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A Buttercupland First: Inflation Celebration

 
 
Before Thanksgiving totally retreats into memory, I'm happy to share photographs and impressions of  the Inflation Celebration, aka Balloon Preview for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Despite hoping to get to the Thanksgiving Eve preview for many years this was the first year that I made it. It wasn't the bright and sunny day that I'd dreamed about. It was overcast and windy. I was tempted to leave several times during the walk down Central Park West and around the American Museum of Natural History. But short of telling one of the many police officers along the route that I was physically unable to finish the viewing, I needed to walk the entire route, and so I did.

 I think I look reasonably chipper in my selfie with Paw Patrol...
 
...but I felt more like Doughboy when I was finally home that evening.
 
Baby Dino
 
Two of my favorite characters weren't balloons, but rather balloonicles. I was unfamiliar with the term "balloonicle," but it's a Macy's term for a balloon based vehicle. The Pillsbury Doughboy is a helium-filled balloon, but Baby Dino is filled with cold air and is powered by a driver driving a buggy. Whether a balloon or a balloonicle, Baby Dino is very cute.
 
Another cutie, and a balloonicle, is the Aflac Duck. I loved his bright  glowing heart and cozy scarf.
 
 
I'm glad I was there, but it may be both a first and a last for me. Of course if it's a sunny Thanksgiving Eve, 2019, I may just reconsider.
 
Though we may get a few warm days and it's not officially winter, it's still winter coat weather in New York. I keep thinking that it's still fall and I don't need a coat, gloves and scarf. But the minute I walk outside and the wind whips up from the Hudson River a block away, I remember why I wear a scarf. I did very mundane errands today and I was grateful for my layers as I waited for the bus. 
 
As ever, thanks for visiting and have a cozy evening.   
 

8 comments

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said...

You are a brave lady for taking that walk in that cold. You did get to see those wonderful balloons up close and personal though, and they are quite a sight. Thanks for sharing the pictures with us.

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

I watched the parade on TV Thanksgiving Day from the comfort and warmth in side . It's the official start to the holidays and I wouldn't miss it. You are much more daring than I'd be. The cold and me just don't get along these days and I stay in when I can. Bundling up is a necessity here too. Coats hots and gloves are now a part of my wardrobe. Hope you can keep warm on your ventures out and don't catch a chill!

Mevely317 said...

I'd never heard of the Inflation Celebration - nor a balloonicle - but I loved these glimpses … especially your selfie. Wait a minute, maybe the AFLAC duck? Or the Doughboy?

Thank you for sharing this part of your life with us so far away!

Little Wandering Wren said...

Hope you are warm and cosy now, it does look well worth the walk! Winter is here in force in the UK and I'm loving it wearing jumpers and wrapping up warm - of course, that's totally unfair to say as I will be heading off for an Aussie Christmas soon, think of you everytime I'm at the Chicken & the Egg!!
Take Care
Wren x

Terra said...

Thanks for braving the cold and the long walk to visit the balloons and ballonicles (a new word for me too) and for sharing the photos here.

Theresa said...

Lucky you getting to enjoy the Parade. I watched on TV but would LOVE to go someday. It looked like the wind might keep the balloons from flying but thankful that they were up. I liked the AFLAC duck:) Have a blessed day dear friend, HUGS!

Lynda said...

I loved seeing your pics from ground level rather than just on TV! I guess I could Google it - - but how old is the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade?
Regarding AFLAC - - - I worked there from 1976 - 1980. That was before they had the duck! I really enjoyed it and my co-workers. I worked in "Payroll Deposits". Basically we were sent the corrected invoices that companies returned with their checks for their employees. There would either be additions or deletions on the pages. We had to reconcile that by calculator to make sure they had figured it out correctly. Then the invoices were sent up to KEYPUNCH where each policy holder's payment information was updated onto cards that would be fed into the GIANT computer in its own self-contained room.

My husband and I moved from Columbus, GA or else I would have probably worked there until retirement. When I left, there was just the beginning of talk of the payroll clerks getting some kind of monitor and keyboard on their desk to update those policies themselves. No one quite knew what was ahead but that changes were coming. We did not even know about PCs.

Which takes me down memory lane - - - remember the 5.25" floppy disks? And the computer screens with just a black background and orange writing ? I don't think the younger generation fully comprehends what a miracle of technology a computer and/or cell phone is. Also, they learned to type on keyboards and not manual typewriters - - - or the exciting new electric ones. We had to learn to use a "light" touch on those. I thought the Selectric typewriters were amazing because you could easily change the font! Oh well - - - technology - - another thing to be thankful for!

Kerin said...

Loved seeing your smiling face, and the balloons.... amazing to see a different perspective of the parade, so thank you!
We missed seeing the parade on t.v. this year, though it has long been a family tradition to watch the parade while preparing our Thanksgiving feast.

It feels very wintry here in Utah as well, even though it's not officially winter.
Scarves are so wonderful to help ward off the cold breezes and have made a huge difference in my outdoor winter wear these recent years. Wish I have stocked up on cozy scarves many years ago ~**smile**

Warm wishes.
~K.