Blustery weather doesn’t blow out Marysville’s spirit
By Jennifer Langston
Herald Writer
MARYSVILLE — Blustery weather that downed scattered trees and power lines Saturday night weren’t enough to keep people like 9-year-old Russell Peterson from Santa.
He was wrapped in a metallic emergency space blanket and a warm red hat, watching floats parade by in downtown Marysville during its Christmas celebration.
Peterson was still thinking about what presents he’d ask Santa to bring as he bobbed up and down to stay warm like hundreds of others lining the streets.
"I’m doing fine," he said. "But my ears are cold."
Wind gusts of up to 46 mph from a coastal storm did wreak minor havoc on parts of Snohomish County, downing trees that briefly blocked roads and knocking out stoplights.
There were blown transformers and power lines that landed in driveways. Late Saturday night, about 1,500 homes were still without power, according to the Snohomish County PUD.
Road crews in Marysville were trying to keep a creek near the 7000 block of 58th Drive NE from overflowing onto the road. The source of the flooding may be a culvert plugged with debris.
An inflatable green Grinch tied to the back of a pickup truck in the Marysville parade was buffeted around and contorted into backbreaking positions by the wind.
People on floats still threw candy to eager kids on the sidewalks, watched the lighting of the Marysville water tower and flocked to trailers dispensing hot chocolate.
Rob Lane often drums up business for his parents’ U-cut Christmas tree farm in Arlington by handing out cards to parade-watchers. He said the inhospitable weather was par for the course, he said.
"This just seems to be the norm for this time of year," he said.
Magnolia Morasse, a member of the Gunslingers drill team that marched in the parade, hid thermal underwear underneath her red-and-black Western costume. But her legs underneath her miniskirt were covered with nothing but sheer nylon.
She said you don’t think about the cold when you’re marching, but she was shivering on the way back to the car.
"You just tough it out," she said.
Some people actually took advantage of the foul weather Saturday. Fifteen-year-old Keegan Hollister and four friends dragged out their skin boards and went to a flooded football field at Snohomish High School.
Normally a beach sport, skin boarding involves riding a special board as it skims across the shallow water where the waves break. The flooded field offered just the right puddle depth to give it a try.
Hollister, who bought his board in California, said they kept at it for about 20 minutes, until he was soaked.
"They don’t really sell the boards here, because nobody really does it," he said. "I just wore my regular clothes. It was cold."
You can call Herald Writer Jennifer Langston at 425-339-3452 or send e-mail to langston@heraldnet.com.
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