Roses Galore!

Ever since working one year at the Rose Parade float barns, I've been even more adamant about watching the parade on New Years Day.  Naturally the year I was there was eventful.   I stayed at an Elks Lodge that didn't really take reservations, even though I was told they did.

Turned out there was no room at the inn.  After moving a couple rigs around, I finally got a 110 plug for the puppies and I.  It was 34 degrees at night, getting all the way up to 50 something during the day.  In order words, we were freezing, but at least we were inside when working on the floats.  Not that it mattered, since flowers need cold to stay nice so there was no heat.  It was like working in a freezer.

As you can imagine, I now appreciate the work that goes into these beauties as the puppies and I watched from our comfortable, semi-warm couch.

Seems the Weather Gods shined down on Pasadena with lots of sun and kept it much warmer this year.  The flowers on these floats are either placed in glass vials full of water, or in buckets with foam soaked in water.  Imagine someone cutting the stems off 20,000 roses to exact measurements and placing them in rubber capped vials.  Oh the fun!!  

On the other side, the REALLY fun part was getting a huge cupful of glue and a paint brush.  Hanging from scaffolding, we painted the glue on to the float pieces, then smushed, threw or delicately dropped things like coffee grounds, flower petals and brussels sprouts on to the paint-by-numbers dragon, car, globe or whatever we were assigned to cover.

Deja vu ... I'm pretty sure I saw this guy in the parade last year, doing the same hat trick.  It's okay though, because the float is a stunner!!

By the way, if you watch the Rose Parade on the Hallmark channel (312 if you have Direct TV) you will see the entire thing with NO commercials.  

In no time, Cooper was dreaming of flying along with the red car headed for camping, his ears blowing in the breeze with his legs trying to keep up.  Wake up Cooper ... the parade is over.

Last night was the beginning of the Magic Kingdom of Bingo's New Year.  I played hooky.  Although as a gesture of my appreciation for them taking over for me while I'm gone, I went to the upstairs lounge and bought everyone a New Years drink.  

We got so carried away, we completely forgot about Bingo!!  We should be set up with the doors open at 4:30.  I think they got downstairs at 4:25 as I snuck out the back door.  Reason being, I'm hitting the road this morning.  Time is just flying by!!