
We were in the parade, so the view was limited to what I could discreetly (try that one day) get pictures of while going down the road with a large audience. (and waving like the Queen with the other hand)

A tiny portion of the large crowd... we can no longer toss candy due to health and safety reasons, so the chldren look pretty bored with it all, LOL.

Our entry was the Rose City Red Hatters, we participate each year, so it has become old hat (no pun intended) for us. In fact, I created this hat over 5 years ago, It has been remodeled around the edges, reglittered etc, but is still used on the front of Dr Bozemans's truck as he pulls a wagon load of ladies, make that older ladies, much older (so the pull includes loading, unloading, taking care of every little problem that arises, as WELL as taking the time for hugs, kisses and smiles for each one). We dubbed him *Red Knight* several years back.

My favorite Red Hat Lady!
In this shot, we are flying down the street after the parade, Thelma is holding on to her hat with feathers flapping in the breeze. Our Red Knight is breaking all rules by driving the entire float into the residential sections to get all of us back to the home where we met, loaded, got water, used the bathroom, chatted, put on bright red lipstick and waited. The *regular* folks have to go to the farmer's market parking lot~ WE get to park our cars and walk 4 steps to all of the above, then be returned to the same spot... THEN have heavy traffic personally stopped so we can get on home before dark. You lovin it yet??
PS..Are *regular* and *younger* the same?
Here we are waiting for the parade to start. We have already been several miles, very slowly, getting to this spot....and we LOVE that trip. It is a buggy full of red and purple feathers, laughing, waving, calling out to all that pass as they clap, blow horns and seem amazed that such a crew could have so much fun!!
The Queen Mother is under the big red hat, Thelma and I are in the front two seats, left and right side (our regular places). We could only find one set of red gloves, which was perfect on a hot afternoon, the waving hand wore the red glove, a left one for me, a right one for Thelma.
The float right behind us, amazingly enough, was occupied by ALIVIA CORKER!
Alivia is the daughter of my friend and co-worker, Theresa. A few posts back was the Fashionetta Pageant, Alivia took First Place, so was on a most beautiful float looking like a little princess! Look below~~
Kappa Alpha's Precious Pearls! And they are!
This one is for Ranes. It was located inside the home we went to at the start and finish of the parade. I saw it when we arrived, obcessed over it during the parade and hurt myself getting back inside at the conclusion of the parade to get a shot. How funny!!
So now I have to tell the *New Orleans Plate* story, since there is one~
When my daughter was a teen, her grandmother brought her a souvenir from New Orleans, much like the one shown above. It was not purchased in New Orleans, but picked up at a yard sale since we had all (my parents, my children, myself) gone together in roughly, 1990.
My daughter literally danced with excitement she was SO happy to get the plate, profusely thanking her grandmother, going on and on about it to the point that we knew it would be a lifelong treasure to her!
Strangely enough, after the dance was over, the plate was placed on a table and never touched again~ forgotten forever~
Ranes and I both noticed and coined the dance *a New Orleans Plate*, and is seen often at gift giving occasions~ just took an exuberant teen to help us describe it~
So the original plate is *somewhere* and I was more than delighted to discover this one!
In fact, I came close to doing a New Orleans Plate dance~