Dress Rehearsal

Our float made its debut today in the West Bountiful parade. It isn't quite finished yet, but being in our communities parade was a goal of mine since the beginning of the project.

We had just inches to spare as the float was driven from the shop where we have been building it. The first attempt caused some paint to be scraped from a wing tip, but... that is one reason why we have a dress rehearsal.

Once the float was safely out of the shop, we had to re-attach the handcart wings and re-attach the wording on the sides of the float. Those items had to be removed in order to get the float through the doors.

None of the children or the creatures had been permanently attached yet, due to the fact that we still have to get back up onto the float and do some work, so, once we arrived at the line-up we had to do a little repair work. One of our boys broke his arm en route and the other children fell. We did a little taping and re-arranging and they survived the parade route.

As we turned this corner we took our place in the parade, and the minute we did the car stopped... we ran out of gas. There are no gas gages on these float bases, but... Mike had a gas can in the car, as soon as the engine started the crowd cheered and in just minutes we were "floating" down 800 West.

We have a little "tweeking" to do which includes, getting our seagulls in the air and our fringe around the bottom, as well as our handcart wheels turning and wings flapping. We will also have some sound effects. But tonight I am a happy, satisifed, and tired camper. I am going to rest from my labors for the remainder of the holiday weekend.