Frankie and Johnnie's is an authentic hole in the wall, far off the beaten track and always full of locals. There was a big crowd and a long wait, but we only waited a few minutes before we got to sit down. Charmed!

We ate everything. Stuffed artichoke, crawfish and alligator pie, oysters, shrimp, jambalaya, gumbo and boiled crawfish. And dessert. It was very, very authentic. It seemed like we ate for hours.

Then we went to the Quarter, where it was rainy. Lots of damp, irritated tourists. I purchased a yellow plastic pancho and stayed dry! We did lots of knick-knack shopping and Lark got a slinky little dress made out of some man-made material. Sexy.

It was after six when we got back to the car, and I was afraid the parades would be between us and our house. But no! We drove straight from the parking lot to the grocery store. Charmed again!

By now it was pouring rain with a cold, wet wind blowing from the north. Shawn, Lark and Sonya settled in to drink at the house and watch movies. Barbara and I waterproofed ourselves, made drinks and headed up to St. Charles to join some of our people there. It was very wet and cold, but we drank to keep warm and caught hundreds of beads from the Orpheus riders. Then I went home and crashed, knowing we'd have to get up early. I lost Barbara somewhere along the way.