New Year's Parade

Wil found out that London has a supposedly big deal New Year's Day parade, so on the first day of 2010, we were off in the morning to stake our spot for what might be London's version of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.

However, this was not the Macy's parade. Not even close. No huge balloons. No teeny-bopper and has been stars lip-synching to their greatest hits, while Elmo and Snuffalufagus bee-bop next to them. And Katie Couric, or rather Meredith Vieira, and Matt Lauer were certainly not the commentators. But that is okay; I am just telling you this so you can imagine it better.

It was however really, really cold, like one might imagine NYC to be in November. Wil couldn't feel his feet by the end of it and stomped around like he was marching in the parade to try to bring back feeling to them.

And it was really fun to do something "London-y." Plus, Wiley loved the marching, candy, and stickers they gave out. (Come to think of it, I still have an unwrapped Mars bar in my coat pocket. Gross, I know.) I know we made some fun memories that morning. Even if it might go something like, "Remember the time I couldn't feel my feet, then my legs started to go numb, and hypothermia was a real possibility?"

Oh, and then we went up and introduced ourselves to the nicest family from Vestavia. Yes, Vestavia. In London. They were there because Vestavia Hills High School was marching in the parade. The mom told me they turned down Macy's for this. I think they just wanted to go to London.

So anyway, we saw a "Sweet Home Alabama" sign, knew Vestavia was marching, and obviously we had to introduce ourselves.

I think we must have screamed: "ohmygoodnesswelovealabama.yougettogohometoalabama.welivehere.itisbloodycold.yesitisfun. yeswemissourfamily.yeslifewillgoon.youarefromalabama.

iamsohappytoseeyou.iamsohappytohearyourvoiceandknowyoudrovedownhighway280and

cursedthetrafficduringchristmasjustafewdaysago."

subconsciously, of course. Because somehow the sweet mother or aunt of the brood was telling me how quickly this time would go and what a wonderful opportunity it was to travel, and I walked away thinking, "Oh I was just comforted. I didn't know I needed to be comforted. That was nice." But that is not the point of the post.

We were very excited to see "Sweet Home Alabama" scrawled across the poster. And we screamed for all the American bands and cheerleaders when they passed us. You know, that good ole' fashioned pride in your country.

Enough silly banter. Here are some pictures as a reward for getting this far:

Here we are freezing.

There were donkeys?

And miniature trains?

And marching Rebel-ettes? Or whatever they are called!

Marching Rebels! Whoever would have thought we would have been so excited about Marching Rebels!?

Oh, and if we go again next year, this is where I will be watching the parade (imagine me in the window on the left, maybe a mimosa in hand, able to retreat into my lush room to warm my hands and then come back out to smile upon the donkeys and other random things progressing below me):