Signs of the times

These signs tell me that flu season is approaching. Like the first day of school, it means that summer is over and fall is nearly here.

They also made me stop and think. When I was young, you got your shots at the doctor's office. And you deposited your paycheck at the bank. Now, you can do all that, and more, at your local grocery store. (I know this has been around for a few years—but then, it's been a few years since I was young...)

For my international readers, do your grocery stores provide more than groceries? Or is this just an American custom?

Maybe someday

It seems weird to be taking pictures of other cities but when I went to Glendale this last week, I couldn't help but wish we had somewhere like this to hang out in our own town. Shops surround the park with gorgeous apartments on top of them. The lights and water and jazz music was incredibly peaceful and beautiful. An ice cream shop on the corner provided the perfect ending to the night. The whole place looked thought out and well developed. Well done Glendale.

What do you think?

It's a funny feeling, being asked your opinion from a total stranger. But it happens a lot in this town. Usually it's just a glance looking up from the shoe mirror under the bench with a question of, "Do you think these looks good?" Today however, we were asked our opinion about some shoes, and another pair, and another color, and another size... We were this woman's personal shoppers in that aisle. It was fun for a while but I definitely decided I never want to do that for a living.

Autumn colors

Walking along the riverbed I noticed what an interesting color the water was. It looked like autumn. And, there were some fun striped birds who were not put off by the color and were having a quick drink. If you zoom in, you can see one of the birds posing for me.

Red white and blue

More from yesterday's 9/11 program and concert at Furman Park.

The Downey Police and Fire
Honor Guard posted the flags.

Hospital Corpsman Third Class Eric Rogers, home temporarily while recovering from injuries sustained while on duty in Iraq, led the flag salute.

Sheila Jacobs sang our National Anthem, joined by many in the crowd.

The concert featured the band "Yard Sale."

The music was enjoyed by young and old.

First responders

Today is 9/11/11. Ten years after the terrorist attack of 9/11/01. Today at Furman Park, Downey celebrated the first responders.

Firefighter Wai Lee in front of
his fire truck displaying the motto
"We will not forget you."

We honor the first responders to the World Trade Center, many of whom lost their lives when the towers collapsed. The Flag of Heroes lists all of the first responders who lost their lives. Lonnie Croom, Downey's Fire Chief, said that since 9/11, fire stations have adopted the motto "We will not forget you."

But we don't just look back. Looking forward, we honor today's first responders—the firefighters, police, and emergency technicians who daily risk their own lives to help keep us safe.

Thank you!

Downey firefighters

Downey police

Art on the Vine

We had a great turnout for the second "Art on the Vine" which featured two local artistis, Rocio Alejandra Garcia and Carlos Durazo.



For the musical component, we enjoyed Sax Serg Music. It was another great night to appreciate some amazing talent, chat with locals, all while enjoying a good glass of Cabernet.

Think before you drink

A beautiful summer evening, dinner out with friends, a glass of wine...sounds great, doesn't it? But not if you're pregnant, or thinking of becoming pregnant.

When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, so does her unborn baby. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and a range of lifelong disorders, known as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). FAS is the leading cause of mental retardation in the United States, yet it is 100% preventable.

Today is FAS Awareness Day. The first FAS Day was celebrated on 9/9/99.  This day was chosen so that on the ninth day of the ninth month of the year, the world will remember that during the nine months of pregnancy a woman should abstain from alcohol.

To read about how FAS has affected my daughter's and my lives, read Downey mother and daughter reflect on FAS Awareness Day from today's Downey Patriot. To learn more about FAS, see the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's web page on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs).

And remember to protect that baby!