Macy's Parade Rant

OK. What is up with the ‘parade’? You used to be able to see the hundreds of members who were specially chosen for this nationally televised program, the hundreds that practiced and worked so hard, hoping to be on TV and show off their skills. But what do we see? Broadway show clips, lots of commercials, and the same ABC, NBC darlings announcing singing people on floats that half the nation doesn’t even know. I don’t want to see singing and dancing shows in front of Macy’s doors, interviews with more darlings in the bleachers in front of the doors, or more commercials. What I want to see are the nattily dressed bands, the incredible floats with (just) waving children and the balloons with all the amazing statistics relayed to us. Not another ‘SHOW’ that some producer thinks will make the numbers. sheesh.

Thanksgiving Eve

This morning I woke up excited. Not only was there a great thunderstorm, but after looking for hours at the Sea Eagle site, and checking all over the net and all over town, I decided that Boats 4 Less was going to get a call and an order. I had decided that the 340x deluxe was a good all around for our needs, and since we are not tall people (I’m 5’4” and Gary is 5’8”) we should be able to fit in that. But Crystal talked with me for 30 minutes and in the end the 380x sounded even better (for only $50 more). It will have the deluxe inflatable seats, a free stabilizer, two AB30 paddles that come apart in 4 pieces. When I mentioned that we have grandchildren, she said the paddles could be made shorter for them! And it is 12’ 6” long, a much more comfortable longer ride. At 42 pounds, it isn’t much heavier than the 340 and we’ll be able to fit more gear in it, too. Thanks, Tim and Crystal. She even put a rush (free) delivery on it so that it might just arrive in time for Gary’s birthday next Tuesday! Thanks, Crystal and thanks to Howard (we mentioned that “Harold sent me”). Then we decided to do a little Christmas shopping before Black Friday and headed on to Einstein’s for a lunch bagel. Gary had his favorite: an everything with smoked salmon cream cheese and I had mine: a pumpernickel bagel with plain cream cheese and cucumber slices. The vanilla hazlenut coffee was not decaf, but what the heck, it was only 2 pm. Off to Borders next door, and we found a book for our oldest GC, Lance, all about answers to questions that Lance asks like why is the sky blue, and why do chickens lay eggs? Then Gary dropped me off at Big Lots while he went to have his radiation. I got a couple of stocking stuffers for him. I love our stockings. It’s such a challenge to find neat little things that will fit all the way down to the toe. My mom made my stocking and Gary’s from a 1954 pattern using felt and beads. Everyone in our family has one and as our family grew by marriage and births, I carried on the tradition after she passed. Our daughters will someday receive the pattern from me, and hopefully they will make them for their grandchildren and sons and daughters-in-law too.
Christmas music is filling the air and tomorrow we will get our Christmas decorations down from the attic for the last time. We will be spending Christmas day with Michelle and our family, then driving to Raleigh after the new year, so I will have some time to enjoy our 9’ tree and my dear collection of ornaments one last time before we pack it all away for who knows how many years. But tomorrow is one of my favorite holidays, too! We wake up, have coffee in bed, and watch the Macy’s parade. Then the big dinner preparations begin and delicious smells swirl around the house until the feast is ready. It always amazes me how a meal can take all day to prepare and 10 minutes to eat. Well, until tomorrow… Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Gary and the Doctor

Dr. Silverman called to tell Gary that the Venice office has not been able to find the equipment in storage to begin whole body radiation. Since I answered the phone, I mentioned that his eye was very bad and that he was having trouble with his vision. Dr. S said come on in today. When he saw it, he immediately wanted to treat it, but it was so late, they didn’t want to do it in haste, so they took measurements, made the mask, cut out the areas to be zapped, and made an appointment for tomorrow. I must say Gary is being very brave through all this. But surprisingly I am not worried at all. Somehow I trust that this will be controlled and he will live a very long life. My hope is that it can be vanquished into outer space to a galaxy far, far away.
Today was also my mom's birthday. Miss you, Mom. Wish you and Dad knew what we were planning. You'd be proud.