What We Did

Yesterday was a lot of fun. I love the Kaysville City parade. One of the best parts of the parade is at the end when everybody gets wet. The fire department breaks out their hoses, Davis Hospital sends some big water truck, and parade entries come back around armed with numerous devices used for getting parade goers wet. By the time it’s all over, nearly everybody is soaked to the skin. I mentioned to Holly how cool it was the the entire city was filled with the delighted squeals of kids in the middle of a water fight.

Alex took it upon himself to squirt anybody within range with a water bottle and Emma begged for those with water to soak her. Hannah was a bit more reserved but she got wet too. A fire hose sprayed over my head and made contact with her chest, knocking her down in the process. She looked like she was in shock at what had just happened. It was very funny. Even Holly got into the action by running up to the front of the crowd when water was being sprayed. I got a bit wet but not too bad.

I have always wondered how the city water fight got started. I’m guessing that about 50 years ago, somebody watching the parade saw his friend on a float and threw a water balloon. The next year, his friend came prepared and when the water balloons started flying at the float, they started flying back at the crowd. After that, I think that people who got caught in the crossfire of these two friends brought their own water devices just in case and, like a fight in a bar, ended up attacking anybody they could once the first water balloon was tossed. It must have just escalated from there until the mayor said that it would be an officially sanctioned event.

After the parade was finished, we were all hungry. Emma suggested that we go to Olive Garden. Holly was in the mood for salad and I was in the mood for anything edible since I hadn’t eaten for 12 hours so we went and had a late lunch. I remember when we couldn’t take our kids to a sit-down restaurant like that. It’s amazing how much they’ve grown up.
Once lunch was over we went to see Ratatouille. The kids all enjoyed it and it was nice to escape the 104 degree heat.

We had originally planned on having a bar-b-que last night but were all still so full from lunch that we just went out for ice cream at Dairy Queen. (Their Kit Kat Blizzards are really good.) Again, this plan was hatched as a way to escape the blistering heat.

We finished off the night by going and watching fireworks with some friends in Layton. The last time we did this, we were sitting in the ‘ash zone’. Having embers falling on you all night long makes fireworks displays very un-enjoyable. Lucky for us, this time we sat far enough away to avoid the ash showers. The display was about 30 minutes long and was very well done. I can see why 30,000 people fill Layton Park and Layton High School’s fields every year for this.

Days like this are part of the reason that America is the greatest nation ever. I can’t wait for next year.

1 Comment

1. Chelsea — July 5, 2007 @ 10:06 pm

   Comparing a town tradition into a bar fight? A tradition I didn’t even know about since whenever I went to the parade its because I was in it, for Taco Time.I would have to rush back to the store after the parade was over to serve grumpy custumers who would steel my beaded necklace and complain about how hot it was. Fun times.
   You descriptions never cease to amuse me Jer.

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