And this weekend?

Well, it's the Trussville Christmas Parade! The high school band gets to march, so we'll be there all ready to cheer them on, as well as the other various and sundry folks who get to parade.

Nothing beats a small town Christmas parade.

The first one we ever went to was December, 2001, when Jonathan's Cub Scout troop got to ride on a trailer. It was a hard sort of time, given the events of the past September, and given that our troops were still working their way toward Kabul and Khandahar. The parade held out the promise of being able to start those tentative steps of trying to make life a little more familiar again, and by the time it was all over for the day, you got the sense that things would be okay.

I remember in particular as the parade broke up, there was all sorts of happy friendly chaos as all the various floats and Shriners and kids and pedestrians and dogs and SUVs all started trying to make their way back home. I found myself standing there beside one of our policemen, who was wearily trying to direct traffic.

He was having quite a time of it, too, even with his whistle working overtime. I was waiting to cross the street, so I kind of sidled up to him, and started off to make some noncommittal chitchat: "Man, it's a mess out here." He nodded at me, a look of pained helplessness on his face as he tried to redirect the tide of humans. "Yep, sure's a mess. You know, maybe if you had yourself a badge, and maybe a gun, and...oh. Well, ahmmm...never mind."

He turned and looked at me, and gave me that look you give people when you know they're being all smart-alecky with you. I laughed out loud, and he grinned and clenched that whistle in his teeth, and I thanked him for his service. He nodded and told me to be careful getting home.

Such is life.

Other things? Well, I have to watch my game, you know. And I think we have some Christmas shopping to do. Sunday, as always, devoted to some much needed churching up for us all. I figure it'll be a pretty busy weekend. All of you have a good one, yourselves, and I'll see you all back here bright and early on Monday!
posted by Terry at 3:43:00 PM