Before I get to the picture of the day, I need to rant a bit.  Parades.  They are fun for everyone – but especially the kids. Today’s parade was pretty annoying to be honest.  While the weather did not quite cooperate, it truly could have been worse.  And with the right people (which we had), you can forgive the weather.  But,  there are a couple of “parade fouls” that are more difficult to forgive or forget.

We were sitting next to a group of people who decided that the parade was being held solely for their benefit.  They stood the whole time, which is not the issue, but standing in the street in the route of the parade so that no one behind them or up street from them can see, is a problem.  All of us kept making rather loud and direct comments about this behavior, but that group didn’t seem to care.  Clearly, the parade was for them only.

The second foul – watching their kids. Because this weekend really kicks off the summer rodeo season in Oregon, there are a LOT of horses in the parade.  By the time they reach our location, they have been on the route for about 2 of the 3 miles.  The horses are getting sick of the stop and go.  And, their riders are doing everything they can to keep them happy and under control.  A horse right in front of us got spooked. It was one of about 6 horses.  That horse getting spooked made the others skittish too.  While this is all happen, the same group who believed the parade was solely for their viewing started ignoring their 2 year old girl who began wandering towards the spooked horses.  We all started yelling at the parents and at the kid because it was not safe.

I am not a parent that overreacts.  In fact, if anything, I tend to be a little too laid back compared to other parents.  In this case, I was reacting.  The horse handlers with the group were all focused on getting the horses calmed down – rightly so.  And, since her parents were obviously ignoring everyone, I got up – grabbed her and literally put her down in front of her mom.  Her mom barely noticed even when I said something; she was too busy having a conversation with her friend.

I wish I could say it was an isolated incident – but it was not.  And it was even contagious as the others in  her group had the same issue.  It was unfortunate the police walking up and down the street making sure people stayed off of the parade route weren’t closer because I was going to say something.  In the end, I’m just thankful no one was hurt.

The idiocy of stupid people never ceases to amaze me.

Anyway, onto some pictures….