I...love a parade!

We have lived in Portland since 2003 but for some reason we have never been to the Rose Festival parade. It's the biggest event here every year, and we've managed to avoid it until now -- fear of the crowds, a wish to avoid the rain (legend has it that it's not really the Rose Festival unless it rains, which makes sense since the festival takes place the entire month of June), and I've had coaching sessions for chorus a couple of times.

But this year I decided that we really needed to go. Truth be told, I was dreading it, probably based on memories of getting up at 5 a.m. to make the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade in NYC, fighting the crowds and the cold. I didn't have a clear sense of where the parade would go or where we needed to stand or if I needed to pitch a tent the night before to reserve a spot (something I was completely unwilling to do).

We got out of the house at 11 a.m., an hour after the parade started, and I was convinced we'd miss most of it. Luckily Drew insisted on taking the MAX light rail downtown, which turned out to be a brilliant decision because we would have been completely unable to find a parking space. We got there in enough time to see Float #24 out of 96, and we had a pretty good view, too, behind two rows of people who were sitting down. I'd forgotten how much I love marching bands and colorful floats and general pageantry, especially the Rose Festival princesses (Drew suggested to Rachel that she might want to be a festival princess one day and maybe even Queen of Rosaria, which would earn her hefty scholarship money). The weather was perfect -- mostly cloudy with sun breaking through at the very end. We had a pleasant walk to the Farmer's Market and managed to snag strawberries, asparagus, tomatoes, lettuce and some great handmade sausage before the 2 p.m. closing time. Then we hopped back on the train to our car, which was parked at a mall about a 10-minute drive from our house. Rachel had a snack and took a nap; I did some writing while Drew mowed the lawn.

All in all it was a perfect Portland Saturday.

Sweet Rachel quotes today:

"I don't want Mommy and Daddy to go away," she said at breakfast. "Cuz I will be very sad and lonely."

***

We're back to vampires. Tonight, just before Rachel threw an epic tantrum before bed and was severely disciplined by Drew, she said, "Mommy, you look like a vampire."
"No I DON'T!" I exclaimed.
"Well, you're looking kinda pale," Drew teased.
"Mommy's a VAMPIRE!" Rachel crowed.

***

At dinner tonight, I said, "Rachel, please don't grow up too fast, OK? I want you to stay just the way you are."
"NO!" Rachel said.
"Why not?" I teased.
"Because I need to open doors myself," she said. "That's why I need to grow up fast!"