Made it back from Cancun, just in time for these nasty temps! Ugh....my friends and I had a great time tho...lots of good food and fun, and bonding, you know blah blah.

Today is Fat Tuesday, "Mardi Gras." The Lenten season begins tonight at midnight, lots of folks will be observing the "giving up" of something to show sacrifice. But there will be a lot partying between then and now! For centuries, people around the globe have sowed their wild oats in preparation for the Christian season of fasting and repentance prior to Easter.

Here's some interesting facts about Mardi Gras. The colors of Mardi Gras are purple (signifying justice), green (faith) and gold (power.)

The cake is named for "les trois rois" or three kings and the feast, Epiphany, that is celebrated on Jan. 6. The cakes are a party staple for the duration of the Carnival season. The person who finds the plastic baby inside the cake (a bean was once the "prize" placed in the cake, but the dolls are more popular now) is crowned king, and custom says they have to buy the next cake and/or host the next gathering. Terry Wolfe told me when the bean used to be the prize, many people would swallow it because they didn't want to host the party...that's when they switched to the plastic baby, which is much harder to swallow!

Hey Mister, got any beads??

--Nancy