Baja St. Martin

If you skip the torrential rain on the drive from Belle River to Charenton, the Senior Citizen Educational Seminar on Aug. 29, was really great. The Cypress Bayou Casino Pavilion was packed. I’ve never seen so many senior citizens.
While waiting in line to enter the dining area, I got to chat with Scott Angelle. Inside, before eating I was able to shake hands and introduce myself to DA Bo Duhe and Governor John Bel Edwards. I felt very privileged.
Almost the best part of the whole morning was being recognized by a lady across the table who knew me from my picture in the Teche News. She asked me something about my dog and for a fraction I thought, “How on earth does she know anything about my dog?” Then it dawned on me that I’m always talking in the Baja column about walking with my dog. I’ll tell you right now, I was so flattered that she obviously read my column and deeply humbled.
I sit here in my own home, writing the Baja column, knowing it will be published in the paper yet not truly realizing that I’m telling people personal things. Hopefully, I’ve never said anything inappropriate – (I’m sure I haven’t) – but it does make me consider carefully what I’m saying. It would be easy to be critical or gossipy or rude with words on paper just because I can’t see the reader.
I’m so relieved this day to learn that my older sister is home from a two-day stay in her local hospital. Her Coumadin levels got seriously out of whack and it seems she suffered a TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack) as a result .
I am driving to Pensacola this weekend (weather permitting) to spend a few days with my daughter, but when I’m back I’ll start planning on a trip north to visit my sisters, elder and younger. I don’t want to live up north again, but hate being so far away from my sisters.
It rains every day. I managed to get two neighboring lawns mowed when the skies were clear, but I ran out of gas and by the time I refilled my mower the rains came again so my own yard is a shaggy field. I thought I might have a water line leak in one spot but it turns out just to be a low spot that collects the rain and doesn’t dry.
Belle River is black! A rather evil, flat, shiny black! A south wind continues to blow, slowing the fall down but the debris in the water is leaching the oxygen out making this wicked looking color. I noticed on the way to Breaux Bridge the other day the standing water in cane fields and yards was also black like this.
Sometimes when it’s like this the river is filled with floating dead creatures due to the oxygen deprivation. Kind of smelly. Once, for some reason, the river was full of live, small flounders.
You’re probably sick of hearing about my family, but just have to tell you that my baby sister and a friend are walking the Annual Labor Day Mackinac Bridge walk this weekend. Along with 80,000 other people they will walk the 5-mile long bridge. Pretty neat!! Google it if you want to see some pictures. You know I’m getting old when the first thing I asked her was, “What if you have to go to the bathroom?” So sad!

Teche News’ Lower St. Martin correspondent, Linda Cooke, can be e-mailed at lindacooke1939@gmail.com.