Our New Year's 2000 Parade Journal: My times may be off a little, I had an hours sleep on New Year's.

4:00 a.m. - Up and getting showered to wake myself up for the pre-parade with Mayor Ed Rendell at 6 a.m.
4:30 a.m. - dressed awoken 3 year old Helen, who promised me she wouldn't cry from being tired, she held thru on her promise.

5:00 a.m. - ran with Helen in the umbrella stroller for 6 blocks to the hall that Bryson's Brigade meets at, we had a 5:15 a.m. bus departure.
5:15 a.m. - been at hall for a few, other members are there and so are the buses.
5:30 a.m. - on the way to 17th and Market Sts. in the bus, I apply white and gold makeup to Helen and Michael, our sponsor who so kindly helped us join the Bryson's.
6:00 a.m. - await the City to begin our mini-parade with the Mayor, who is wearing a gold and white Wench Suit himself.

6:20 a.m. - We are strutting eastboand on Market Streets to "Golden Slippers". Many news media cameras are around. I'm snapping digitals of Helen and her Dad behind the Mayor.
7:00 a.m. - On the bus heading back to South Philly, Front and Moore Sts. All the members are awake now and pyched for the REAL PARADE! Fresh warm pretzels from Federal Bakery await us at the hall, Helen gobbles one down.
7:25 a.m. - After our break, we all gather and begin the walk to Market Sts. It is a 20 something walk block, Helen falls asleep after 8 blocks of sitting in the stroller!
8:?? a.m. - We are on Market St., I radio Kevin to tell him we are there and he walks down to greet us. He worked third shift New Years. We are ushered up to 8th and Market where we wait in line with 6 other brigades that joined for the theme of "1000 Wenches/2000 Golden Slippers

9:?? a.m. - The 8th brigade shows up. We were out of line/late but the brigades all knew that prizes for this would not happen, we were out for FUN. We begin to head up Market St. westbound, although it is very foggy today - City Hall is clear and getting closer! All the fans seemed to love our groups. Many of the members strutted for the audiences, especially the children.
10:?? a.m. - We are at the HALL, the Millenium clock is all zeroed out. All the brigades have begun to stand closer, with hardly any lag spaces between them. All the decades of the 20th Century are out and members hold up the 1910's thru the 1990's. Helen awakes now and transfers from the stroller to Daddy's shoulders

Just a few of the 1000+

We are next in line for the presentation on the West side of City Hall. It is difficult to keep back, the crowd of over 1100 is pushing closer and closer. I never hear the announcement, but the bands all begin to play and the crowd rushes in, strutting. I stay towards the middle of the pack since I'm a Marshall. I watch all around me, I cannot see Kevin or Helen anymore. The members are all strutting, some into the stands, all the way to the top of the bleachers to kiss and strut with the fans that have been waiting. I was told we stayed on for four minutes, which is rather short, this time seemed like an eternity to me and will always. 11:?? - head home to get some rest before the 4:00 meet time on 2nd and Washington for the Two Street parade.