It’s Monday night and we’ve been in New Orleans for two days. Been here two other times many years ago and it’s still easy to like. The music! Such fantastic jazz. Judy arranged that we go to the Columns to hear the Stanton Moore Trio-piano, bass, and percussion.

Fabulous. About forty people on sofas or around small tables. Drinks and snacks and rapt attention.

I met Judy at Regina High School in 1970 when we were both teaching English. She moved to the Big Easy not too long after. While we see each other relatively often there or in Cleveland, I loved seeing her again. Yesterday evening at her house for a great dinner.

This afternoon we met her at the Four Seasons for lunch. (Chris and I had had coffee and beignets in the morning on Bourbon Street while a small combo was playing.) A visit to the Ogden Art Museum after. Music, and food, and good friends. How can you beat it?