Lindy Boggs . . .

Lindy Boggs has died.  She was a great woman, a southern woman, a champion of civil rights, a Democrat and finally a cousin.  Born Marie Corinne Morrison Claiborne and named as so many of us are by the house hold servant - Lindy.

Many accolades surround her career ending with the title Ambassador to the Vatican.  Amazing how God provides us with a path, some like Lindy have a great path, most of us just exist.  She was a shinning example of success.  And she did not run rough shod over people to arrive at that position, she was selected.  And she worked hard to obtain it and keep it.

Her husband Hale Boggs and his mate Lindy have always taken us under their rings and treated us with great kindness.

We, the children of John and Polly Morrison, are in twined with the Boggs family.  My father's business partner was Robert Stanley Morrison, a cousin.  He married Hale Boggs' sister, Claire Boggs.  The Boggs family are from Long Beach, Mississippi and remain there to this day.  Stanley's children all live close by the Boggs compound.  Their mother is now the Matriarch of all our families as she is still alive and well.  And she is older than her now deceased sister-in-law, Lindy.   I wonder if I shall see her, I last saw her at Aunt Bobby's funeral in Baton Rouge.

That union Boggs and Morrison families makes for double cousins.   None are mine but they are there.

I have fond memories of short stays with Tommie Boggs and family at Wild Wood Plantation or otherwise known as Mr. Billy Coates place at Lettsworth, Louisiana.  Other visits in New Orleans at Rowena's house on 1312 First Street in the Garden District of the city.  The only vestige of Morrison's other than Chep (DeLesseps Story "Chep" Morrison, once mayor of New Orleans and has heirs that still reside in the city) is Lindy's House at 623 Bourbon Street.  Lindy inherited the house from her aunt, Frosty Morrison Blackshear. 

There is a plaque on the house on Bourbon Street.  When the family finally let it go, the owner an admirer of Lindy, had the plaque installed on the outside of the structure.  Surrounded by sleazy dives, the family would not relinquish the place to become yet another Bourbon Street dive.  It has been restored and remains a private residence to this day.

Lindy had many relatives in and around Pointe Coupee.  She was the product of two well known Pointe Coupee families ~ the Claibornes and the Morrisons.  Both families still have a presence in Pointe Coupee to this day.  The first governor of Louisiana was a Claiborne ancestor, the Morrison's arrived on the scene late like 1856.  There was a time when the Morrison;s and the Claibornes were arch political enemies in Pointe Coupee.  But we are not Hatfields and McCoys and that history is long past.

Lindy's mother's house was on Wildwood Plantation.  It has long since been razed, no remnants remain.  I am sure only a few of us know where is was located at Lettsworth.

Lindy will be buried in St. Mary's Cemetery in New Roads.  I suspected that would be her choice.  You see she has a child buried there.  The child died at a very young age.  Her husband lies somewhere in the depths of Alaskan Gulf, so she will rest among her ancestors in Pointe
Coupee.

We shall miss her,  It will be a sad family reunion Thursday at St Mary's Cemetery.

Fritz Save . . .

Judie moved some house plants out side because they were bug infested.  They were placed near the  patio door.

She was on the patio and heard a scratching noise.  She figured it was Fritz and went toward the gutter, one of the favorite places for the little lizards to repose.  Nope not in the gutter, and she heard the noise again.

She narrowed it down to the flower pot with the large leafed plant (a gift, I believe from our house keeper).  Sure enough Fritz (or Fritzina) was trapped in the pot.  She could not get traction on the side of the very slick pot.  So Judie, very carefully, lifted the plant and moved the pot to the edge of the patio.  She tilted the pot over on its side and out scooted Fritz ~ free at last.

The lizards have a habit of spending the night in the flower pots.  I guess Fritz chose the wrong one.

We have seen them in the spring cozy up in Judie's yard shoes.   They are black, water proof and just right.  They soak up the heat and thus it is an ideal location for the early spring months.  Safe from predators and warm to boot. 

This time of year, no need for the heat.  So they sneak into the flower pots as a safe haven. 

Got to be careful of where you chose to be in a safe haven.  It may be a trap.

Snake ! ! !

Son Chris came over Sunday to visit.  We went out and ate Japanese in a local Weatherford restaurant.  After dining we returned home and Chris and Judie were kibitzing on the patio.

Next thing I knew Judie there is a huge snake in the yard.  So I donned by shoes thinking all the while it was python or something in the yard.  It was a common black water snake as they are so called here.  Much better than a Python or even a Copperhead (they are common around here).

The snake had also attracted a Mocking bird.  He and I watched at the snake preceded down the sidewalk toward the driveway.  Judie had circled around and was the driveway.  So the snake dived into the garage through a small crack near the bottom of the garage door.  The garage doors never seal anything up a 100% and there is a small gap big enough for this four and half foot long snake.

We opened the garaged door to see the snake scoot into the corner of the garage.  There was an electric chain saw, an old 20 MM ammo can (with tools and stuff in it but sealed up) and an old bed cloth.  Mr. snake had entwined him self in the bed cloth.  I drug it out to the driveway.

I had armed myself with a sharp shooter shovel.  Mr. snake stuck his head out of the bed cloth and I whacked him with the shovel.  Just to make sure I did it again.  He died.

We then trans ported him over to the vacant lot next door.  Threw him on an ant hill.  I am sure a possum or a Raccoon would find him and take him away.  Even the Foxes might do that. 

But it weren't a big snake, it was large for its type but no threat to anyone.  I did not want him staying in the garage, so I dispatched him.   Our neighbor, the doctor, had to kill one that took up in his garage a few years ago.  And I am pretty sure one spent the winter with us in the chest of drawers (I found a snake skin in the bottom drawer).  And he would be a threat to Fritz, the lizard.  So he had to go.