SweetCheeks Loves A Parade

Algoma is on the other side of

the peninsula from us.

Every year in August

they have a festival

called

Shanty Days.

It harks back to the time

when  shanties lined the

banks of the Algoma river

and fisherman followed

the river out to

Lake Michigan to

earn their living catching fish.

We were lucky enough

to look out of a home we

used to own and see this

little shanty across the river

from us.  It is one of the last

ones standing.

So, every year we go to

Shanty Days and watch  the parade.

Now this is not a normal parade.

No indeedy~

The parade lasts anywhere from 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

It all depends on how many entries there are.

ANYONE that wants to be in the

parade CAN BE IN the parade.

Today I will show you a

couple of the things we saw..

Tomorrow I will show you a

few more.

The parade starts at noon but

people are there as early as

7AM putting their chairs out

and claiming their spot.

Lord help the person that

tries to sneak a chair in the

front row at the last minute.

Cuz..it ain't gonna happen.

This was BabyE's first

Shanty Day parade.

He kept watching and waiting for

something to happen..

squinting into the sun a bit...

SweetCheeks, on the other hand,

is well-versed in parade

procedures now.

She dances in the street while waiting

for the "show" to begin.

And walks along and waves to everyone.

Oh Boy!

Here it comes....

They start with the veterans...

and everyone stands and applauds.

And a unit marches for the

fallen firefighters...

which puts a lump in every throat..

And then there is the clown car...

And there are boats of all kinds...

But the best part is that most

of the floats throw candy along the

edge of the street..

And all the kids scramble to pick

up what they can.

SweetCheeks yells,

CAHNDEE PLEAZZE..

And they throw it right to her.

However, there was one

VERY SCARY THING

that stumbled along the parade path...

and I just caught the back of him...

But SweetCheeks saw him coming

and ran to her Daddy for

protection.

She did NOT like him AT ALL!

But was soon smiling

when the

not-so-scary pirate posed with her

and her sisters.

Bored yet?

Yeah?

Well, too bad because

tomorrow you get to see the

pink tractor float

and BabyE eating corn on the cob.

Y'all come on back now, ya hear?