My Trip to GA - 4th of July (Wednesday)

Wednesday morning I had to get up kind of early. We have had a family tradition on the 4th of July, since before I was born. Every year we meet up at my grandma's house, park our cars and walk down 1 block to sit in our spot to watch the parade. The parade begins at 10am and once it is over, we would walk across the railroad tracks to the old fire department and get us some plates of BBQ and hash.

Let me start with a little history...

This was the 38th annual Colbert parade. Every year since I was a kid, we would sit in the same yard and watch the parade come by us! We would have our bags to collect all the candy that was thrown at us...and we would come away like a champ with our bags slap full! There were always fun floats and fun things going on afterwards. There are arts and crafts, booths selling stuff, games and animals to pet!

My uncle Tony was working with the fire department and they would prepare the BBQ and hash for the people, which would begin the night before. They would start burning pallets to get coals to start roasting pigs, they would prepare the meats to get it ground up for the hash, and they would begin chopping up the stuff for the cole slaw. I can remember being a kid running around, with my brother and cousins, out there while the men all cooked. Then as I got older I would actually help...putting slaw together, serving plates the next day, serving the tea or water. I'm not sure what year my uncle started doing this, it could have been from day 1, but he has perfected it over the years! So now we have a family recipe for hash that will go on for years and years to come! On the 4th, we would usually (most of the family) end up serving the food because there just wasn't anyone else volunteering! We would end up exhausted and I know Tony always was!

So, about 5 years ago Tony decided to call it quits and not do the BBQ and hash anymore. We would watch the parade, go stand in line and get our plates, take it back to grandma's and eat it. But it just wasn't the same. It didn't taste as good and we all knew it! This year we decided to start a new tradition! Tony was going to make the BBQ and hash for us! We decided to rope off grandma's yard so we could all park there, go watch the parade and then all we had to do was walk the 1 block back to my grandma's yard and we had BBQ and hash!!! HELLO...why didn't we think of this sooner! No more slaving away for thousands of people to eat...just did a little prep the night before and then only having to cook for the family...which is now close to 25-30 people...but still better and easier! Now we can enjoy the 4th and still have are hash and eat it too!!! :)

Ok...on to the pictures! You know I was in full swing and got about 160 pictures in just 3 hours!

Here is Miss Haleigh on Durward's shoulders watching the parade!

Ty looking under his hat holding a bag, that was as big as him, to collect his candy!

Sam enjoying a sucker in between collecting candy!

Sam and Gregory

Miss Lydia enjoying herself on Mama D's lap!

Gregory got tired so he went to sit by Uncle Eric for a little bit!

Here comes the Riverside Baptist float - they pass out water to everyone! That's Chris coming towards me!

This is the thing we look forward to the most...seeing what in the world Harold Allen has done this year! He has septic trucks he puts in the parade and pulls a trailer behind it...it has a toilet on the back and he dunks his head in it! (1 year he was sitting on a toilet (yes clothed) and it was overflowing on him!)

Here are the horses...you always know you are at the end when the horses come...they are always at the end for 1 reason - POOP!!! (my aunt Susan used to tell us if we stepped in it it would help us grow!!! Though I never fell for it!!!)

Sam

Gregory

Durward and Susan putting Miss Haleigh in her wagon!

Miss Haleigh

Tony and Rodney standing over the grill!

I talked my cousin Ryan into walking with me across the tracks so I could see if there was anyone I could run in to...and I did!

Me and Andrea

I ran into Jamie (Costello) and Lee Hinsley!!! Here is Jamie and their son Mattox!!

Me and Lee

That is Isabella - their beautiful daughter that looks just like Jamie!

Lee and Sam walking towards the train

The Colbert water tank - we used to try and climb it when we were kids!

Miss Lydia napping in the wagon!

The chef - Tony!!! Kudos!!!

Everyone enjoying our lunch under the tents!

My uncle Richard - I didn't realize he was making a face until I uploaded these on my computer!

Ryan

Richard put his Tennessee hat on Sam - BOO - but I got a picture of Sam wearing it and if you look closely Sam's lips are saying Boo Tennessee! He said it twice!!! Then he said go DAWGS and barked!!!!

Chris and Melissa

Miss Lydia

Lee

Then all the kids got in the pool!

Sam was dunking his head, getting a mouth full of water, leaning over the side and spitting it out like a fountain!

All the kids were having a blast!

I found Chris sleeping and had to capture that image!

Me and my grandma

Me and my dad

Then I had to get on the road! I left about 1pm and got to Dustin's to load up my stuff and pick up a little before I left. I got on the road at 3pm and got home at 12:15am!! It usually takes me about 8-9 hours depending where I am when I start, but I hit a nasty storm around 11pm about 30 miles into Indiana and I had to pull over because the rain was so heavy I couldn't see! It was so bad that I couldn't keep myself calm and not from breaking down. I stayed on the phone with my dad and each time a bolt of lightning would strike just yards from me I would scream! The lightning was close that it would blind me for a few seconds. So I just put my head down and waited for it to pass. It only took about 10 minutes for the rain to be over, the lightning was still kind of bad, but I decided to get to driving again! About another 10 minutes or so the lightning was at least behind me and it was just a light rain, good enough for me to pick my speed back up and get home!