Springfield First Night/Cruising the Square

Last year, on New Year's Eve, we took a bus load of people downtown to watch the fireworks. We parked in a lot below the baseball stadium, I think it was Harry Cooper's parking lot.

Afterwards, cruising the square, One particularily inebriated woman got on the bus and requested a ride home. We took her home.

By doing so, we broke rule #1: Never open the door of the bus.

Halloween night we took a bus load downtown and I openned the door of the bus on South Street because a uniformed police woman was knocking on the door wanting to check id's for alcohol possession. My view of her was blocked by the door, but I did see the Sam Brown belt and attachments.

I openned the door, she entered the bus. As soon as I saw the cleavage, I knew she costumed as a cop, and a very good costume too. It took forever to get her off the bus.

Remembering rule #1, a bunch of us went downtown Sunday night to view the fireworks. The parking lot we parked in last years was blockaded by security car. We ended up parking on Trafficway by the ice rink.

This was the first time I had been to Jordan Valley Park. It's ok, grass and concrete and some big blocks of stone we stood on to watch the fireworks.

I left the bus running to keep the heaters going to keep the bus warm.

It was nice to quickly get into a warm space when the fireworks ended.

People like the bus, lot's of cell phone camera pictures of it and horn honking.
Maybe the horn honking was because I was half a lane of traffic?

Our daughter had this theory that if people didn't respond to her happy new year's greetings to those outside the bus, they would have a horrible hangover in the morning.

Cruising the square, South Street was blocked from Walnut to McDaniel. Also, in front of the old bicycle shop was a big fire truck and several ambulances and police cars with lights flashing.

At Walnut and South, one reveller in a party hat came up to the bus and wanted to know if we could take him to Battlefield, he needed to get there in a hurry. Private Coach was our reply.

Lots of girls in miniskirts walking around downtown. One forloan looking young lady was walking down McDaniel, almost to Jefferson (by the Bell building) holding her shoes in her hand. She raised her hand halfheartedly to hail us, sorry not this year.

Rainbow sherbert, pink and blush champagne make a tasting punch.

There didn't appear to be as many people downtown this year as last year, but the weather was a lot colder.

A couple of highlights of the Xmas season, taking a high school friend and his Cobra Chorus carolling. We themed the bus out as "Special Bus for Special Singers" and cruised the neighborhood.

Xmas eve, after dinner, all the grandkids, nieces and nephews get in the bus and ride through the Elfindale light show, singing Christmas carols. My 78 year old mother rode with us this year.

Next planned outing for the bus, other than picking the grandsons up from school on Thursdays and Fridays....if the district won't provide bus transportation, I will....is St. Patrick's Day parade!