Mardi Gras cake walk

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. The day before Ash Wednesday is Fat Tuesday, which in French is Mardi Gras. Traditionally in Lent Christians fasted, so the day before the fast began, people would pig out. Hence, Mardi Gras, the last big party until Easter.

St. Augustine Grade School celebrated Mardi Gras this year with a cake walk. The children brought cookies, cakes, and other goodies to school, and then they paid for a chance to win them. What a terrific fundraiser! And they had fun doing it.

Below they are lining up to pay the fee to play. The school has uniforms, and either red or white shirts are acceptable. There seems to a marked preference for red--kids and white are not a good mix.
There were twenty five numbers, and the kids (or adults, for some of the rounds were done with adults) stood on the numbers to make sure the right number were in each round. Then the music started and they danced merrily around the circle. Or walked--whatever worked. When the music stopped, the principal read out several numbers, and those standing on those numbers got to run over and get some sweets.
There were so many choices. Do you want cookies or cupcakes or brownies? Store-bought cookies or homemade cookies? The winners got to pick their favorites, so they went home happy.
And now Lent, the season in which we try to practice that very un-American virtue of self control.