Now that it’s all over, you’re probably dying to know what it was like to be the Tri-State Band Festival Parade Marshal. First, I had so much fun that I would like to donate my recently gained expertise and volunteer to be the Parade Marshal on a permanent basis. I was a little shy at the beginning because there were a lot of strangers on the streets of Luverne. But when I saw the "best friend since 8th grade," Becky and her grandson, Tristin, I felt a little more at ease. Then I saw a lot of my library patrons, and my new boss, City Administrator LaFond. Some of the St. John’s choir proclaimed (verbally) that I was doing a good job. Pastor Klatt and Sharon waved at me. I gave the peace sign to Kelly and Dawn. Whitney and Savanna, Kathy, Charlie and Mollie were there. Some parade-goers expressed their regret that I didn’t have a red convertible. This was OK with me, because Barb and April (librarians) said a red car would clash with my burgundy jacket. And, really, isn’t black much more sophisticated and refined? I found out that parade marshalling is spiritually pleasing to God. I will explain how I know this. During the field competition at the high school, the loving husband and I had reserved seating in the bleachers on the 50-yard line. I’d never seen the field marching at such a vantage point because in previous years I was busy carrying out the various requirements of the Band Festival committee. So, I was a happy girl. We were surrounded by hundreds of spectators screaming and applauding their bands. Then, suddenly and without warning, I observed a butterfly heading toward the bleachers. It came closer and closer, targeting some unknown prize. Finally, it fluttered in and came to rest on my Parade Marshal corsage. Amidst all those people and all that commotion, it found me and my flower. I felt as if the Holy Spirit had descended upon me in the form of a butterfly. The fluttering critter poked around in the flowers doing what butterflies do. Approximately five minutes later it flitted off, probably scouting out another of the chosen elite. I was very pleased. Now that my moment in the sun has come to a regrettable conclusion, I’m back to business of books. New on the fiction shelf this week is Nora Roberts‚ "Remember When." Laine Tavish is an ordinary woman living in the small town of Angel's Gap, Md., as the proprietor of Remember When, an antique treasures and gift shop. At least, that's what everyone thinks. They have no idea that she used to be Elaine O'Hara, daughter of the notorious con man Big Jack O'Hara. Or that she grew up moving from place to place, one step ahead of the law ... Laine's past has just caught up with her. Her long-lost uncle suddenly turned up in her shop, leaving only a cryptic warning before dying in the street, run down by a car. Soon afterward, her home is ransacked. Now it's up to Laine, and a sexy stranger named Max Gannon, to find out who's chasing her, and why. The answer lies in a hidden fortune — a fortune that will change not only Laine's life but also the lives of future generations. And danger and death will surround that fortune for years to come. Until New York City detective Lieutenant Eve Dallas gets on the case. John Grisham’s new book, "Bleachers" is also available this week.
