This time of the year is all about fun, relaxation and living up your vices before Lent, right? Wrong. Enter the season when D and I are overworked, sleep-deprived and make like headless chickens trying to get all things done before our respective krewe appearances. Add to this D’s computer debris, our never-ending pile of winter laundry and the baptism of our Wisconsin-dwelling godchildren, not to mention day job obligations.
This year, D and I are again in Krewe du Vieux and Krewe of King Arthur. Our KduV subkrewe, Krewe de C.R.A.P.S. will bring up the rear, the end, the behind, the rump, the posterior, the veritable fundament of the parade. In other words, wait up and look for the last float of the parade if you want any throws from us. So far, D’s costume is unfinished (and won’t be if he keeps adding on to it), mine will be done when gold fringe is affixed to the velvety derriere and our throws still sit in their wrapping. Getting our costumes and home work done is not aided by the fact that we are on practically every single krewe committee and subcommittee (in keeping with the credo that if you want something done right, you’ve got to do it yourself).
As for Krewe of King Arthur, we will be on the St. Patrick’s Day-themed float and haven’t yet chosen between either side of the float. We shall see – I prefer the riverside, but many friends opt to stand in the neutral ground.
Finally, my Mardi Gras Day costume is fabulous in theory – it looks simply great sketched out on engineer’s drafting paper – but requires a good six hours for execution. Six hours?!?! When will I find that kind of time between now and February 20th? Where’s my artistic stage manager and props king of a dad when I need him? He would get a huge kick out of constructing my mask and head gear. For next year’s costumes, I’m sending him the raw materials way ahead of time with a note that says, “Have at it!” Of course, the beauty of Mardi Gras is not just dressing up and walking/riding, but the creative process leading up to it.
At the least, D and I are covered in the makeup department. Between his theatre makeup box and expertise and my diligent collection of and experimentation with colorful face paints and glitter through the year, we are set.
This leaves me with my Mardi Gras Day dilemma: Should I attend Zulu and Rex, walk in St. Ann’s or join the Krewe of Chartreuse and parade with them from Uptown to the Quarter? Decisions, decisions.
