Rain on My Parade (Again)

I can't believe it's pouring down rain on the Fourth of July AGAIN! I mean, sure, it's like 8,000 degrees in my hometown in Arkansas right now, but at least Papa and Aunt Pam and everyone down there can barbecue! And shoot off fireworks! Here in Indiana, it's in the mid-60s. But the grill is standing cold and empty out in the deluge. And the fireworks, they are cancelled. I swear, I am very out sorts. Very out of sorts indeed.

Fortunately, it was only drizzling during the Fourth of July parade this year, unlike last year's utter downpour. We found the BEST spot to sit and watch the parade this year, and no, I'm not going to tell you where it is, because I don't want you to sit there instead of me next year. I do hope that nice man who sat on my other side comes back next year, because he talked trash with me about the very odd lady who encouraged her 13 (I'm not kidding) children to run out into the street, during Taps, to pick up the hot shell casings after the twenty-one gun salute. They also came thisclose to getting hit by every single parade float in the parade due to their focused determination to GET CANDY. And also? I had to crop the entire brood out of every single photo.

Even in the drizzle, all my favorite parade groups were present:

The Bleeding Heartland Rollergirls

We're going to miss their next double-header, but will be back rooting them on in August (My top three fantasy aspirations: 1--Run a farm of my own 2--Be in a stage production of Hair 3--Be a rollergirl).

The Lotus Festival The Dark Carnival Film Festival (I get to go to this one by myself, because the rest of my family are wusses)

And, of course, Beanpole:

The monkeys watched the parade and its goings-on solemnly--happily, I suppose, but solemnly, with deep, focused concentration. I'm big on ceremony, so after standing still with hand on heart listening to Momma belt out the national anthem (why don't more people sing along? It's fun), and standing still for the twenty-one gun salute, and standing still for Taps, and standing still for the passing of the flag, I was sort of afraid I'd sucked all the life and fun out of them, but I think they were just concentrating really, REALLY hard on the parade.

Because right afterwards, they shook themselves awake and immediately looked like this:

And then we went home and made popcorn.

In other news, I've been on an unwilling crafting hiatus due to the total chaos of the house, but this three-day weekend (especially since we don't have to take off any time to barbecue or do fireworks) is spelling change for that, my friends.

And my fingers are just itching to get back to business next week.