The "parade"

Do you ever find yourself wondering just HOW you always seem to get involved into the strangest things, or how "it" (whatever it may be) always happens to you (or it feels that way)? I do, for sure. Some of the times, it's things that just come in streaks, making me feel like I constantly have bad luck. That was how it felt when we moved to FL, one bad thing happening after another. It was getting to the point that I couldn't even clean the shower in the bathroom in the guest bedroom without the curtain rod falling on my head- seriously!
I'll spare you all of the long and drawn out stories about how we endured about 2 months of constant bad luck- nothing was ever major and the most important thing was that we were all still safe and healthy, but it does wear on a mind. So rather than go into all of the sad stuff, we'll take a different turn.
At some point, FL decided to let up on us, and now and then there are things that turn comical. Take today for instance. Daughter is supposed to participate in a parade for her dance school. It was completely optional, but I thought it would be fun and help us to get into the holiday spirit. I'll admit I was a bit nervous because I am not one to trod down the street waving at thousands of people and hurling candy at them - at least not on a normal basis. But hey, I'm doing it for the kid, as if she doesn't have enough to do already, and as if I don't have two finals to take at the school today (in about an hour-YIKES).
Of course the parade is optional as I said, but if you participate you do have to buy the hoodie and pink santa hat- which after all was said and done for 2 hats and 1 hoodie cost us about $40. As the date nears for the parade, I am contemplating backing out because we have SO much to do this weekend, and I am disgusted that I don't have my Chritsmas tree even up yet!
So the day-today-comes, and we are supposed to meet at 9:30. It's roughly a 25min drive there, and I wake up at 8:45. CRAP. I imagine 9:30 rolling around and they say "Oh, they aren't here but they will be, they are ALWAYS late", cause well, we are. I hate it, but I cannot be on time for dance or anything dance related it seems! I take a quick shower and get her ready, and off we go.
So we pull out of the house for our 25 min drive, at 9:25. Yeah, we are LATE. Not to mention that I have lost my directions, and have barely a general idea of where I should be going. I put what I think is right in my GPS and haul arse up the road.
We arrive at the road to turn off, and it's where I thought it was- in a really busy part of town. Yet I see no one lining the streets for said parade. Then I see signs (thank goodness), and continue to follow them for at least 2 miles. I wonder if we're going to be walking that whole route, as I can imagine daughter will be tired, cold, cranky, and ineveitably she will have to pee at the worst time where there is no place, and leave us running alone at the end of the parade to catch up and nearing heart attack status.
I cut into the road where the signs lead and all of the sudden it is strictly residential, and sparsely populated at that. We go another 1/2 mile and there is the "festival".
I won't go into all of the details, but when it's time to line up, only the dance school is standing there, and it quickly becomes apparent that what I assumed was a huge Christmas parade, is in fact me, daughter, and about 15 other people walking down the sidewalk, singing Christmas carols to the vendors at the festival, following a hugely jacked up go cart painted in FL Gator colors, and being fumigated from the gas smell from it. We are tossing candy canes in the grass to no one in particular, and I am beyond embarrassed. Yeah, it was like that. The entire "parade" lasted about 10 minutes, cost us $40, but definitely game me something to laugh about for the rest of the day if not longer. Maybe it's one of those things where you had to be there, but I surely will be laughing about that one for a long time to come!!
Moral of the story for me is, I apparently have a very different idea of a parade than some people, so next time I need to be sure to check that out before I am all gung ho in participating LOL
I at least thank FL for giving me something to laugh about instead of cry,I only hope I don't burst out laughing during my tests.