What the cat sees

I don't have a Downey picture today. Not a single one. Maybe it's the rain, the cold, or my sniffles. But one way or the other, I didn't make it out this week with my camera.

So instead, I am pondering my cat. She is staring at the wall. She's been staring for several minutes now, and she hasn't moved. If she's just pouting, that's OK. I can handle that. But—if she's watching a spider, I want to know about it—and leave her to get rid of it while I wait in the other room!

"Strange rules of cat behavior #1: Stare at something that isn't there until your owner actually starts freaking out."

Humans of Downey - Veronica

"One of the times I like to think back on with smiles is my days in high school. I miss those days now. Everything is different now. Back in high school, I just wanted to graduate, work, make money, and have a car. I never thought about those days as I was going through them and now I kind of regret it. I mean, now I'm married, I have a son, there's just too many things I have to take care of. I just feel sometimes like I have too many responsibilities and I want to go back to those other days when the burdens were lighter. I miss those days. But then...

"The first time I saw my son (he'll be two next week) I was so grateful, so happy. I never thought I was going to love a person like I love my son. It's hard to explain what happened. When I held my son in my arms in the hospital, everything changed. I didn't want to go back to the old days anymore. He just changed my life completely. I love being with him, spending time with him, seeing him grow. I can still remember the day he was born like it was yesterday. His first word was mom."
~ Veronica

Humans of Downey - Stephanie

"When I was a little kid, I would always cut Barbie's hair. I don't know why, but I didn't like her long hair. I always wanted her to have a bob. They never sold her with a bob, so I gave her one. Also, I would cut my friend's hair. They were trusting friends plus, they couldn't see the back of their heads. Then one day I decided, I should go to school and become a hair stylist for real and get paid for it.

"I had my first child when I was 19 and he was born with a congenital heart defect. That stopped everything in my life. He had a hole in the wall that divides the two halves of the heart. The two major arteries were switched so that the only place where the blood was getting oxygen was at the hole. He has had multiple open heart surgeries and now he is an active 9 year old with a pacemaker. Going through that time has helped me to be thankful for the little things in life. For being alive, being able to live each day."
~ Stephanie

Sunset and rainy nights

Driving down Firestone Blvd. at sunset. It was a beautiful night and the downtown area felt somehow ready for the end of the day. Just one day later and the rain adds a mystical, peaceful feel. I love the rain. Pluviophile, a lover of rain, someone who finds joy and peace of mind during rainy days.

"Rainy days,
Rainy nights,
Wash the world, 
Set to right.
Cleansing streets,
Set apart,
Rainy days,
Cleanse the heart."

Now showing

The Avenue Theater in downtown Downey is only a facade. The original facade showed the opening of West Side Story (see The Avenue Theater - now and then). But after some vandalism destroyed some of the facade, it was repaired, and when it "reopened," Casablanca is now on the marquee.

"Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine…"
~ Rick Blaine, Casablanca

What's your season?

What season is your coloring? If you're a "winter," your coloring is overall very vivid, so you shine in black and other colors that have a strong jewel quality to them.

So it's only fitting, in this winter season, that the Second Tyme Around Shoppe has outfitted its window displays with black, white, and red clothes and angry birds.

The tide rolls in

It is early January, and the ocean is cold and turbulent at the Seal Beach pier, a short 30-minute drive from Downey. We spent a morning enjoying the warm sun and the dramatic seas as we welcome in the new year.

“My soul is full of longing
for the secret of the sea,
and the heart of the great ocean
sends a thrilling pulse through me.”
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 

Exploring the Everglades

Once again, Downey won the Founder's Award for this float, "Exploring the Everglades." I went to see the float up close yesterday afternoon, before it started its slow trip from Downey to Pasadena for the parade this morning.

The float is built entirely by volunteer labor. (See Humans of Downey - Alexis and Kelley.) The core team from the Downey Rose Float Association works on the float all year long, but the most frenzied activity takes place during the week between Christmas and New Year's Eve, when any and all are welcome to come help.

I arrived too early yesterday to see the full Downey court seeing the float off. But there were still plenty of volunteers there, proudly getting their pictures taken in front of their work.

Maybe it's just because I love animals, but I think this is my favorite float yet. There are three panthers and five blue herons.

The float will be parked at the Embassy Suites Hotel starting Monday. You can see the float up close and purchase flowers.