What's for dinner?

Nacy,

You should have tried to look up info on your uncle. If you visit again, you can do it.

I know that you had limited time in our city. I understand. I love doing research on family ancestry. I have discovered all kinds of things.

My uncle moved to the east coast after he married. We made sure to take him to the WW11 museum when he came in for a visit. He lived to be 96.

I am so glad that he saw the museum. It was very meaningful for him to see such an incredible tribute to the men who served in the war.

He started telling so many stories that people in the museum started following him around.

There was one story in particular that I found very interesting and incredibly sad.

Mom’s parents were Catholic, so my uncle, aunt and Mom were raised Catholic.

They were christened at our historical St. Louis Cathedral and attended Catholic schools.

You must have seen our cathedral since you stayed in the quarter.

There was a priest that my uncle grew very close to. My uncle was very active in his parish church. He volunteered on a regular basis.

This priest served as an army chaplain during WW11. He was captured and thrown into a hole in the ground.

The hole wasn’t even big enough for him to stretch his legs out. They threw scraps of food and bits of rice in the hole for him to eat.

They referred to him as ‘holy dog’ because he was a priest and they fed him scraps.

My uncle told the story of the priest’s escape. Someone had discovered him and took him to safety.

The priest hadn’t used his muscles for so long that he couldn’t walk. He was placed into a wheelbarrow and one person would roll him as far as they could. Then others would continue to push him as far as they could go.

When the priest went back home he had no identification. He looked very different.

There were new people in his parish and they didn’t know him. They even doubted that he was really a priest.

They told him to prove his identity by saying a Mass in Latin. It had been so long that he wasn’t sure if he remembered everything.

He managed to remember enough that they were convinced that he was telling the truth.

Oh, what people who experience war go through is something that most of us can’t even imagine.

My nephew went through a divorce with his first wife because she couldn’t handle him being away.

His second wife was able to handle it. It was hard for her but she managed to cope.

Divorce is common. My nephew’s first wife went back to Hawaii and he rarely got to see the children that he had with her because they were so far away.

He had children with his second wife. He loves all of his children and he really misses his kids from the first wife.

Yeah I really wanted to look him up on there computer, for mom. There was little cubicles, where you could look up people. I stopped myself and said, No this is your vacation, not moms.

Nacy,

They are always adding artifacts and different exhibits in the museum. I wonder if you could have found documentation about your uncle. That would be so awesome.

Oh yeah, tons of personal stories about Katrina. We evacuated to Houston. It took forever to get there because of so many New Orleanians leaving the city.

Needs I saw a special on CNN the other day, about Katrina. It was a story about a women who had 6 month old twins and a Marine that helped her. Then she went to Huston , I think, and got flooded again, same Marine was there, now her boys are graduating and becoming Marines.

It was very touching

Needs, my husband was a paratrooper, Vietnam just ended.

My uncle was in WW11 was a really amazing story, was stranded on a ship for weeks, was declared missing in action. A picture of him and the guys rescued was in the New York post.

I would of liked to look into more at the museum, I didn't feel like it at the time.

Omg your moms doll, that's so sad.
😢

We had a trip planned to DC in April one year, that was the year of shut down in march

Nacy,

The exhibits are phenomenal. A lot of work went into our WW11 museum.

My uncle, mom’s brother, served in WW11, Korean, and Vietnam wars. He wouldn’t have retired but my aunt gave him an ultimatum, the army or her. He chose her.

My uncle brought back beautiful dolls from Japan for Mom, my aunts and my grandmother. He paid a lot of money for them.

Mom loved her doll. She lost it along with everything else when Katrina destroyed her home.

I am really glad that the WW11 monument was built in D. C. I saw the Vietnam monument but I haven’t seen the WW11 monument in D. C.

I was concerned that it wouldn’t be finished in time for the veterans to see it. So many of our WW11 veterans have died.

I have heard amazing stories from my father and my uncle about their experiences in WW11. For a long time they didn’t speak about it. Back then, they referred to it as ‘shell shock.’ Today it is called PTSD.

My older brother was almost drafted for the Vietnam war. His number was really close, and most likely would have been drafted. He decided to enlist instead.

His son, my nephew, served in the Middle East five times. He was always a daredevil and started his military career as a paratrooper.

When he left his children were babies and his dogs were puppies. When he returned home the babies and puppies were several years older.

Oh good I was trying not too, but when I walked into the room where America was putting Japanese people in camps, and there was a couple Asian men sitting there watching intently, I had to leave, I think I almost felt guilt.

Then anything to do with Ann Frank.

I really thought the replica of the German tunnels with all the hidden art work, was really well done and amazing.

It really makes you feel like you were there

Nacy,

I cry when I visit the WW11 museum. My dad and uncles served in WW11.

Our cemeteries are unique. Yes, we grew up with them, so it isn’t unusual for us.

The museum was great, it was sad and really put you there, it made you feel like you were part of it. I got teary eyed a few times. I'd love to go again when I was more in the mood for a museum, and bring my uncles information and find out more about him. Maybe someday.

To be honest at the time, the best part of the museum was the air conditioning. That was are last day there and I was pretty much done dealing with the heat. 😂

I'm still amazed at your tombs and the whole, kinda crazy process of burials. Crazy to us but completely normal to Louisiana

Nacy,

Boudin balls are amazing! Love them!

What did you think of our WW11 museum? It’s a top notch museum!

Needs, they where on the appetizer part of the menu. I'll have to investigate it. Had them on bourbon St and at the WW2 museum restaurant. . Maybe I'm not even sure what was in them lol. But they where good, and tasted like sausage.


I got it boubin balls. I think

Nope boudin!

Nacy,

Sounds good but no one in my family has ever cooked sausage cooked in cornbread. Sounds interesting.

Needs, I also had these like meatball sized sausage cooked in cornbread. But I don't remember what they were called, so I can't look up a recipe.

Pam, that's awesome hope you all have a great weekend!

Needs, yeah it came out pretty good. Hubby said he will deal with it once in a while. 😂 He is a meat and potato kinda guy.

He got so picked on by a waitress down there for ordering a burger. She said, "You came all the way here for a burger." It was cute

Nacy,

I am impressed! New Orleans food rubbed off on you!

We are going to the river house for the holiday weekend, and I swear we take more food than I have here! And that doesn't count the stuff we keep there! DD and some of her friends come for every holiday,, and my hubs is a guy who loves to feed people! drives me crazy some times, but it's who he is.. LOL

I made jambalaya! It was good 😊

Willie that sounds like good old comfort food.

My recipe for tonight's dinner - make Kraft Dinner (Kraft Mac &Cheese to you Americans), stir in leftover sloppy joe mixture, heat through, eat.

On paper plates, it's 91 degrees.

Needs I think the heat followed me home. 😜

I've made chicken tetrazzini, been a while but nice reminder

Needs , nice

Burgers stuffed with grilled peppers and onions, corn on the cob. 😋

Turkey tetrazzini.

I started watching the second series of Ciao House. I love Chef Alex! This season they are cooking in Puglia. Last season it was Tuscany.

I adore Italian food. My DNA shows a small percentage of Italian. I am predominantly British.

My husband is Italian and French. Great combo! 😁

Pork roast , with fried garlic spaghetti and broccoli. It was good but heated up the house alot. It's hot out and don't have AC in yet.

I didn’t feel like cooking today, so I am making a spinach salad with strawberries, feta cheese, pecans and a blush wine vinaigrette dressing.

It’s so hot here and I want something cold to eat, instead of a hot meal.

I absolutely love Beef Stroganoff, Roger. Do you make yours with meatballs or with beef. I will have a taste for this now until I can get the ingredients and make a batch. Lucky Mom. Except for that tooth thing.

Beef stroganoff with salad. Mom lost a tooth today so noodles will be easy sliding.

Yay it's asparagus season! I'm celebrating the holiday with asparagus, a baked potato and some spare ribs (just the heat and serve kind).

Made chicken cauliflower soup. Mmm good!!!

Beatty,

They made that too on the show. It looked delicious!