Saturday, July 30, 2011

Maybe it's the heat...



It could be that these thoughts are springing from a run of over 100 degrees for the last 30 days, and no end in sight...

or it could be that I've seen so many blogs this summer that are reminiscing about days gone by...

whatever, it has triggered some in me as well...

This post is Janette's fault! She did a recent post on old movies and music, and got me going... I commented that we had heard a small group one night when we were high school kids, and we ventured over to 'cruise' on Hollywood Blvd. The group was singing in a tiny little pub or burger club and they were called The Beach Boys... we loved them, and the rest is history...

I was thinking about those years...

Growing up in southern California was wonderful! We lived in Pasadena, so every year we had the Rose Parade which went straight down the main street, still does... Colorado Blvd. In the younger years, we lived 3 blocks from the parade route. When I was in high school, we moved up close to the foothills, about 3 blocks from where the parade ended.

It was the thing to do for a Pasadena high school student ... 'working the floats'... from after Christmas until New Years Day. There were huge warehouses where the basic floats from all the entries were driven or constructed. We signed up through our schools to work during that intense week before the parade. It was our job to glue every single flower, stalk and leaf into the perfect place and make it a showpiece. You can't imagine the HUGE amounts of flowers that were shipped in from all over the world, orchids from Hawaii almost looked common, there were so many. Seeds, grass, florals of every description, they were all there for us to create from. The warehouses were refrigerated, so it was COLD as we worked. We worked around the clock during that week before the big day, and it was so much fun.

Our church youth group would go to Colorado Blvd. the night before the parade and the street was lined with groups of people, sleeping bags, ladders, food, etc. We claimed our space, and then walked the whole street, for miles, meeting and greeting the thousands who had invaded our city. All the restaurants were open, and they were filled all through the night.

Finally the next morning, the whole crowd began to buzz as the sound of the parade could be heard back at the starting point.

I went to Pasadena High School, and the Tournament of Roses queen and her court were chosen from our high school back in those days. Yes, I did try out, and no, I was not in the court. I did manage to get through some of the eliminations, but the process was scary to me. You had to walk the length of the pool at the Huntington Hotel, while a huge group of judges silently watched every move! I had never done anything like that, and I was NOT a natural... but my friend Margarethe Bertelson was, and she was chosen as Rose Queen that year. I recently saw a program on ebay from that year with her picture on the cover. I've often wondered what happened to her...





Times sure seemed so much more simple in those days, and somehow not as fast paced and 'out there' as it is today.





...or maybe summer is just a good time to reminisce...






16 comments:

Patrinas Pencil said...

those were the days....our 'social connections' these days are 'wired' in more ways then one. Life scarcely affords 'realtime' relationships - like the days gone by. It continues season after season and expands our knowledge. But our yesterdays remain the foundation of our small beginnigs. They are woven into the fabric of our beings. It is good to remember :)

blessings, dear Sonja
Patrina <")>><

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

Well I am trying again...it ate my comment.

I LOVE THIS!! AND SO GLAD IT WAS MY FAULT!

I will have to share with hubby...he still talks about when he marched with the Longhorn Band in the Rose Parade...one of his top memories. Then when the oldest were little he got to go to the Super Bowl...Dallas Cowboys playing at the Rose Bowl, and he saw Michael Jackson in the half time show.

Yes, this is great for this heat wave week. Going back lifts our loads...now I should go put on my Beach Boys CD

Were times simpler or were we just too young to worry about things? I think we allow ourselves to be robbed sometimes, so going back allows us to remember the innocents of life.

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

SONJA!!!!

First of all, I have you on my favorites list, but this new post did not show up at all! THANK YOU FOR COMING BY!!!! Oh dear, you are talking my talk here. I grew up in S.W. Los Angeles, but lived in Pico Rivera and then in Whittier. Well, the Beach Boys shaped my high school years and going to Huntington Beach on the bus with my gal pals down Lakewood Blvd was part of our summer fun...and this summer..here in Minnesota and at this actual moment we are getting a DELUGE....one of MANY this summer! When it rains, IT POURS!

Dearest, thank you for your encouraging words on my writing. I am feeling a bit UNABLE and it is probably because I am trying to swim in deep waters. But I just need to trust my abilities and keep doing what I love and also improve my efforts. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Have a wonderful day, Anita

TRUTH SHARER said...

Just stopped to say 'hello'!

[[HUGS]] Stephanie

Sandy said...

Oh, yes, I used to think there was nothing
quite like the Beach Boys--and The Beatles.
Thanks for the memories.

Sharon said...

You're talking my neighborhood again, Sonja!! Oh, the memories I have growing up in Arcadia - right next door to you in Pasadena! Yes, the Tournament of Roses was a favorite event! My grandparents used to live on Orange Grove Blvd. I can vividly remember getting up at 5 AM to go over to their house and look at all the floats in the *staging* area before the start of the parade. I loved the sights and sound of the bands warming up, the horses and their riders, and the smell of those fresh, gorgeous flowers.

Stayed out on the route a few times, too. Do you remember how very TIRED we were by the time the parade arrived??

Trust me, this post gave me some "Good Vibrations" -

GOD BLESS!

Farm Girl said...

You had the coolest life. I just love reading about all of the neat things you did when you were growing up.
Yeah, I think the heat is making you long for nice cool Pasadena. Where the trees are so huge and it is one of the most beautiful cities I think.

Anonymous said...

For sure we have been posting on the same wave length! LOL! I loved reading about this. I've always enjoyed watching the Rose Parade, how neat to have a peak of behind the scene of the parade. Reminiscing is fun! Don't care even if that makes me old!! LOL!

Debra @ It came to Pass
(blogger being stubborn tonight)

Debbie said...

Laughing that you blamed it on Janette. She had me pondering and remembering after that post too. I love it that you saw the BB before they were even famous. I can't make a claim like that about anyone that I can think of.

I love the Tournament of Roses parade. When I was little, I loved to sit and look at all the beautiful floats all made of flowers. It's so neat that you were one who helped make those floats.

Kathleen said...

How well I remember! I still love the Beach Boys, and many a day can find my satellite radio tuned to the 60s. What an era!

In 2003 Terry took a job offer that required we move from AZ to Alta Loma. We were then just up the road from your Pasadena; and often I travelled through that area. We loved our 15 months beneath Mt. Baldy!

Your youth has a ring of familiarity - from "crusin'" to escapades to music. What good days they were; and what fabulous memories they leave us.

Blessings,
Kathleen

P.S. OK, so now I have to confess that I was totally in love with Troy Donohue and Steve McQueen - - neither of which were suitable husband material. Lucky Terry :)

Marsha Young said...

Sonja,
I loved this post. I have driven down Colorado Blvd. when my daughter lived in Arcardia, and often wanted to see the Rose Parade live. Maybe next year....Lord willing.

So sorry about those awful 30 plus days of horrid heat. Lots of iced tea is about the only remedy that I can think of - oh, and A/C on full blast all day and all night. Utility bill be dratted. :)

Blessings to you - Marsha

Diana Ferguson said...

Love this post, Sonja!!!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the trip down memory lane, Sonja! Being a girl from the Northeast, I often wondered how those beautiful floats came to be!
Andie

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

I don't know about Pasedena, but where I live, I'd be scared to sleep out on the streets at night. Yes, times have changed!

I loved remembering with you tonight. You should have been the queen!!!!!!!!

peace~elaine

Saleslady371 said...

What a fun kid you were. Wish I could have known you then, but at least I know you now. What a blessing you are.

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Hello there dearest,

Is the heat still on for you all out there? We are having milder heat, now in the high 80s..much more bearable!

Dearest, thank you for your visit; you are so kind and I am grateful to God for the gift of communication and art so we can link hearts.

ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND! Anita