Gracious Rain

Oh, I know I’ve shown you Summerfest before–here, and here,  here, and here, and here to be precise. There’s even a post about one time when we were rained out. Yes, my friends–I’ve been blogging that long. :}

So we drove past our usual spot on Wednesday and found that people were already putting blankets down for the Saturday evening parade. Seriously?! I used to think that Thursday was too early–but our favorite spot that’s become a tradition for the last 10 years–was already taken. The nerve of some people! Luckily the kids staked out a place just up the road a bit that was almost as good and it worked out fine.

Until we got all settled in with our chairs and bags and kids and glow sticks–they’re a tradition–and the wind started to blow like some kind of rainless hurricane. It was crazy I tell you! April tried to help poor baby Magoo who was under a blanket tent, in his car seat–trying to figure out what the heck was going on. Lily was nearly blown over and Lyndi–well, she called for back up.

We put chairs and bags on the blankets so that they didn’t blow down the street and Lyndi figured the best thing to do was to move Magoo to the inside of her jacket…

which he liked sooo much better. But it got so cold, so fast, that she decided to go back to the car with him. Babies and wind bellows–not such a good mix.

Miss Chompy was pretty content wrapped up in her blanket with her bag of cotton candy. I could have sworn it was JUNE!! My big sturdy Bungie Lounger actually blew over three times in the wind.

Then just next to us–where we used to sit, a really scary thing happened. One of the city flags blew right out of the bracket and caught on the street light. Can you see it hanging by a couple of threads? The police went nuts and cleared everyone just past us out of the way so they could get it down before it nailed somebody in the head.

They called a fire truck and an ambulance and when they grabbed it, it still flew out of their hands and hit a city car that was on the other side of the fire truck. Well, we’ve endured many things over the years–in the name of tradition–but I have to say, this cold wind–when we were dressed for summer–was too much.

So. We. Bailed.

After making a run for Mexican food and pizza, we found that the kiddos were pretty much just as happy with a front room floor picnic and an episode of “My Little Ponies” on Netflix as with all the plans that had to be scrapped.

Of course, we still pulled out the glow sticks and made necklaces and bracelets and glasses and belts for everyone.

So, while the wind raged outside, we played inside. Before long, the kids forgot all about the fireworks that we missed. Learning to roll with the unexpected is starting to become part of the adventure around here. Good thing too.

We could use some new traditions.