The weather folks say be prepared to hunker down for three to four days when the snowstorm starts. Given the vastness of the forecast storm, I wonder if New Orleans will receive its second 100-year snow event? Exactly a year apart for the Big Easy.

There is bone-chilling cold in the air ahead of the Snowpocalypses. Mylo takes little note since he rarely goes outside. Again, I fondly remember the French Quarter less than two weeks ago. There was neither a hint of winter nor downcast faces. Beignets to eat and Cafe Dumonde. I have been to the famous restaurant known for its beignets. Confectioner’s sugar never tasted so good.

Lake Pontchartrain was visible during our Amtrak ride. I recalled Hurricane Katrina and the terrible flooding. We passed the Superdome, and again I thought of Katrina.

The dignity of the French Quarter could be felt. A proud, loving people inhabit the place. People focused on art. A place to be yourself without fear. Music that reaches the Angels. Hope of acceptance and peace.

Food from Heaven. Dishes are special and unique. We made a return engagement to our favorite restaurant, Coops, from our last visit in 2013. In 2013, we stood in line at the door, and a woman allowed people in a few at a time. We sat at the bar, and I asked the bartender if he made a good Dirty Martini. He responded that he made a very bad Dirty Martini. I quickly ordered the Bad Dirty. The food was wonderful earlier this month. I had fried oysters. Our server asked if we wanted a drink for the road.

It was a common sight to see happy people carrying their cocktails with them on the sidewalks and streets of the Quarter. They danced with them, expertly held in their hands. The French Quarter is an oasis in a rapidly changing nation. A place to laugh from your soul.

Have you ever had a Soul Laugh? A Laugh where your entire person rejoices. A Soul Laugh caused by a sense of place as a valuable human being and pleasure in your place in the Human Family. A glimpse into Heaven and the joy of seeing the Angels dancing to the jazz music playing.

The Old Man has observed people happy for no fiscal or material reason. People who greet the day’s events with laughter and mirth. Poor People who wink and make you feel comfortable. Happy folks who do not see a stranger because all are their family. Those who are not obsessed with the ladder of success. Many who never attained more than a rung or two. They are interested in the Stairway to Heaven. They commune with the Angels who constantly use the Stairway. God is looking at the Heavenly Ladder and often comes down to have a Soul Laugh with his family.