Yes -- It's Another Parade! Plus I Receive a Big Honor...
And, yes, we really didn't want to march in it. (sigh)
But we did.
What's amazing is that Mitch agreed to go and march with us! He donned one of our 'Street Team' shirts and was given a huge handful of things to hand out and away we went...
But because of parade rules (which we must obey), we went out prior to the actual parade along the inside edges of route. It wasn't fun. When Marilyn mistressmarilyn and I hit our 'usual spot' for parade viewing, we quit and stayed there. (And Mitch did the same when he reached us.)
(grin)
The St. Johns Parade was started up when all three of us were kids, by the way. (We've hardly ever missed a parade in our lives...)
From our 'usual spot' we watched most of the parade, before walking over to the 'fair' area to get pizza and beer. After the parade ended we headed to Starbucks, then back to the car. Oh, yeah! We'd originally parked near Mitch's house and hoofed it over to the formation area of the parade (which was right around our alma mater high school). So let's just say we got our exercise for the day!
In fact, we were exhausted by the time we drove home again...
That's only partly due to the activities of the day, though. It's more about how tired we are come the weekend after all the things that go on during the week.
So, yes, it's again past 3 a.m. as I write this entry.
We really need to go grocery shopping, if we can face it. But we managed to go for leftovers to create some homemade nachos for a (very late) dinner after our one-slice-of-pizza lunch.
My computer just made a really ominous sound! What gives, computer??? (It had better be just fine, frankly. I'm not up to facing any more crashes...)
What else?
I sorted through some additional photographs today to take to the film studio for Ira to use in the movie. I'm pretty sick to death of going through stacks and stacks of family photos, I have to tell you!
But on the other hand, we're really, really blessed to have so many! And the old photos we own are incredible! We've got a lot of them from before the turn of the twentieth century. (Back in the 1800's, in other words...) So cool!
They should be just what Ira and the other guys need...
Imagine what it would feel like for us to be watching a theatrical release of this movie and to see photos of our own relatives being used on the screen?
And I can't help thinking how proud our mom and dad (especially Mom) would be...
On another very important note!
Last week was when local mail carriers leave off bags to be filled with nonperishable foods that they can pick up today. The gather the food to donate to the Oregon Food Bank. We put out our usual huge bag of canned goods...
We were both happy that we didn't get our usual early morning delivery so that we missed doing that! Of course, the delay was directly attached to the fact that all the carriers were slowed down by picking up donations everywhere...
Then I went to pick up the mail and found an envelope from the festival that was addressed to me.
I had no clue what to expect when I slit it open and pulled out the letter...
I was officially invited to ride on the 100 People Float!
I just did a 'hunt' of my tags to see if I'd ever mentioned that float here before. Apparently not. One of the things that's been driving ME crazy is that Marilyn belongs on said float, in my humble (not-so) opinion! I've been saying that even though I knew she had to work the parade that there should be a huge, life-sized photo of her riding on that float (!!!) -- because if she wasn't one of the '100 People who have influenced the festival,' then I didn't know who was!
And I mean that.
But for me to be honored by an invitation?
I can't say what it means to me. I'm even thinking I'll get that letter framed and hang it up somewhere...
I'm going to have to turn it down, of course. I wouldn't miss working this Centennial parade for anything -- even a chance to ride in it! But I'm delighted and thrilled to have received the offer, even so. I'm planning to tell anyone who cares to listen that I got said letter. (smile)
I managed not to cry when I went downstairs to confront Marilyn. She was one of the signatures on the letter, of course -- but she'd managed not to tell me prior to my getting it! She was ready to come up with a way that I could ride and not work, but I feel my place is there, doing the job I love to do. She said, "You might never get another chance to ride in the parade." (Which I know is true.) I said, "I'm sure I won't get another chance, but I still want to work this parade."
My good friend Dick Powers -- who has been an official festival photog forever and a day -- was also asked to ride. And now I understand why he sent back a letter rejecting the chance, saying pretty much the same thing I did. He wants to spend this Centennial year in his usual spot, taking the same photos he always does.
Of course!
Where else would either of us want to be?
Marilyn says that's one of the issues with filling the float, actually. Many past festival presidents want to actually watch the parade -- and I can't blame them! It's going to be spectacular! Others who've been asked to ride want to work the parade, just like Dick and me.
You know how people frequently speak about the honor of being nominated? And many people assume that they're blowing smoke?
Seriously, it feels WONDERFUL to have been offered the chance to ride.
The GFP isn't a parade where just anyone can appear. This isn't like a neighborhood parade (like the St. Johns Parade) or a small community parade. The GFP is one of the largest and most prestigious parades in this nation (and the world). I'm constantly reminding people that it's a very big deal to get to be in it, because most people will never have the chance...
Mom and Dad -- especially Mom -- would be very proud.
I can't wait to phone Sue tomorrow (well, today!) and tell her about it!
Well, on that note, I'd better head to bed now. It's now past 4 a.m. and we have a lot of work to do on Sunday (today)...
By the way, I talked to Phooty this week, sweet dear!