It looks like Mardi not so Gras this year.

Ordinarily New Orleans sees fat profits from Fat Tuesday. Tourism is a major source of income for the city; but this year is different.

New Orleans will be pretty much shut down. Bars will be closed for the weekend, beginning on the 12th. Hotel occupancy is well below normal; and there will be no parades.

All that is a major blow for industries that are already struggling. The reason for the shut-down is, of course, the effort to keep Mardi Gras 2021 from becoming a super-spreader event. I must say that I\’m not confident that it will work.

In a way, maybe the \”no parades\” is just as well. The weather will start getting colder tomorrow night; and Monday night won\’t be much above freezing. The high temperature for Mardi Gras Day won\’t reach 50, if the forecast is accurate. Some die-hard parade-goers would be out there anyway; but it\’s too cold for me!

At least it will be sunny, but rain is predicted for tomorrow and Friday; and I hope it holds off long enough tomorrow morning for me to hit the supermarket before work. There\’s a chance of rain Saturday, too; and that\’s not so good. I want to go to the salvage store!

Rainy weather and a long weekend make a good time for me to stay home a lot, and do some not so gras cooking. I try to keep things low in fat: limit cheese; use only small amounts of oil; and so on. It\’s time to take inventory of what I have in the freezer!

I also have to plan the weekend\’s riding. With cold and rain about to set in, I think I\’ll emphasize use of the hybrid. It has fenders.