Here's something you might be interested in.
Went to the North Park Toyland Parade today. Actually, I should say our house is on the staging area. Being at the start of the parade route offered quite the perspective. Last minute advice to the band members, costume emergencies solved with scotch tape... I mean how often do you get to watch 2 bonafide Chargers Girls take off their sweats right in the middle of Utah St.?
...
sigh ...
Oh, sorry. Where was I??
Maybe due to the plummeting economy and tales of woe on the news, this year's parade was a surprise - an energized, plumped- up, pumped-up steroid of an event. And of course - everyone loves a parade!!
There was a lot of imported talent this year including Princessess from Lemon Grove, marching bands from Hoover High and El Cajon Valley, beauty queens (of all shapes and sizes) from Alpine, Santee, La Mesa. Even Mother Goose from the grandmother of them all, the El Cajon Mother Goose Parade, was there to add her blessing. There were car clubs, most notably the Model A Aaah-Oogah Horn-Dogs, the Studebaker-take-the-path-less-traveled-Club and a spirited group of Vespa riders. The animated lion representing the Lions Club (sponsor of the parade) wasn't very animated (power conservation, no doubt), but his roar was in fine voice. The Chargers helmet cart with the aforementioned Chargers Girls got the crowd aroused as well. ;)
The local drinkeries were represented by a clever team of barflies from The Pink Elephant performing close-order drill with giant olive-impaled swizzle sticks. I don't know why I thought of this next but a community blind service group was out marching and created a bit of a traffic tie-up when the parade official failed to get their attention by waving them on around the next corner. D'oh!
Odd sightings: Loch David Crane. Nothing else, just that.
Other sights and sounds: Dogs galore. Rottwieller reindeer, (say that after 5 Pink Elephant martoonies) giant schnausers, several scary white hybrid cat-dog-aliens; a 1942 fire truck that was way cool; flamenco dancers and gypsies; circus performers and penny-farthing riders. A geriatric Superman on rollerblades. Corvettes, Mustangs and even a Morris Minor. Smiling neighbors, bouncy balloons, babystrollers and bells, bells, bells.
And the winner of Best Entry Representing North Park (*):
The Water Tower guy!
(*) - not a real award
Went to the North Park Toyland Parade today. Actually, I should say our house is on the staging area. Being at the start of the parade route offered quite the perspective. Last minute advice to the band members, costume emergencies solved with scotch tape... I mean how often do you get to watch 2 bonafide Chargers Girls take off their sweats right in the middle of Utah St.?
...
sigh ...
Oh, sorry. Where was I??
Maybe due to the plummeting economy and tales of woe on the news, this year's parade was a surprise - an energized, plumped- up, pumped-up steroid of an event. And of course - everyone loves a parade!!
There was a lot of imported talent this year including Princessess from Lemon Grove, marching bands from Hoover High and El Cajon Valley, beauty queens (of all shapes and sizes) from Alpine, Santee, La Mesa. Even Mother Goose from the grandmother of them all, the El Cajon Mother Goose Parade, was there to add her blessing. There were car clubs, most notably the Model A Aaah-Oogah Horn-Dogs, the Studebaker-take-the-path-less-traveled-Club and a spirited group of Vespa riders. The animated lion representing the Lions Club (sponsor of the parade) wasn't very animated (power conservation, no doubt), but his roar was in fine voice. The Chargers helmet cart with the aforementioned Chargers Girls got the crowd aroused as well. ;)
The local drinkeries were represented by a clever team of barflies from The Pink Elephant performing close-order drill with giant olive-impaled swizzle sticks. I don't know why I thought of this next but a community blind service group was out marching and created a bit of a traffic tie-up when the parade official failed to get their attention by waving them on around the next corner. D'oh!
Odd sightings: Loch David Crane. Nothing else, just that.
Other sights and sounds: Dogs galore. Rottwieller reindeer, (say that after 5 Pink Elephant martoonies) giant schnausers, several scary white hybrid cat-dog-aliens; a 1942 fire truck that was way cool; flamenco dancers and gypsies; circus performers and penny-farthing riders. A geriatric Superman on rollerblades. Corvettes, Mustangs and even a Morris Minor. Smiling neighbors, bouncy balloons, babystrollers and bells, bells, bells.
And the winner of Best Entry Representing North Park (*):
The Water Tower guy!
(*) - not a real award