And it was brilliant!!!
I had to work, but managed to start a finish a bit early so I was back in Coleraine for the parade at 7pm. Mim was on the Kinder float. She was dressed up as an angel (well, sort of). We'd thought about glueing a Xmas tree to her backside and saying she was the top of the tree angel, but never got around to it.
The Street Parade was better than I'd expected, with pipers, antique cars, rock and rollers, golf carts, pony club, Kindergarten, horse and carriages, ambulance and fire trucks and Santa pulled by a steam engine. The firies and ambos were throwing lollies out of the windows for the kids.
After the parade was over (up and down the main street); Margaret, Caitlin and Mim went for a horse and carriage ride (these were free). The driver made a laughing comment to the kids about this was how grandma would have gone to school - Margaret just laughed and said he was right (he seemed a bit surprised).
After the carriage ride, we went across to the Lions van and had a sausage and onion in bread and the girls sat on Santa's lap and got given an AusPost showbag (some lollies, chips, Xmas cards, pens and a water friendly hose attachment from Wannon water). The girls had been on the paying rides before I'd gotten there. Mim was just tall enough to go on the ride with the horses - like the swinging chair ride but with horses instead of chairs. They also went on the jumping castle. Michael took photos, which he'll have to download off his phone.
Then we went and watched the QuickShear Competition happening on the back of a truck outside the pub. It was amazing to watch the blokes (and one woman) shear a sheep in under a minute. The fastest was 33 seconds.
Whilst the girls went to get their faces painted, I took Margaret down to the coffee shop (at about 8.30pm) for a quiet sit and coffee/hot chocolate. It was nice to get out of the breeze, I'd left my jacket in the car and it was rather chilly, probably about 11 degrees.
Then back to the QuickShear where Jemima found Morgandy, the daughter of a fellow bellydancer and they shared the lollies from Mim's showbag. Caitlin dragged Margaret off to look at more things, so Mim and I went and lined up for another carriage ride. It was late and dark by this stage, getting on to 10pm. After Furlow (part draught, part Percheron) had carried us two laps of the main street, we decided to call it quits. Margaret had run out of puff and was waiting in Michael's car. Mim started sobbing, she wanted to go on the fast rides again - she did not want to leave at all.
Michael said to her "Mim, you've been on the fast rides, had two carriage rides, been on the float in the parade, had your face painted, played with your friend... I think you've had a fair go, don't you?" "No, I haven't!!" was the sobbed response, "I want more of the horsey rides!!"
Still, we got her home and put her straight to bed, didn't even bother washing the rainbow off her face (sheets need a bit of a wash now, and she wouldn't even wash the rainbow off til this afternoon).
I'm looking forward to next year's parade, it's such a family friendly, fun affair. Something you just couldn't replicate in a big city.
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