The moment I walked outside this morning, I could tell this was no normal day. For one, it’s a weekday morning, but the school across the street was quiet. There was zero traffic on our street, and almost none on the surrounding, usually busier roads.
As I took my usual commute to work, there were other subtle signs. At the bus stop, a man waited for his ride wearing a green t-shirt and about a dozen green and purple beads. At another intersection, an older car creeped up to the red light beside me, with four elderly people inside. They seemed quiet and stony-faced, yet they sported bright, plastic green hats on their heads.
Savannah was waking up and get ready for the big day. Last year, Mother Nature cursed the parade with freezing, gray, dismal weather. I remember working the parade route in my heaviest jacket, a scarf, gloves and a hat, and still being chilled to the bone. But today the temperature is hovering in the upper 70s and there isn’t a cloud to be seen.
At the office, I met up with coworkers to grab a shuttle to Riverstreet. The reason there were no people on the roads on the way to work is because they were already downtown, staking out a good spot for the parade.
I spent most of the day on Riverstreet and didn’t see a whole lot of the parade, but there was still good people-watching to do. I just love Savannah around St. Patrick’s Day. There is a general electricity in the air, and it makes everyone friendlier and more cheerful. I had a meeting yesterday, and St. Patrick’s Day pins and hats were up for grabs. I got a pin for myself, one for Lee, and one for the baby.

The poor child isn’t even born yet, and I’m already dressing him/her up for the festivities.

Last night, I washed my only green maternity shirt so I’d be ready for today, and of course baby wore his/her pin again. I didn’t plan to stay downtown after the parade though, because I don’t want to be “that lady” on Riverstreet, all pregnant and dodging the spilled beer and stumbling girls. Like the one I saw this morning – obviously pregnant, but sporting her beads with plastic marijuana leaves. Classy.
About the time I was ready to leave downtown after my work was done, I also really had to pee. I wanted to find a bathroom before I took the shuttle back across town to my car, but the lines for the porta-potties were so long, I seriously could have cried. In a panic, I called Lee who was working at home and he came and rescued me. God bless him.
So far, it has been a good St. Patrick’s Day (except for the part where I almost broke the public urination laws), and now it’s time for me, my husband, and my leprechaun to go see a movie and spend some quality time together.