UPGRADE #4 (Our day on TV)
As the sun peaked over the eastern California horizon this
morning, the drivers of the IOWAY team were peaking through their windshields
and heading back to Pasadena to continue to decorate floats for the Rose
Parade. We were on a mission for the
Petal Pushers are responsible for decorating nine floats this year with the
Lutheran Hour float as the primary one.
What a day it has been!
In the early morning as we eagerly anticipate what our day will be like,
there is no way to know how it will unfold.
At this late hour, near midnight, some of us have just returned to the
hotel. Some were exhausted and returned
after their shift was finished and are getting some much needed rest. Others on our team took a break, went for
food, and returned to work into the wee hours of the morning because many
floats are not progressing fast enough to be finished in time for the
parade.
The cool temperatures are keeping some flowers from opening
as they normally should and the cold is affecting the glue used to attach some
of the floral items. This has slowed the
process and is created what is known around here as “crunch time” when work
left and time to do it do not match. The
City of Los Angeles float was worked on by many of our group today and work
continues tonight. It has a long way to
go for completion and judging is tomorrow morning!
Many of us, myself included, spent the morning hours
sticking yellow and orange roses into the many ‘pods’ on the Lutheran Hour
float. That began to create the
awesomeness designed into that float and work continued all day to further
enhance it. As we left this evening,
many willing workers were applying blue Iris all along the sides and front of
the float to create the water area. White
baby breath is being added as foam on the waves. A great many red and white roses along the
sides make a stunning sight as this float nears completion. Judging of floats will be done tomorrow
morning and the directive went out that the shift ended only when the float was
totally finished. This will be in the
wee hours of the morning.
That is an overview of our day of decorating. But, there were some exciting events
happening while the decorating was progressing.
Channel 8 TV’s Eric Hansen came this afternoon to see the decorating
process and the Iowans in action. He was
given mums to glue onto the float. Once
he had tried his hand at decorating, he did an interview with Staci Hansen and
Kathryn Sprecher, both from our group, and put it on KCCI Facebook, so be sure
to check it out. We now have two
celebrities in our group!
This evening Steve Karlin, also of KCCI TV, channel 8, came
after his live broadcast from the Rose Bowl to the Rose Palace. He filmed our group of IOWAY Petal Pushers
beside the Lutheran Hour Float. Ellie
and I were interview and we gave Steve and his cameraman, Glenn, a tour of the
flower tent and watched them film the decorating process in action on many of
the floats. It was cleared by the crew
chief for both of them to put some Iris flowers onto the front of the Lutheran
Hour float so they could have a first-hand experience at decorating. Then we took them up to the catwalk so they
could see and film all ten floats in our building from above. It was an awesome experience and a real hoot
to be an integral part of it. Both of
the men were very personable and it was fun to share with them what we know and
answer questions they had.
During the middle of the afternoon, three couples from Iowa
came to the Rose Palace. Ellie had
invited them to join us when they arrived because one of the couples is friends
of ours. She wanted them to see what we
were up to as long as they were coming to enjoy the Rose Bowl Game on New
Year’s Day. We had a great time, and
hope they did as well, for we put them to work in the flower tent. They helped cut and vial yellow roses, orange
and then white Gerber Daisies. In a
couple of hours we processed at least five hundred individual flowers. Then we gave them a tour of the building and
all the floats under construction. They
were amazed at the hum of activity and the unbelievable detail that goes into
each float.
Part of our team enjoyed a special meal and party event this
evening sponsored by Lutheran Hour Ministries.
There was special food and desserts with elaborate floral arrangements
on the tables and small group tours afterwards.
This party is a fundraiser event and our team was given a special
invitation. It was wonderful to be
included and honored in this way.
There was one less than wonderful happening today and at
this time I do not know the outcome.
Sandra from Indiana, part of our group of thirty-four, slipped off the
City of Los Angeles float and fell onto the floor. In the process, she broke the fall with her
elbow and was having it X-Rayed when we left this evening. On the next update, I will share what the
doctor found. We hope there was nothing
broken but that same elbow had been broken not too long ago and supposedly was
healed.
Needless to say, the day unfolded in ways we could not have
predicted early this morning. What a day
it was! Be sure to check out the TV
interview of KCCI Facebook page and watch the whole group on Channel 8, KCCI
TV, on the Thursday evening news at 10. We
have no idea how much of our interview will be shown or how goofy we may look,
but for a laugh and a hoot, please check it out.
Enough for tonight.
Goodnight Iowa and Indiana!!
Sleep well for we certainly are planning to.
Lynn Menz, IOWAY blogger and newly interviewed TV
person. J
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