Sidney Parade of Lights and Santa Claus

Friday morning I was on the Big Sky Airlines flight to Sidney where I took part in many of their holiday festivities. I sang at two of the retirement communities, The Lodge and the Crestwood, where I was met with grateful residents who willingly joined in with a few Christmas carols.
I met with Bill at the Sidney Herald for a quick interview in the afternoon and then checked into the Lone Tree Motor Inn which graciously sponsored my lodging for the night.
A little later I was at the Bridal Palace signing autographs and watching the sidewalks fill with people as businesses set up their tables with hot cocoa and other goodies. The sun and the temperature were down when I sang on their outdoor stage. They assured me that more people were listening even though the hay bales in front of the stage were half full; everyone was huddled indoors were it was warm! I enjoyed singing for the event but my hands and toes were quite numb by the time I was done.
After warming up in the car and waiting for everyone to get organized, I rode in an open air convertible for the Parade of Lights. I teased the driver that my smile was literally frozen on.
At the end of the route, we waited for Santa – the last entry of the parade – and met him at the Valley View IGA. He passed out bags of candy to the children and for the first time, I got to be Santa’s Helper!
What an eventful day.