Let Freedom Ring

Let Freedom Ring

That was the theme this year for the parade at the camp. Every year we have a parade at the campground. Its a huge event that everyone tries to participate in. We have alot of fun with this. And the most fun is the creative part. We get the theme about 3 weeks in advance. Then we have to come up with something. Most just decorate. Some go by the theme. And there is always that special one that goes above and beyond. That is usually us.

We spend alot of hours sitting by the fire thinking up ideas. This year there were a few that were passed around. To go with the theme, we went through everything in history that carried those words. From the song to King. We thought of Abe Lincoln, Lady Liberty, Ben Franklin and all those historical figures. Even towing a boat with the whole George crossing the Delaware thing.

So we decided to settle with Miss Liberty. Seemed to be the one that would be the easiest to create. Last year, we had my mom in a trailer that was being towed by the cart. She was dressed as Betsy Ross and the theme was The Flag. So this year we needed something similar. He he he. We can be so ebil.

Mousie set up the cartport and got to work on the trailer. All the platforms were built and he even put his wooden eagle on the front. All the flags were set up and the signs in place. I went down there yesterday morning to get to work on the rest of it. We set up a smaller cart that was hitched to the back of the trailer. In this little yard cart was a flag draped coffin. The sign on the coffin read Freedom Doesnt Come Cheap. On the back of the coffin was another sign that read Going To Arlington.

In the main trailer, we also set up a plastic planter that we painted to look like the Liberty Bell. Inside the bell we placed a real bell. Everytime we would hit a bump, the bell would ring. Mind you that this is a campground. We will be hitting alot of bumps. We also put some decorations on the golf cart and we also strung a few sets of lights. Oh, and lets not forget the bubble machine for the back. Yes, oh yes, we have fun at this. And this is all done in secret. See, we have a neighbor that likes to steal ideas. We are in this to win, baby.

Now we need to figure out what to do with mom. Shes such a brave woman to do this. Yeah, like you will get me in the back of that trailer. My luck is the hitch would let loose and Im gone for a ride somewhere into the lake. Im sure everyone would love the show. But sorry, thats not going to be happening.

We cant go and rent a costume and its too late for me to order anything from Oriental Traders. That catalog has everything. Maybe next year I will just order a bunch of stuff and we can wing it from there. I hope I spelled that right for the context. If not, oh well. You get the idea. Im too tired to do anything else.

The whole week before, I went into my crafty mode. I needed to make a crown and a torch. We bought a green sheet for her to wear as a toga. Yeah, my mom in a toga. This should be interesting. Mom went to a costume shop and they wanted way too much money for the other parts. So I had to make something. She was able to find a crown somewhere though. I made the torch from some colored paper and a flashlight. Worked out perfectly.

We decided that we would go for a little ride around the camp to visit everyone. I think that they just wanted to see what everyone else was going to come up with. We stoped at a site where Mousies sons were camping out and the rest of the family gathered. One of the kids was turning green. Seriously. He was turning green. We told Cami that he was pissed off and that he was turning into the Hulk. She laughed. But in all seriousness, his shoes, socks and legs were green. He was spray painting something and the wind picked up. Now you know how I felt when I was painting that hat and turned blue. For reference, go to SSD and look for the mouse and the hat story there.

So after our rounds of visiting, we went out to see the fireworks at a local resort. They put them on there every thursday night but being that this was a holiday, they would be big. So we found a parking spot and put out the blanket. I had to listen to Cami whine for about a half hour because Mr Ding-A-Ling had his truck set up on the other side of the lot and she was begging and pleading that she needed something to eat. A popcicle would be the only thing that would make her survive the night. She was starving. If you have ever heard a child whine over a popcicle, you know what I mean. Its so pitiful.

But one of her friends from the camp was there and they ended up with the blanket and the popcicle was forgotten. Soon the fireworks started and they really did put on a good show. One the way back to the camp, the whining started again. Once we got back and settled, I turned the tv on, made her bed up and gave her some hot chocolate. Me, my mom and mousie sat by the fire for a while and then we went to bed.

The call to wake up came at 7am. We have alot to do to finish up and be ready and in the lineup by 10am. I jumped in the shower....literally. There wasnt much for hot water left. We ate a quick breakfast and got to work. I got mom dressed in her toga and then we set up the trailers and finished decorating the cart. It was about ten minutes to ten when we loaded up and went to the lineup. We are number 7. There are about a total of 20 or so carts ready for this.

Mousie starts up the CD player and about halfway through the song, it stops. Damnit... Not now. I told him that he needed new batteries. He said that they were new. Turns out that with the humidity, the pause button was stuck. We fixed that and then we got set to move. Now comes the fun part. The campground is all dirt roads and there are some hills to go up and down. Poor mom on the back in that trailer. Cami rode on the back of the golf cart. I rode in the front while holding the radio.

So off we go. The lead cart is going a little too fast for everyones liking. So around the grounds we go. Up and down the hills. Over all the pot holes. The people that werent in the parade lined the roads and the kids were happy that most of the people were tossing out candy. We were tossing out candy too. So for the whole trip, I listened to Cami yelling to grandma to hold on, throw out candy, that damn bell ringing, the constant creaking of the trailer springs, the small trailer in the back bouncing and Toby Keith on the CD player. I love the song but there is only just so many times one can listen to it over and over and over and over. You get the picture.

One the last stretch of the ride, all the little kids on their decorated bicycles followed us to the finish point. There will be four trophies handed out. Most Decorative Cart, Most Creative Cart, Most Decorative Bike and Most Spirited Bike. We all line up in a row and he bikes are across the road from us. The judges are chosen from new people that dont know anyone that is involved in this. They walked up and down and wrote stuff on a little note pad. When they were finished, they handed everything to the ones that were totalling everything up. They in turn gave the list of the winners to the camp owner to award. All we have to do is wait. And wait. And wait.

I heard the announcements starting but I didnt hear who won the first trophy. That one was for Most Decorative Cart. Then I heard the call out for the Most Creative trophy and they called number 7. Whoohoo!!! We won!!! Mom got out of the trailer and Mousie went to go get the trophy but Cami was already there with it. Then they called the ones for the kids and their bikes. Cami's friend Ashley won for Most Decorative. It was a great victory for all the hard work.

When we got back to the camp. we took it all apart and set up the bonfire in the pit. We will burn it for later tonight. I listened to the weather forcast and made the decision to head home early. A whole day early. Not sure I could handle the couch for another night either. But Cami wasnt feeling too well and she wanted to go home.

On the way home, she tells me to pull over. I know what this means. She opened the door and coughed a few times. She said she was feeling ok enough to make it home. I took one of the back roads because I figured that there wouldnt be any cars to worry about if I had to pull over again quickly. I made it about 4 miles down the road and was stopped on a hill at a stop sign when she yelled again. She opened the door and yakked for a while. I had a car behind me that was waiting patiently. She could have gone around me but she seemed to understand the issue at hand.

Once Cami puked it all out, she was fine for the rest of the trip home. Once home, she got everything put away and we took naps. I think we both needed it. Tomorrow is a fun day for us. Since its summer, its time to bomb the house for bugs. Ive seen a couple of fruit flies and there have been some spiders. I dont want the risk of fleas either. Even Wed night the cat tracked a house centipede into my room. Yeah there is a lotsa-lotsa-lotsa leggs in my room somewhere. Makes for an interesting nights sleep for me. Time to kill that bastard. Good thing for my cat though. Shes an awesome tracker of these things. Wished she was able to catch it though. Im still freaked out about sleeping with an extra room mate.

So tomorrow, the dog gets tied out in the back yard and Im taking the cat in a carrier with me to my fathers tomorrow and I will clean his place while there. Then I will come home and take care of business here after the 3 hour limit it up. I really hate doing this but I hate the bugs more.

UPDATE: Sort of a change of plans. The dog ended up getting a bath and kitty wasnt put in the carrier or taken to my fathers house. He was in the hospital when I tried to call him. He didnt expect me home a day early and thought I was still with my mom. So he went to the ER on his own for problems with his heart again. Hes home now and feeling a little better. We went out to lunch today (Sunday).