the Lion’s Den students would be coming over from there, my family and I decided to name it Lion’s Pride in honor of Master Charlie, because we were like a pride of lions all sticking together.”

The second event to affect Matthew was when his father went into heart failure. Again, his family was tested by the onset of another life threatening condition. Matthew and his family feel that his father was able to pull through this last set-back as a direct result of their faith.

Living well past the original 6-month diagnosis and now with a pacemaker, Matthew’s father continues on his journey and continues to see his son do well in his. “You have to believe,” says Matthew. “You don’t have to see something for it to be real. FAITH is Facts Anchored In The Heart. God will never leave you if you have faith. We are still all together as a family because we have faith in Him.” According to Matthew, his most important work is yet to come. With just as much passion, he begins to tell me of his next challenge. “Bullying!

Everything I’ve learned and been through has brought me to this point; to this point that I can do something and save somebody’s life.”

Bullying is something Matthew won’t stand for. “It’s not so much the actual act of bullying.

Don’t get me wrong, it is bad and the work of a coward. But what most people miss are the after-effects of bullying. If someone gets bullied and punched they may get a black eye, but the eye will fade and return to normal. Their selfconfidence or courage may never return. Kids start doing bad in school because of being bullied. Even worse, some turn to suicide. I speak to groups and schools and at functions.

My goal is to never have anyone bullied ever again and I think I can help!” he tells me with

Matthew Wallace doesn’t need a reason to be overtly genuine and good hearted. He is kind and affable…because he chooses to be.

He chose to become involved in martial arts because his dad had a passion for it. He chose to be competitive and self-motivated because he was allowed to be. He chose to help out his parents through their tough times because that was the example he saw growing up. He didn’t “come to Jesus” but rather grew up in a house that has always known Him. Matthew defiitely makes a long-lasting first impression. While he was at his part-time job in the mall, I decided to stop by to introduce myself and set up our interview. As I walked up to the counter, I saw Matthew staying busy while waiting for his next customer. He was cleaning, straightening, and saying hello to passersby in a welcoming and refreshing way; all the while with a great big smile on his face. That is Matthew. When people stop by Cinnamonster, they will know just by talking to him that Matthew is a great example of the best Slidell has to offer.

I asked Matthew, what would you like for people to take away from this article? Without hesitation he begins, “I challenge everyone who reads this to show their faith more, not their muscles. It’s harder to do what’s right but faith can help. Out of strong faith I believe comes even stronger, more confident youths.

Faith has allowed me to fail but it has also let me know that I will eventually succeed. God has shown the way through his light. I walk by faith.”

“My destination is that of His direction. All the glory of my accomplishments is given to God. Without Him none of this would have ever taken place.”

If you’d like to contact Matthew Wallace to set up a speaking engagement or want to reach out to him about bullying, c ontact Lion’s Pride KarateAcademy or email him at louisianamonster@ymail.com.

by John Maracich III

Flood Insurance Update: Short term relief may be a tiny, tiny light at the end of the tunnel...

Real estate professionals throughout Slidell continue to lobby for changes to Biggert-Waters as they brace themselves for another potential real estate meltdown.

Last year we reported on Steve Dixon, a local real estate broker, and his frustration with the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act. At the time (July, 2013) there was still hope that Congress would repeal or modify the legislation before changes began taking effect last October.

Some good news...

In Congress, many former advocates of the rate increases seem to be “evolving” their position. Maxine Waters, who co-sponsored the bill, has stated FEMA underestimated the huge rate increases homeowners would suffer.

In January, Representative Steve Scalise visited Slidell, meeting with Mayor Freddy Drennan and several interested constituents. The meeting focused on the need to reform Biggert-Waters.

October came and went, and some homeowners have already been affected by flood insurance rate increases.

We conducted a very informal poll of Slidell real estate professionals (brokers, bankers, lenders, etc.) The question: “Have the changes in flood insurance premiums negatively affected your business?”

“Yes - and in a big way,” was the unanimous answer. But not because anyone knows what will happen to rates. Uncertainty and fear of the unknown have put many areas of the real estate market in a state of limbo.

Mayor Drennan described it as “a good meeting. Kudos to the entire delegation who are working very hard to bring this to the forefront.”

Drennan reports that Scalise is “confident something positive is about to happen.

Around the country, Congressmen are coming on board after realizing the impact to their own constituents.”

On January 16, Congress passed a spending bill that will postpone some of the effects of Biggert-Waters.The bill targets “grandfathered” properties. While it did not affect premium increases triggered by the sale of a property, the bill did protect existing homeowners from increases for nine months.

Much more to be done...

“Unfortuately,” says John Case, (LowryDunham, Case & Vivien Insurance,) who has become a leading local spokesman on the issue, “the spending bill that just passed did absolutely nothing for St. Tammany Parish.” That’s because many of the premium changes are contingent on new flood maps that are still being developed and debated.

“The uncertainty in commercial real estate and investment properties is a huge problem.”

“A national reporter asked me to give a specific example of a building sold that triggered a large immediate rate increase.

I could not.” says Case.

“The reporter asked ‘if you can’t give an example, how is there a problem?’

“That is precisely the problem,” says Case.

“Nothing has sold. It speaks volumes!”

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Chamber Events!

Look for the RED Fleur de Lis For more info: 643-5678 www.estchamber.com

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SUPERBOWL SUNDAY!!!

“Arsenic and Old Lace” Slidell Little Theatre • 2pm

Communications Committee Olde Towne Soda Shop 11:30am

Storytime 0-2yrs: 9:30am 3-5yrs: 10:30am Slidell Library 11

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Dine & Discover Tax Planning & Tips Chamber Boardroom • 11:30am

KREWE OF SLIDELLIANS 1pm KREWE OF CLAUDE Follows

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KREWE OF PERSEUS 1pm

KREWE OF DIONYSUS 1pm

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Free Business Counseling Chamber Boardroom

BY RSV. ONLY • 9am-3pm

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Ambassador Meeting TBD • Noon

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Communications Committee Olde Towne Soda Shop 11:30am

KREWE OF CHAHTA-IMA Lacombe • 1pm

Storytime All Ages • 6:30pm Slidell Library

Storytime 2-3yrs: 9:30am 3-5yrs: 10:30am Crafternoon: Ages 5+ 3pm Slidell Library

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Tribute to Carole King • Cutting Edge Theater 8pm

Storytime All Ages • 6:30pm Slidell Library

Celebrate Our New Home!

KREWE de PAWS & TAILGATING PAW-TY • 10am

Radium Girls Art Exibit Slidell Little Theatre • 6pm

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Storytime All Ages • 6:30pm Slidell Library

Newcomers Ball Harbor Center • 6:30pm

KREWE OF TITANS • 6:30pm

Storytime All Ages • 6:30pm Slidell Library

Storytime 2-3yrs: 9:30am 3-5yrs: 10:30am Slidell Library

KREWE OF BILGE Noon KREWE OF MONA LISA & MOON PIE 7PM

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VALENTINE’S DAY!!!

Public Policy Committee Chamber Boardroom • 8am

Storytime 2-3yrs: 9:30am 3-5yrs: 10:30am Slidell Library

Krewe of Sisters Ball Harbor Center • 8pm

“Cabaret” the musical Cutting Edge Theater • 8pm

Business After Hours Home Bank • 5-7pm

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SAT 8

Salad Days Juried Exhibition of Student Art Slidell Cultural Center Show runs thru March 8th

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Grand Opening Community Christian Concern 3 - 5pm

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Employment Law Seminar Auditorium • 8am

Chamber Luncheon “Rise and Serve” Speaker: David Kiviaho 11:30am

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Storytime 0-2yrs: 9:30am 3-5yrs: 10:30am Slidell Library

KREWE OF PR LIONS CLUB Pearl River • 1pm 23

Grand Opening Title & Abstract Services 3 - 5pm

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Slidell Art League “Let’s Get Physical” Art Show Crossgates Fitness Center Show runs Feb 7 - 21

Grand Opening Wingate Hotel • 3 - 5pm 17

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Grand Opening Lean Training Studio 3 - 5pm

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Int’l Dream Team Male Review • Harbor Center 8pm

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Austin Hill

A MOST UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTER

You have never heard of Austin Hill unless you grew up in my family. At least I don’t think you have. After all, he has been dead for over 60 years, and not much was known about him even when he was alive. I guess you would say that he was just a survivor, and barely that. Some that knew him said he offered little to be remembered by, but everyone leaves a legacy and I remember him differently.

related, or if he was related at all to them. On the other hand, they vividly remembered his visits throughout the early 1900’s and up until his death in 1953. The date of my first encounter with him was 1951.

I watched him as he approached the steps to the front porch. All of his worldly possessions were rolled and tucked in the crotch of his crutch.

I would learn that this was one of his favorite places to portage anything - from the wild game he killed, to a half pint of whiskey.

My first memory of Austin Hill was on a hot summer day in south Mississippi. A car stopped on a dusty road in front of my MaMa and PaPa’s house. They were my grandparents, and on their porch and surrounding farm I spent most of my early life.

The car door opened and I first saw a walking stick, then a crutch, and finally the full form of a man - minus one leg - erupt from the back seat.

A couple of light taps with his walking stick on the running board and the car disappeared into the dusty distance. The tripoded man made his way to my grandparent’s front porch.

Even though he was over eighty years old, he had broad muscular shoulders, a handle bar mustache curled on the ends and he wore a large western hat. Extremely fit for a man of his age, he wore khakis and had a western style shirt.

The shirt had a flap on the pocket with a shiny button. I was familiar with a shirt of that type.

Roy Rogers wore one.

There was no whiskey in the crutch that day, as this was Cudin Hezzie and Gertrude’s house. Cudin Hezzie, who I called PaPa, was a preacher by choice, and a farmer and postman by necessity. No whiskey was allowed in his home except a smidgen that was used for medicinal purposes.

MaMa announced, “Hill’s here.”

These words were wasted because I did not know Hill, and PaPa, who at that time was in the house, was practically deaf. Hill was none other than John Austin Hill, known to my mother and her siblings as Cousin Austin, or more colloquially, Cudin Austin. It was obvious he was not expected, but neither was his arrival a complete surprise.

PaPa emerged from the house and warm greetings were passed amongst the three adults.

My grandfather was rather elderly by that time and through his acquired wisdom, I suppose he instinctively felt it was better for me to keep my distance from this itinerant relative. He left me out of the greeting and did not acknowledge me to Cudin Austin. It would be years before I would understand this completely.

Years later, I found out that my mother’s siblings did not actually know how Cudin Austin was

Cudin Austin was born in Lamar County, Mississippi, in 1869 or 1870. No one knows for

sure. His family was poor, real poor, but that was not unusual. After all, the influence of the Civil War was still being felt, and that part of Mississippi was never wealthy anyway.

There were no cotton plantations or beautiful southern mansions. Life was hard, and Austin went to work in his early teens in the sawmill industry. That is where the accident occurred that would leave him with one leg and contribute to making him one of my most unforgettable characters.

To survive, he held several odd jobs. Some were honorable and some not so honorable. I guess you could say he was just a migrant relative who would drop by and stay a week or maybe a month, and then be gone. No one knew where he went when he left, but obviously it was to some other benevolent relative’s home who put on a good table and did not require much in return.

On that day in 1951, dodging my grandfather, I finally caught Cudin Austin’s attention. I was fascinated by his walking cane and crutch - not to mention the stump of his amputated leg.

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“Hey Boy,” he addressed me in a deep voice. “Bet you wonder what happened to my leg? Well, I’ll tell you.”

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Not waiting for me to respond, he leaned over, as if whispering in my ear. I could tell PaPa wished that this conversation was not occurring.

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“I went to milk the cow one day, and the calf licked it off.” With this, he burst into a deep robust laugh.

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“Hill, don’t tell that child a lie like that,” MaMa said with no smile on her face. “Children believe all that foolishness you tell.”

This would be my first introduction to a most unusual person and a storyteller of the greatest Mississippi tradition. Over the next few days, wherever he went, I was as close to that crutch as he would allow me to be.

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There were other stories I would learn later about the leg. One was about an incident that occurred while he was standing on a street corner propped on his crutch reading a newspaper.

An inquisitive passerby said, “Hey Mister, I see you lost your leg.”

Acting surprised, Cudin Austin looked down, slapped the nub of his missing leg and excitedly exclaimed, “Damned if I haven’t.

Where on earth could it be?”

One day he noticed my sister had a wart on her foot. He gave her explicit details on how to remove the wart. She was to get the dark rainwater from the hollow of an old tree stump and use this water to wash her foot three times. This was a positive cure. There was one provision that she had to follow precisely, however. He told her that while washing her foot, she could not let her mind even remotely think of a possum.

On one occasion, Cudin Austin made his unexpected visit at a time when MaMa and PaPa already had a male guest. Bedrooms were a commodity with seven children. Austin would have to share not only a room, but a bed with the stranger.

During the night, Cudin Austin started scratching loudly and violently.

The guest inquired as to his problem, and Austin informed him that he

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had an itch that was supposed to last only seven years. He informed his bedfellow that he had suffered for ten years and the itch was now worse than ever. The guest left at daylight.

Over the next two years, Cudin Austin came to visit three of four times.

Each time I became more intrigued by the stories he told. The last time Cudin Austin came to visit was in 1953. I don’t recall how he arrived that time, but I understand he always hitchhiked. He never owned a car and never rode a train or a bus. This time, however, he just sat on the front porch in a chair, and there were none of the stories I had remembered him telling on his previous visits.

He was sick, very sick. In those days, there was no Medicare or other social services; and as hard as they tried, my grandparents were too old to take care of a dying invalid. He was sent to the county farm, or poorhouse, which was actually a penal facility for local misdemeanor offenders. There he was left to die with only weekly visits from my father and grandfather.

But who was Austin Hill? Only with the help of online genealogy research did I find that he was my grandfather’s aunt’s son. That meant that he really was a cousin. I doubt PaPa even knew how he was related, but PaPa was the kind of man that would give anyone a good meal and a warm bed, even if he was not a relative.

What did he do for a living? Well, he sold popcorn and supposedly made a lot of money for a while. Eventually, the law found out that there was a bottle filled with whiskey in some of the popcorn boxes. This business venture was permanently interrupted.

He also was the overseer of a farm during harvest time. Sometimes he took heavy-handed liberties with his authority. If a worker, regardless of age, sex or race was not producing, he would not hesitate to apply a few licks with his belt to their legs or behind. I must assume that jobs were just so scarce and times were so bad, they would tolerate this treatment.

Once he was a guard in a small prison. That career ended when he shot and killed one of the prisoners who was trying to escape. The inquest questioned if the prisoner was really trying to escape, or did he just accidentally fall off the work wagon. In either case, even in those days, that was harsh and unusual punishment for a non-violent offender. The offender was in jail for adultery.

During the 1920’s, the state of Mississippi and most southern states passed a law that all cattle had to be dipped in a vat to eradicate ticks.

Some farmers resented the government’s intervention and would dynamite the vats. Austin was hired to guard them against these farmers. I don’t know for sure how this job ended. Some say he shot a popular farmer, but there were many more jobs and business ventures and the stories of each were entertaining.

For the most part though, he just traveled from relative to relative, telling fantastic tales and entertaining the children, a Pied Piper type.

He was more than willing to help out with odd jobs for his room and board. He liked to shuck corn, shell peas and beans, churn butter, make hominy, and do other chores that were always abundant around a farm.

He also liked to hunt.

Even with his handicap, it was not uncommon for him to hitchhike five or six miles up the road and hunt back to home through the woods. He would stuff

12

the rabbits and squirrels he killed in the crutch, much as he had stuffed his clothes on the first day I saw him. In later years, I made this same hunt and can only imagine the difficulty he must have encountered going through the thick woods and underbrush with a crutch, a walking stick and a gun.

He resisted indoor plumbing and each day walked about a mile to the creek where he bathed and washed his clothes. He would then take the wet sand and rub it on his cane and crutch to clean them. He then dressed and walked home in his wet clothes.

In later years, after his death, I would come to know that there were other not-so-upstanding parts of his life. I will not detail those, as they are on the dark side and no one knows if they are true (or most likely, another exaggerated tale he made up for adult male audiences). This would be in addition to when he sold whiskey and shot the prisoner. I also learned that many of his other relatives did not see the positive things that the children admired in him. These were the traits that my grandfather did not like, and that is why he tried to shield me from Austin on the first day we met. PaPa knew that somehow boys were just attracted to characters like Austin, and I, as my uncles and brother before me, was fascinated with his fabricated stories and embellishments of half-truths.

The day before he died, I accompanied my father to see him at the county farm. As we left, I could hear him almost crying, “Lord have Mercy on my soul.” It was a pitiful plea that has always haunted me. It was the first time I knew that someone was alive but would soon be dead. Was his plea a confession of the bad parts of his life and a plea for forgiveness for his misdeeds? I have chosen to assume so.

Over the years, I have thought a lot about Austin Hill. I especially think about him when I read a book and there is a crusty old character in it. In my mind, I match Austin’s face to this character and it seems to make the story more vivid.

Cudin Austin rests today in Mount Olive Church cemetery in Lincoln County, Mississippi. Even in death he defies normality. For years he was buried in an unmarked grave. Now his grave is marked with a second hand tombstone donated by a relative who chose a more elaborate stone prior to his own death. On the side turned towards the ground it reads: “H.R. Stringer” (that was PaPa) and on the other side, “Austin Hill 1953”, It gives little clue to his life, and he remains as much a mystery in death as he was in life.

After thought: My sister’s wart did disappear just as he said, but she told me she did think of a possum.

John Case Originally Written in 2005.

Rewritten in February 2014.

Inner Wheel USA Foundation 1 Mile Walk Saturday, February 22, 9am Camp Salmen Nature Park Hwy 190W, Slidell

A fundraiser for the Myoelectric Limb Project The Inner Wheel Foundation was formed in 1988 to provide myoelectric prosthesis to children who are born without an arm or hand, or have lost them through disease or accident.

Prosthetic clinics work with the Foundation to also provide for recycling and distribution of myoelectric limbs.

The children’s Myoelectric Limb Project provides an avenue for children whose insurance or family circumstances do not allow them to benefit from the latest updated technology.

Turning “disabilities into possibilities” is not a dream but a reality of the Inner Wheel U.S.A. Foundation.

Inner Wheel members are collecting $10.00 sponsorships for the walk and the public is invited to participate as a walker or a sponsor.

Each walker can solicit many sponsors. Students from the local high school Interact Clubs will be on hand to assist.

Water and hot beverages will also be provided. Your support and participation is much appreciated!

For more information on the walk, contact: Jane Freeman 985-640-6786 jfreeman@tlxnet.net

To help Inner Wheel “Give a Child a Hand”, visit: www.InnerWheelUSA.com

It‛s not Mardi Gras without a King Cake from Slidell‛s own

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Pan seared Mahi Mahi Over crabmeat & fontina gnocchi, asparagus tips, topped with a scallion pesto OR

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Slidell Museum

Relive History! Featuring one-of-a-kind Civil War Displays

Terry Lynn’s Café

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empting T Sponsored by:

the

now that the holidays have passed, it’s time to get ready for the next big event, Mardi Gras. Because one day of celebration (Fat Tuesday) is not enough for us, we celebrate for about a month, with carnival balls and lots of parades. Just more reasons for us to party! not that we need a reason to get together, cook great food and have fun.

We pretty much do that every weekend. In Louisiana, we will celebrate AnYTHInG. It’s Friday, we should celebrate! It’s the weekend, we should have some friends over and barbeque! And of course, the start of every season is cause for a gathering. I don’t mean Winter, Spring, Ssummer or Fall.

I mean Crawfish, Shrimp, Oyster and Crab!

We all start to think about the first crawfish boil of the year as Mardi Gras approaches.

I know I’m ready! Mardi Gras Day at my house does not mean heading to the South Shore. That’s way to much craziness for me. I’d rather stay home and watch it on TV. And, depending on how expensive the crawfish are (if I don’t need to take out a second mortgage), we have a crawfish boil. now, that’s the perfect Mardi Gras to me!

Story and Art

by Lori Gomez

Palette

that cracks me up is giving up meat on Fridays and having seafood instead. Yeah, that’s a real sacrifice. Are you kidding me?

I wish I could eat seafood every day. I have no problem giving up meat. The sacrifice would be having to give up the seafood!

Could you imagine that? That would be the stuff of nightmares!

The day after Mardi Gras is Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent. After all that celebrating, we try to think of something to give up. This part's a little tough. One year, I tried to give up butter, sugar and bread.

I gave up the sugar and bread, but the butter I found a little too difficult. I mean, I’m not trying for sainthood here. Cooking Louisiana food without butter is almost impossible, although I do try to substitute it with olive oil sometimes. The part of Lent

So, let’s get back to the topic of parties.

There are lots of Mardi Gras Balls and parades to prepare for. (I am very fortunate to go to the Endymion Extravaganza in the Superdome each year.) It’s important to change things up and have good snacks to help absorb any liquid spirits that may be indulged in throughout the night and into the morning hours. We get bored easily with just potato chips and ham sandwiches - I know I do. We have way too many gatherings to limit ourselves. I’m always on the lookout for new finger foods that are easy to bring to these events and that are satisfying to our palette.

This month I will share several recipes that are great finger foods for Mardi Gras or any party for that matter.

Parade Catering Call to order YOUR King Cake TODAY! 1337 Gause Blvd #102, Slidell Located behind Copeland’s

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Bagels Sandwiches Coffee Catering

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Muffaletta Sandwiches: I get all of this at Rouses. They also have the mini rolls. So you can make the large sandwiches and cut them up or get the little rolls, either way is fine.

1 lb. Boars Head Genoa Salami 1 lb. Boars Head Mortadella 1 lb. Ham off the bone 1 lb. Provolone cheese 1 lb. Swiss cheese 1 jar olive salad 4 loaves Muffaletta bread Preheat oven on broil at 375 degrees.

Open bread and place on a cookie sheet. Brush some of the oil that is in the olive salad on both sides of bread.

Layer salami on one side of bread then mortadella on the other.

Next put a layer of ham.

Put provolone on one side and Swiss on the other.

Place sandwiches, still open, in oven until cheese melts(about 5 minutes) When sandwiches come out of the oven, add olive salad.

Close sandwiches up, cut into pieces and serve.

Crawfish Bread: 1 tbsp. mayonnaise ½ stick butter ¼ cup green onions 2 cups cheddar cheese 1 tsp. garlic ½ tsp. Tabasco 1 tsp. Worcestershire 1 tsp. lemon juice Salt and pepper to taste 1 lb. crawfish 1 loaf French bread Preheat oven to 350 degrees Melt butter in a pan.

Sauté onion and garlic till tender.

Add crawfish. Remember the crawfish are already cooked so you're just stirring to combine. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a medium size bowl, add mayonnaise, cheese, Tabasco and lemon juice. Stir to combine.

Add crawfish mixture to the bowl and stir to combine.

Slice bread lengthwise and place on a cookie sheet.

Spread mixture over bread evenly and bake 10-15 minutes.

Oyster Shooters: This recipe just makes me happy. I’m not going to give exact measurements, just a basic recipe.

Small oysters (if oysters are big, feel free to cut them in half) Bloody Mary mix, your favorite brand Hot sauce Cocktail sauce Lemon juice Horseradish sauce (Optional) Vodka (Optional) Depending on how many oysters you have, that’s how many shooters you will make. I have a couple dozen shot glass sets.

(Ross’s is a great place to get these)

Place one oyster in each glass.

The rest of the ingredients can be layered in the order I have given or can be mixed together in the amounts you prefer.

Pour this mixture on top of the oysters. (Again the amount you pour on top is up to you, but I would put a couple of tablespoons.)

If you feel you need measurements, I would pour 1 ½ cups Bloody Mary mix into a small pitcher, add a couple of dashes of hot sauce, 2 tbsp. of cocktail sauce and ½ a lemon.

If you like horseradish, 1-2 tsps.

Mix well, then pour on top of the oysters.

If you're over 21 and want the kick, top each glass with 1 tsp. Vodka

Garlic Feta Cheese Dip: 4 oz. crumbled feta cheese 4 oz. cream cheese 1/3 cup mayonnaise 1 garlic clove, minced ¼ tsp. dried basil ¼ tsp. dried oregano 1/8 tsp. dill weed 1/8 tsp. dried thyme In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients with a mixer until well blended and creamy.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve with vegetables or crackers.

For the Endymion Extravaganza, we are in the Dome from about 6:30pm - 2am. I personally cannot consume alcohol for that many hours. Not to mention the calories! So last year I made a gallon of unsweet Iced Tea with lemon. I’m one of those people that like a little tea with my lemon. For the Spirit part, I bought Fire Fly Sweet Tea Vodka. I alternated a plain ice tea, with tea that had a shot of Sweet Tea Vodka throughout the night. This way I cut those calories - and no hangover the next day!

Kicked-up Iced Tea 1 Gallon of your favorite Iced Tea 1 bottle of Fire Fly Sweet Tea Vodka Lemons *Mix one glass of tea with 1-2 shots of Sweet Tea Vodka and garnish with lemon slice.

These are great recipes for any occasion. Here’s wishing you a Happy Mardi Gras. Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!

I’d love to hear your feedback!

Send your recipes and opinions to: LoriGomezArt@charter.net

"Bacchus" Lori's reproduction of the "Bacchus" masterpiece (c.1595) by Italian Baroque master Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610).

This beautiful and fun painting hangs in her home year-round and welcomes all of her guests to enjoy her hospitality and good cheer!

You can enjoy more of Lori’s art on facebook or by visiting: www.LoriGomezArt.com

17

by Jeff Perret, DVM

A

Calling Dr. Google

Part

As a veterinarian for nearly 24 years, I’ve seen some pretty creative home remedies from clients. Many folks just don’t like to take their pets (or themselves) to the doctor unless it’s something that causes them genuine alarm.

2

Because of that mindset, they tend to try to treat problems themselves. There are some that I’ve heard for years, starting long before everyone had computers in their pockets: “He’s been limping for about a month — I’ve been giving him a baby aspirin every day. It’s been getting worse lately, though, so I thought I’d better have you check him out.”

know who created them. Honestly, it’s not all bad information, and some are worse than others. However, some of the problems with using unsourced information like this begin when pet owners believe they’re treating, let’s say, constipation, but their pets really have diarrhea (seriously, that happens a LOT). Or when an animal has a topical parasite, like scabies or fleas, and the owner is shoving in an antihistamine for the itching. Home remedies are not going to be effective in these sorts of situations, and sometimes they can be quite harmful.

“She has a tummy ache! That pink stuff on her fur is Pepto Bismol. She’s still hasn’t stopped vomiting, though.”

“He’s been really itchy. I’ve been giving him Benadryl, but it doesn’t help. Do you have something stronger?”

With the explosion of instant Internet a v a i l a b i l i t y, “ D r. G o o g l e ” h a s g i v e n pet owners access to a litany of home remedies — some of which make your veterinarian shake his head, others which make him shudder. The problem with good old Dr. Google is that he gives random advice, without the benefit of a physical exam. Not good.

Also, some charts out there have doses listed which are absolutely, completely, t o t a l l y, i r r e v o c a b l y i n a p p r o p r i a t e , increasing the likelihood of serious consequences to the average Googler’s trusting pet. Once again, not good.

I’ve seen charts on various internet sites giving animal doses for some medicines that most people have in their homes.

They’re all over the Internet, but I don’t

Dr. Jeff recommends using:

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An important fact to consider is that individual animals may have diseases that make otherwise benign medications harmful. If your arthritic old dog has poor kidney function and you’re shoveling in aspirin (with the best of intentions!) for his chronic pain according to this or some other internet dosage chart, you can be doing much more harm than good—aspirin can cause his kidneys to fail. Aspirin isn’t particularly kind to the cartilage in the old fellow’s joints, either.

Cartilage provides a cushiony surface o n t h e e n d s o f b o n e s , s o i t ’s p r e t t y important to preserve it for as long as possible. Newer drugs have emerged in the last couple of decades for both pets AND people because they are safer and cause significantly less cartilage degeneration than aspirin, which will also eventually lead to upset stomach and maybe even life-threatening gastric ulcers.

Some of the medications on these do-it-yourself internet dosage charts have a “DO NOT USE!” warning... and those may not be accurate either. For that same old dog whose kidneys are beginning to fail, Tylenol (acetaminophen) might actually be a reasonable option – under a veterinarian’s instruction, at a specific dose and with careful monitoring for side effects. On the other hand, Tylenol will kill a cat quite effectively, so perhaps a stronger warning than “DO NOT USE” would be appropriate. Call me paranoid, but if death is a likely outcome, I’d like to see that listed a bit more emphatically.

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There are some easily obtained over-the-counter (OTC) drugs on these charts that are listed for treatment of diarrhea.

Unfortunately, Dr. Google hasn’t chatted with you to try to discover the underlying cause of the diarrhea, so while these doses might be “okay,” they won’t do a thing for a dog with whipworms or parvovirus, or a cat with intestinal cancer (or any of a myriad of other causes of diarrhea in our pets).

Then there are the folks I mentioned earlier who believe their pets are constipated because they see them repeatedly straining to defecate with nothing coming out. Instead of calling their veterinarian, they search the Internet for constipation treatment and may use the dosages they find to try to give them relief. Unfortunately, most of the dogs that I see for presumed “constipation” actually are straining because of intestinal cramping secondary to diarrhea, so anything used to loosen up the stool is going to make things worse. I’ve also seen more than one cat for “constipation” that instead had a life-threatening urinary tract obstruction. Fiddling around with an Internet search to treat these cats for constipation is going to delay seeking veterinary attention in a situation where prompt treatment will make the difference between life and death!

One OTC drug that we deal with often is ivermectin, which is used in multiple species at VERY different doses to treat n u m e r o u s t y p e s o f i n t e r n a l a n d e x t e r n a l p a r a s i t e s . I t ’s not always a “household” medication, but you’ll often find ivermectin on farms where it is used to treat horses and cattle for parasites, and it’s available at most feed stores. It is common practice in rural areas for hunters with kennels full of beagles or other hunting dogs to buy the cattle or swine formulation from their local feed store, and use it off-label

(in other words, in a manner for which it is not intended) for heartworm prevention. These pet owners typically give a tremendously high dose - up to 360 times the amount needed!

And while the majority of those hunting dogs don’t even seem to blink, you can easily kill a Collie or similar breed with that same dose. I once had a client who gave his Collie a smidgen of ivermectin paste intended for his horses; the poor thing was suddenly unable to stand and completely blind. With good emergency and supportive care, he actually stabilized over the next couple of weeks and we expected him to recover—until the day he went outside unsupervised and staggered into the owner’s pond and drowned. Totally not good.

And of course, if things go south, Dr. Google is never available for consultations in regard to possible contraindications and side effects of the medications he recommends for our furry companions. He doesn’t care if harm to your pet results from his advice; there is no recourse when he misses the diagnosis.

Please, please don’t take his word for anything! If you’re tempted to treat your pet with a home remedy, STOP and call your veterinarian first. It could be that it really is just a simple cough — or it could be congestive heart failure. There’s no way you can know just by looking at your pet. After all, if practicing veterinary medicine were that easy, there’d be no need for veterinarians.

www.VeterinaryMedicalCenterSlidell.com

19

Making ₵ents How Deep is your "Money Moat" ?

When my brother Tommy and I were growing up in the 50s, there was a lot of vacant land in Chicago Heights, Illinois, the south Chicago suburb we called home. During the summers when school was out, we’d meet our friends at a place called “Private Property” – for the life of me, I don’t know why we called it that – and roam around all day long, doing whatever we felt like. Our moms didn’t worry about us, we were never bored, and life was pretty much perfect.

of your money

One of our favorite pastimes was to build forts.

We’d gather scrap lumber and plywood from one of the many building sites around Private Property, grab a hammer and a few nails from someone’s dad’s garage, find a suitable site – preferably one that had a big tree on it for shade – and commence to building. They were handsome structures: massive (at least from an eight-year old’s perspective), impregnable, and well-hidden from the prying eyes of our enemies (aka girls).

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OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY FEBRUARY 15 • 6PM FOOD! DRINKS! FUN! Enjoy the parade as it passes in front of our office!

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT 2242 Carey St. Olde Towne, Slidell, LA

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Investment Services • Annuities • Retirement Planning

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Securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a registered investment advisor, member FINRA/SIPC.

20

by Mike Rich

As we were completing one of our projects, our friend Joe suggested we dig a moat around our fort. He’d read about how moats protected castles from attack and said we needed one. “Yes!” we all agreed. The next day, with shovels at the ready, we began to dig. After circling our fort with the moat (thinking back, it was about six inches deep), it occurred to us that we didn’t have any water to fill it. No matter. We were certain that, the next time it rained, our moat would be complete and we’d be safe from predators (and girls). As you might have guessed by now, it never did fill up, we lost interest in our fort about two days later, and we moved on to building our next – and better – fortress somewhere else.

I haven’t built any forts lately, but I think about moats a lot. Moats are designed to protect important things, and one of the things that really needs protecting these days is our money. I met with a long-time client recently to review his financial plan. During our meeting, we realized that, together, we had dug a pretty deep moat around his wife and him. Here’s what we did to protect their money, and it’s pretty cool how it’s working out: • We put life insurance in place to protect his wife if he dies before she does. My client realized early on that bad things happen to people all the time, and that he was probably not immune. One of his greatest fears when he was a young family-man was that he would leave his wife and children with no money for a decent standard of living, college tuition, and retirement if he died young.

Also, he knew that his wife might not want or be able to get a job, find another husband, or move in with her mother to make ends meet. So, he bought as much life insurance as he could. He got term insurance at first, because it was cheap.

Over time, however, he accumulated a lot of whole life insurance because he liked how it built cash value, figuring (rightly) that he could use the cash as additional retirement income. So now, not only will

his wife have the money – and choices – to live out her days with dignity if he dies first, they will have a nice nest egg to draw from if they need it before he dies.1 My client’s wife has a whole life policy, too, enough to help their kids pay her final expenses and then some.

• We protected his income with disability insurance in case he can’t work because of an illness or injury. Although my client now has his own business, he used to work for a big company. He had group disability coverage, but, like many group policies, it was so bad that we figured he’d have a real battle on his hands if he ever submitted a claim and tried to collect. So, he purchased an individual policy, just in case. We hope he never needs it, but if he does, his policy will replace most of his take-home pay.1 • We put a chunk of his money in annuities so he and his wife will have a guaranteed income in retirement that will never run out.

My client does not have a pension funded by an employer, so he built his own. When he’s ready to take income, his annuities will generate a steady flow of cash to supplement Social Security. Because of the way his annuities work, the income base builds up in a predictable way, and, even if he lives to be 110, that cash flow will never end.2 Sweet!

• We purchased long term care insurance so he and his wife will live out their days in dignity if they need someone to take care of them.

My client’s grandfather spent all – ALL – of his money, accumulated over more than 50 years of work, on nursing home care. It’s something his family members still talk about, nearly 40 years later. My client wants something better for his wife and himself. So, they have a long term care insurance policy that will pay for their care when they’re old; whether that care is at home, in a nursing home, an assisted living residence, an adult day care program, hospice, whatever. Not only is their money protected, their insurance policy gives my client and his wife choices, and their kids are relieved of the potentially crushing financial, physical, and emotional burden of caring for their parents.1 I can go on and on about other things my client and I did to dig his moat, but I’m running out of space for my article. But know this: an interesting thing about my client is that he’s not wealthy. For sure, he and his wife have a decent nest egg, built up during nearly 40 years of working, sacrificing, saving, and investing, but it’s not like he’s rolling in money. However, he truly doesn’t need money to burn, because he has done a pretty good job of making his dollars count. Because of that, he and his wife can spend their money a little more freely, knowing they are protected from many of the things that can mess up their plans.

Now, back to that moat. My client and I dug a pretty nice one for him.

How deep is yours?

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

985-605-5066

2242 Carey St. Olde Towne, Slidell, LA 1 Benefits depend on the claims paying ability of the issuing company.

2 Income guarantees depend on the claims paying ability of the issuing company. Annuities are longterm investment vehicles designed for retirement purposes. Gains from tax-deferred investments are taxable as ordinary income upon withdrawal. Guarantees are based on the claims paying ability of the issuing company. Withdrawals made prior to age 59 ½ are subject to a 10% IRS penalty tax and surrender charges may apply.

Securities and Advisory Services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor, Member FINRA/SIPC The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.

21

Mona Lisa and Moon Pie

®

30

Celebrates

Years!

The Magical History Tour

By Charlotte Lowry Collins (Queen Passé)

I consider this a major milestone, one that Slidell should really be proud of. Because of our historical theme for 2014, many of you have asked how this all originated. As one of the founding members, I’m proud to share with Slidell how the beloved MLMP Carnival Krewe came into existence: The whole concept for a distinctly different carnival krewe for Slidell began as an innocuous, informal

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conversation amongst friends. The other founders were Dave Billesbach, Kevin Curley and Pat Hart. The four of us were deciding on which krewe to join. We had loved marching together in Krewe of Clones, (before Krewe de Vieux evolved), and relished the fresh, humorous focus and the fact that it was a parade for everyone, without the exclusive atmosphere.

The question that we repeated every

year was “Why can’t Slidell have something like this?” As a matter of fact, there was nothing remotely similar on the Northshore (this was actually before the term Northshore was coined). Eventually, we got serious enough to define what we really envisioned for a new carnival krewe.

We asked ourselves if there was a krewe we were to join in Slidell, what

last chance for “cabaret” • feb. 7

would it look like? I wanted a throwback to the original roots of Carnival, without 18 wheelers and trailers. “It should be a walking parade!” everyone cheered. Kevin added that he thrived on the traditional brass bands, without huge sound systems pulsing throughout the neighborhoods. So we toasted that this krewe, whoever they were, should declare no motors, generators, or large sound systems (we do allow Scooters for people with handicaps). Pat added how refreshing it would be to have less commercial costumes and floats. So we again toasted the idea of a fun arts parade, with floats like sculptures, and costumes that weren’t commercially made (remember, online costume purchasing was not an option then). Dave mentioned the romantic look of the night parades and flambeaux. I might add that many people comment that Olde Towne looks transformed with the flames bouncing off the windows and buildings in Olde Towne. This new krewe was sounding great, almost like we were painting a Mardi Gras landscape! But our enthusiasm waned as we again noted that there was nothing like this in Slidell. So, we resigned ourselves to driving across the lake and back.

You don’t think that lasted, do you?

Since we all had children, nieces and nephews, we decided we wanted our kids to be part of something like this in their own hometown. The beers probably increased our boldness, and we just looked at each other and said “why not?” We would just have to start this new krewe. The first dilemma - what should we name it? Pat and Charlotte insisted on a focus on the arts and creativity, so Mona Lisa would be an image anyone could relate to. Dave was from Nebraska and he pointed out that Southerners loved their RC Colas and MoonPies®. It had a ring, Mona Lisa and MoonPie®, and that could be our signature throw (not the cheap knock-offs!).

Our enthusiasm swelled when Dave contacted the Chattanooga Bakery, manufacturers of MoonPies® and they not only approved, but were excited over this honor. Another Southern favorite would be featured to feed the hungry marchers at our Red

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Beans and Rice Ball immediately to follow the parade. Little did we know that Mona Lisa and MoonPie® would live on for thirty years!

To our greater surprise, the City of Slidell not only granted a permit, but was elated about a walking parade in Slidell, the first ever! Mona Lisa and MoonPie® also had the distinct honor of being the first night parade for Slidell, the first strictly Olde Towne parade, and the first parade in Slidell to honor the arts! We were now official.

Mona ... through the

Years

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Then reality hit! There were business affairs - like having to purchase the minimum number of MoonPies®. An 18 wheeler arrived in the historic Brugier neighborhood and delivered case after case of MoonPie’s®, taking over the Billesbach’s living room. Insurance had to be purchased to cover the flambeaux and marchers.

Deposits had to be made, bands had to hired, and there were only the hopes and efforts of four people propping us up. It was really happening!

Mona Lisa and MoonPie® has had its share of star power over the years. In the past 30 years, dozens of well-known

artists (of all genres) and community leaders have reigned over the streets of Olde Towne as Queen Mona Lisa and MoonPie King. Kermit Ruffins was a child when his group played for MLMP, and the Rebirth Brass Band was a group of youngsters when they first marched.

Mona Lisa and MoonPie® has come a long way since 1984. For 2014, we have an official Royal Documentarian, Heath Allen, and Royal Meteorologist, Laura Buchtel.

Did you know that it has never rained on a MLMP parade? It may rain up until the parade but, by lineup time, it’s like magic and the skies are cleared, thanks to our Royal Meterologists! Our

2014 King is Kevin Foltz (he has led our parade for years before he retired as Assistant Chief of Police), and our Queen is long-time arts supporter, Kim Bergeron. We now have a Royal Sculptor, Andy Leonard, who designs our awards (each krewe gets one every year). Our Royal Artist is Michael Reed (who has introduced souvenir, handmade, handpainted, funky and fun MoonPie® replicas), our Captain is Tom Collins (aka Royal MuckedyMuck), and our Board includes the Grand Duchess, Suzie Hunt, our Rogue MoonPie®, Amy Kussmann, Major Dormo is Yours Truly (aka Queen Passé), and Royal minion Ade Lowrey.

Ray Horvath has been our Keeper of the Flame. We have added community

service to our royal duties, adding Brock Elementary star students as the krewe of MoonPies®, and donating to Mt. Olive’s Feeding Ministry.

We hope all past royalty will come out to celebrate our 30th anniversary with us.

YOU TOO CAN JOIN IN THE REVELRY!! Mona Lisa and MoonPie® is the most affordable Carnival krewe in Slidell, and we’re open for new membership! We love family involvement. We celebrate the arts, Olde Towne, and good humor. In each of the past 30 years, we have produced a witty spectacle of cleverly crafted push-floats and costumes, and brought thousands of spectators into the heart of our City.

The Krewe of Mona Lisa and MoonPie® rolls, walks, skips and dances through Olde Towne on Saturday, February 15, 2014.

The fun begins on Erlanger Street at 7pm and continues throughout Olde Towne, making their way back to the Slidell City Auditorium where the fun continues into the night at the annual Red Beans and Rice Ball.

You don’t have to be an artist to express yourself - and have a ball doing it!

www.monalisaandmoonpie.com Be sure to LIKE their facebook page:

Krewe of Mona Lisa and MoonPie

WE WOULD LOVE YOU TO SEND YOUR PHOTOS AND MEMORIES OF MLMP:

monalisamoonpie@gmail.com

Mona Lisa and Moon Pie’s

®

Annual Red Beans & Rice Ball SLIDELL AUDITORIUM • DIRECTLY FOLLOWING PARADE

Open to the public, entry is only $25 to enjoy a night of dancing to the band Redline, kegs of beer, mixers, red beans and rice, and king cake. Also, a children‛s MoonPie® Party with pizza, soft drinks and activities will also be held at the Auditorium, so everyone can enjoy the ball while the young krewe members have fun too!

25

Crimi-mommly Insane I WILL, be ok. And so will I.

By Leslie Gates

“Let’s talk about PETS, bay-bee!”

I saw a commercial with that older lady from the show, “Glee”. There were a bunch of people standing around, wearing white t-shirts.

On each tee was one word that described that person. I don’t even know what the commercial was about. I just saw the ending where a ladies shirt said, “BIPOLAR”.

And I laughed.

What would I want my ONE word to be?

Although it is fitting, I thought, not THAT word. “Bipolar”.

Yeah.

My doctor told... uhh, I mean... I read about in a book once.

Page 16, I think.

But anyway, NOW would probably be a good time to introduce my different personalities.

Personality # 1: This would be the semi-normal, God-loving, emotional, empathetic, got-her-stuff-together, gonna save the world, “she’s a goooood giiiirl, loves her Mommaaaa... loves Jeeeesuuuus, and America toooo”.

We will call this girl, “Grace”.

In the NEXT corner of my brain we have PERSONALITY # 2: She loves long walks on the beach...

Really though, this girl is ka-RAY-zee!

She is manic, silly, and impulsive. She breaks out in dance and song, doing it at the most unexpected moments. This is usually when she hears, “you are so weird” from the people around her. She has a potty mouth, some mad karate moves, and some CRAZY ideas.

We will call her “Ray”.

Then last, and OBVIOUSLY least, we have PERSONALITY # 3: This one has some issues.

The world can bite the big one.

26

She is going to stay in the four walls of her house, not open a window, and just drink coffee. Maybe with a shot.

ALL. DAY. LONG. A shower? Forget it!

Sleep? Oh yeah!

Some may call her Depression, BUT we will just call her “Ralph”.

Why Ralph?

Because I CAN.

“Some days it’s not even worth chewing through the restraints.”

What is the point of all this name calling?

Nothing, really.

I just always wanted to name them.

Plus, I wanted to talk about why I end up with so many pets.

She’s a ninja.

So, the moments right before I get a pet, usually start with ole’ Ralph.

And just so there is no confusion, Ralph IS a guy.

I was a major tom-boy growing up, so it will just cover that area of my life too. Why not.

He is that place that I go to when I have lost all hope. Or feel so weighed down by the world, by my emotions, other people’s emotions, children issues, school issues, feeling like a failure. Blah blah blah. We’ve all been there, right?

Ole’ Ralph.

You think you can’t possibly go on.

Someone else has got to take over your role in the world so everything around you can still function.

Cause the world ain’t stoppin’ over yur emotional problem! (Ralph has a country accent, by the way.)

Or your P.M.S. (Sorry Ralph, I didn’t think this out, did I?) Whichever the case may be, it’s NOT fun.

With Ralph, it is a day that you craaaawl through the motions.

The wooden sign on my kitchen wall says it well...

Usually Ralph hangs around a day or two... Or three... Or 10.

But he is spread out through the entire month, in random surprise ATTACK MODE! Hate ‘em.

The good thing about Ralph though, is he gets his ass kicked by my home girl, Ray. A slightly psychotic one.

But no doubt, a ninja.

She comes in and takes over after being down in the dumps so long with Ralph.

Ray is the one that carries through with the actual purchasing of the animals.

She figures that doing this will be a nice change to the mood.

What will it be today?

Two puppies?

Aww, two puppies.

That. Would. Be. AWESOOOME! Why not one puppy, you ask?

Because Ray SAID SO. Now what about a cat? EVERYONE needs a CAT! Right?

YES, RIGHT! Duh! And a litter box.

And your couch scratched apart.

Ray says, “Hell yeah! Double that!”

Two cats!

A snake? Sure!! It’s free!

It’s crawling in the front yard, so we must save him!

(As Grace pokes her head in a little.)

What about a rabbit?

My husband can build a cage.

And the baby bunny and kitten can play together and live happily ever after...

And... And...

RAY BRINGS CHAOS. RAY BRINGS NO COMMON SENSE. RAY DOES NOT SEE CONSEQUENCES. OH, but Grace does.

And she usually appears a few days after Tornado Ray blows though.

But Ralph peers his ugly head in first.

He laughs a crazy kinda laugh, then goes away.

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And we ALL lived together under one big happy roof.

And part sky.

5 real people, 3 invisible ones, and 6 pets.

Poor Grace though.

She tries.

She has such perseverance, and hope.

But she is left with a zoo.

And ALL of these things to take care of...

Ear mites and fleas.

Thousands of dollars’ worth of mange treatment.

Potty training puppies and babies at the same time.

Sometimes the dog would be sitting on the toilet with a paci in its mouth, and a pull-up around its ankles.

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Although now you know why my kids randomly pee in the grass.

Two cats that ended up outside because: #1... I have an allergy to cats.

Thirdly... one of those cats pees on my laundry piles.

And (D)... The other cat doesn’t change the litter when he’s done using it.

So they are outside.

There is a coyote in the neighborhood though. And one of the cats is pretty laid back.

You do the math.

The snake... STILL here.

Which now makes me a murderer of innocent little mice.

The cute little bunny, Thumper. He grew up to be a big bunny and outgrew the cage.

He was free to run and play around our big yard for a year.

Happiest bunny you’d ever know.

But, he was counting mufflers the day before Easter.

He didn’t get past 1.

Grace gets tired.

Tired of cleaning up after Ray. She can’t take care of anything or anyone else.

She can’t believe the mess that Ray leaves behind.

So what happens?

Ralph takes her down once again.

Ole’ smelly Ralph.

With his sweat pants and bad hair day hats.

His bowl of ice cream for dinner.

His 10th episode of “intervention” in one day.

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Will Ray ever appear again? We need her spunk!

Oh, Ray appears.

She comes back.

In her ninja-like way, of course.

She will snap Ralph out of it!

And she will do it the only way she knows how...

With 20 fish... and a crab.

ALL of which also have names.

Anyway, I don’t think I would even use one word to describe me.

I think I would use pictures instead:

“Where art comes out of its shell!”

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w w w. AC E I A . c o m 28

“LESLIE”

Sli-Ku This is by far the “heartiest” month of the year. It would be way too easy to just talk about Valentine’s Day this month, though. The Sli-ku is supposed to be a rich source of information, even if most of the info is rather useless, silly, or obscure… but information nonetheless! So, let’s bypass the obvious heart holiday and open the flood gates and get some literary cardio going…

A busy February 1st appropriately kicks off an even busier month. Two observances this first day are Ice Cream for Breakfast Day and Working Naked Day. BOTH are sure to get your heart racing; both I’m sure could make your heart happy and unhealthy at the same time. A third observance happening this day is Change Your Passwords Day, which I’m also guessing might be the same day Tech Support receives the most calls for forgotten passwords. Finally, the entire month is Library Lovers Month.

HAPPY MARDI GRAS!! February will see parades roll through Slidell.

Make sure to check the calendar for parade dates and times. I will experience a “first” this season. The moment I reach the top step on the Chamber of Commerce float, I will officially become a rider for the first time; a priceless birthday gift from my Editor, Kendra Maness. The Krewe of Slidellians parade is the oldest Mardi Gras parade on the Northshore, and has been organized by the wonderful ladies of the Slidell Women’s Civic Club for over 50 years. Look for my purple, green, and gold Mohawk! While rolling along, if we take a picture of you holding the best “We LOVE Slidell Magazine” sign, we’ll post it on our Facebook page. Who knows - you might be pictured in the March edition!! Be sure to “LIKE” Slidell Magazine to see all the fun pictures we take!!

Speaking of Facebook, the social network site celebrates a birthday on February 4. Happy Birthday?? As with most things in life, moderation and common sense is the key. I can’t believe some of the posts I see on the Home page! Think before taking that outrageous pic or embarrassing selfie. Follow this advice and you might survive the week of February 2-8, also known as Dump Your Significant Jerk Week. Breaking up with a girlfriend or boyfriend the week before Valentine’s Day so you don’t have to buy flowers, candy, or sweets will qualify you for this week. While on the topic of sweets, Girl Scout Cookie Day (or as I like to call it, ‘I just ate the whole box?’ Day), occurs on the 7th. This is another day that my heart will be both happy and sad at the same time!

Has it already been four years? The Super Bowl will have company during February because it is Winter Olympics time. I love the Olympics! With over 200 hours of programming promised, that should ensure at least 4 ½ hours of actual sporting competition will be televised. I will once again root for and chant “U-S-A” the entire time…well, except when the Russian Women’s Curling Team is in action. Those ladies sweep me off my feet every time!

I love people who can laugh at themselves and I would have loved to meet the ladies who started Spunky Old Broads Month. I have a feeling their gatherings are a riot. I know several “broads” and most of them would wear the epithet as a badge of honor; then again, a few would make sure they broke more than my heart!

February is American Heart Month…in every way possible.

Purple Green and Gold A Hero’s Heart, a rider Our Olympians

Until next time…

Lee Kreil

29

go beyond Serendipitous Journey

by Rose Marie Sand

I

The Jackson Hole Airport is located entirely within the Grand Teton National Park. I read that the Tetons are called “Mountains of the Imagination,” and that early French Voyageurs used the name ”Les Trois Tétons” (the three breasts) to describe the mountains. When you see these peaks, it doesn’t take a lot of imagination to know why.

I’m not the kind of person who drives into a busy parking lot expecting to find an open space within twenty feet of the doorway. I expect to drive around and end up in the nether regions of the parking lot - and so I do. I have friends who blithely drive up to the entrance of Lakeside Mall in late December to find someone backing out three spaces from the entrance. It rarely happens to me.

attend. It had been over ten years since I traveled out West on motorcycle trips with my husband, and this trip was the first time I’d ventured a long distance without a friend waiting at the destination city. I researched the area around Jackson Hole; I found that Yellowstone Park was a day trip from the square. The idea of such adventure was appealing, but could I do these things on my own?

Yet, I believe in serendipity – that fluke, or blessing, b lessing, or coincidence that happens by cchance. hance. Maybe it’s the law of attraction; we draw d raw to us what we expect to happen.

One feature of the conference was the ability to submit a manuscript for critique by a panel of agents, authors and publishers and get honest feedback. I couldn’t resist the challenges.

The landing was smooth and the views as we approached Jackson Hole were awe inspiring. I hailed a taxi, exhilarated - but more than a little scared. What was I thinking to do this on my own? I looked forward to the security and comfort of a hotel room.

Little did I know that traveling to Jackson Hole, Wyoming would bring many emotional ups and downs, and life lessons I’ve never forgotten. I journaled every day, and the following is excepted from those journals.

On the ride into town, the driver pointed out an elk range. When winter comes, the elk descend to the floor of Jackson Hole, or migrate to the National Elk Refuge just north of the town of Jackson. There’s even

And so I’ve found that at the times when And II’m ’m the most vulnerable and therefore perhaps p erhaps the most open to serendipity - when traveling - I experience those moments and have the emotional equivalent of a prize parking space handed to me.

Here’s a story of just such a happenstance: In the summer of 2009, I was searching for positive forces. I’d been alone for two years, praying to put a life back together that had been ravaged by Katrina, and then widowhood.

I usually strive to live by Joseph Campbell’s rule, “Follow your bliss,” but at that time, I had no idea what bliss could be. I thought of only two things that could bring a fresh start - traveling and writing.

I’d written for the stage, newspapers and been published in a book of essays, but I’d always longed to write about travel. Yet, I needed inspiration and validation that this could be my new path.

I learned of a writer’s conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and impulsively decided to

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Day 1

an elk horn auction on Memorial Day weekend in the town square. But the most fun, according to the taxi driver, is a mad dash for elk horns each May, when the Game and Fishing Department allows “antler-hunters” into the preserve.

But when I saw my funky room of the Sundance Motel – and that’s not a fun-funky but a dinky-funky – I was disheartened and hightailed out of the depressing, hospital-green walls for a look at the town.

A short walk revealed a small western town not unlike ones I’ve been to on motorcycle trips in another life - breathtaking mountains surrounding a town square filled with shops, restaurants and pubs. The park in the center of town even has an antler arch, which has been filmed in several movies.

But Grand Teton National Park’s natural beauty and Paul’s expertise were immediately evident. We traveled 13 miles through a protected sanctuary of pristine wildlife, beautiful wildflowers, sagebrush plateaus, cottonwood and spruce forests, and spectacular panoramic views of the entire Teton Range.

When the rushing river was particularly hazardous, we were told we could sit on the bottom of the rubber raft, rather than perch on the inflated sides. When you do, the crackling sound under the raft is made from the rocks speeding along in the current, rubbing up under the boat, and you feel every rock beneath your backside.

“If you hit the waves broadside you’ll probably capsize, but if you hit them head on, you just softly blip over them. Usually,” Paul added. I spent a lot of time on the bottom of the raft.

But there were serene times, and I’d hop back on the side of the raft and spot wildlife. We saw a bald eagle’s nest, and learned they get full of fish bones from the eagle family’s lifetime and can weigh up to four thousand pounds.

After the river trip, I found a spa at a nearby hotel, the Rusty Parrot Lodge (which sounds funkier than my hotel but was actually very high end). I don’t know which was more heavenly, the lush scenery on the river or the delicate touch of a masseuse.

I’d planned on walking around the town, getting lunch and the lay of the land. What I hadn’t planned on was the abundance of motorcycling couples at ever turn. I imagined ghosts of the past and between the fatigue, stress, and memories, things got a little overwhelming.

A rest, a few tears, a shower, and the sound of my brother’s voice on the phone got me back on track. I had a wonderful salmon dinner at the Cadillac Grill and watched LSU in victory at the bar. Next-door is the world-famous Cowboy Grill, with saddle-topped stools and western music. Fully fortified, I looked through brochures for something fun to do the next morning.

I found I could take a float raft trip on nearby Snake River, with plenty of time to make the conference mixer the next day.

But every place I checked couldn’t accommodate my time frame. On the way back to the motel I wandered into the Sand River Raft Company, which came through with a reservation.

I was in!

Day 2 I opted for a scenic float trip, rather than the whitewater rafting, picturing a lazy ride. I was in for a surprise.

Paul, the 22-year-old guide who captained the craft as deftly as Neo in The Matrix, told us that the river changes every day.

Since ours was the first raft trip of the day for the Sands White Water Company, I felt like a pioneer crossing the Wild West.

“You know, the Greeks were the first to observe you can never step in the same river twice,” Paul said. “Rivers are always changing, always flowing, always collecting debris to maneuver.

The river has changed since yesterday.”

A scenic float trip is actually more dangerous than a white water trip, Paul told us, and the guides are paid more for the scenic ones.

“It’s ‘cause trees are in the way that weren’t there yesterday, and I have to course-correct on every curve.” So much for a lazy ride!

The introductory mixer at the Jackson Hole Center for the Arts that night turned out to be exciting. I met one of the editors who would be reviewing my story by the end of the conference, and there were a lot of interesting people to talk to. I just happened to sit next to a woman named Elaine, who turned out to be exactly the person I needed to sit next to. She was funny, quirky, and we became fast friends. I didn’t go there looking to make a friend, but life just graced me with one. A self-described “Cowboy boot wearing, Muslim, half Swiss and half white Atlanta trash, coffee shop owner, Manhattan realtor, roll your own ciggies, ex-LA movie starlet wannabee,” she made the off hours of the conference fun.

Day 3 Today’s mix of activities included featured speakers, breakout sessions, a cowboy poetry walk with wine and cheese, and an outdoor barbeque. I filled up notebooks with information and enjoyed getting to know Elaine.

I even met a couple of the motorcycling wives at the complimentary stale blueberry muffin breakfast before I left the Sundance Motel, and enjoyed their travel stories. I shared my own with them, and felt connected rather than sad.

But the most important event, the one that made me know why I was led to come to this place, was an author named Chris Crutcher.

When he took the podium, I didn’t expect what I heard to be life changing. Crutcher is a young adult fiction writer, and I haven’t read that genre since I was a young adult myself. His bio describes an ‘author, educator and family therapy consultant known for his realistic fiction.’ His books are based on his work as a therapist and child protection advocacy, and many have been banned in certain libraries due to the hard hitting, honest way he writes.

I’ll never forget the insights I learned from him. He talked about a grieving child he worked with named Penny, and how she was allowed in play therapy to crash toy cars into one another.

Her mother had been killed in a tragic accident, and the child was dealing with feelings she could not express.

One bright morning, Penny asked for crayons and paper instead of toy cars. She made a drawing for her mother and 31

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went to the outdoor swings. As she was pushed high into the air, she released her message to the sky, and released the need to relive the accident.

Crutcher told us, “When you hold on to grief, you get sick. When you allow yourself to grieve, you make room for the next thing.”

Day 4 The Sunday before I flew home, I scheduled an excursion into Yellowstone National Park. I came face to face with Old Faithful, the colorful beauty of Grand Prismatic Springs, and a huge bison in the parking area of the Fountain Paint Pots.

What made the biggest impression was the still-charred trees, evidence of a wildfire that had devastated the park decades ago, and the new growth evident everywhere. Nature goes on, and I thought of the regrowth and resiliency of my home in Louisiana.

The ranger explained that the forests of Yellowstone are dominated by lodgepole pines, whose skinny, limbless trunks were favored by American Indians for building lodges and teepees.

These trees produce a pinecone whose resins hold the scales of the cone tightly, and the seeds inside can remain there for 50 years. But wildfires allow the cones to open up and release the seeds. Without the fire, the seeds would likely never be released.

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The heat from the passing fires does not penetrate more than a few centimeters into the earth, which allows the material below ground - nutrients and soils - to give life to the next generation of trees.

Sometimes, you think you know what God’s thinking.

Reflections on Jackson Hole: What did I make of the connect-the-dots discoveries of Jackson Hole?

Well, I found out the word “serendipity” was coined by a writer named Horace Walpole in 1754, as an allusion to Serendip, an old name for Sri Lanka.

He once wrote in a fairy tale he called “The Three Princes of Serendip,” whose heroes were “always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of.”

Successions

I discovered stories of wildfires, toy cars and a river that’s going to keep on changing. I heard the comfort of the voice of old friends and new ones, and discovered my own voice.

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I found that my pen had a life of its own, and my repositioning skills on the river of life are working just fine. I may rock and roll, but I’m hanging on.

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It’s comforting to think that the roller coaster ride I once thought of as my life may now be a scenic river raft trip. When I need to lay low, I move to sit on the bottom of the raft, and feel what’s under the surface of the river.

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I can sit on the inflated sides of the boat at times, and enjoy feelings of freedom and oneness with the river. I move at will, and can take pictures, be in the scene, or close my eyes and smell the river instead of watching it.

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I remember to trust the process, my instincts, the river guides… acknowledge the fears and dangers. But most importantly - Just be.

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Not only has the river changed, so has my step. I’ll make room for the next thing.

Serendipity doesn’t feel so random after all.

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Now, if only I can get a good parking spot.

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Smoke fills the room. A detector is sounding an alarm. You try to run out of the room, but the door is too hot to touch. You drop to the floor to find some air.

You think to yourself: What do I do now?

Luckily, you aren’t really trapped in a fiery inferno. It’s just the Fire District One of Slidell using the Fire Department’s mobile classroom designed to teach children and adults how best to handle this kind of emergency.

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”

— Benjamin Franklin Leadership Northshore project team “Team Pride” is going to make a lasting impression for all who experience Fire Prevention Training within Slidell. The Leadership Northshore 2014 class “Team Pride” is sponsoring a project to replace the Fire Safety Smokehouse Trailer for St. Tammany Fire District One. The trailer is used to teach fire prevention and safety to all elementary school students in the Slidell community. They will present the trailer as a donation to Fire District One once they have raised $45,000 to purchase the trailer. In order to raise this money, the team will sell garden flags depicting art work from a local artist who won a contest hosted by “Team Pride” to create an art piece to represent what we love about Slidell.

LEADERSHIP NORTHSHORE ride Team P

Story by Fire District One Chairman of the Board, Dan Crowley

After 9 months of learning about the various aspects of their community, parish, and state, Leadership Northshore students (usually consisting of a class size of approximately 25) are challenged to adopt a project that will have a lasting impact on the community.

The class is divided into 4-5 project teams who will work outside of their regular Leadership classes to conceive, initiate, fund and implement their chosen project, using the principles and knowledge they’ve gained through their Leadership Northshore training.

Since the Leadership program was started 22 years ago, our community has benefited from these projects in more ways than most of us realize.

“We wanted a project that would be inclusive of the entire community and benefit every person in the city,” said Chad Duffaut, “Team Pride” member. Other team members are Tommy Benasco, Lauren Gibson, Charnetta Robinson and Danny Blackburn.

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“Team Pride” team members (l-r): Chad Duffaut, Danny Blackburn, Charnetta Robinson, Lauren Gibson, and Tommy Benasco Approximately 5,000 school children each year have learned valuable lessons by passing through the current smoke house which has been in use for 16 years. It has been repaired over and over again and is ready to retire.

“The new unit is better laid out for instruction efficiency and will offer new state of the art technology the old trailer is lacking,” said Duffaut.

It is a known fact that we all, especially children, learn from actively investigating the world around us. Remember when we were children, how we learned most using basic materials and by doing. Well, learning by doing is the idea behind the Fire District One Fire Prevention/Safety training being conducted at a number of schools across the city. I think when we all reflect back to our youth, we realize helping with cooking, chores, and other real work was of tremendous interest and value to us. It doesn’t work just to tell children “You must share”, or “Don’t play with fire.” At best, such orders are effective only temporarily while adults are present. However, when adults guide children through the process of taking turns or how to handle fire emergencies and fire prevention, the children can internalize those strategies and use them.

The trailer is built to look like the inside of a typical house - it has a kitchen, living room and bedroom, each equipped with various electronic gadgets that will be used to teach fire prevention and escape strategies. A smoke machine can fill the trailer with “smoke” - a harmless water-based fog - to teach visitors how to get down on the floor where the air is more clear. The door to the bedroom heats up through an internal electrical mechanism, as a reminder to use the back of your hand or a rag to touch it. Firefighters can then direct children to the window that leads out to a ladder to simulate an escape route from a second-story window. In the living room, a phone can be used to dial 911 - it’s actually answered by the officer running the controls for the trailer, who will give the caller instructions a real emergency operator might give. In the kitchen, visitors can learn how to

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deal with a stove or oven fire, the dangers of overloaded outlets, or how to properly place pots on stove tops with their handles turned inward so they are less dangerous.

“The idea is to give them a visual experience that will make an impression on them. This is a very graphic lesson,’’ said Fire Chief Dave Kuhn. “This is a very hands-on way to teach them about the dangers of fire and the need for a safe escape route. Hopefully the children will learn and teach other children and their parents what to do in an emergency.’’

According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), every day Americans experience the tragedy of fire. Each year more than 3,400 Americans die in fires and approximately 17,500 are injured. One of the major leading causes of residential building fire deaths and injuries for children under age 10 is “playing with a heat source”, which includes lighters and matches.

Children under age 10 account for 93% of deaths and 38% of injuries where the cause of the residential building fire was due to “playing with a heat source”.

The USFA encourages parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fire play in an effort to prevent child injuries, fire deaths and fire setting behavior in the future.

As a result of this wonderful project proposed and led by “Team Pride”, the fire department gets the benefit of this much needed resource to help them in reaching out to the community. The ultimate goal is to have anyone trained by this resource as ambassadors for fire safety when they go back to their family and friends. The next time you are driving throughout Slidell and see a Fire District One truck pulling what looks to be a camper, now you know they are not going camping; they are on their way to educate and save lives.

By conducting this training and having fire departments involved with young students, the children learn firsthand about the importance of smoke alarms, egress (go out of or leave) and other invaluable fire safety information.

“The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.” - B.B. King

For Information About The Slidell Pride Flag Project, Contact:

An additional benefit of this project was the discovery of great local artistic talent. Members of “Team Pride” looked for help from local artists to showcase community pride while replacing an important part of fire safety training equipment. “Team Pride” sponsored a contest for Slidell students and artists ages 14 and up to design artwork for yard flags to be sold as a fundraiser for the project. The theme was “Something That Makes You Proud of Slidell”, with the winning entry commemorated on garden flags to be on display throughout Slidell. All proceeds from the flag sales will fund the new fire safety smoke house trailer.

Danny Blackburn (985) 640-7112 CamelliaCityMarket5@gmail.com Check Out Their Website: www.SlidellPrideFlags.com

“This was a great opportunity for artists to depict what makes people proud to live in Slidell,” said team member Danny Blackburn. The winner is “The City I’m Proud to Call Home” by artist Mandie Manzano.

Mandie is a Slidell resident who teaches art at Calvary Baptist School on Old Spanish Trail.

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Mandie’s winning design was borne of the passion she has for her city.

“Well I had to really sit and think about what I loved most. There were so many things I love and I just started with the lake and the sunset with a sailboat and our bridge. I love it around that time of day and it just took off from there and the pelican flew in, then our camellia tree, our crest, our train, and sea life, and so forth and so on and before I knew it, it painted itself!”

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When I asked what inspired her, Mandie said, “I’m inspired by creating art work that makes someone smile.” She originally intended to create art pieces for children but was surprised at how many older individuals liked her work and responded positively. It is also very inspiring for her to know that someone is touched by her work and enjoys what she does.

“My faith, family, and friends inspire me daily. I am so blessed to have them keep me lifted on a daily basis and I certainly couldn’t do anything without my faith”.

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So far the reaction has been amazing and reflects what is in our hearts: “The City I’m Proud to Call Home.”

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Now that the contest has been completed, the winning design is being reproduced on 12”x18” garden flags and will be available before the end of January. The Slidell Pride Flags will be available at The Camellia City Farmers Market every Saturday from 8am - noon. They will also be available at the Who Dat Shoppe in Olde Towne Slidell and the Wine Market on Gause Blvd East.

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Mandie has deep appreciation and respect for everything Slidell is, and represents. She said she tried to include everything she loves about Slidell and could have painted even more, since there is so much to love.

It means a great deal to her that she was chosen for such a great cause and she really hopes it helps raise the money needed. She believes, as many of us do, that if there is anything we can do to help out our city, we should. Congratulations to a wonderful newly discovered local talent as a result of this great effort to raise money for a smoke trailer.

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Winter weather in Louisiana is my favorite time of year. The cool, crisp air; the feeling of holidays and family, and oh yes, the cold weather keeps me from sweating, which is my least favorite feeling as a human being.

Overshare!? In sports though, winter can be a troubling inconvenience. For many sports, it is a hindrance or an extra obstacle in the way of a balanced game. Every four years though, the Winter Olympics takes this “inconvenience” and turns it into an arena. Sure, it’s not as glamorous as the Summer Olympics (otherwise known more commonly as...well...THE Olympics).

But, in many ways, it’s a harder set of sports. It’s like comparing the strength and ruggedness of a Viking to the beauty of a ballet dancer. The Winter Olympics has an incomparable attitude and each sport has an edge that is attuned to the difficulties of doing ANYTHING in the cold. The Winter Olympics takes place in Sochi, Russia on February 7th and runs until the 23rd. Here are some of my favorite winter olympic sports that make this worth taking interest in. (And don’t worry, I have saved the best for last): Curling: For those of you who haven’t read my article on curling, you should know that it is a sport that is both fascinating and confusing. Many have dubbed it “Chess on Ice”. I think of it more as shuffleboard, with brooms, on ice.

you off, speed past you, and keep you from getting to the goal. Yep, sounds the same to me. No wonder these guys carry sticks with them, sheesh. Perhaps I should consider keeping a similar weapon in my own car for trips into town...well besides my temper, that is.

The point is to be closer to the “button”, what looks like a bull’s-eye, than your opponent.

If you are, then every “stone” that is inside the “house”, or outer ring, and is closer than the opponent’s closest stone counts as a point. The terminology and the scoring can get a bit confusing, but if you can get past that, it is a serious game of strategy. Out of all the Winter Olympic sports, this is the most unique. If you haven’t watched it, treat yourself and make sure you see at least one game.

Ice Hockey: Come on, who doesn’t love hockey? It’s like soccer and football - combined - on ice! WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE!? It’s definitely one of those sports I wished I’d paid more attention to. Besides the bashing, punching, and tripping, it can be plenty of fun just to see how fast someone can skate while pushing the puck from one end of the rink to the other.

And nothing really seems easy about it. If you think about it, it’s like driving in New Orleans.

There are people constantly trying to cut

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Ski Jumping: This is one of those sports where you might look funny doing it, but it’s pretty hard and impressive when you do it well.

The skier stands at the top of a slope until the signal is given. They ski down the slope and, when the ramp ends, shoot out into a horizontal body position, called the V-technique, until they are close to landing, where they land with their skis in a parallel position. Weight, skill, aerodynamics, and equipment all play a part in the distance a skier can travel. It always just reminds me of a stapler when I see them jump into the air (hit up YouTube to see what I mean).

Again, very hard, but very silly-looking.

No disrespect, of course.

Luge: This is not bobsleighing. Not even close. This is like a rollercoaster with no tracks. It is a very thrilling sport, in which the luger lays on a luge sled and

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travels at speeds around 87 mph around a track. To highlight the danger, in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Georgian Nodar Kumaritashvili died while on a final training run through the Vancouver track.

Even though it was deemed a steering error by the luger, the Olympic Committee still altered the track to make sure it was safer. That’s like giving a balancing pole to a high-wire walker; there is still a chance he might end up falling. A very thrilling, but very dangerous, sport to say the least.

Snowboarding: Snowboarding seems like it would be the same as skateboarding. The thing is, the movement is built on momentum. There are no twists, turns, or special tricks without first having a head start and making sure one is in constant motion. Both sports are tricky and fun to watch, but snowboarding has the added difficulty of having to do it all on ice. Whenever I watch this sport, I think it is pretty cool and that “I can do that” until I see someone wipe out. Then I feel much better about my spot on the couch.

Figure Skating: The gymnastics of the Winter Olympics.

Elegant and beautiful routines make this the more delicate of the Winter Olympic sports. Set to music, the skater (or skaters) use their allotted time to score points with different figure skating moves, spins, and jumps. There are much more exciting events to watch; but for the Olympic fans who love to watch a more toned-down competition, this can be a nice, quiet way to enjoy the Olympics. Personally, hockey suits me better. Call me crazy, but I have a hard time following the axel jumps, cherry flips, and layback spins.

Speed Skating: There are no right turns in this sport.

Literally. Similar to NASCAR, skaters in this sport line up and race around a track.

Unlike NASCAR, I can watch this sport without falling asleep. An arm band marks each skater, depending on their starting lane, and they take turns on the inside and outside tracks. Different variations can have more than two skaters, more than two laps, inside on one day and outside on the other, or different types of team handoffs. I love a sport that can change variables and create entirely different dynamics.

Biathlon: As much as I think curling is an interesting sport in the Winter Olympics, the Biathlon is certainly the most bizarre. It seems like it belongs on a hunting channel more than it does in the Olympics. The contestants ski across a cross-country trail and, at either two or four ranges, must stop and shoot, either in standing or prone position, and fire at five targets. Missed targets add a “penalty loop” that the skiers must lap before they can continue on the course. It is one of the strangest sports I have seen.

That doesn’t mean I think it is the most impractical. James Bond would appreciate this sport more than any other. Though he would probably be shooting while skating.

And holding onto a girl. While chasing an international billionaire-villain... I watch too many movies.

The Winter Olympics has some of the most traditional winter sports in the world. It also has some very unique or bizarre sports. But

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they have entirely different dynamics than any Summer Olympic sport because of the added consideration of ice and snow. It has a different personality, a different sort of athlete, and usually, very different fans.

In southern Louisiana, it is hard to relate to the same conditions that these Olympians compete in. In my life, I can remember only twice when snow fell from the sky and stayed on the ground without melting. Down here, we don’t shovel snow (thankfully), ice the sidewalks, or walk “back and forth to school, uphill both ways, waist deep in snow”. But, the benefit of video recording allows for people from around the world to enjoy a great round of winter sports without having to brave the elements themselves.

Because, if it were left to that, I would gladly sweat rather than sit in snow.

Corey Hogue February 2014

You can enjoy more of Corey Hogue’s insights on sports by visiting:

www.WhoDatDish.com

Out of Slidell... and Into

AFRICA Photos & Story by Donna Bush

Dear Readers, Slidell Magazine received a wonderful treat when our contributing writer and photographer, Donna Bush, recently went on safari in the great African expanse of Tanzania. Donna’s vibrant, detailed journals and amazing photography warranted a two part story within our pages. After all, who amongst us ever gets an opportunity to go on safari? In fact, the story and photos are simply so amazing that we bring them to you uninterrupted and ad-free. Here’s Part 2 of Donna’s journey. Enjoy! ~ Kendra Maness, Editor PART II When I left off last month, we had completed half of our photo safari, touring Arusha National Park, the Ndutu plains area and now headed to the Serengeti.

The Serengeti National Park is Tanzania‛s oldest park, recently announced as a seventh World Wonder and visited by over 90,000 tourists yearly. It is known world wide for its annual migration involving up to one million wildebeest, 200,000 zebra, and 300,000 Thomson‛s gazelles, searching for fresh grazing grounds. Even though we are not here at prime migration time, we still see lines of wildebeest on the horizon for as far as the eye can see, steadily moving in the same direction. It is truly amazing to watch this incredibly huge number of animals all moving together in a single line. Zebras and Thomson‛s gazelles migrate with the wildebeest as protection from predators.

They tend to blend in with the larger, darker wildebeest. The soil of the Serengeti is calcium rich, therefore producing calcium rich plants, making this the perfect location for wildlife to give birth to their young.

Wildebeest offspring are typically female and born fully mature, able to run with the herd if necessary. A pregnant wildebeest can delay birth for up to two weeks if conditions are not best for childbirth.

During our time in the Serengeti, we are fortunate enough to observe and photograph more common zebra and masai giraffes, wildebeest, a lioness with a 2 month old cub, savanna elephants in the water, leopards,

PART 2 spotted hyenas, tawny eagle, savanna baboons, Von der Decken‛s hornbills, topi, ostrich, waterbuck, common jackal, secretary bird, common duiker, bush and rock hyrax, white backed vultures, impalas, klipspringer deer, a warthog with an incredible set of tusks to rival any handlebar mustache, my first male lion, my first pride of lions and birds too numerous to mention the names.

There are so many choices it is difficult to pick a highlight, but I must say it is seeing leopards. I felt like I would see lots of lions and I did, but I thought leopards would be harder to find... and they were! By the end of our time in the Serengeti we had figured out a pattern. You find lions in the campground and leopards at the picnic sites! Strange as it sounds (and a little scary), we see a lot of lions in the campground areas. Sure glad we‛re not camping!

Our guides tell us that leopards are masters of camouflage. Imagine our surprise when we find a leopard lounging on a picnic table surrounded by safari vehicles taking pictures of him sleeping! Leopards are nocturnal hunters with superb night vision. Their coats are covered with dark, irregular circles called rosettes, aiding in their camo. The muscles of their jaw, neck and forelegs are extremely strong, allowing them to carry their prey up into trees. Gestation is 3 months with 2-3 cubs in a litter. Cubs have a very low survival rate, as they are a target of snakes and hyenas. Other than picnic sites, leopards are most often seen lying on a tree limb.

At a local watering hole in the Serengeti, we are fortunate to

observe some interesting behavior by the zebras. For over thirty minutes, as many as 35 zebras run into the water, take a few quick sips and then thunder across the sandy plain on the other side of our vehicles. Niko explained that the zebras are aware that some of the rivers are crocodile infested.

Not knowing which ones are and which ones are not, the zebra will only drink quickly and leave, expending an enormous amount of energy running to and fro.

Ostriches are giant flightless heavy birds with long necks and legs built for running, capable of maintaining a speed of 30 mph for up to 30 minutes. Short sprints of up to 45 mph with strides of 11 feet are common.

Unlike other birds, ostriches only have two toes. The male is black with white wings and tail feathers, with one major hen and several minor hens. The female is brown to provide more camouflage during daylight hours as she sits on the nest. The male sits on the nest during nighttime hours because the black of his feathers help attract more warmth. Eggs from more than one female may be placed in the same nest, which is often only a scratch on the open plain.

Our only opportunity to see the tiny klipspringer deer is in the mountainous area of the Serengeti. Weighing from 24-28 pounds, with a height of approximately 20 inches, they are known as “rock jumpers.”

With goat-like hooves they look like ballerinas as they walk, leap and land on their tiny tip toes. Their steep, rocky terrain provides hiding places from predators and food choices of grass, leaves, blossoms and fruit.

After the Serengeti Park, we move to the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater at an elevation of 7800 feet. The caldera floor is approximately 2000 feet elevation and comprises an area of 102 square miles. It is known as the eighth wonder of the world, as it is a true crater formed when the volcano collapsed. Inside the crater is like an oasis in the desert with numerous creeks and springs allowing year round water flow for lush plant and wildlife. Many animals are year-round residents of the crater.

After watching the male and female lions mate for over an hour in the direct sun, they decide it is time to find some shade and have a snooze. The pair stroll along the road, decide to cross the road about 3 vehicles ahead of us, wander along the outer edge of the trees and then, low and behold, they lay down in the shade directly outside the window of my vehicle! WOW~ I‛m way too close to photograph with my long lenses.

Here I am with my short lens photographing a magnificent pair of lions within arms reach.

It‛s cold at the rim and cool inside the crater, but it warms up fast. We laugh at our guides who are wearing polar fleece and wool caps to our light pants, and short sleeve shirts! Our lodge at the edge of the crater provides beautiful sunset views from the bar and restaurant.

We finish up in the crater and head to the Ngorongoro Farm House for one night before heading to our last park of the trip.

The farmhouse sits on 750 acres of private farmland, just outside the crater, where they grow their own vegetables as well as rearing their own sheep, cows and pigs. The property sits on an old coffee plantation facing the Oldeani volcano. Our room is in a duplex with a shared balcony with Robin and Mary. We enjoy sitting on the balcony, editing images until time for happy hour and dinner. The following morning we enjoy a pot of tea on the balcony along with beautiful scenery. I only wake up twice during the night when I see flashlights outside our balcony. Ah! Once again, the guards are patrolling and keeping us safe!

Hippos, elephants, lions, lions mating, lions sleeping, lions hunting, spotted hyenas, wildebeest fighting, vervet monkeys, graycrowned cranes, common hippos, sacred ibis, African spoonbill, gray heron, cape buffalo, thomson‛s gazelles, marabou storks, savanna baboons, and black rhinoceros (at a great distance) are a few of the animals we observe.

Another location filled with wildlife! It seems each new destination has something to offer that I haven‛t seen before. For this one, it is the hippo pool full of hippos looking like beached whales, including a baby hippo resting on Mom, the vervet monkeys looking like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing, and the highlight - a beautiful male and female lion that graced me with their presence directly outside my window of the safari vehicle!!

Vervet monkeys are medium sized monkeys weighing up to 17 lbs. As most monkeys, vervets spend many hours a day on grooming, removing parasites, dirt and other items from their fur. Young vervets love to play with each other and other young animals, wrestling, tumbling and playing “king of the mountain.”

Hippopotamus spend up to 18 hours a day soaking in water or mud to stay cool. Their skin is ultra sensitive. The pink areas on a hippo are mucous glands that emit a jellylike mucous substance to help protect their skin. They will venture out of the water at night when temps are cooler and eat. Despite their enormous long, sharp teeth, they are vegetarian, feeding mostly on various grasses. They can weigh up to 8000 pounds and run up to 30 mph, despite their short, stubby legs. They will kill for protection, frequently attacking fishermen and women doing laundry by the river.

After our relaxing morning, we are off to visit a local Amani orphanage, tour the facility and deliver school supplies to the children. They house 38 children, both male and female. The pre-school age children are taught onsite. The older children attend government primary and secondary schools.

If they do well, they graduate from primary and move to secondary. If successful there, they will move to the university. Some of the children have lost one or both parents.

Some have disabled parents. The orphanage is solely dependent on donations. The Tanzanian government provides free school and discounts on water, etc. We meet two young adult US gentlemen, one of which was here for his semester abroad while seeking a biology degree. After completing his degree he returned to offer his assistance with building drainage and a foundation for a new dorm. Each dorm is short two beds and some of the children must double up in single beds. The orphanage received a donation of computers and have a teacher, Paulalina, who is teaching the children computer technology.

They learn both Swahili and English. This is a touching visit, with the children eager to show off their skills, as they sing for us.

We arrive at Maramboi, the only true tent camp of the safari, consisting of a wood frame building with screen windows covered by cloth drapes and mosquito nets for the beds. The lounging area is open air with

beautiful views, zebra and wildebeest milling around the area. Alas, no lions! Sigh! We have a short evening drive into Tarangire National Park, famous for its Baobab trees and large number of elephant inhabitants.

Like the crater, Tarangire is host to a large number of year-round residents due to the Tarangire River‛s permanent water supply.

We see a beautiful rainbow and the famous fruit-bearing baobab tree, known as the upside down tree. The amount of vitamin C in one fruit is equivalent to four oranges and a favorite among elephants, monkeys, and baboons.

The tree is hollow inside and believed by the Bushmen to be cursed by God, forcing it to grow upside down. In the winter it looks as though its roots are in the air.

The next morning we are up early for our last full day in Tarangire. We start our day with Masai giraffes and dwarf mongoose! The dwarf mongoose are very social, running in and out of the tunnels of their dirt home, wrestling with each other, appearing to kiss and snuggle! We enjoy their antics, turning flips, as if they were in a cirque du soleil show. They live in colonies of six to twenty with a dominant pair and their offspring.

Frequently they will inhabit termite mounds.

Convenient since they feed on termites, other small insects, snakes and rodents.

With over 20 species of mongoose in Africa, we only see the banded and the dwarf.

Tarangire is much warmer than the other parks we have visited. It is easy to see why the wildlife huddles around the Tarangire River. It is “the” place to be! Zebras, giraffes, elephants, and waterbucks all congregate, sharing the water. Even though the dwarf mongooses were cute, the winner of this park‛s highlight is the one-week-old baby elephant. We are lucky enough to spend morning and afternoon with this particular herd of elephants. Morning, we watch as protective Mom and older sister keep baby away from the water and the bigger animals while he/she plays in the sand. Just like kids digging holes in the sand at the beach, baby elephant is obviously enjoying this experience.

The older elephants circle around the baby to keep him/her safe. The adult always stays on the sunny side of the baby to shade him/ her from the sun‛s rays. In the afternoon, we enjoy watching the calf learn about his/her trunk and water. Elephants drink water by drawing the water in through their trunk and then pouring it into their mouth. Also, comes the lesson of cooling off in the mud and water. After enjoying a cooling mud bath, baby elephant gets stuck trying to get out of the mud hole and requires a gentle push from Mom‛s trunk and encouragement from older sister. All revel in the success.

The large ears on the elephant are filled with blood vessels located close to the skin, which helps to dissipate heat as the blood circulates. By spraying water with their trunks over their back, head and ears, heat is dissipated even quicker. Elephants use a variety of verbal and non-verbal means of communication. Non-verbal communication such as intertwining trunks allows an elephant to identify a sibling. Elephants have a dominant tusk, like being right-handed or left-handed. The dominant tusk will be shorter due to the constant use. Tusks are used to rip bark off trees, dig and forage, and carry heavy objects. Our guides educate us on the care-taking nature of elephants.

If a nursing elephant dies, another nursing elephant adopts her calf, never leaving an orphan. Elephants have a strong family unit, always looking out for the young in the group, always protecting them.

We have the option of an early morning game drive then the ride to Arusha and our flights.

Two of our group have an earlier flight. The group decides to stay together, travel back to Arusha, and enjoy a farewell lunch, allowing a little rest for those of us with the later flight and then the journey home. It is a wise decision, as one never knows what can happen with vehicles in such extreme conditions. In the two weeks we were on safari, my vehicle lost a spare tire (the bracket broke and it bounced down the road), and a strap on our second gas tank. The other vehicle lost its running board twice. Our guides must be wildlife experts, mechanics, excellent spotters and jack-of-all trades! This begs to ask, what is the background of our guides?

Niko, the owner of Destination Consultants, worked as a ranger at a private conservancy in Laikipia in Northern Kenya. His interests in wildlife began in his primary school days when he and fellow students would walk several miles to get to school. These treks took them through rugged wildlife country.

Niko and his best friend, Evans, learned about animal species and how to avoid encounters with them while en route to school. This knowledge led to his interests in protecting the same species and developing his skill as a guide and photographer. Evans has the same interests, but leans more towards conservation, where he works today.

Niko and Evans are the main guides in Kenya, both fluent in Swahili, English and Spanish and serious ornithologists.

Our guides, Raymond and Jackson, are highly qualified professional guides, graduates of guiding schools in Tanzania.

Both have been in the field since 2007 and are fluent in English as well. Their jovial personalities and sense of humor make the trip special.

And with that, my friends, I end the most exciting trip of a lifetime, climb on a plane for a long, long flight home, with a smile on my face and wonderful memories in my mind and heart.

Hakuna Matata (No Worries.)

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