New Orleans

[Kim & Rima McKinzey]

We were in New Orleans last week and I tried to send the following
information, but our computer went into a coma.

We went on a city tour, very interesting but who knows how accurate.
The tour guide presented several tidbits I thought I'd forward here.

1)  The old steamships plying their trade along the Mississippi had a
valve to relieve the pressure.  Thus, "letting off steam."

2)  Early passenger ships served fresh pork.  Not wanting the paying
passengers to have to smell the pigs, they were washed before being
loaded on board.  The dirty water was called "hogwash."

3)  Poor folk living down (or up) river would make primitive rafts
and propel them along with stripped tree limbs/branches called
"riffs."  Thus "here comes the riff raff (raft?)."

4)  An early church ordered some statues.  When one arrived, the nuns
didn't recognize what Saint it was supposed to be.  One of the
sisters read the packing crate, which said "Expedite."  Thus the
early New Orleans worship (?) of St. Expedite.  (I love this one, and
figure that's who you're supposed to pray to for swift deliveries and
minimal red tape in all one's endeavors.)

Rima