Vigils in April

[anni]

No real April Fools tricks, unless of course you count Mother Nature tricking us into thinking it was mid-summer the last couple of days...she got me good and I'm glad to report today I'm cool and groovy!

Best of all, our favorite Linda Pixie brought us Homemade Lemon Bars. Deliciousness ensued! Even the heat seemed to lighten up!

[Brian]

Because of the weather, Montrose Peace Vigil was surrounded by heavy traffic on Friday evening -- and we had lots of conversations with people eating frozen yogurt on the corner and honks and waves from those in vehicles driving by and waiting at the stoplights. Attendance was an even dozen.

Roberta has organized a Curveball vigil next Thursday, April 7, from 6 to 7 p.m. at our usual spot near the Vietnam War memorial, the northwest corner of Ocean View Boulevard and Honolulu Boulevard in Montrose. Everybody is welcome, especially those who have trouble making it to the vigils every Friday. We started these Curveballs years ago when the shopping park association removed the American flag from its pole during our regular protests -- here's the Los Angeles Times story that ran in May 2008 to explain:

montrosepeacevigil.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=talk&thread=5&page=1#8

[anni]

About Friday night my WeatherBug sez:
"Low: 28. Patchy low clouds. A chance of ...rain and snow. Slight chance of thunderstorms in the evening. Lows from the upper 20s to mid 30s at low elevations to 14 to 24 in high valleys and peaks." BRRRR.

On a less foreboding note, Brian and I have an early dinner date with the Montrose Peace Vigil's favorite Canadian Ambassador this Thursday night, during the first curveball in a long time. We were just hoping someone would create a brief report on the delightful Curveball. Just don't want to miss a step...we'll report on our meeting, too!

[Roberta]

I will report, and predict that the first item will be that we miss Brian and Anni! (And Martine too of course -- there are lots of places to eat in Montrose kids.)

I hope others who don't look here regularly remember. I will send out some other messages.

See you at 6pm on Thursday and bring friends!

[Roberta]

I predict no real showers to worry about from 6-7 tonight, but I am making some spring flowers anyway. (Jeanne's thought as a counter-point to our opposite corner's landscape-o-flags display.)

[Roberta]

Jim came upon me sitting all alone on the bench, in a rare funk, at 6:05 or so. He jollied me up and convinced me that 2 vigilers and some cute flowers can be a good curve ball. By the time we set up, Jeanne was there, with Nancy, Louisa, and Mike S. following soon after.

Not a drop (well, maybe a couple of drops) of rain, nothing serious, under threatening but dramatically beautiful skies. Lots and lots of honks and supportive comments.

And I believe I am the second person, and first MPVer, to see THE SOFA. It is gorgeous.

[Brian]

Yea, Roberta! And this evening she brought back her beautiful flower display so I could see it too -- single blooms planted in the grass along the curb to frame our regular vigil, most effectively for the eyeballs passing in cars, trucks and buses. We'll bring a camera next week in case they return to the corner.

Mike told me that they got more positive reactions on the street for Thursday's Curveball than Friday's vigil. Compared to last week, foot and motor traffic was much lighter and the temperature was 25 degrees lower -- it seems more people stay home when it's colder than 55. In my previous post, after our first summer-like day of the spring, I was going to pronounce an end to winter 2011, but decided that even I'm not that cocky. The official Montrose Peace Vigil attendance, so far this month:

• Apr. 1 - 12
  
• Apr. 7 - 6 (Curveball)
  
• Apr. 8 - 10
  

[Brian]

The beautiful weather and brisk traffic came back to the corner this Friday -- as did nine of the Montrose Peace Vigil stalwarts, the most regular of the regulars. Chris showed up for the first time since last summer to boost our spirits as well as our attendance into double-digits:

• Apr. 1 - 12
  
• Apr. 7 - 6 (Curveball)
  
• Apr. 8 - 10
  
• Apr. 15 - 10
  

Let's name everybody: Roberta, Jeanne, Nancy, Julie, Jim, Mike, Linda, Chris, Anni and me.

[anni]

Apr 15, 2011 23:00:49 GMT -8 Brian said:

The beautiful weather and brisk traffic came back to the corner this Friday -- as did nine of the Montrose Peace Vigil stalwarts, the most regular of the regulars. Chris showed up for the first time since last summer to boost our spirits as well as our attendance into double-digits.

Let's name everybody: Roberta, Jeanne, Nancy, Julie, Jim, Mike, Linda, Chris, Anni and me.

Not including Roberta's beautiful Springtime construction paper cutout Flowers, all in a row!

And let's add a couple of pics:

[Brian]

The middle school kid who picked up a sign and waved it briefly -- probably on a dare from his friends -- was the first spontaneous participant at a Montrose Peace Vigil for many weeks. And the young dude also helped to notch our best attendance since Feb. 4:

• Apr. 1 - 12
  
• Apr. 7 - 6 (Curveball)
  
• Apr. 8 - 10
  
• Apr. 15 - 10
  
• Apr. 22 - 14
  

The real big news was the return of Bill after nearly two years, looking better than ever because he healed himself after a serious health scare. Bill was one of the original Montrose Peace Vigil stalwarts in 2006, later joined by his very popular dogs Nikki and Connie, until everybody moved to Glendale. It was fantastic to see him again in Montrose and hear that he'll be back on the corner soon.