Patriotic Fervor

Julie as Grand Marshall of the Parade

A couple of days before the 4th our friends Sherry and Vanessa called to say they had decided that since our immediate neighborhood was not organizing a Fourth of July parade that they would organize one and were we in? Of course we said yes.

Julie was Grand Marshall, sitting pretty on the back of Princess Daisy, with Dada beside her in her car seat. Behind us were the synchronized swimmers (Sherry, Vanessa [a bonafide veteran], and Jesse), and behind the swimmers, the obligatory fire truck, namely Joanna in a yellow slicker and fire helmet and her red pickup tricked out with very official looking fire department shields. The swimmer's "float" was blaring Stars and Stripes Forever and I had a big red white and blue hat (I was driving Princess Daisy). We also had little candies to throw to the assembled throngs along the parade route.

We drove the length of Wilson street and one parallel too it, to a modicum of jubilation from the assembled crowds (mostly our neighbors Jay and Kay and Linda, to whom we had called ahead to warn of our approach).

It was great fun and everyone we encountered along the way seemed to really like it. Everyone waved at us and the few people actually near the sidewalk seemed to like having candy thrown at them.

After we returned to Sherry and Vanessa's house we feasted on hot dogs and beer and vowed to do it again next year. Next year we might even plan more than a couple of days in advance.