I Love a Parade!

 

Best way to begin the the new year--a parade!  Strolled half a block to Colorado Boulevard this morning and joined the throngs of people lined up to watch the Rose Bowl parade.  We didn't have front row viewing but we also didn't have to sit in the street all night waiting for the parade to begin.  Another perk of our move to Pasadena.

 

 Lots of bands filled with shining tubas.

On Friday the ladies on the left were standing on very high scaffolding gluing petals on the elephant's (above) head.  Fun to see the before and after.

I still haven't figured out how to make it on to the Rose Queen's Royal float.  I've wanted to be a Rose Princess since I first saw the parade as a little girl.  Apparently there is some sort of an age limit!

New Year, New Adventures!

2011 was a year of adventures, but not, alas, a year of blogging.  Hope to change that in 2012.   In  April P and I took a wild leap, resigned from our jobs and moved to Pasadena.  The drive from Goleta south to Pasadena is only about two hours down Highway 101, but for us, life here is a world apart.

We sold a 4 bedroom home with a garage, and downsized to a 2 bedroom condominium with a small storage unit.  Life in an urban area has been an adventure, complete with its own soundtrack of car alarms, late night delivery trucks and early morning street sweepers. We were ill-prepared for some aspects of the move, but eagerly embraced the positives--we walk everywhere (many days we never drive a car), have access to a beautiful public library, great restaurants, new friends, and all the excitement  that Los Angeles has to offer. 

New Year's resolutions aren't usually my thing, but this year I plan to focus on writing, health, and possibly, employment.  Regardless of how my resolutions pan out,  2012 is guaranteed to be another year of adventure.