High School Dances and Homecoming

High Schools around us have been having their homecoming dances. Some students are more organized than others, or the mothers are involved in their children's school activites.
I got a call from a young man for a beautiful corsage 2 weeks before the homecoming. And then on the day of the homecoming, after a long day assembling corsages and boutonniers and ready to call it a day, I get a call from a mother who was looking for a florist who could make a corsage and a boutonnier for her son. She was so glad I was still in the shop and willing to take her rush order. It turns out, she had ordered and paid for these items from a florist closer to her home, but when she got there, the flowershop was closed due to a family emergency. What a contrast, but, then again, this mother was a victim of circumstances and she was so grateful to find a florist that was still open that time of the day on a Saturday. Most flowershops close around 2 or 3 p.m. I just happened to have been working late because of school homecoming.

Two weeks ago, I had a lady come in to order her bridal bouquet and her groom's boutonnier. A week later she added 3 bridesmaids bouquets and another boutonnier. She picked the items today, Friday, for her wedding tomorrow in Reno, NV. Her bouquet consisted of red and ivory roses, with white and red satin ribbons, the boutonniers were ivory roses and the bridesmaids were also red and ivory roses. She loved her bouquets and was excited for her wedding. She mentioned that she waited a long time to meet the right person.

I'm happy for her and wish her and her groom all the best the world can offer. Fortunately for florists like me, we can share in the joys of other people - in their weddings, school dances, birthdays, births of new babies, anniversaries and other joyous moments.

White Rose Corsage

Proms, corsages and boutonniers

It's prom and school dance season and kids can't seem to get it together. My son knew he was going to the school dance on Friday. His friend called at 1 pm wanting to know if I can have a corsage and boutonnier made and "by the way, your son is going too, so he needs one set too."

Today, I was about to close the store for the weekend at 3:30 and here comes a Mom and his son wanting a corsage. So, I make one and charge him a little more than I would have charged him if it was pre-ordered at least a day in advance.

Somehow, the scene of this Mom and son reminds me of Anna Nicole and her son Danny. I know for a fact how a mother grieves for the loss of a son. My mother grieved so much when my brother died at 9 months old, she was inconsoloble for a long period of time. But, unlike Anna, my mom had a family support system. They were there to take care of the other small kids, and whatever household chore that got neglected. For Anna Nicole, she was not left alone by the media, they did not give her space and time to grieve. Her mother did not extend her hand to help, instead she was out attacking her own daughter and accusing her and her partner for the demise of Danny. And then she tried to stop the burial so she can take Anna's body to Texas knowing full well that Anna wanted to be with her son. What was Virgie thinking? She's a mother and a grandmother, but is her motivation driven by grief of a daughter's loss or greed for the potential inheritance? She did not seem loving at all when she was out in public talking about her grandson's death. For a normal person, she should have tried to extend her helping hand to her grieving daughter; she should have tried to avoid the press; or should at least be quiet and give her daughter the chance to grieve. If she did that, people might just have been more sympathetic to her when Anna died instead of being booed. I feel sorry for her for the loss of her daughter, she's still a mother who lost a child.

Homecoming is Upon Us

The corsages and boutonniers have been picked up and the kids are now currently enjoying and having fun at their homecoming dances. Next week another school will have their homecoming. We will again be busy making corsages and boutonniers for teenagers this time for Rio Americano High School. This will also be the first time that the football game will be held at the school, a true "home' game against River City High School. The Rio Raiders had always had their home games at El Camino Fundamental School, and for the first time in Rio's history, they'll really be playing at home. The game is on Oct. 7, Saturday; JV starts at 11 a.m., Varsity starts at 1 pm. It will be a very interesting day in the history of Rio Americano H.S. I'm glad the hard work of the parents of athletes will finally be paid off. I'm glad my son who's a senior varsity will experience the thrill of being in the first batch to play in their home turf. GO RAIDERS!