“Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler” said the sweet kitten Josephine when she begged me to stay in Paris for Mardi Gras. I found the English translation to that phrase is “Let the Good Times Roll”.  Sadly, I had already promised Smokey I would meet him in Alabama to see the celebration in Mobile. So I said goodbye to Josephine and flew to America. Mobile claims to have the oldest Mardi Gras in the New World A. French-Canadian explorer arrived in what is now modern day Mobile, Alabama on Fat Tuesday, 1699. He named the location Point du Mardi Gras and celebrated the end of Carnival.  Carnival actually runs from January 6 until the day before Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is the start of 40 days of fasting which in that time meant no meat, sugar, fats, eggs and dairy products.  So to use up all the banned food the people had parties with rich food.. Over the years communities have added parades, balls and other forms of entertainment. Smokey and I really enjoyed the Carnival museum later in the week, and learned a lot of history.  Purrs, Gulliver