Parade Day, My New Website and Whatever Else I Think Of

St. Paddy's Parade Day was a lot of fun on Sunday. Our city holds a St. Patrick's Day parade every year on the Sunday before March 17th. It's a grand tradition that was always sold as a great day for the family. Of course that's not how I was originally introduced to the holiday.

It used to be that my husband and his friends (along with girlfriends/boyfriends/spouses as they became a part of "the group") would all meet up at someone's home and, usually Shannon, would cook everyone breakfast (and I don't just mean coffee and donuts; I mean green pancakes, sausage, bacon, eggs - you name it!). So everyone would eat up and start drinking up around 9 a.m.

Once everyone was feeling all warm and fuzzy inside we would all gather in one room (I remember the basement one year) and someone would make a toast. Now this was no ordinary toast. This was a toast that was thought about, and often written down, in advance. It was something to bring a tear to your eye, except that we were all getting drunk so we usually just giggled a lot.

Then it was time to call the taxies and make our way out to the bars. Now the bars are along the parade route so I usually got to see, oh I don't know, all of 15 seconds of the parade. Which was fine by me at that time in my life when I all I wanted to do was follow everyone else into the bar and continue to get hammered all before 1:00 p.m.

So we drank. And we drank. And we drank some more. Finally it would get to the point where many of us had been separated; several were stumbling down the sidewalk trying to find another bar to let them in; and I would get just plain tired. So my husband and I would wander back home and take a much needed late afternoon nap. (It's a very strange feeling to be hungover from drinking when the sun hasn't even set yet)

Well, that's the way it used to be. But over the last few years things have changed dramatically. Our usual hosts have moved away from the city, but others have picked up the gauntlet to host breakfast. Still others have moved away and don't always make it back for the parade. And then there's the most dramatic change of all - we're all getting old and many of us have children now. So instead of drinking our faces off on Parade Day, well, we actually went to the parade on Sunday, with our children, and we actually saw all two hours of it.

And it was so much fun!! The sun was shining. It was in the 50's. My boys loved it, although my younger son didn't like the "loud noises" of the bands when they would play right in front of us. And, well, we saw plenty of people drinking their "coffee" and "Coke" and having a great, but in moderation, time ;)

Isn't it nice to know that while everything changes, traditions will survive in some form or another.

On a completely different note, I wanted to (finally) introduce everyone to my new website. It's a BIG step up from my last attempt and I'd love to know what you guys think. I've started a weekly journal of sorts over there, too. I've taken quotes (I LOVE quotes!) that I come across or that strike me in some particular way and I write a thought or two about what I think it says. But I'm trying to use it more as a meditation; something to give people to think over in their own lives and interactions with the world. I don't know. We'll see how it goes. But there are also all kinds of links to blogs I read, websites I like, books I'm reading - well, it's a lot of stuff about me!!! Me! Me! Me! (Isn't that what this technology is all about anyway? ;)

It's just my way of sharing my interests with others and really a way for me to have a central catalog for everything I like to do on the Internet. (I'm also a closet wannabe graphic designer, so once I started I just couldn't stop and I didn't know what else to do since I'm not selling anything!) I plan on adding to it over the coming weeks - maybe some writing samples, action campaigns, etc. - but it's ready for public viewing and I'd love for you to go check it out.

OK. This post has gotten entirely too long. See what happens when I don't type for three or four days? If you got all the way to the end - Thanks!!!

Oh, one more thing. I believe that Cheryl has touched down in NH and I should be getting a visit at some point tomorrow. It's been almost 10 years since we've seen each other and I can't wait!!! I'm giddy with excitement! And I get to show off my boys and my husband and I get to meet her adorable daughter and, well, sometimes life is just so sweet that it reminds us why we put up with all the other crap.

Everyday Life is Beautiful

The kids are in bed (and have been since about 8:30!) My husband is out. My house is quiet except for the occasional hum of the fan inside my laptop. I don't have much of "substance" to blog about tonight, but I felt like writing - so here I am.

It's been a good couple of days. My four-year-old just wrapped his Dr. Seuss week and even tried (much to my surprise) green eggs and ham yesterday. I can't get him to even put his lips on a piece of fruit or to smell anything resembling a vegetable. He didn't like the green eggs and ham and made it very clear to me that he "only tried a tiny bit." What is it about preschool teachers? What kind of magic do they practice?

It's been an exciting 24 hours for my older son actually. Today was his first friend from school birthday party. He's been looking forward to it all week because the birthday party was held at none other than Chuck E. Cheese's. Now, we're boring parents and we actually frown on most fun, so my son had never been to Mr. Cheese's, but had gotten a taste of the action through - what else? - TV commercials. Well, it apparently lived up to the hype because not only did I hear about all the "cool" things he did all afternoon, but when he came downstairs tonight to tell me that he had taken a shower all by himself (under my husband's supervision; please no calls to social services) I believe his exact words were: "Mommy! I took a shower all by myself! But it wasn't as much fun as Chuck E. Cheese's." And when I asked him whether cuddling with me or Chuck E. Cheese's was better I was met with a pause and then, "Chuck E. ... They're both the same," and a big smile.

And so here I sit. I could call Cheryl right now and see what she's up to, but I'm not sure I've completely recovered from our last phone call - a four hour telethon that lasted until about 2 a.m. Friday morning!! Thankfully, my husband had the day off and I was even allowed to sleep in. (When I thanked him for that, he said "No problem. I mean it would be pretty hypocritical of me if I didn't let you, right?" Isn't he the cutest?) So I'll just rest up since I'll be seeing Ms. Wallaby next week!!!! I can't wait! I can't wait to hug her and to introduce her to my boys and to meet her little bean and to reminisce some more - CAW! CAW! CAW! (I'm still tearing up when I even think of that one, Cheryl!) - so here's to a safe trip and good times :)

That's enough rambling for tonight. I'm going to go do some reading. I'm still trying to catch up on my magazines. That's the funny thing. Magazines just keep coming so I feel like I'm never any closer to catching up . . . I'm sure I'll have something interesting to report after tomorrow's St. Paddy's Day Parade. It's not as "sloppy" as it used to be now that many of our friends have children who actually want to watch the parade and need supervision while they do so, but something good always happens.

Sweet dreams.

P.S. Has anyone noticed my latest online "gadget?" Put your mouse over any of the links in my posts (sidebar, too, I think) and you'll see a bubble appear that shows a preview of the webpage I've linked to. Pretty cool, huh? ... Well, I think it is :) Thanks to WannaBeHippie (do it now ... see?) for sharing it.