THE MUMMERS ON NEW YEARS

Happy New Year everyone!

As suspected, the Mistress had a very enjoyable evening, an excellent dinner, a few stiff ones and was home by 1am. I arose around noon! Of course, the Pork and sauerkraut dinner will be just about ready to come out of the oven. The house smells so good.  Of course, you just know, the traditions continue here as I never miss the legendary Mummers Parade, a huge tradition in Philadelphia, and celebrating their 125 year!  It's the longest running folk parade in the country, one where you can see blue collar and loads of straight men in full regalia to rival any drag show. It's now also gotten voted the best parade in the US. I have always loved it, as Philadelphia, for a large city, has such a great sense of community...and everyone comes together to enjoy the day long... literally, festivities. The Mummers Parade is an elaborate, annual New Years Day tradition featuring mummers heavily costumed in feathers and sequins, in their categories... fancies, comics, wench brigades and string bands who dance and perform music with elaborate productions. It got its start in European folk customs dating back centuries, and the name Mummers derive their name from the Mummers' play preformed in Philadelphia in the 18th century as part of a wide variety of working-class street celebrations around Christmas. Many of the groups and bands have been in the parade for over 40 and 50 years, with generations of family members in the Mummers, of all ages too...5-6 year old... all the way up to people in their 70-80's. Heck, even President Geroge Washington carried on the official custom on New Years Day calls during the seven years he occupied President's House in Philadelphia. The first official parade was held January 1. 1901. Enjoy the current pictures from the parade and some vintage. Here's to another 125 years!!!

It's been a nice day all told. I was out to fill the bird feeders and saw this...

I have never seen a Robin in January. That must mean something?

Like I said. all told a lovely New Years Day. Excuse me now...the pork is calling.

A Happy New Years to you all!!!!

GOODBYE 2025

 
Goodbye 2025.

While I was still very appalled by the going-ons in the world and country, I can say thank you for the good you did manage to bring. For the moments of laughter, the unexpected joys, more travel and the quiet days that reminded me how lucky I am to have friends and family who show up, stay close and make life full. I'm grateful for my health, for the people who held me up and for the memories that made the bright spots worth holding into. Including my blogging friends.

But 2025 wasn't all that gentle either the whole way through. I had more death in it then usual- people I loved, friends, family, a co-worker, drag sisters and my beloved pet and blog stalwart here, Buster Bolfig Borghese. I still miss my phone conversations with Joy, a wonderful blogger in the past and good friend. All souls who left holes that won't and can't be filled. Their absence will echo into the new year, and I'll carry them with me always.

And while my personal world had mostly happiness and bright spots my heart weeped for this country and many parts of the world, which continued to feel evil, heavy, going backwards, filled with hatefulness and stupidity and downright frustrating. I live for the day I can see at least three leaders in a pine box and six feet under. Many people, many, felt let down by the national leadership and that weight shaped the year in ways that were very hard to ignore. Those challenges don't erase the good, but they still contine and that is not a good thing.

Still...here we are- closing the chapter, whether ready or not. Tired, battled, wiser for some of us and ready to step into something new, and one that will hopefully bring some change. While I look forward with positivity and happiness for myself, I admit, cards on the table, no hope for the country. I look forward tonight to having a nice relaxing dinner out with friends, still watching what I eat... a cock-a-tail, or two, and will be home shortly after the balls drop.

Here's to 2026 bringing more light, more peace, good health and more reasons to hope.

A Happy New Years Eve to us all.

🎇✨🎆🥂

NEW YEARS DAY=MUMMERS!

Hope everyone one is having a great New Years Day!!!! 

The dead arose here sometime around 12:30pm and got right into the swing of things. Of course, a regular visitor will tell you that a New Years Day is not complete without the day long, and into night, spectacle of the Mummers Parade!! Over 10.000 participants, and over 40 divisions, fancifully dressed in baubles, bangles, beads, sequins and plumes and feathers of all types, marched and played instruments through center city for the 124th Mummers Parade. The term Mummer comes from Germany and means, "to costume, pantomime or masquerade. The parade made up of mostly blue collar, straight males, along with some women and children, some of which are third generations in the parade, bring the sparkle to the nines, to rival any drag or Broadway show. The parade made up of comic, wench, fancy, fancies and string band divisions turned it out this year, and all bought distinctively Philly performances on the day which dawned fairly mild but then gave way to some gales. The parade itself has roots in Northen European, British and Africa American traditions. More than a century of Philadelphia New Year's Day tradition is steeped in sequins, theatrical performances and copious amount of spirits!!!! Our particular favorite string band performances this year were that of Duffy, Aqua, Avalon and Fralinger and Polish American String Bands.

And of course, the two other traditions....

A Good and Happy New Year!

GOODBYE 2024

...step in & ring the New Year with a better attitude and outlook kids! 

Let's say good bye to 2024...

Ever notice how we can't wait to say goodbye to the current year to end? Yet when the new year rolls around and by the end of that year we say the same thing again? Can every year be that bad? The one time I really thought that was the two pandemic years. Over those. But overall, I can't complain about any one year, and I love the feeling of the freshness of a new year. And will this year be the start of a new turbulent time for us? Oh I'm sure. But I will try not to let the Party of Rot and Misery rain on my parade.

I hope that 2024 has treated you as well as you deserve. I feel 2024 treated me well and I look back in my many joys in my own life. But the good and bad combined just continue to make and mold us to become stronger and wiser people hopefully. I was surrounded by my heavily democrat and green party family, thanks heavens...good close friends and tight knit circle, continued excellent health, a fact I am proud of... I got my two raises this year, and met some new friends and a few more bloggers. The highlight for me though was my trip to Kenya, a dream come true, and a memory and pure magic moment being able to see and be in the presence of the animals I saw...what an honor. Not to mention to see it's people and a different lifestyle. I will be sharing more, not to worry.

I myself love New Years. While I stopped doing the big club things on the night years ago, I opted for a NYE dinner in with a lavish intimate dinner party and drinks. This year, a few of us are going out for a lovely dinner and then joining the clan at the home of two other friends of ours for a small NYE bash. Warbucks will be overwhelmed with my clan! Thanks heaven he will be there to unzip me tonight! Tomorrow? As always, don't stand between me and my pork and sauerkraut dinner....and a day and night, quite literally of the Mummers!!! I can almost smell it now. After New Years Day the Ann Arbor cousins and Warbucks all depart for home.

 In closing 2024...I'd like to thank the academy for this Os....opps...how did that happen? Id' like to thank you all for all your kind words, supports by commenting, writing, reading and sharing...we have really built together a place to enjoy some visual delights, support, encouragement, and a place of shelter from the more mundane things, and what seems to be a world getting more tarnished and the awful news, which are not always so positive, upbeat or fun. What a joy to have our little online community right? We lost some friends and let's keep several of the bloggers going through some tough days with us and in our good vibe pots. So chin up, stomach in, tits out...we will all get through 2025 together and survive. Cheers Everybody!

I wish us all a Happy, Healthy and Good New Year in 2025!!! Filled with everything and good things for us all.

Happy New Years Eve....

...and may we not find the Mistress like this tomorrow in the morning....

MOOD BOARD

 

Happy Last Monday of the Year, and it's Mood Boards!!!! 

Another year of Monday Bitch-festering has come and gone. But not much to complain about on this one...Another two-day work week, and Warbucks is still here till after the New Years Day. He and the Mother have gotten along fabulously, if not for some good, fun, old fashioned sparring. I have been cooking dinner most nights, and Warbucks took us and the Duo out of a lovely dinner one night. He saw just about all five sites in Harrisburg before we hit the happy hour Saturday night. The year, let's say, is ending an a few good bangs. More soon....

 How fun is the above picture and its other partner further up? I came across them some time ago, and was shocked to read it was none other than Marilyn Monroe posing as Clara Bow! They were part of a series she did for famed photographer Richard Avedon for Life magazine.