Nothing can describe the sound of the beginning of Racine's
pre-parade. Yes, that's what I said, there is a precursor to our famous 4 hour fourth of July parade. When we lived downtown, that's how we knew when to leave the house, the thunder of military vehicles driving up our street and the distant song of multiple fire engines en route to the parades step off point. (Sadly the military vehicles are virtually all deployed right now). Now, we arrive early, park in the old neighborhood, and begin our walk. The streets are filled with excitement, revelry, and street vendors that entice every child with noise makers, candies and amazingly large and out of proportion toys.
The beginning of the parade is marked with a fly over by a couple of A-10's. Something about seeing these planes always gives me the chills. A tradition for us, as great as the parade itself, is hanging with dozens of friends new and old at our friends house. There is always lots of food and drink, a front row seat, fun for the kids and familiar faces.
It was a wonderful, fun, yet hot and humid day. Charlie had his moment of extreme disappointment, the worst kind, that he wasn't receiving an overpriced, poor quality toy, but he ultimately got over it. It's only fitting that those children who were tremendously sugared up, needed a lift home because they just couldn't make it. It was all just too taxing all of that fun, so those of us remaining, finished the walk. Then we all crashed in our respective areas (adults and children that is) and enjoyed cool camaraderie and a good movie.
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