MY PERSONAL MARATHON

Last year at the Rooster Day Parade I saw some of our competitor's walking in the parade and told my dad we should make a float. I forgot about this until my niece Mikala reminded me. She has been working with me for a few months and I must say it is nice having an assistant to the assistant!! Thanks Mikala. I told her to find out all the info and let me know. She found out it was free then I had the not so brilliant idea to see if our manufacturers would give us samples to hand out along the parade like those floats who throw candy to the kids. I thought it was a good idea and completely free advertising. We could get the entire family involved including grand-kids, friends and employees - sorry guys! Then we thought about having customers bring their dogs to walk in the parade and we would give them a costume - good idea! The samples from the manufacturers came in within two weeks and we had over 5000 items to give away. Then we would also be having a drawing for an aquarium worth $1200 and you could only get the entry forms at the parade to see how many people it actually draws into the store. My dad kept saying there is no way we will be able to hand out ALL of these samples and I said yes we will don't worry! I must say as of now the idea that Mikala worked SO hard on although it was well laid out and great ended up being a big pain in our FEET!! First of all they SAID the earlier we lined up the sooner we would be done because we were TOLD those who were in line first would be near the front of the parade. LIARS! We were at the end of the parade but one of the first ones in line!!! I really don't think that was fair but hey! We waited forever. I was positive it was going to rain on us but luckily it never rained.

Isaiah and Quinlynne ready to go! Elijah rode in the trailer with Logan and Noah.

My brother Curt preparing to listen to the Love A Pet on repeat loud enough for the spectators to hear!

When we finally got started...WAIT......in my mind as a normal spectator of the Rooster Day Parade I envision the parade is at a slow pace and stops frequently b/c of bands and other crap............I started to hand out my bag of goodies and when I looked up I was with the float of Eagles cheerleaders that were behind us. I ran to get more samples and catch up only to look up again once empty and realize I was behind again. I wasn't walking slow in fact I was rushing but the parade was too fast! Every time I would look up our van and trailer would be way way way ahead of me and no it wasn't just me it was everyone who was doing the samples. I wish we could have just thrown the samples (especially to people we don't like!lol) however the NEW rules state no throwing of any kind to the crowd not even candy! Everything must be "handed" to the crowd! And they had security posted and they were enforcing the new rule! SO we had to RUN! "I was a runnin'!" - you have to read that in a Forrest Gump voice! I ran my butt off today....wait.....you may have felt "the earth move under your feet" - you have to sing that one! Every time I would look up I'd see my friends and family who were handing out samples just running around like chickens with their heads cut off! NOT FUN! My dad mind you is riding in his scooter this whole time just bee boppin' around with no trouble saying wow I didn't realize the parade was this fast.....he says this with me shooting a dirty look as I AM RUNNING beside him to catch up to fill up my bag once more only to get left behind again. Then half way through the parade as I am trying to catch my breath, trying to say hello to people and handing out samples my dad zooms by me saying "stop giving away so much stuff we are going to run out before the end of the parade"! This from the man who argued with me that we had "way" too much stuff! To top it off, my cute, normally comfortable, outfit matching, not made for running shoes tore the skin off the back of my feet and I was in pain and bleeding. Then I realize we have already passed the normal parade stopping point. I yell to Mikala, "WEREN'T WE SUPPOSED TO STOP BACK THERE?!" She yelled back, "OH NO DIDN'T I TELL YOU THEY EXTENDED THE PARADE THIS YEAR. IT WILL BE THE LONGEST ONE YET AND STOPS AT THE STOP LIGHT UP AHEAD!" Can you feel me shaking my head right now? NO I WAS NOT INFORMED OF THIS PARADE EXTENSION OR OF THE NEW WARP PARADE SPEED. Was it just me or did the parade zoom by? What do you all know you were sitting down watching not running trying to hand out free goodies to the greedy free-goodie "I want some" parade watchers! Halfway through many of the dogs had pooped out, sat down and refused to walk any further, the younger grand-kids were all riding in the trailer, a few of the walkers were sitting on the back of the trailer and Tez who was pulling Quinlynne and Isaiah in a wagon was sitting on the back of the trailer letting the trailor pull the wagon!
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We were pooped to say the least!!! We were then going to have to walk all the way back to the beginning of the parade to get into our cars......NO WAY.......we all just climbed into the trailer and let my brother drive us there!

My dad using his belt while Martez sits on the trailer holding the belt to pull Dad and his scooter to the car!

Our new puppy Samson dressed up as a prisoner!

My brother's new puppy Nugget in her bikini!

His shirt says it all!