Thursday, January 10, 2019

Photos are for remembering



We are visiting our son, daughter-in-law, and new grandson in Florida. Now that our children are having children, we are being asked about things that happened when our children were younger. First words, first steps, school work, and so on. My problem is that the older I get, the more my memory is becoming a blur. I have a few memory snapshots of my children growing up that I can still call up. But even though I lived everyday with them, there are years of living I can't remember.

But what I do have are lots of pictures of my children. Each one of those pictures brings back memories of the events that surrounded our taking the picture. I can remember Christmases, school plays, birthdays, and just being family. These days I love pulling out a pile of pictures and going through them to bring up those memories.

For nine years, Downey Daily Photos has been publishing photos and stories of our Downey community. These photos and stories are meant to bring to your attention events and people that, put together, make up a small part of the life of Downey.

But maybe these events or the people in them have become a blur in your memory. This post is to encourage you to take a look back at some of our posts to remember something that is getting a little blurry lately. (For example, do you remember when Downey was a host city for a group of foreign athletes?)

Friday, January 4, 2019

Post-holiday deflation

Christmas decorations deflated

The holidays are over, and it isn't just the holiday decorations that are feeling a little deflated. The busy-ness and excitement of the holidays are over, and most of us are back to school or work.

If you google "post-holiday blues", you'll find lots of articles explaining the causes and suggesting remedies. The two remedies I like best come from 6 Ways to Beat the Post-Holiday Blues. First, simply take the time to remember and reflect upon what you loved best about the holidays. And second, schedule in time with your friends.

And if possible, combine the two by meeting friends at Porto's for an early breakfast and lots of fun memories.

Tuesday, January 1, 2019

Finishing touches

Downey Rose Parade Float 2019

On Monday morning, I went by to see Downey's entry in the 2019 Rose Parade. The workers were putting the finishing touches on this year's float.

Downey Rose Parade Float 2019According to the Patriot, "In coordination with the 2019 parade’s theme 'Melody of Life,' Downey’s 2019 entry into the Rose parade is called 'Let’s Go to the Hop' and will take viewers on a rip-roaring, swinging and jiving nostalgic cruise back through the 1950’s...Downey’s entry remains one of only six floats that are designed, built, and decorated solely by volunteers."

Downey is one of only eight cities that enter floats in the parade. That's pretty remarkable when you consider how many cities there are in the Los Angeles area.

Downey Rose Parade Float 2019