Jan 1st 2011

I'm reviewing my thoughts from last year at this time.  In some ways, our political situation hasn't changed but our personal responses to everyday life have. Consumer spending was curtailed, people
planted vegetable gardens, travel was reduced to shorter visits closer to home, big purchase items were put on hold, credit card spending was reduced.  These are good results.

On the other hand, Congress remained contentiously bi-partisan til just before Christmas.  The Afghan situation worsened.   The banks aren't lending so the housing market is still in the doldrums. Businesses aren't hiring and unemployment figures may increase in 2011.  The reduction of troops in the MidEast, moving out of Afghanistan, is slated for 2014, eleven years after we invaded Iraq.  Timely.

I'm watching the Rose Parade.    Why?  Because it was a long cherished tradition of my mother's.  New Year's Day meant, a lovely breakfast, lots of coffee and two uninterrupted hours in front of the tube.  We didn't have color tv for a long time.  In those days, Mother would pack us off to the home of a close friend, Gabel, where we'd have breaksfast and watch on their COLOR TV.   She must have been one hell of a good sport to invite us over every year. 

Mother didn't want to watch the parade on a B/W TV

New Year's afternoon, Mother had another friend who threw a large open house party with buffet.  It was elegant and the food was great.  My dad would beg off, preferring to watch the bowl games.  He never liked to do alot of socializing anyway.  Dad took us to the parade one year.  He had grandstand seats, good ones, right on Colorado Blvd.  We had to get up @ 4am to be in the seats by 7am for the 8am start.  It's probably an hour's drive but the crowds, traffic, and parking tripled the time.  I'm thinking the year we went, Leo Carillo was Grand Marshall.  He came from a famous legacy California family.  He was an established actor, best known as Pancho in the "Cisco Kid" series. 

Leo Carillo 1960 Rose Parade

What stands out in my mind?  Freezing my ass off in thirty degree weather which, in California, is alot colder than you might think.  When Dad finally broke down and bought a color tv, we were thrilled!  I bet we never went to Gabel's again.  I know we didn't go to the Rose Parade again.

Mother and I liked to pick our favorite float.  My favorite this year is the City of Burbank's entry because they used iconic familiar images: the Burbank Airport tower, Bob's Big Boy, Warner Bros studios, Looney Tunes.  Landmarks all. 

One thing I noticed, the floats seem very commercial.  A number of floats are about home ownership: the American dream.  One entry,  HGTV's first, is titled  "Dream Home 2011".   At least one float was sponsored by a large pharmaceutical company.  It was kinda creepy.  Paula Deen is Grand Marshall.  Paula Deen?  I remember Bob Hope as Grand Marshall one year.    They have a trophy named after him.  Will they name one after Paula Deen?  She's not a Californian.  She doesn't even live there.  It could have been worse.  They could have picked Sarah Palin. 

Ahhh, the "American dream".  It isn't dead.  It's on hold. 

  

Happy New Year from A Woman of a Certain Age



Ch Ch Cha Changes

Hosta III by Laura Trevey

As most of you know by now, my husband and I put our house on the market 10/25/09, sold it 10/26/09, closed on it 12/04/09 and were already moved in to my MIL's farm house.  After a hasty preparation for Christmas, our older son's visit home and our younger son's return from Europe, we are now preparing for the new decade with a whole lotta unknowns ahead.

If last night is any indication of what to expect, it will be a happy one.  We celebrated the coming of the new year with close friends at an elegant wine bistro, a four course meal paired with wines, a fireworks display at the park across the street and snowflakes the size of small ornaments, fluffy and falling all around us.  There was a glow in the village from the blue moon hiding behind the clouds, the lamp lights decorated with red velvet beribboned wreaths and the streets were full of happy visitors and locals wearing 2010 tiaras and hats, blowing little horns and laughing.  Everyone seemed to be in good moods.  The sense of anticipation was palpable.  Many are thrilled to see the old decade depart.

My husband and I both felt it was the best New Year's eve of our adult lives.  He described it as "magical".  We were with friends, we had wonderful food, beautiful weather, gaiety and love.  We closed the night out in our favorite bar owned by friends, drinking champagne and chatting about skiing, family and just plain stuff.

We are blessed and we know it.  So many are not.  But I choose to be selfish today and share my happiness.  Tomorrow I will think again of those less fortunate and my contributions to changing the world.

A Decade of Hopefulness

Inauguration Day 2009  from politico.com

I read today's post on The Gold Puppy and felt the need to comment in agreement on the hopefulness we have as we enter a new decade.    My comment turned into a post so here 'tis:

Really good points you make. I also believe we are seriously re-evaluating the way we live. The recession will be a learning tool if we curtail impulse spending, put the banks on notice about credit cards, i.e cut them up and close our accts if they refuse to give us reasonable APRs and reduce the insane fees they now charge. Vegetable gardens are flourishing. Our local Green Team began one last Spring and now have triple the amount of space requested for the coming Spring. We consider it a great accomplishment. The variety of hybrid cars and smart cars gives me hope. As for the O Admin, well, I, too, have been frustrated by the Afghanistan commitment and his seeming lack of standing up to the Republicans on the health care issue. But, the 12/28 issue of Newsweek is filled with interviews of his cabinet as well as past members of of the Executive branch and it puts things in a more balanced perspective than I have. His admin is young and he's accomplished alot, despite the naysayers. So, I welcome the new decade and hope it brings happiness, renewed faith, hard work and a greater sense of responsibility to all concerned...even the Right Wing.  LOL.

Beach Scene Anna Maria Island 2009

Happy New Year from Uncle Jay or Where We Were in 2008