July 4th Oregon Coast Chapter 3 - A "grand" Finally

Ok!  It's The Fourth of July and we are cued up for the start of the parade....

well, not the START.  First there is judging.  About an hour before. Like waiting for the cable guy to show up, you just can not be sure when the judges will come around to your catagory.  And there are many: horses, cars vintage (carrying elected officials and those wanting to be elected), motorized floats, walking adult and children's divisions, possibly more...

The Miller/Wood Centipede is in the walking catagory - children's division.  In the last few years "we" have placed 3rd 2009 and 1st 2011 in the children's division.  Never has the centipede placed in the Adult Walking catagory and probably for two "good" reasons.  First, we sat around waiting to start rather than preforming while waiting (thus nothing to be judged) and second, the adults don't may not arrive early enough to be seen by the judges.

But the Kids now have a taste for winning and they look for those clipboard carrying judges, chatting them up with the history of our two families and the years of attendance the centipede has had in the Parade and showing their "stuff" like, S turns, ripples, and the crowd favorite Dead Centipede.

Best view of our Coach and Candy Thrower

The Winners of the Walking Catagory, Children's Division 

Yes, we had the sewing machine out to add a twin sheet to our centipede.  This family SHAVED THE DOG to look like the cowardly lion! ! ! !

The silver costume, Toto is being held by the Scarecrow, Dorothy was never out of character (even holding the blue ribbon casually in her lap, so as not to appear boastful), Glenda had the sweetest good witch smile.  It was their first ever entry in the parade...their level of commitment was more than the centipede could dance it's way around - we all agreed the judges chose wisely.

2nd Place in the Walking Catagory, Children's Division

They are Happy.  Just mesmerized by the Dog as Cowardly Lion!

Here they come!  It's time for Centipede Love!

With a little prompting we got the Grandma's out of their chairs...
Centipede circles around it's "victim" showing THE LOVE   :-)
(really funny when it is a small child who just wanted to get close for more candy)

Smile for the camera.

And their off!   

Back to the house for naps and a pork rib dinner.....

Grandkids photo-op

Grand Uncles converse

Tough to get "GeeGee" to hold still

Gotcha!

sign of a healthy garden

signs that fireworks will be starting soon

July 5th - Get away day for most....

Entry (mahogany paneling, vintage Ethan Allen trestle table)
Flowers brought by Son's Sweetie   :-)

That is such a cool sphere!

One more chance for Grandkids photo
Come On!

Who was that?

Where did she go?

It was me - here I am!

Got It

You thought that took forever? 
Now time for Good Byes!

I said, good BYE!

Hug it out

Last words o'love

Ok.  Bye.  Good Bye.  See ya later.  bye, bye.....

Ready for the GRAND Finally?

July 6th Portland International Airport

Daughter and I are cruising around shopping and she turns to me and in teenaged rapid fire speak says, "That's Lucas!  From Pretty Little Liars!  I think it's him!  You know, the one who may be "A"!"

A young man (who I now see from the back) is walking not fast, but "with intent" to a destination he has in mind.  It takes Daughter and I a bit of time with many repeats of "are you sure" and "should we follow him, just to see" before we finally set off to locate the possible.... Actor Boy.

You imagine correctly reader.  How on earth will we find Him again?  Fortunately this is Portland, OR in the Alaska terminal, on a Friday evening, during a summer holiday AND a 16 year old girl is looking through the minimal crowd for an Actor Boy.

When we see this.....

Creepy i-Phone photo on extreme zoom - mine.

Then we begin text communicay with Niece in Lake Tahoe who also is a Pretty Little Liars FAN.  At some point I am appointed the "go up and talk with him just to see if it's him" person. 

Daughter googles searches for Actor Boy's real name at my request.  Or I could say, "Lucas?  From Pretty Little Liars? ya hi.  I watch your show WITH MY DAUGHTER! hi. um. Maybe your Mom and I went to school together?"

OMG it's him!
 I "steal" another photo with my phone.

Everyone Reader, I introduce you to Brendan Robinson.

The very cool as a cucumber when stalked by a fan's Mother, 

actor and nice guy, Brendan Robinson.

(I may have gone to school with his mother.  Or she's much younger.  He was born in 1990)

So Sweet!  Daughter, check-out the grip you have on him.

Upon introduction (me saying Daughter's name) he says, "That's my Mom's name!"  Brendan carried the conversation asking questions about us, none leading us to believe he was bothered by our possible probable stammering and staring.  This was our first star stalking and we had not come up with a plan past my, "Excuse me, are you Brendan Robinson?"

He made sure to impress upon Daughter that she needed to Tweet him saying that they had met, and he would be sure to (what? Twitter?) Tweet her as a friend (or something like that).  (how does that work?)  We took the photo.  I excused us with something motherly like, "We'll let you enjoy your meal."  "Thanks!"

As we hurried away (maybe smiling at each other with our shared excitement) our phone rang, "We're boarding now!"

So, Mom's a hero!  For about a minute.  And all's well that ends well with fireworks!


Cheers!  Linda  ;-)