In November of 2008, I was facing my first winter and my first holiday season in Morris. I was asked by a friend if I would like to attend the annual Morris holiday parade with her. I was told that there would be floats be-decked in full, lighted holiday glory, so naturally, being the ostrich that I am, my letch for shiny objects won out and I agreed to attend. Having lived in the Twin Cities for several years, when I am informed of a Holiday Parade that involves lights, I immediately think of, and expect, a show worthy of calling itself the Holidazzle Parade. Huge floats bejeweled with thousands of shiny Christmas lights, Christmas music blaring from each one, and even SANTA CLAUS!! Oh be still my beating heart. With those images pulsing through my mind, I prepared for the Morris version that freezing cold November evening, thoroughly expecting a smaller scale, but not at all prepared for what I got.
As I stood there on the curb, freezing and wearing my winter coat, mittens, hat, scarf and wrapped in the comforter from my bed, I saw the first parade entrants begin their trek down Main Street. What was that coming down the street?? Wait, really? No, it can't be... IT WAS. A TRACTOR with strings of Christmas lights draped over it, powered by a portable generator. NO WAY. I was unable to process this for a good 30 seconds. All of my lofty expectations had been blown to pieces by that tractor. I truly was living in the country now. Dear lord, a tractor?! The tractor was eventually followed by a SNOW PLOW similarly decked out in strings of Christmas lights, among other various trucks with trailers decorated for the occasion. For this, I was not prepared.
I'll be honest. I remember calling a friend from back in civilization and regaling her with the story of the parade. Needless to say I have never heard her laugh harder at my misery (you know who you are, Ninnymuggins). I was truly in shock over just how different my new surroundings were from anything I had experienced in the past. How was it possible that I had warped into this alternate universe where most stores are not open on Sundays, rent was nearly half what I was used to paying, gravel roads exist, and Target is a far away oasis??? And so I wallowed in self-pity because clearly this was not civilization. A life with no Target is no life at all.
That realization of what my surroundings had become was my low point. I have since come to terms with, and accepted my fate as a current rural Minnesota resident. Although I whine, kick and scream about not living in a place with a collective population of more than 6,000, it really isn't all bad. I returned to the fateful holiday parade the following year, and again this year, just a couple of weeks ago. I realized that despite the less than splendorous displays, the floats are actually "kinda cute". You can get frozen candy and Dairy Queen coupons if you play your cards right and wave at the right parade marchers. And of course, Santa made his appearance all the way out here in Morris as well. Despite it being insanely cold...
I've still had fun each year attending the parade. So I figure, as long as I am stuck living in the sticks, I can at least make the best of it. Oooh and aaaah over the snowplow, hang out with the friends I've made, and enjoy my frozen candy. Here are a few pictures from the 2010 parade... some of them aren't very good because it was freezing, my camera hates the cold as much as I do, and shivering does not lead to clear photos. Enjoy!
The infamous snow plow with icicle lights on it... har har har...
Snow plow again.
And of course the FFA rolling up in their grain bin trailer thingy...
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