I am so excited about going to my FIRST Calgary Stampede PARADE!! I have ALWAYS loved parades. I marched in Mardi Gras parades from 5th-10th grade with the band (super band geek!) and then stopped when I moved to Poquoson, Virgina. I went to my first day of “band camp” at the school and one of the boys told me that that girls do not play the trumphet! SO I QUIT!~!!! Now, mind you…I was a HORRIBLE trumphet player…but, I LOVED IT! Truly loved it! So, the thought of seeing all those bands is just exilerating for me! 40 BANDS!

Anyway…here is the plan. You have to sort of “mark your territory” by 7am. So, Rod (Tanya’s husband)..the one with the accent in the night video…he is going to drop me off downtown at 6:30 AM and I am going to do the “marking”..with chairs and blankets. He is going to come back here and then around 8 or so he will bring down Claire, Andrew, Adam, and Tanya. We are not going to be at the beginning of the parade so it will be 9:00 or so before I see them. They shut down the traiff going into the downtown area around 7:30!

My little plan reminds me of the plans I make on Thanksgiving for Black Friday sales! I don’t know why I love to do this stuff….but, I really do! There are 4000 people, 750 horses, 30 bands, 40 floats…and I am sure it will be PLENTY to make a 4th of July celebration in Canada come off without a hitch!

Tonight I am making cookies and packing our snacks for our wait! This is going to be GOOD!

Anne