Bagpipers, at least 3 separate bands. Awesome. Bagpipers are why I go to the St Patrick's day parade.
Irish step dancers, wearing black sweat suits, those impossibly curly wigs, and not dancing.
About 5 middle school bands. One of which even had flag girls. I am always impressed with the drum majors who walk backwards the whole parade. I can't always depend on my ability to walk forward without tripping or running into something.
An elementary all-recorder "band." Which could not be heard at all over the revving motorcycle engines behind them.
Motorcycles. Lots of very loud motorcycles whose riders were riding them like a toddler rides a push bike, pushing it along with both feet on the ground. I guess the incessant motor-revving was to remind us that they were actually cool bikers.
Scary clowns. Liam hid behind me whenever the clowns appeared. Bayley barely resisted the urge to do the same.
People driving Buicks, Since when was Buick ownership so cool that you joined a club and rode in parades? We used to own a Buick. It wasn't cool.
Shriners. Lots of Shriners. Shriners on horses. Shriners in cars. Shriners playing in a band on a float.
4H kids. Some with goats and some with Llammas. One carrying a chicken and one carrying a duck. And one riding a bike with a rabbit in the basket.
People dressed in cow costumes, line dancing and trying to convince us all to eat more chicken.
People dressed in Gorilla costumes, wearing pink tutus, line dancing and trying to convince us to drink at their bar. Followed closely by people passing out designated driver info. Aislin was handed one of their magnets. Apparently she looks like a heavy drinker.
A man walking on stilts while twirling an impossibly big hula hoop.
A sixty year old woman sporting a fox tail on her rear end.
People riding those old bicycles with the huge front wheels. Were these ever practical? Who thought of them? And when did it occur to some genius that it would be way easier to make bikes a more reasonable height?
Political candidates. One who wore green tights, running shorts, and rainbow socks. I am voting for him.
A giant foil wrapped burrito balloon.
And this is what I heard from my children, most of whom were initially extremely enthusiastic when I proposed going to said parade, throughout the whole two hours:
"Is it over yet?"
"I want to go home."
"I can't see."
"I want to go home."
"Can I have a tic-tac."
"I want to go home."
"Oh great, thanks lady, I always wanted lung cancer." (Directed at the 60 year old woman with the foxtail who seemed intent on finishing her pack of cigarettes before the parade ended.)
I didn't take any pictures. But if you are really interested the guy standing next to me video taped the entire two hours (!), maybe I could find him for you.
