Today should have been the Star City Parade which we have been going to for years. Sadly and for the first time in it's history, it was cancelled due to an ice storm. We'd been watching the weather forecast for the last few days and it was looking ominous to say the least. I had begun to prepare the children that perhaps, sadly, we may not be going to the parade this year. I knew they would be HEARTBROKEN. I was prepared for perhaps some tears, maybe even weeping and pounding on a pillow.... I know the kids LOVE the parade.
We always get ready to go in a calm and peaceful manner, there's NEVER any shouting or anything like "Comeoncomeoncomeon we're going to miss the start, we won't get anywhere to park, we won't be able to see anything.. all the good spots will be taken comeoncomeoncomeon......" or anything else approaching that insanity.... weeellllll... I say never.... I mean, not often.... not every time.... ok, every time, but I don't MEAN to do it like that...something just takes over me!!....
Anyway, I know they love the yummy treats I make to take with us, like that one time I made some delicious brownies..... what??!?!... they WERE delicious. Ok, they were a liiiittle dry. And sure, we didn't have anything to drink with us that time..... oh come on... we only gagged a little bit.....what a fuss...!! The chocolate dipped pretzels were delicious though!! They were GOOD!! and only a little messy. I mean everything came out in the wash after only two rinses!!! The hot chocolate made it though!! THAT was really nice... and only burned the first couple of sips and after that your tongue and lips were numbed to the pain...!!
But the best part was standing on the sidewalk and watching the folks walking by!!.. it wasn't THAT cold...! Oh you could SO feel your feet!!!! Ok, so you lost sensation in both your big toes. Who needs big toes when you can watch yet another small town marching band go by?!!? :D And as for being able to feel your nose, ....eh, it's over rated!! So yeah, it's cold but then isn't it so much nicer when you get back inside and start to thaw out!!!!
What about the marching bands though?!!?!? and the DRUMMERS?!?! And the FIRETRUCKS!!! WOW EEEE!!! THE FIRE TRUCKS?!!!? With the sirens...and the horns... and the drums...... and the very noise sensitive son... who screams and cries with his hands pressed to his little ears!!!!
Hmmmmm.......
So I very delicately approached the subject of perhaps skipping the parade this year, due to the storm....... I got down to their level, looked them in the eyes and very gently said..
"honey....Beans, Jackster, listen, the weather is going to be really terrible for the parade today and it has been cancelled....... I'm sorry but we won't be able to go this year......"
I waited, ready for the storm. .....
"OK!" said Beans!! Unphased! Jackster was equally nonplussed.
"WAIT!!" I called out as they ran off to get on with playing or what ever else they thought they were going to do... "aren't you going to miss the parade? I thought you loved going? It's a tradition!!!!!!!......"
"Nah!!!" said Beans. "It's too cold and noisy. We only go because you tell us we have to!"
Oh. I guess it's just me who loves a parade.
It's funny what you go through and what you put others through because all the time you think it's what they want, and in the end it turns out to be what you wanted and sometimes, even worse, it turns out no body wanted it at all!!!
I suppose the lesson here is listen to your family, your children, and make sure that what you are hearing is what they are saying!!!
" .... Seventy six trombones led the big parade.....one hundred and four cornets close behind...."
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