[Judy Patsch]

Just got into town this morning and haven't ridden the NATCHEZ yet - they cancelled the 2:30 cruise so the crew could get home for the game. I'm in a coffeehouse on the corner of Decatur and Barracks and you wouldn't believe the activity. This is wilder than Mardi Gras. The entire FQ is inundated with black and gold. I could hear cheering from my apartment whenever the Saints scored, and it has just become the loudest and happiest scene I've seen in this city. And yesterday a new mayor was elected, Mitch Landrieu, whose father Moon was the mayor who presided over the clearing of wharves in front of Jackson Square and the building of the Moonwalk in their place. The only noise that's missing from this crazy scene is some steamboat whistles, but the NATCHEZ' boilers have been down for 8 hours now. I'm sure we'll do some saluting tomorrow. For those of you in or under snow now, here's a picture in my courtyard of the camellias blooming... and Joan of Arc carrying a new flag... and the NATCHEZ with her Saints flags flying. The dot on the roof is Doc narrating after playing the calliope concert this morning. I suspect he's not going to get much sleep tonight as his place is just 2 blocks up from this cacaphony, and it extends throughout the FQ. Luckily my apartment is in the back of the house, so I MIGHT get some sleep.... I really planned this trip to clean up my apartment after being gone for 4 months, but this is quite the Lagniappe.... sorry I see the verticals went horizontal, which hasn't happened in a while...