HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
Welcome to 2016 and what it will bring into your life! For me, it started much too early! Ellie
set the alarm for 3:30 a.m. and that just doesn’t seem to be the right way to
begin a new year. But, what do I
know? We needed to be ready to meet our
group in the lobby of our hotel to start the day’s adventure at 5:00 a.m. Did
you know it’s still really dark at that hour of the morning? As my two year old grandson would say, “I no
yikes it!”
Obviously, there is a reason for such an early start. We needed to be on California’s numbered
cement ribbons, also known as interstates, so we could arrive in Pasadena by
6:00 to claim our seats for the famous Rose Parade. People had been up all night saving them for
us right along Colorado Boulevard.
Today we had to match
up cars and drivers and riders. After
the parade, some were going from there to shuttles that took them to the
football game. Vivian was already on the
parade route because she will be riding on the float. Those who are not attending the game need to
have enough cars and the right drivers to get back to our hotel to watch the
game on TV. We finally had it all worked
out so everyone was able to get where they needed to be.
The parade was awesome, as it always is, viewed from our
spot along Colorado Boulevard, right in the middle of the route. It began with a fly over of the Stealth
Bomber down Colorado Boulevard, truly a sight to behold! As that plane comes low towards our position
nearly everyone gasps and all eyes are looking up, following it as it roars
past. When there is a conflict, I am certainly glad
I am on the same side as that bomber!
I believe there were
forty-four floats in the parade this year in addition to all of the marching
bands and equestrian units. I won’t even
attempt to explain any details of all the magnificent floats in the
parade. If I use one word to sum it up,
it would simply be fantastic! After
decorating so many floats and understanding the work and skill that went into
each one, there is an appreciation level greater than what the average person
sees. If I had to pick out one float
that topped them all, it would be the Disney entry! Find it online and see for yourself. As one person expressed, it almost made me
cry when I saw it because it was that beautifully done!
The Lutheran Hour float was near the end of the parade this
year and all of the Petal Pushers stood and cheered as it went past. Vivian, a member of our group, was riding on
the float and waving to us and we cheered her on. To be honored in that way no
doubt made it a day she will never forget. Of course we have great pride in our beautiful
float, the only Christian float in the parade.
Many in our group worked very hard to decorate it. We now have those memories and photos of it
moving down Colorado Boulevard so we can relive this experience for a lifetime.
As we arrived at our viewing location early this morning in
the dark and cold, Eric Hansen from Channel 8 TV, and Glenn his photographer,
came to enjoy the parade with us and to do additional interviews. He generated additional reports and they have
already been aired back home in Iowa. We
cannot wait to see what he put together.
We have had quite the coverage from that station. It would be great if many of you could write
and thank them for covering our efforts in Pasadena.
After the parade, we went back to our cars and had a ‘trunk
lunch’ of sandwiches, chips, etc. We do this to allow time for many of the
million people in Pasadena to leave before we head to the game and back to the
hotel.
Then there is the big game.
I hope those who went enjoyed the adventure if not the score! Memories
were made even if the ending left so much to be desired.
Our evening ended with devotions at 7:30, sharing pows and
wows from the day, and sharing of prayer needs so we can each pray for others
in our group over the coming weeks.
Tomorrow is our free day so we discussed tomorrow’s events. Groups will go to visit the USS Iowa Battleship,
the Reagan Museum or go to the beach.
Afterwards we plan to go to the 99¢ store to purchase items to complete
our service project items for Skid Row the following day.
Lynn Menz – Exhausted Petal Pusher and Rose Parade watcher
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