Promised Pictures and a Few More

When I got up this morning the thermometer said it was 28 degrees BELOW zero. The radio said the windchill temperature was 46 BELOW zero. I have to go to town today, but I've been waiting for it to warm up a bit. It's risen all the way to 18 below now, so maybe I'll take off when I finish this entry. Lovely Daughter's car wouldn't start this morning, and she even had it plugged in!

I've been promising you Folks some pictures over the last week or so - so today is the day. First up is a copy of the "family" picture that Lovely Daughter had taken. The intense one on the left is Daisy, and the one with the goofy expression is Beau. Doesn't he look like an impish little troublemaker? Ole opened this picture on Christmas Eve and said, "Okay, I don't need anymore presents now - this one is IT!"


And here's the granddoggers without their Mom and Dad. Again, Daisy looks like she has to have things all neat and orderly and be in control. Beau looks like he rolls with the punches and takes thing as they come.

Here's the Queen of the House, at least in her mind. Lucy is a year old as of December. She's a little porkchop - a far cry from the skinny little kitty that came wandering up from the river last summer, so thin that you could see her backbone and every rib. She was only about six months old, terribly hungry and didn't have a clue how to play. Boy, has that changed.

Here's a shot of Beau - he's teasing Daisy by taking her "babies." She's very selfish and possessive when it comes to her toys and definitely doesn't want to share. She snatches them from Beau and then makes them squeak. We often say that if she had had a litter of puppies, would she have squeezed them too, to make them squeak?

Daisy guarding her "babies." I think there's three in her mouth in this picture, but she did manage to have four in her mouth all at one time the other day.

Some time ago I promised a picture of my grandmother's Christmas cactus when it was in bloom. This plant is approximately a hundred years old!! Somewhere I have a picture of it in her living room, in an old coffee can covered with tinfoil. I'll have to see if I can find that picture. It's so big now that I have to have Ole transfer it from one location to another.

Here's another cactus that I have - it's called an orchid cactus and has blossoms that are as big as the palm of my hand. It's not going to do much blossoming this year because it was so big I had to give it a good trim in order to move it this fall. The blossoms drip honeydew when they're open, so it's kind of messy. But the hummingbirds are all over it in the summer when I have it outside.

So that's the end of the photo gallery for today. Now I want you all to be careful when you're out there tonight. Celebrate, but within reason. My philosophy is why would you want to start the New Year with a big headache and a sick stomach? Not my idea of starting the New Year right.

So, in English, have a Happy New Year ~ ~

Onnellista Uutta Vuotta (that's Finnish - Ole's a Finlander, you know)

Gott nytt år! (that's Swedish)

Godt Nyttår (that's Norwegian)

I guess that about covers all the bases - see ya next year!!

Love Lena

The Crystal Ballroom

When Ole and I were young, (back in the Dark Ages), New Year's Eve used to be an elegant celebration, at least in the area where we live. Ladies got dressed up in elegant, sparkly dresses and guys wore suits and ties. There was always a nice dinner and dance to follow at the Eagles or the Elks, both of which had large wooden dance floors and brought in live "Big Bands." The Ball would drop at midnight, followed by a champagne toast and then a midnight supper served again before everyone went home.

Things have sure changed from back then. The Eagles and the Elks have both downsized. They combined and have moved their headquarters into a small building - no more dance floor, no more elegant dinners - just a bar where you can go sit and socialized a bit. And now, dressed up means having a crease in your blue jeans.

Gone are the days of the big ballrooms with the huge wooden dance floors and that beautiful Big Band sound that was so fun. I'm not QUITE old enough to have lived through that era, but I do love the Big Band music. I often say I was born in the wrong generation.

We had a big ballroom still functioning in our area when Ole and I were in our teens. It was called the Crystal Ballroom and was a regular hangout for teens every Friday night. Mostly records were played by a DJ, but occasionally there would be a live band from the 60s that would come in and then the place was packed. Here's a picture of the building that the Crystal Ballroom was in. It was built in 1926 and the Crystal Ballroom was on the main floor. There's a white walkway on the lower right-hand side that goes from the street level to the entrance to the ballroom. This building was actually built into the side of a hill. The lower floor housed the armory and at times was used for a roller skating rink.



My Big Sister was a teenager during the Big Band era and partied at the Crystal Ballroom back in the DARK Dark Ages. Here's a shot of a dance she went to back in the early 50s. Note all the gals are actually wearing dresses - not blue jeans with a crease.

I found this picture on the web site about the Crystal Ballroom. This is what it looked like when it was first opened back in 1926. Can't you just imagine all the couples twirling around in circles on this huge wooden floor?

Then along came 1962, and it was time for the poor old building to go by the wayside. It was demolished and senior citizens condos replaced it. Funny thing - the senior citizens that are living in the condos probably attended many dances in that old ballroom. I was there the day they knocked it down. How sad - it was so beautiful - so fun - and held so many memories.

Plans for this New Year's Eve? Very low key - IF we can even get out of our yard with all the snow that's been falling over the last 24 hours and with what's predicted in the next 24 hours. Dinner out at a little hole in the wall restaurant that we love in a little town not far from here - no, it's not The Watering Hole. And it's Bob's birthday (of Bob and Carol) on New Year's Eve. His family is taking him and Carol out for dinner and then we'll meet them later at the Watering Hole for karaoke. Bob never stays for karaoke even though he used to sing in a band. But he's promised that this year he'll stay for an hour or so and will grace us with his voice. I've heard him sing bits and pieces of some Beach Boys songs and he's terrific so I can't wait to hear in do an entire song. He's got a brother who sings in a local band called Billy Dee and the Crystals. Billy Dee is a BIG guy and bounces around on the stage like you can't believe. Bob is built like him, and I think probably will clone his little brother on stage. Hearing Bob will make my night.

My most memorable New Year's Eve? Well, I wasn't 21 yet at the time - and there's a reason that I no longer drink champagne under any circumstances. And that's all I have to say about that.

What's your most memorable New Year's Eve? I'd love to hear about it.

Love Lena

PS: I'll probably be wearing Levis with a crease in them!!