Monday, January 1, 2018

Monday, January 1, 2018

Tonight's picture was taken on January 1st of 2005. Mattie was two and half years old. As you can see I was trying to get Mattie to pose for a New Year's photo with me, but CLEARLY did not want to..... and didn't! I am trying to remember where I got the New Year's hat!! I suspect I kept them from a previous (pre-Mattie) cruise that I took. I thought Mattie would get a kick out of the whole notion of festive hats and noise makers. Unfortunately I was wrong! 

I would bet on this fact..... if I asked Peter how we spent New Year's Eve 2003, I have a feeling he would recount midnight in the same fashion I do. Mattie was 8 months old in 2003, and we had put him to sleep at his usual hour. However, before midnight he woke up and was hysterical. Crying, vomiting, and the list went on. He wasn't sick, this was just Mattie! HONESTLY! So at age 8 months, Mattie was awake to see the ball go down in Times Square on TV. 

Ironically Mattie did not like the New Year's hat, but as you can see Patches clearly did!!!

















Quote of the day: For last year's words belong to last year's language
And next year's words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning. ~ T.S. Eliot


How do I feel about New Year's?! Well unfortunately I am NOT wild about it! Peter and I have no interest in watching the festivities, participating in festivities, going to parties, and FORGET the ball going down in Times Square. To us it is all meaningless. Would we have felt this way if Mattie were alive? I don't know! But my guess is we would feel differently! I will NEVER EVER forget New Year's 2010. As 2010, was a brand new year! A year where we were no longer parents. Our first year without Mattie in it. Leaving behind 2009, felt as if we were losing Mattie all over again. As if moving forward would mean that Mattie would be erased from the world as we know it. I realize none of this makes sense, but then again, I have learned grief isn't always rational. Now 8 years later, and many New Year's under our belt, ironically that same feeling of loss is evoked each time we face a new year.  

Peter flipped on the Rose Parade on TV. This parade has to be my all time favorite! It isn't only stunning and creative, but patriotic. It takes place in Pasadena, California. When I was in high school and living in California, my parents, grandmother, and myself had the opportunity to view the flower floats over the course of many New Year's. This is NOT something I ever did with Mattie. It isn't tied to his childhood, but instead to mine. Which maybe why I still deem it as fanciful, light, happy, and fun. This float was entitled, Caring for our Seas and was created by China Airlines. It won the International Award this year. 

The Rose Parade, also known as the Tournament of Roses Parade, is part of "America's New Year Celebration." The parade includes flower-covered floats, marching bands, and equestrian units and is followed by the Rose Bowl college football game. 

Originally started on January 1, 1890, the Rose Parade is watched in person by hundreds of thousands of spectators on the parade route, and is broadcast on multiple television networks in the United States. It is seen by millions more on television worldwide in more than 100 international territories and countries. 

Rose Parade 2018 featured 44 floats, 20 equestrian units with approximately 400 horses, and 21 marching bands. 

This float won the Past President Award for most outstanding innovation in the use of floral and non-floral materials. This float was entitled, Dreams Take Flight.

This float won the Fantasy Award for most outstanding display of fantasy and imagination. It was entitled, Chivalry.

It was 24 degrees this afternoon! We got bundled up and took Sunny back to one of his favorite places to walk and sniff..... Roosevelt Island. The beauty of the Island in the winter is there is no traffic and congesting while trying to park. When living in the city, it is a wonderful to have an escape and space like this. 

We saw another cardinal today! Mattie LOVED cardinals. I have a feeling he loved them because of their color, as we both deemed red as our favorite color. Of course now when I see a cardinal, I take it as a Mattie sighting. 

We walk alone!