A Holiday Stroll Through The Irish Channel (part fact, part fiction, part wishful thinking) Monday, December 30, 1963 The weather is chilly this morning, but I’m bored so I told my Mother I was just going to take a quick walk around the neighborhood. They say it’s going to SNOW tomorrow, New Year’s Eve, here in New Orleans. I’m sure! Snow here in New Orleans, what a laugh! I leave my house and go down to the corner of First and Rousseau, take a right and walk down my usual route as though I was going to school, just out of habit, bypassing Betzer’s Grocery Store. I come to Genovese’s Grocery on the corner of Philip and Rousseau. Only a couple of crates with the live chickens are out and the store has a small “Merry Christmas” sign on an outside wall. I walk on to Jackson and Rousseau to where I would normally catch the Jackson Avenue bus if I were going to Canal Street and continue down Jackson Avenue. Passing Dorignac’s Supermarket I can see the Christmas decorations inside and the parking lot is pretty crowded. On the other side of the street, the fire station has it’s big door closed against the winter chill. Another block and I’m in front of Sara Mayo Hospital and across the street the beautiful Jackson Avenue Evangelical Congregation Church with lovely holiday wreaths on the doors. Many of the houses along Jackson Avenue are decorated for Christmas. No one sitting out on the box steps today, though, too cool for everybody but me, I guess. I think I’ll walk all the way down to Magazine Street, just for something to do. Almost to that corner now and on the right there’s that old funeral home. It gives me the creeps, even during the holidays. Yikes! But I’ll turn right at this corner just to pass Baher’s Bakery and The Happy Hour, which, by the way is playing “Going My Way.” I resisted the urge to go in at Baher’s for a cinnamon/sugar donut, but it looks like they’re ready to close up early today anyway. I pass Woolworth’s, wishing my Father would let me get a part time job there, but he wouldn’t hear of his daughter working. I have to start heading home so I turn right onto St. Andrew Street and look into the beautiful front courtyard of St. Alphonsus School and the home of the Sisters of Mercy. Seeing it makes me think of the sweet Blessed Mother crowning ceremonies that take place there in May. Turning right onto Constance and passing the newer building of St. Alphonsus I’m still impressed by this “modern” structure – and those ultra-modern light fixtures! I also had to look in at the courtyard of the rectory of the Redemptorist priests. I always thought it was so lovely and peaceful looking with the fountain and palm trees. Coming to St. Alphonsus Church I stop in to visit the Nativity scene. Beautiful, beautiful. I have to leave though since I couldn’t bypass St. Mary’s and their Nativity scene without stopping there too. What artistry went into both Nativity sets, floral arrangements, as well as the churches themselves. And what wonderful memories of taking part in the rosary marches that started and ended by those two churches. Now here I am at the lunch room of Redemptorist High. Hummm, I’m getting hungry since I passed up the cinnamon/sugar donut. Oh, boy, I wish the lunch room was open now and serving up that chili mac, my favorite school lunch! Of course, I have to make a stop at the religious shop on the corner of Constance and Josephine. I do believe my confirmation rosary and prayer book came from there. I just like to look at all the pretty religious items in the window. And here’s Redemptorist. Oh, man, I can’t wait to get back to school. Bill and I became engaged this Christmas and I’m anxious to share my wedding plans with my friends! Well, turning left onto Josephine and passing my cousin Thomas’ home and just stopping in to say hello and Happy New Year from my parents, I continue on home. Home, where my Father is busy making his holiday fudge and pralines to distribute to the neighbors along the 400 block of First Street and Mother has her standard holiday boxes of chocolate covered cherries. Yeah, it’s actually getting a good bit colder, but what craziness, thinking it will snow here in New Orleans on New Year’s Eve. If you’re not too busy, take a walk around the neighborhood yourself and tell us what you see. Sue
Posted on: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 01:28:24 +0000
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