Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks

Back-to-School Mass and Gathering

Festive Trimmings...

It's a party! Bring on the balloons...

The Cafeteria Catholics have arrived...

A Cookie Rosary...

Yum! 

Happy Little People...

It's a Small World Afterall...

Bridget, guess who sends greetings from the swampy state of Louisiana?

Heidi P. and myself wanted to say, "Hi, friend!" via the Internet.  What a small world, huh?

Heidi and I have gotten to know one another quite well in the past couple of months and she's absolutely beautiful...inside and out. 

We both know Bridget, Heidi through many years of real life connection and I through many years online connection.  We have both been blessed.

Happy Mardi Gras!

<p><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=800,height=600,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://caygibson.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/harlequin_float.jpg"><img title="Harlequin_float" height="75" alt="Harlequin_float" src="https://caygibson.typepad.com/cays_cajun_cottage/images/harlequin_float.jpg" width="100" border="0" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 5px 5px 0px" /></a>Hope you all had a happy Mardi Gras!</p> <p>We had perfect weather for a ride &quot;down east&quot; to the old-fashion chicken-run Mardi Gras and then home to the bigger downtown Mardi Gras parade complete with big floats, lots of beads and lots of throws.</p> <p>Here are some photos from our day:&nbsp; <a href="http://caygibson.typepad.com/photos/mardi_gras_2006/index.html"><strong>Mardi Gras in Louisiana</strong></a>.&nbsp; The first photos are the country Mardi Gras.&nbsp; The other photos are back in the city.</p>

Happy Mardi Gras!

Hope you all had a happy Mardi Gras!

We had perfect weather for a ride "down east" to the old-fashion chicken-run Mardi Gras and then home to the bigger downtown Mardi Gras parade complete with big floats, lots of beads and lots of throws.

Here are some photos from our day:  Mardi Gras in Louisiana.  The first photos are the country Mardi Gras.  The other photos are back in the city.

The Morning is Mine

<p><a onclick="window.open(this.href, '_blank', 'width=400,height=400,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false" href="http://caygibson.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/coffeepot.jpg"><img title="Coffeepot" height="100" alt="Coffeepot" src="https://caygibson.typepad.com/cays_cajun_cottage/images/coffeepot.jpg" width="100" border="0" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 5px 5px 0px" /></a>Junior is helping his uncle this morning.</p> <p>Princess is in Baton Rouge with friends.</p> <p>GameBoy is helping his father this morning out-of-town.</p> <p>DQ and Starr are at DQ's godmother/godfather's house.</p> <p>It is just I.&nbsp; What shall I do?&nbsp; Where shall I go?</p> <p>Perhaps I'll treat myself to lunch somewheres.&nbsp; Perhaps I'll call and see if Oma wants to join me.</p> <p>Plans are to hit the bookstore then go shopping for new towels, new coffee pot, and new drinking glasses (plastic, please).&nbsp; </p> <p>Any recommendations anyone?&nbsp; Books and otherwise household?</p> <p>For your Saturday enjoyment:&nbsp; I was looking for a picture of a coffeepot and came across this <a href="http://www.roadsideamerica.com/set/coffee.html"><strong>Big Coffee Pots site at Road Side America</strong></a>.&nbsp; It was so <em>delicious</em> I just had to share it.&nbsp; Enjoy!</p> <p><em>&quot;Coffee is God to legions of the wide-awake, temporarily increasing brain power and sand-papering nerves. Decades before long haulers supersized Cokes and kept driving, a simple cup of mud did the trick. So big roadside coffee pots were one way to catch the heavily-lidded eye.&quot;</em></p> <p>And, incase anyone wonders why I'm not writing about being bored without my 6~O clan and wishing they were all happily clustered around me, I don't have time for that.&nbsp; I have to pick up the girls by 1 PM to head for a birthday party full of happily over-sugared, game-indulged children, running and screaming at a park.&nbsp; </p> <p>I'm going to enjoy the morning while I've got it.&nbsp; : )</p>

The Morning is Mine

Junior is helping his uncle this morning.

Princess is in Baton Rouge with friends.

GameBoy is helping his father this morning out-of-town.

DQ and Starr are at DQ's godmother/godfather's house.

It is just I.  What shall I do?  Where shall I go?

Perhaps I'll treat myself to lunch somewheres.  Perhaps I'll call and see if Oma wants to join me.

Plans are to hit the bookstore then go shopping for new towels, new coffee pot, and new drinking glasses (plastic, please). 

Any recommendations anyone?  Books and otherwise household?

For your Saturday enjoyment:  I was looking for a picture of a coffeepot and came across this Big Coffee Pots site at Road Side America.  It was so delicious I just had to share it.  Enjoy!

"Coffee is God to legions of the wide-awake, temporarily increasing brain power and sand-papering nerves. Decades before long haulers supersized Cokes and kept driving, a simple cup of mud did the trick. So big roadside coffee pots were one way to catch the heavily-lidded eye."

And, incase anyone wonders why I'm not writing about being bored without my 6~O clan and wishing they were all happily clustered around me, I don't have time for that.  I have to pick up the girls by 1 PM to head for a birthday party full of happily over-sugared, game-indulged children, running and screaming at a park. 

I'm going to enjoy the morning while I've got it.  : )

Defend But Don't Get Defensive

<p>I'm not sure why or how it happened, but I became the target of two grumpy ol' men.</p> <p>It happened today at the area's most elite golf course.&nbsp; Two grumpy ol' men sat in their golf cart waiting as the homeschool golf team made their way across the cart path.&nbsp; The men didn't seem to be in a hurry.&nbsp; In fact, they seemed amused with the parade crossing their path.&nbsp; One of the men took off his cap and scratched his head in fidgety wait.&nbsp; The other leisurely ate his banana for the day.&nbsp; They watched the kids and they talked.&nbsp; </p> <p>Then, just as I was crossing with my troop, holding onto DQ and Starr's hands in an attempt to speed them along so the two ol' men could continue their game, they zeroed in on me.&nbsp; Why am I always the one targeted and given a hard time? Do I really look that gullible?&nbsp; Do I look like a helpless fish out of water?&nbsp; Perhaps I do.&nbsp; </p> <p>Anyway, I heard a gruff, &quot;Hey, miss!&quot;&nbsp; Turning my head towards them, I was greeted with, &quot;Can you tell me why all these little children aren't in school?&quot;</p> <p>&lt;Sigh&gt;</p> <p>I've quit taking the long, debatable sideline on this one.&nbsp; I've quit hee-ing and haw-ing around the subject.&nbsp; I've quit analyzing where on earth they're coming from.&nbsp; These elderly folks just have it in their heads that between 8 AM- 3 PM, &quot;little children&quot; are suppose to be in school.&nbsp; Bottom line.&nbsp; </p> <p>Elderly people also seem to be the first to demand how on earth homeschooled children will ever be socialized.&nbsp; How on earth!?&nbsp; In this day and age!?&nbsp; In this new millennium!?&nbsp; &nbsp;In a world that is noticably smaller and more transportive than ever before!?&nbsp; I only <em>wish</em> that I had a little house on an empty prairie somewheres.&nbsp; Then I wouldn't have to debate these questions in the middle of a golf cart path with two grumpy ol' men.</p> <p>It's ironic to me how someone can visit your home and question the socialization factor of your children who, afterall, are spending all day long inside a house with no one to talk to but siblings and pets;&nbsp; yet, if you take them to the golf course to &quot;socialize&quot; with a group of other homeschooled children, these same people will address the issue of why your &quot;little children&quot; aren't stuck inside four walls of a school building all day.</p> <p>The world just isn't ready for us yet.&nbsp; </p> <p>I am so much like the spider with the fly.&nbsp; In my ninth year of hsing, I have gotten cleaverly cunning with my replies.&nbsp; &nbsp;They are short and sweet.&nbsp; My &quot;wily flattering words&quot; drip with &quot;warm affection&quot; for those who visit my &quot;subtle web.&quot;&nbsp; </p> <p>I'm with my children after all.&nbsp; I want them to see that questions and interrogation don't ruffle Momma's feathers.&nbsp; I want them to see that our lifestyle is okay.&nbsp; In fact, it's a joy.&nbsp; &nbsp;And so, on this particular morning, I merely smiled at the grouch...I mean...the gentlemen and replied &quot;We're having our P.E. hour.&nbsp; Isn't it a beautiful day for golfing?&quot;</p> <p>Who can argue with that?</p> <p></p>

Defend But Don't Get Defensive

I'm not sure why or how it happened, but I became the target of two grumpy ol' men.

It happened today at the area's most elite golf course.  Two grumpy ol' men sat in their golf cart waiting as the homeschool golf team made their way across the cart path.  The men didn't seem to be in a hurry.  In fact, they seemed amused with the parade crossing their path.  One of the men took off his cap and scratched his head in fidgety wait.  The other leisurely ate his banana for the day.  They watched the kids and they talked. 

Then, just as I was crossing with my troop, holding onto DQ and Starr's hands in an attempt to speed them along so the two ol' men could continue their game, they zeroed in on me.  Why am I always the one targeted and given a hard time? Do I really look that gullible?  Do I look like a helpless fish out of water?  Perhaps I do. 

Anyway, I heard a gruff, "Hey, miss!"  Turning my head towards them, I was greeted with, "Can you tell me why all these little children aren't in school?"

<Sigh>

I've quit taking the long, debatable sideline on this one.  I've quit hee-ing and haw-ing around the subject.  I've quit analyzing where on earth they're coming from.  These elderly folks just have it in their heads that between 8 AM- 3 PM, "little children" are suppose to be in school.  Bottom line. 

Elderly people also seem to be the first to demand how on earth homeschooled children will ever be socialized.  How on earth!?  In this day and age!?  In this new millennium!?   In a world that is noticably smaller and more transportive than ever before!?  I only wish that I had a little house on an empty prairie somewheres.  Then I wouldn't have to debate these questions in the middle of a golf cart path with two grumpy ol' men.

It's ironic to me how someone can visit your home and question the socialization factor of your children who, afterall, are spending all day long inside a house with no one to talk to but siblings and pets;  yet, if you take them to the golf course to "socialize" with a group of other homeschooled children, these same people will address the issue of why your "little children" aren't stuck inside four walls of a school building all day.

The world just isn't ready for us yet. 

I am so much like the spider with the fly.  In my ninth year of hsing, I have gotten cleaverly cunning with my replies.   They are short and sweet.  My "wily flattering words" drip with "warm affection" for those who visit my "subtle web." 

I'm with my children after all.  I want them to see that questions and interrogation don't ruffle Momma's feathers.  I want them to see that our lifestyle is okay.  In fact, it's a joy.   And so, on this particular morning, I merely smiled at the grouch...I mean...the gentlemen and replied "We're having our P.E. hour.  Isn't it a beautiful day for golfing?"

Who can argue with that?