St. Patrick must have been a cool guy. He gets two parades in Connecticut and his birthday is still a week away! Why do Hartford and New Haven hold their St. Patrick’s Day parades this weekend even though the actual St. Patrick’s Day is next Saturday? I have no clue!
The Hartford parade was this morning. FoxCT had a float (aka-flatbed truck with our air staff) going which meant a quick turnaround from last night’s 11:00 PM news.
I was home at 12:20 AM, in bed by 3:30 AM, awake at 7:45 AM and back at the station by 9:15 AM. That’s when hurry up and wait began.
Let’s face it, there is no monumental undertaking like a parade without some hurry up and wait. Because we were at the back of the line-of-march our wait was the longest. We watched other units return to their vehicles and drive home before we left the staging area.
As predicted it was cold! I arrived in Hartford with the temperature in the mid-30s and a chilling breeze.
Helaine found my “union suit,” red thermal underwear that covers shoulders to calves. Bless you Helaine.
Our float didn’t leave the Capitol until about 12:20. The streets were packed. I snapped photos while my colleagues threw plastic bead necklaces to the crowd.
We do it again Sunday in front of a larger crowd in New Haven. I’m ready.