…and all I wanted to do was get my weekly fill up at the gas station but on the way I kept running into road blocks. It was late Saturday afternoon when traffic is normally light unlike this Saturday and I couldn’t figure out why. Add in the fact that most of the streets to the gas station were blocked and I had to go in a roundabout way to get to it. Along the way I noticed a lot of emergency vehicles lined up and a lot of activity in the park so maybe there was a party going. It is the season of celebrations but what I didn’t know was this celebration was more than just a party in the park, either way I managed to find enough open streets to get to my destination. It was only then while filling up my gas tank that it wasn’t a party in the park and the reason for the street closures was for the parade that was about to being. Needless to say the odds of me finding a street open to go home has now gone from slim to none. Now, I enjoy a parade just like the next guy but only if I plan for a parade and not have a parade make plans for me. As I watched it go by I felt like I was being held up by a train at a railroad crossing watching the box cars go by but these cars were decorated in colorful lights slowly passing in front of me followed by all the fire trucks and emergency vehicles I saw earlier only they were followed by dancing majorettes and high school bands playing seasonal songs until finally just like the caboose on a train Jolly Ole St. Nick brought up the rear. Now don’t get me wrong I like a parade if I plan for a parade and not having one planned for me. It was a nice parade and ’tis the season, so Merry Christmas!