I Love a Parade!

When I was young, I have memories of going on occasion to the home of one of my mom's friends. There were assorted reasons why, sometimes because Mom couldn't be home when I would arrive after school. This friend was older than my mom (which is saying something!), and had two poodles & the house smelled odd. Once, when I was about 10, I told her she could turn on the exhaust fan over the stove to help un-steam the kitchen windows. This was a new concept to her. Sometimes Mom dropped me off there, and sometimes Mom's friend would pick me up and drive me either to her house or mine.

I dreaded those days.

It was bad enough that the car she drove was an old beater station wagon. The Brady Bunch style, but in worse shape. Even in the 70's, this car was bad. I can't remember the color - maybe I blocked it out. Or maybe it was just too nondescript. I do remember the engine had a pretty loud idle on it.

But the truly embarassing part about it was that Mom's friend never drove the speed limit.

Ever.

She always drove so S-L-O-W-L-Y, that cars would back up behind her. They would tailgate her. Then, if they got to a reasonable spot, not necessarily legal, they would pass her. As they passed, they would raise their arm in a most derrogatory gesture, and yell things equally unpleasant.

I wiggled lower in the seat or pretended I'd dropped something on the floor, because I didn't want to be seen. But Mom's friend had no problem with it. She would yell loudly, "I love a parade!!", and wave back. Did I mention she drove with the windows down?

Well, I enjoy parades now, but that's because my kids are marching in them!

Here are a few quick shots of my band kids in the annual parade last Saturday, and Todd & Emma spectating.

Darcie was able to march because there were a lot of kids missing for sports & such. The junior high always goes casual, not having real uniforms. The high school's brand new uniforms haven't arrived yet, so they were uncharacteristicly casual, too.

Alyssa missed the parade because she had a volleyball tournament that same day. My action pictures of her are a bit blurry, because I still haven't got down how to take good movement shots in a gym.

I never watched a live parade as a child, but watching our small town parade this weekend sure beats being "in" one, while sinking low in the back seat of an old beater station wagon!