Aaaaaargh … check out my booty

Not that booty … this pirate booty …

Aaaargh, mateys …

Last weekend, the boys and I headed to Tampa with the fam for the annual Gasparilla children’s parade to flash beg for beads and trinkets from the passing floats.

I joke.

Maybe.

This was actually the family friendly version of the wilder and crazier adults only parade that’s happening this weekend. It’s all part of a Pirate Festival that celebrates a fictitious pirate known as Jose Gaspar and took place in one of my favourites parts of town — along Bayshore Boulevard, a gorgeous waterfront road in Tampa that is one of the world’s longest pavements.

Tampa is also home to the world’s largest bowling pin, but I digress.

We arrived a little later than we expected so missed out on front row seats, however, it didn’t matter where you were as all the kids … as well as some grown-ups not paying attention … were sure to catch or get smacked in the head by the flying beads and treats. No matter where the feck you stood.

Some of the floats’ designs were amazing.

Some of the little shits precious children onboard throwing the beads … not so much.

My middle son admitted to me that if he were onboard, he’d have been picking out folk in the crowd as target practice too. Hmmmmmm, good to know.

So, yes, there were a few casualties amongst us …

And, my little man got smacked in the head with a heavy green necklace and would have had it worse had my brother-in-law not grabbed half of it.

When all else failed, I managed to dry his tears by purchasing him a bubble gun.

My middle son scored a gift card necklace from Ikea so he wore that with pride for the rest of the day. Kudos to Ikea for throwing those about.

There was a fireworks display that we were all too hungry and tired to stick around for, so we ended up finishing the day at a very nice gourmet burger joint in town. And, if we crooned our necks out of the window, we could just about see some of the said fireworks lighting the sky.

It was the best kind of day for me and one that I really needed.

Spent with family.

Near the water.

Letting loose and having fun.

With work and everything else going on in my life right now, I need to take the time to enjoy more like it because life’s too fecking short not to. Yanno?

Aaaaaargh.

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FYI — the photo of myself and my youngest son waving was taken by my sister and her new kick ass camera. The rest were taken by my iPhone.

Tags: 2012, children, Day out, Family, gasparilla, kids, parade, pirate, tampa