Happy Chinese New Year. We went to a CNY parade today and this is some of our loot. Yes, it is a week late and yes the cups do say Mardi Gras on them. One of the intriguing things of the Gulf Coast is that every little town between Texas and Florida celebrates Mardi Gras. The public schools are out. There are parades. Thus, last week the dragons were for Carnival and today they were for CNY. And like every parade in this region, there were throws--beads, cups, candy and moon pies.

The parade is sponsored by a local adoption agency that does international adoption, including China. The "floats" are mostly strollers and wagons, with a few families making elaborate rides, including a very pretty pagoda. The children wear native dress and all of the countries this agency works in come, so there are children from Russia wishing you happy new year.