Blog of Muffy: ‘Tis the Season

We’re in it now, baby. Some people consider Thanksgiving to be the start of the “Holiday Season.” Others, like the people who put out seasonal displays at Target, seem to think a few days before Halloween is better. For me, though, it takes something more than a date. It’s a feeling, man. ;)

Yesterday was the Children’s Holiday Parade here, and I think we all left with that sprit. I admit, I woke that morning thinking, “Ugh. Logistics.” I am the family logistics person (as well as the cranky plumber cum handman, but that is another story), and I just wasn’t feeling it, yo. However, once the coffee started to stream through my nerve system, I pulled up the street closure/parade route map, and realized, yes, we can do this. Yes, we can, if you will. (Either a political or Bob the Builder reference, depending… handy phrase!)

Bunny marched with her Brownie troop again this year, and they had been working for a couple of weeks on the float and costumes. There were 200+ participants this year, and, as you might imagine, the area is a crazy mess of parked cars, confused drivers who had not checked a route map, a few completely clueless people driving around with Christmas trees on their roofs—clearly they’d chosen the wrong morning to run that errand—and thousands upon thousands of revelers. Overall, the mystified tree people aside, it was a happy, chaotic crowd.

We dropped off Bun at their meeting spot, then I did a most excellent parallel parking job (really, I should live in Manhattan because I have some skills, I tell you), and we walked a few blocks to score a very good viewing spot that was also close to where I had to scurry to pick up Bun after her group finished the route.

Another reason I was just not in the mood for a parade was that there was a good chance of rain yesterday. Driving towards downtown Los Gatos we would pass under random showers. I’d packed our rain gear, but still, it was not looking like it’d be an overwhelmingly fun time to stand in the rain watching soggy paraders.

As we walked to the Civic Center where we set up to watch every year, we were sprinkled upon. “Do I look like a tool with my hood like this?” my husband asked me. He did. It was pulled closed and he looked like Kenny from South Park, but in a blue North Face shell. “You always ask me that kind of question, and then, if I say yes, you get offended and then do whatever it was anyway in a huff. Why ask me?” “So, I do look like a tool?” “C’mon, let’s go honey… and yeah, a little.” The boys were adorably cozy in the stroller.

Cole couldn’t make it the 10 minute walk before he was snoozing. When Cole sleeps, that is it – you don’t wake him if humanly possible because he is a grump if you wake him before his little brain is ready. In fact, he can be completely, irrationally, broken… so we let him be.

Rain means umbrella to Carter, and he was excited to run about menacingly with his. However, just a few minutes after we arrived something fantastic happened: the sky cleared. Yay!

We had about 30 minutes before the parade was to begin, plus we were at the end of the route, so we had even more time—plenty of time to get some running and exploring out of systems.

Paul and Carter went to check out the very fancy car store across the street. Carter reached his little hand through the fence, touched a bright yellow Lamborghini, and said that was all he wanted to do. :)

Carter was really more interested in tree climbing. Sadly, the branches on this redwood start about 30 feet up, so he really only trunk scrambled.

No tree climbing for him.

But, hey! Parade!

Carter, for the record, still is not understanding kilts. He thought the bagpipes were cool, though.

I thought the next section of the parade surely would awaken Cole. These came through, sirens BLARING.

But, nope! He shifted a little, but slept right through it.

Carter thinks a huge Packard would be an ideal family car. I kind of agree, but suspect it gets 1 mile to the gallon. Maybe less.

Cool logo, though!

All the municipal groups and politicians had passed, and it was time for the real gems. Cute kids on flatbeds!

I really don’t know what. the. heck. the story is here. Men in undershirts with enormous zucchinis and Santa hats. Why??

We had just watched this movie the night before!

Just a bunch of people walking goats. It took me a few blinks to realize they were not really weird dogs. :)

And here’s Carter’s favorite non-cool-car entry!

I think these guys here were having as much fun as every single other person in or watching the parade combined. They were awesome!

Sweet wooden bike. Again, not sure why, but still cool!

Then came the moment my family was waiting for – my big girl and her pals.

They really did a nice job with the gingerbread house, I think. A few girls rode in the house, but many chose to ride scooters, which they decorated as peppermint candies.