We have lived here for 16 years and have never attended this parade.   It took having an exchange student to get us to the parade. This was a classic parade: bands, firetrucks, police, dance groups, vintage cars and horses. The Clydesdale horses came plodding by and Robin asked if they were real. Yes, Clydesdale horses are real. I wonder what we would be surprised about.  Every high school in the county had a marching band, and there were schools I hadn't heard of here as well.  Some floats were better than others, such as the pirate ship. The surprise was the mermaids at the back. Of course we saw friends like Sara from dance, Linda from the radio and Jay, Robin's friend from school.  When Jay saw us, his eyes widened in surprise but it almost looked like fear. We laughed. And then it was over.