Monica's Home Safely from NYC

Monica arrived home safely Friday night. Just a few pictures of her trip. Some were taken as she toured the city.

Some are beside the float.

EMT to take ride on float

EMT to take ride on float
By TIM PRESTON - The Independent


NEW YORK CITY November 25, 2009 08:42 pm

Monica Young will be one of the dozens of people who help guide a massive Ronald McDonald balloon through the streets of New York City during the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade today.
Young, who was born and raised in Louisa and now works as an EMT for Boyd County EMS, says the task fits perfectly with her “Dream big and fly high” philosophy. Her role as a balloon escort actually began with a spontaneous decision to travel to New York City to experience New Year’s in Times Square.
“I had always wanted to experience the ball drop. I got off work at 8 a.m. on New Year’s Eve and was debating a spontaneous journey,” she recalled, explaining she didn’t want to look back at the opportunity with regret in 10 years. “I only had $25 to my name when I made the decision.”
A friend donated $100 for the trip and Young said she was thrilled to discover a co-worker had deposited her paycheck for her before she even arrived in the Big Apple. Friends in the city had invited her to visit and provided a place to stay, she said, explaining she was guided toward a parking spot in New Jersey and traveled into the city on the subway, emerging on 42nd Street with a view of the illuminated New Year’s ball.
While there, Young attended an open house hosted by a longtime balloon team handler, and asked what qualifications would be required to help handle a balloon in the famous parade. She was advised to apply and soon received a training DVD.
“Right now I’m in Queens and heading into Manhattan,” she said, explaining she wasn’t able to attend any of the preliminary events featuring the parade’s balloons and will be making her debut as a handler during the big event.
Her assignment is to help guide the clown made famous by McDonald’s advertising, and she will be wearing a costume with several layers of insulative clothing beneath as part of the show. Each rope ends with “the bone,” she said, explaining a “dog bone-shaped” handle is attached to the end of each security strand.
Each balloon requires 75 to 125 handlers in addition to two or three vehicles to make it through the 2.5 mile parade route, Young said. While the job is relatively straight-forward, Young said handlers must be aware of their environment.
“Weather, of course, is the main thing,” she said, noting wind is the enemy of every balloon in the parade.
“For no reason whatsoever do we stop at intersections due to the crosswinds,” she said, noting the city’s intersections tend to be a bit like valleys in the mountains, channeling strong air currents between each.
The experience will be one of many Young is pleased to have enjoyed.
“I am an adventure seeker,” she said. “I love to experience life. Even if I face adversity I say ‘Truck on.’ Doing this, I hope to make more friends and connections that could lead to something else. I mean, I came to New York to watch the ball drop and now I’m going to be in the parade. Who knows what might come from this?”

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Daily Independent Ashland, Ky

Monica's in NYC

Took my daughter to the airport today. She is in NYC tonight preparing for the Macy's Day Parade. Well tonight and tomorrow she will be spending with some friends. Thanksgiving she will be in parade. Watch for her. She will be a balloon handler for Ronald McDonald.

Quilter's Garden

Just finished putting the binding on Quilter's Garden for Pat. Quilted it this morning, put binding on this afternoon. This is one I would like to make. Of course, I want to make a lot of the ones I see. This one has muslin on the back and it already feels so soft. I just love muslin. My grandmother always used it and I would ask her why she didn't get the bleached. Now I like the unbleached myself. Funny how a person changes their likes and dislikes as they get older.

Danny's Granddaughters (Twins) Quilts

Danny and I worked from 10:00am till 6:00 pm last night on the quilts for his granddaughters, which are twins and over a year old. They were born 3 months premature. I have posted about them before. They are so cute!!! We got these completed before we stopped. He brought a couple of his mothers house coats and we used them for tops and a pink massage blanket for the backing. I had the batting. He wanted to make them something from his mothers and fathers clothing. His father helped with the Boy Scouts for probably 30 years. He always cooked for them. Danny took one of his shirts and cut the emblem from it to make a pocket on the blanket cause we left a pocket on the other one from the house coat. I am sure the girls will be hiding things in those pockets. He made us one of the best Asian Salads you ever ate.

Non Smoking Quilt

The Quilted Treasure Quilt Guild was asked to put together a quilt to promote NON SMOKING. Each lady was assigned a block to make. Sandy and her mom put this together. They did the sashing, the tree of life, the path around the border, plus some of the blocks. I finished quilting it last night.

UK Quilt for Tammie

Finished quilting a UK quilt for Tammie. I am thinking about making one to sell tickets for a fundraiser for County Homemakers. I was pleased with the end results. I used the loop-de-loop quilt pattern. Well, really it is just a free hand quilting, no pattern. I enjoy doing this stitch but it takes longer to quilt and takes a lot more thread.

Basket Class

The Extension service had a Basket Class last Saturday. They were about 10 took the class. We had a great time maing the Shaker Tote Basket. It has a cloth handle but if you want to stain it you have to do that first before attaching the handle. I am going to stain mine. The teach was from Pikeville.

Hardwood Floor

Last couple of days been getting hardwood floor installed. I just love it! Lot of difference in it and the carpet.

Also finished quilting Mystery Quilt 3 and got binding on it.

Quilts n Things

Martha and I visited a quilt shop in South Point, Ohio today. I had never been there before. Martha had been there few years ago. They have lots of pretty fabric. Only thing I bought was a book, Civil War Love Letter. I am hoping to collect fabric for this quilt and learn paper piecing. I finished quilting the mystery quilt and got the binding on it. I also forgot to put a sleeve on it and now comes the hard job. Never have got a chance to take a picture of it yet but will get to it soon. We are having hardwood floors put down next two days in living room and hallway. Probably won't get much done the rest of this week.

Completed 2 Today

Put the binding on Debbies crazy patch quilt this morning and took it to her when I went to town.

And later this evening got the label embroideried on Melissa's Baby Quilt and quilted it. Also got the binding put on it.