A fine day for a parade

This morning, we were trying to figure out what to do today when we looked out the window and saw several parade floats being police-escorted across the Georgia Viaduct. After checking online we discovered that we were in luck - the Santa Clause Parade was starting in a few short hours...

We first stopped off at Red Burrito for some eye-wateringly hot burritos and then picked up a few good books for Cole at Chapters. And some Christmas cards for me... I wanted to make my own, but I'm not sure I'll manage to do that, so at least I have another option!

We waited in Chapters at the windows for a little while, staying warm, drinking our coffees and entertaining Cole with a red balloon nabbed from the folks outside Sears. After a little, Cole, who had not napped at all during the walk over, was getting kind of archy so we got a move on and stationed ourselves along the street a short ways up Howe.

Various amounts of jiggling, singing and passing back and forth with Jamie helped keep him happy until things got under way. Also staring at the lady behind us - Cole is a big flirt with the ladies... Once the parade started, he was suitably distracted by all the marching bands, pipers and emergency services sirens.

He actually made it all the way till the end and we got to see the big guy in red. Cole did not look particularly interested or impressed, but we were stoked that he got to see him.

Why don't people in Vancouver cheer, by the way? Everyone is at a parade. Of their own choice. Being entertained for free at a festive time of year. Often by children and old folks and people with various causes that could use support. Why no cheering, Vancouverites? I love to cheer. And clap! Jamie too. We get some odd looks, but really, it's kind of depressing to let the talented junior bands from xyz school or the Beavers with their earnestness and merit badges go walking by to the sounds of stony silence, only to have all the kids in the crowd get excited for the wii float which involved two people playing wii from inside a see-thru truck.

Anyway, we had a terrific time. It definitely put us in the Christmas spirit, and we came home to hot cups of tea and mandarin oranges, pulled the tree out of the storage space and got to thinking about putting it up. And soon: home-made cookies!