A Grand Parade

The best things about life in a small town are the traditions that carry on from year to year.  One of them is SS Philip & James School's costume promenade.  The kids put on their outfits and at 2:00 p.m. head out the front doors of the school class by class. 

They head down High Street and walk all around the little downtown area.  Isn't that neat?  A couple of outfits that caught my eye were two little ones wearing policeman uniforms.  These weren't just your run-of-the-mill police uniforms; they were authentic looking with the proper hats and badges.  The first boy was maybe in kindergarten and he passed by the intersection where I was waiting (my holy hour starts at 2:00 p.m.) and then straggling along in the back with the dad was another little policeman, this one around three years old.

Really cute!!

It's obvious that the kids are in their element and having a wonderful time, and the adults who go along are also enjoying every minute of it.  The rain held off for them to finish the event and then the classes went to their rooms for their parties.  You could hear the laughter of children out into the street by the school.  How neat is that?

As the children are walking down High Street, they pass lovely old homes that have been there for probably close to a hundred years old.  In the downtown, they pass buildings that were built in 1845.  History is alive in Canal Fulton and if you just took away the cars and replaced them with carriages and horses (and covered up the tattoo parlor signs), it could pass easily for a late 19th Century village.

These are the kinds of memories that the children will carry with them, that sense of being out among the town, walking free and entertaining virtually everyone whether watching from the houses or in cars.  You could NOT see them go by without smiling.

My holy hour yesterday was very special.  A lady who I've known for many years now came by to replace the water in the holy water container in the chapel and we talked for a bit.  You aren't really supposed to be talking there, but this was a special conversation punctuated at times by prayer. 

Well, I promised to write a little more today and I kept that promise.  A little later it will be time to head to church again for the All Souls Day Mass where we remember all of those who have died in the past year.  My friend, Peg, and I are playing for the Mass.

Hope you have a good weekend.  It will be cold and possibly wet, but weather doesn't have to be the determiner of time well spent.  We're going to my grandson's 7th birthday party this afternoon and it should be interesting.  He's very excited, but not so much so when I told him that I know what his dad is getting him.  He said, "You do?"  And I said, "Yes, and it's red."  "Well, what is it?" he asked.

And I told him the same thing I told my own two sons a bunch of times; "It's a kick in the butt machine."

He laughed.  His dad's already been using that line on him and sometimes in good fun pretending he already has one!!