What a weekend I had! I went on what I'm calling the Good Auntie Tour. I was the last minute stand in for chauffeuring my niece Justine, The Little Swiss Miss queen, in the Waverly Jingle Bell Festival. What an adventure that was! Of course no new adventure escapes my propensity to observe those around me. And of course, there is no stopping me from sharing those observations with my reading posse. So here are just a few of the more important pieces of advice and insights that you will need to know if you are ever called upon to chauffeur your loved ones in a parade!
1. Things you should know before you say yes to the parade! ONE: Always consult the atlas before you say yes. I know Waverly sounds like a quaint little town and it makes you want to visit it. However, if it's quaint then it is probably close to the state lines!! We had no idea how far it would be! TWO: Always check the OSU football schedule before you say yes. Be sure to have a game plan in place for getting up-to-date scores and news.
2. Trust your instincts: The GPS isn't always right! I had already planned our route, but I let GPS Amber convinced me that she knew best. Well, it may have been 30 miles shorter, but it was at least 25 minutes longer! Let's say I took a different way home!
3. Party Planning: This is important to know! If you are going to host a luncheon for queens and princesses who are dressed in gowns that cost more than my monthly electric bill, then serving pasta in any form is not a good idea! The horror on the mothers' faces was priceless. There were sashes flying everywhere so that they weren't destroyed by tomato stains!!!!
4. You never know who might be in the parade: You know the saying that it's a small world. Well, it really is. As I was getting my car in the parade line I noticed the car behind me had Coshocton County plates. I'm always on the lookout for fellow Coshoctonians that I might know! As the driver walked past me, I thought he looked familiar. You know me....so I yell, "Hey, I think I know you." The gentleman stopped and looked at me. He wasn't sure if he did know me or was I some maniac stage mom! Turns out I was right! It was a fellow 1980 Ridgewood graduate. His daughter was the Canal Days queen. Talk about a small world. But wait! It gets even smaller. As we were sitting in line waiting for the parade to begin, we had another close encounter. We were parked on a residential street. The owner of the house we were parked in front of came up to let us know his daughter lived in Sugarcreek at one time. Turns out my sister-in-law Valerie bought her house when she and her family moved to Dayton! (Cue the Twilight Zone music!) Rick says I could go to the moon and still run into someone I know!!!
5. Caution: Before you get in line for the 2 hour parade: ONE: Always, always go to the bathroom first! TWO: Always, always make sure you have a full tank of gas! THREE: While at the gas station filling up, be sure to purchase plenty of snacks! You never know when you will be served pasta for lunch only to have them run out before you get any!!!
6: Memories: Even though I kid around about the adventure, it was a day I'll never forget. I got to spend a whole day with my niece Justine and my sister-in-law Valerie. With my schedule that doesn't happen very often. I also got to experience something new. Who knew how the whole queen system worked? I also got to be surrounded by all kinds of glitz, glamour, and all things glittery! Even this tomboy has a girly side that needs to be feed every now and then! Priceless!
Make Every Day Count....
Denise
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