Life: Idiotropic

Not really. Yesterday was the Schutzenfest in Gillrath, so I woke up as usual, heard drums (not quite so usual), and saw a parade walking up the little street right across from ours complete with the church boys in their red and white gowns carrying icons and the priest rather plainly dressed only in white, walking behind with a group of the men. They had come from the church, did a little procession, then were on the way back. Later that day we did walk down to the king and queen's house to get this picture and to watch the feather-hatted men and prom-dressed girls with the band all line up and prepare for the king and queen to come out of their home. For a couple blocks on both sides of the street in front of the king and queen's house, little trees stood lining it covered in crepe paper streamers. In and among the little birch trees, the crowd thickly gathered. We walked up, snapped some photos, and then got half-way back to our house before the parade caught up with us. Then we watched it there before walking back home.

Today, I was in it. I knew that the Kindergarten participated in some way and I knew that there was breakfast involved. I thought I might come by and take some photos... but, I couldn't take photos from within the parade ranks.

So, I dropped Elise off at 0830. And, was told (as is becoming quite usual), that I need to return NLT 0930 because "Eltern" go with the "Klein" - meaning, for the little kids, parents must go with.

I came back, we did the traditional "hurry up and wait" syndrome while the schutzen men paraded formally up the little hill stopped in front of the kindergarten and then did all their "about-face" style maneuvers until they were done and we were finally allowed to proceed. I stood between Elise and her English speaking friend, Hattie. We walked in the parade down to the church and through the line of official looking men into the church where I understood that we'd have a small children's service. Boy was I wrong.

It was a children's service in that we did sing a couple children's songs. But, there was plenty of talkign on the part of the priest, standing and sitting and reciting by us, and communion with the bells. Senior citizens came out by the dozens to participate. It was hard enough for me to sit still during that 50 minute service, but for the kids - near impossible. All the kids were squirming and talking. One was screaming through half, so I couldn't even hear the priest to pick out the words that I might understand. My Elise sat there looking through a little leather covered Bible arguing with her friend about whether it was a brown cover or a black cover.

(My number one irritation through the entire service was that BOTH Elise and I had to use the bathroom. We got up once to go to the back and one of the mother's told me that there was NO bathroom in the church. I walked outside for just a moment to look around and think... and saw another mother leading her little girl from the bushes and pulling her pants up. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who had to "pee pee machen," but there was absolutely NO way that I was going to crouch in the church bushes. How can a church NOT have a bathroom? Doesn't make sense to me.)

So, when the service finally ended, we got back into the parade (these folks like to march and if they spend all that time getting gussied up in their felt feathered caps, than why not strut about a bit), walked down to the end of the street with the band playing, then doubled back and marched right back to where we started and then into the party building right across the street where they, THANKFULLY, had a bathroom. Phew!

It was crowded and chaotic. Not organized. Drinks and large plates of brotchen sandwiches sat on the tables waiting for us, but a large group of older gentlemen sat at one of the tables taking up almost half of it, and other non-kindergarten folks sat at others. Instead of anyone saying anything, everyone quietly grumbled, dealt with it, so that 1/3 of the mothers and all the teachers were left standing, all with children at their sides. And most of us got nothing to drink. So, Elise ate 3 1/2 brotchens with butter and schinkenwurst, then we left early - cigarette smoke and crowds make me cranky.

Ahhh... so that was my Monday morning... Elise wasn't thrilled during the event, but it was something that she could hold over her jealous sisters later - "I was in a parade today!" "That's not fair!!" If only they knew...