Why the rush?

Okay, so go back into California history, say, 1840s and beyond. Women wore shifts UNDER their outer clothing. In our community's July 4th parade, Sonoma is actually remembering 1860, when the town was first planned. We've lasted 150 years, although I can only say I contributed my citizenship locally for the past 15 years, a mere 10% of the time. There are relatives of General Mariano Vallejo living here, back when Sonoma was under the flag of Mexico.

California Parks will have a small contingent in the parade and there I will be, marching around the Plaza in my underwear! For a while I wasn't sure I'd meet the deadline, procrastinator that I am, but I'm completely finished with almost 17 hours to spare. Weather will be hot, 90's. The parade is always two hours long -- amazing for a town of less than 10,000 -- but it's our best event and attended by tourists from all over. The Plaza will be full of people and food concessions - fundraisers for local nonprofits.

If you have no other plans, consider yourself invited. Parade time: 10:00, Sonoma, California, on the Plaza. (In the 1830s the Plaza was the training ground for General Vallejo's troops... in case you were wondering.)