Copyright (c) 2005
Winters Express
312 Railroad Avenue, Winters, CA 95694
(530) 795-4551
news@wintersexpress.com
Web site by
shawnpatrickcollins
@yahoo.com

THE BEST YOUTH DAY EVER? It’s getting to be a cliché, but didn’t this year rate right up there with the best Youth Days ever? When was the last time you saw a prince charming step out of a castle and propose to a princess? And yes, she did say yes.

There were 813 paid breakfasts served at the Community Center which is the most I’ve seen in my short stint as a Rotarian. The sausage was the best ever, and the eggs, pancakes, potatoes, fruit and drinks weren’t bad either. Rotary does a great job if I do say so myself. If you think barbecuing 170 pounds of link sausage is a piece of cake, think again. Sarah Kimes stepped in for her father and grandfather to help out. She was a fast study and by the second 10 pound batch she was an expert.
Matt Kimes had the best line about a club made up of business owners trying to become workers. “You have to get your children to do the work or nothing would get done.” Not exactly true, but it’s close. Just getting to the Community Center by 5 a.m. was tricky. I’m not used to getting up at 4 a.m., and as I was heading for the Community Center, out of habit, I almost turned toward the golf course. Where else would you be going on a weekend in the dark.

Getting back to Prince Charming. Most of the town knew what was going to happen, maybe not all of the details, but we were waiting for the big event. Afterwards I told Emarie that a yes gets her into the Winters Express, a no would have made the Associated Press wire service worldwide. She didn’t think that was funny, nor did her mother.

There have been better years getting the kids involved, but I’m not sure there is a solution to fixing the busy schedules of high school students. The school floats looked like someone put some effort into them with the sophomore class float looking great and taking the grand prize. When a float goes by and makes you smile, that is a successful parade.

My granddaughter, Jenna, witnessed her first Youth Day, as did my grandson, Brett, although Brett slept through all of the parade and most of the afternoon. He was saving up his energy to stay awake into the night. Jenna was impressed with the horses and Shriners’ go-carts. I was impressed with all of the bands, especially with the size of the Winters contingents.

After helping to take down the beer booth at the park, I made it home by 5:30 p.m. As I was sitting in my easy chair, Sherri asked if I was going out again. I usually head back to the downtown and drift around to see if there are people I’d like to see, but over the past couple of years the only people out are younger than my children. I was asleep by 9, awake at 10, asleep at midnight and awake at 5 a.m.

Laura and our grandchildren left on Sunday and it was amazing how quiet our home became. For a moment I almost missed the noise, but I realized it was the clutter and activity I missed, not the sound of a two month and a two year old. They are cute by the way.

Have a good week.