The morning started out COLD and from what the weatherman is predicting, it’s supposed to get even colder as the weekend goes on. When I was heading to work I checked out what the temperature actually was, and the air temperature was below zero. Yea, no wonder I was cold!
During the day I had heard about the Holiday Parade that Decorah was having tonight and started to do a little investigation on just what this was. Since I’ve never been to a Holiday Parade before, I was definitely interested. I couldn’t find out how many years this parade was actually going on, but it must have been awhile because quite a few people that I talked to knew about it. OK, I was going! Before I got ready, I decided to grab something quick to eat. After rummaging around in the cupboard, I decided on buttered noodles. They didn’t take much energy or time. So after I inhaled them, I put multiple layers on of everything I could find for clothes and off I went. Without having any expectations on what I would find, I was open to anything. I did get to town a little earlier than I needed to be, and really didn’t have anything downtown to shop for, so I found a back parking lot and decided to take a quick power nap. Last night I went to bed late and also got up early, and mixing that with my belly full of buttered noodles, yea you can see where a quick nap would feel good. So I turned the heater on full force, turned on my butt warmer and closed my eyes. Man did that feel good! I didn’t really nap, but just hung out for about 10 minutes. Then I shut the car off and opened the door. REALITY check!! Now you can about imaging how warm it was in the car and it was not warm outside last night at all. I don’t know if this is why I was so cold during the parade or what, but I was so cold that I was literally shivering and almost shaking. But I was there and I was committed. The parade started with the normal police leading the way with their lights on, and then all the kids literally came out of the woodwork. 
There were kids dressed up with so much clothes on, they really looked like the kid from the movie ‘Christmas Story’ – Randy. They has scarves around their necks and were really bundled up for the cold. I think I was more jealous than anything on how warm they looked. There was this one little boy that was standing by me that was maybe 5 years old ? and kept yelling to absolutely everyone ‘Merry Christmas’ as loud as he could and they would just shower him with candy. Literally shower him with candy. As since he was so bundled up, he could hardly bend down much less pick any candy up. But you know what? It was really cute.
Winner of Best Themed entry – It’s a Wonderful Life
After about 15 minutes of the parade, I made a quick dash for the car and cranked up the heater to get warm again. Now even though I had two thick pairs of gloves on, my hands were very very cold. I had kind of frost bit them and my feet when I was in high school and it doesn’t take much to make them cold anymore. Once I got warm again and stepped back out, it didn’t seem as bad as the first time. I think it was just too much of a shock or something the first time around. But I made it to the parade just in time to see the ending . Which was Santa Claus of course!
As I was driving away, I had time to think a little bit more about the parade and how really cool it was. Here was a town that put lights on their cars, firetrucks, tractors, and even horses to ride in a parade during the most busiest time of the year just to share some fun and Christmas spirit. To be honest, I felt like I was transported back into time about 60 years and I loved it!
Off to get more groceries for candy making tomorrow. I have almost everything that I need other than a visit to the Amish to pick up some chocolate and pecans.
I almost got everything that I should need to have a good start on this Christmas candy season
On the way home from town I stopped off at this one local tractor supply business to snap a picture of a tractor hey decorated. Take a look