LAGNIAPPE

(Lan-yap)

A little something extra

Don retired from the Air Force in 1968 and after a year's sojourn in Columbus OH we arrived in Slidell, LA just across the Lake from New Orleans. We had been stationed in the South during our service years----Barksdale AFB, Bossier City, LA, Shaw AFB, Sumter, SC and Charleston AFB, Charleston, SC so we knew a little about Southern culture. But lemme tol' you, this area is unique.

"The lake" refers to Lake Pontchartrain, the largest inland lake in the US other than the Great Lakes. We are in St. Tammany Parish on the North Shore in the "ozone belt" surrounded by pine trees, bayous, swamps and crawfish that live in our back yard. There are 14 communities in this state that are named for saints but there is no St. Tammany. The parish was named after a Delaware Indian chief. The town is named for John Slidell, a sometime politician and father-in-law to one Baron Emile Erlanger who named the town in his father-in-law's honor. Many New Orleanians had summer residences in this area as it is generally cooler than the city and the air was thought to be fresher and purer, hence the term "ozone belt".

Since coming to Slidell, we have learned to "make groceries", clean out our "lockers", drink coffee with chicory, enjoy "king cake" during Mardi Gras, ride in a "pirogue", "suck da' heads and eat da' tails" of fiery hot crawfish (no, not the ones from our backyard!), eat "muffelettas", red beans and rice and an icy summer confection called a "sno ball".

We live in a city governed by a "police jury" located in a "parish". Louisiana is the only state in the Union whose laws are based on the Napoleonic Code. We walk on "banquettes", we "axe" for directions, avoid parking on the "neutral ground" during parades so the car won't get towed away, and know where to get the best Bloody Marys in the Quarter. And we have grandchildren who speak with a Southern accent!

We are glad fate brought us to this place. Nobody will ever mistake us for natives after we open our mouths but we are at home here. Besides, where else could Don play golf 6 days a week, 52 weeks a year?

Laissez les bon temps roulez!

Let the good times roll!

Home Sweet Home, Y'all

In a recent survey by the publication "Retirement Places Rated", St. Tammany parish was ranked # 9 of 151 cities nationwide. Not bad for what used to be a wide spot in the road in 1965!

The publication noted the inexpensive housing, pleasant climate, abundant work opportunities, safe environment, numerous leisure activities and low cost of living as good reasons to retire here. Also cited were the variety of stores and merchants, excellent quality of health care, low crime and good services.

It may sound too good to be true but they are not far off the mark. Here in Slidell we have all the amenities and are just 25 miles from the fine restaurants, music and history of New Orleans. We love Audubon Zoo and the new aquarium with the Imax theatre.

We are also just 30 minutes from the beaches of the Mississippi Gulf Coast -- and all the casinos that have blossomed there in the past few years. I love the beach but my heart belongs to the wonderful beaches of North Carolina where it isn't quite so crowded. We like Ocean Isle Beach and were introduced to it by our wonderful son-in-law Brent, a native son of NC. If we want more crowds, we can just drive over to Myrtle Beach, SC.

Nestled between Lake Pontchartrain and the Pearl River/Honey Island Swamp basin, we have a variety of outdoor activities: fishing, shrimping, crabbing, crawfishing, hunting and hiking. A guided boat tour through Honey Island Swamp is a one of a kind experience. And like most Southern towns, we have our share of local festivals: crab and strawberry come to mind; our school and church festivals; and the bayou races where the tricky pirogue of Cajun fame is the vessel of choice.

Me, I ga-ron-tee you can pass a good time here!