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Nose for News by Sarah Stultz

I’ll be the first to tell you I don’t like the heat.

So when it gets sweltering outside in the summer, you’ll probably find me inside in the comfort of my air conditioner.

After attending a baby shower Saturday morning, I was ready to put my feet up and avoid the excessive heat outdoors. Then I remembered that it was Morin Lake Days, and I let out a sigh.

Alden’s parade is one of my favorites all summer, and I knew my son would enjoy it. He must have taken after me and my love of parades.

I cannot overstate how much he loves hearing the marching bands, and as one passes you can usually see him dancing to the beat.

It’s also fun to see how excited he gets as he waves to each and every entry in the parade, oftentimes shouting out hello and asking people how they are doing.

He can be pretty social as it is, but in the case of a parade, he loves the interaction, and the subsequent toss of candy from those he connects with.

Funny enough, though, once we get back home after parades with his new stash, he typically doesn’t even care about the candy, and instead my husband and I are tempted by the huge bowl we now have thanks to Landon’s efforts.

On Saturday, the heat didn’t slow him down, and he wouldn’t have stopped for breaks at all if I hadn’t called his name multiple times and redirected him to take a few sips of cold water occasionally and sit down for a break when there were pauses in the action.

The little guy was so dedicated, though, and by the end, his face was beet red and he was dripping in sweat.

We have to be careful with Landon because he gets overheated — and being overheated can lead to his seizures — but thankfully, we didn’t have any problems.

As the parade concluded, we packed up in the car and drove back to Albert Lea, eager to get back in the house. Sadly, it was the first time in several years that we haven’t driven back or stayed for the fireworks at dusk.

I’m glad that we ventured out in the heat, even though it was tempting to stay at home and watch a movie while we enjoyed a favorite cold snack.

The situation reminded me to get out and enjoy the moments while you can, even if they may not always be perfect.

The area has lots of opportunities to make memories during the summer, and we hope to get out and enjoy many more.

Sarah Stultz is the managing editor of the Tribune. Her column appears every Wednesday.