Magical day at the Fest
So day one was just a primer, sort of like when you haven’t exercised for a while and you go for it and then you come home with all these aches and pains. Today was the real Jazz Fest, a simply gorgeous day, and every time I turned around I was near someone I wanted to talk to, sitting and listening to a band I wanted to hear, and just all around enjoying myself.
I started at a neighbor’s party where Tin started with cake and then moved to a hot dog and I spoke with a woman who had adopted a daughter from China nine years earlier, who recently had been declared legally blind from the malnutrition she had suffered in the orphanage.
Then we strolled over to the Fest, and a woman strolled beside me with her four year old asleep in the stroller, she was from California and she had adopted her daughter from Ethiopia just one year ago, the little girl is still learning English.
We went by GoGo’s when we got inside the gates and bought myself a birthday present, and then headed to Congo Square where Tin got to jam with the Hot 8 Brass Band and ran into a friend who sat with us for a spell. Then we ventured to the Kid’s Tent and watched the African American Society perform dances, drums and singing. From there we headed to get white beans again and then came back to catch Trombone Shorty being interviewed at the Allison Miner stage where he played his trombone in the most intimate and fabulous way that had Tin mesmerized.
As we were leaving we stopped back at the Gospel tent to catch the end of the Rance Allen Group that was Fab U Lous! To my left was the woman from California, her daughter dancing up a storm, and the song was all about do you have something to be thankful for?
Oh yes, indeed I do. Exhibit A:
We stopped at another neighbor’s party on the way home at the old Spanish Customs House. He is knee deep or thigh deep rather in a two year renovation but he is truly tackling it in its purity. We were outside on the lawn because the floors were all dug up, they were terrazzo added years after the house was built. This house is possibly the oldest structure in Louisiana. The land was purchased in the early 1700’s and the house is believed to have been built in 1784 by Santiago Lorens but you should read the blog Lyndon is keeping on his renovation.
There was a blanket spread on the front lawn with crayons and kids coloring so Tin jumped right in despite having spent a long day at Fest.
I had to pull him away much to his chagrin to get him home and bathed and ready to fly out in the morning. On the way around the bayou we stopped and bought a lemonade from our neighbor’s son, and by the time we were on our porch, six different neighbors had stopped to sit and recollect the day. A magical day.