Visited mum today, we talked about a dinner my wife and I had with a couple from California that I met about a year ago when they were on holidays in Sydney, (they come to Sydney every year in summer).
Then mum said to me, "we used to have family in California, they would send us a postcard every year".
Then I remembered that as a kid I used to play with these strange looking colourful postcards and I even remember that many of the pictures were of a parade called "the Rose Bowl". Then mum says "I've still got a few of them".
She had 3 and they were from 1945 & 1946 and even though I had not seen them for 50 years, I can remember them like it was yesterday.
The only thing I don't recall was the info that was written about LA. Apparently the population at the first census in 1940 was just 1.5 mil.
But in the second last paragraph they do mention the surf so I thought that was enough justification to share the pics with you.
KEEPERS !!!! wicked stuff mate , these sort of things are never to be replaced - pieces of history , put 'em away in vac sealed bags - thanks heaps for sharing this 
Yeah very nice, love stuff like this...I remember my gran had a couple of Perth street directories. I think 1939 & 1941. Basically just a few streets around the old train lines. I guess the whole world population has exploded since the 1st & 2nd WW.
I shouldn't go on too much about a non surf story, but it may turn out to be a nice ending for mum. I'm not much for family history but mum is and she's 88 now so this sort of thing gives her a real thrill.
It's possible that those friends of mine may try to get in contact with long lost family so I can fill mum in of a bit of missing history.
You see those postcards were sent in 1946 from Alhambra and the Aunt who sent them has long since passed away.
Alhambra is a suburb very close to the CBD of LA and a long way from where my friends live, they live an equal distance between LA & San Diego.
However, that Aunt had a daughter who continued to exchange letters with mum up until 1972 and mum still has the last letter her cousin sent in 72. That notes her address as a suburb called Costa Mesa and Costa Mesa is only a few minutes from where my friends live.
I wouldn't mind betting that my friends have a go at seeing if they can trace any family back to that address and get them in contact with mum again after 41 years. Her cousin was older than my mum so it's doubtful she would still be alive, but there may still be family at the old address.
Actually, when I say I not interested in family history, that's not quite right, there is one bit of my genealogy that I find absolutely hilarious and makes me as proud as punch
Mums own mother had an unusual maiden name, it was "Hole" that was how it was spelt and how it was said, and although her name changed to her husbands Scottish name when she came to Australia just after WW1, someone from the Hole family sent my mum a family tree noting the names of all The Hole Family of Mid-Sussex from 1620 - 1893.
I take great pride in the fact that I'm descended from so many Anne's, Anthony's, Albert's, Alfred's, Paul's & Peter's because very few people came claim to have as many P Holes & A holes in their family as I have. But I take my greatest pride in the fact that in 1833 and once more in 1869, there were 2 "Fanny Holes" in the the family
Now I know that one or two of you may be able to lay claim to coming from one Fanny Hole, but I can prove I came from two Fanny Holes 
meant to put a up a story obct when i read this earlier. well i love history obct and occasionally a little bit off time travel as well. thanks for posting...and good luck with the search
