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| My grandmother and her granddaughters. |
In
1995, she was living alone in a mobile home park in Santa Cruz, Calif.,
but I wouldn't describe her as lonely; she was an extremely independent
and persnickety woman whom I never knew to live with another person or
even a pet. At 80-years-old she was still traveling alone, corresponding with people she met on those trips, and always keeping up with current events. (I wrote more about her life in an earlier post.)
Close
to her home was the famous surfing spot called Pleasure Point, and she
loved walking to the ocean and watching the surfers. When
she died at 97 in 2013, I took her ashes to those waves with a friend
of hers and we each dropped some at the sand. A moment after I dropped
mine, a surfer emerged from the water where I stood.
That was cool.
In November of 1995, she was fretting about finding me a cat sitter, booking hotels for our upcoming trip to Europe, and again finding incorrect movie (or show) times in the paper.
Wednesday, Nov. 1, 1995
Rain in night.
Up 8:30 a.m., breakfast McDonald's.
Home, raked lawn. Seeded, fertilized.
Read Mrs. Pollifax Pursued, then cleaned more files. Tore bank statements.
Cloudy day, not too cold
Thursday, Nov. 2, 1995
Awake 7, up 9. Breakfast Carl's, walked in mall.
Bank, got $140. Home 11:40.
Returned jury (summons) asking for postponement.
Read Mrs. P, ironed t-shirts and jeans.
To McDonald's, got "apple pie." Over to mall for yogurt.
To Trader Joe's, got mayo and Caeser's salad dressing.
Watched Geraldo, S.T. TNG, Poirot.
Friday, Nov. 3, 1995
Not good sleep. Pain in chest. 3 a.m. awake.
Up 9 a.m., to corner donut. Richard waved.
Home, put some summer stuff away. Read papers.
Watched tennis, X-Files, some news.
Bed, x-word. Slept good.
Saturday, Nov. 4, 1995
Warmer today, awake 6, up 9!! To 41st Donut.
Gave Goodwill plastic bags, to library. Returned Mrs. P.
Home, tennis: Sampras vs. Courier. Good match, bad calls for Jim.
Called Justine re: assassination (of Yitzhak Rabin).
To Albertsons, McDonald's, got chicken and salad.
Justine up for Thanksgiving, to leave cat. No sleep, worried.
Sunday, Nov. 5, 1995
Awake most of night. Breakfast Kmart, pancakes. They have no calculators.
Home, found other calculator, was in new black purse.
Tennis, Pete Sampras over Boris Becker.
49ers 7, Carolina 13.
Bed 9:30, read a bit. Slept good.
Monday, Nov. 6, 1995
Breakfast McDonald's. Called kennels, rates high.
To Mary, Sandy there.
Watched football, Dallas 34-12 over San Diego.
Bed after Ted Koppel.
Tuesday, Nov. 7, 1995
Up 8:30, breakfast Carl's. Library, got info from Yellow Pages for SLO.
[She was looking up pet sitters for me in San Luis Obispo.]
Home, called SLO people, two possibles. Called, left message and wrote letter.
To post office, got stamps and candy. Got BP at Live Oak.
Took pix of Marco Polo book.
Slept fair.
Wednesday, Nov. 8, 1995
Awake 6, up 8. Breakfast BK, walked in that area. Warm.
Drug Emporium, got magnifying glass.
Home, warm. Tired, read papers.
Looked in luggage, winter sweaters (5) small now! Need to wash. Fixed pads in sweater bought at Clothes Closet.
Powell seems forthright, honest. Gingrich may run now.
Thursday, Nov. 9, 1995
Up 8:30. Breakfast McDonald's. Home after bank to check account.
Shower, hair. To Rebecca's for muffin/coffee.
Show, "Home for the Holidays," Holly Hunter. Good.
To meeting for Blue Cross, home 4:15 p.m.
Mail, letter from Mina. Returned cards and map.
Friday, Nov. 10, 1995
Awake 6 a.m., tried to go back to sleep. Freda came by to say water off 12-5.
To corner donut, laundromat, washed wools and gray suit.
Housework, called Justine, she not even calling sitter. Resisting alternatives.
To Library, Frommers London.
Home 4:15, watched Rockford, news, ran tape of Columbo with Faye Dunaway. She the killer.
Some French, finished Get Shorty.
Saturday, Nov. 11, 1995
Awake 6, up 8. Breakfast McDonald's. Read papers for one hour.
Penneys, Longs, got watch. $9.99. Large, with 24-hour numbers, seconds hand and Roman numerals.
To Gottschalks, got cotton jacket $25. "Teal."
To library, closed for holiday.
To show, "Persuasion." 1814? After Napoleon put on Elba.
Saw Mary at 3 p.m., she in pain still?
Watched Star Trek, A&E Rabin. News for 15 mins.
Sunday, Nov. 12, 1995
Up 8, watered lawn. Breakfast McDonald's.
Walked Capitola, sunny. Indian summer? No surfers, man with kayak.
Checked Pleasure Point, none. Few with boards looking.
Raiders/Giants, 17-13, wind chill NYC 18 degrees.
News, bed. Can't sleep.
Monday, Nov. 13, 1995
Up 8:45. Breakfast McDonald's. Ronn Owens in Washington, D.C.
Walked Capitola, beautiful!
To TJ's, home 11. Justine called, will meet with pet sitter Wednesday.
Called travel agency regarding Chunnel.
Read papers. Football: Steelers/Browns, 20-3.
Watched Poirot, bit of news.
Bed, tired, took aspirins. Slept good.
Tuesday, Nov. 14, 1995
Up 8:30, breakfast Lyon's.
Library, looked for investments. Zero coupons. No new Fodor's Go!
To show, "Blue in the Face." Good.
Home, papers, Rockford Files, news.
Missed NYPD Blue, taped Frasier. Funny.
Wednesday, Nov. 15, 1995
Up 6:50, called travel agency at 8:30, busy. Linda returned in five minutes, confirmed all times, air fare reduced to $638.75 from $673. Total air fare $1,277,50.
Chunnel $148, $1,425.50.
Breakfast, donut. Tennis, Sampras over Becker at Frankfurt.
Mailed postcards to Mimi, Sandra.
To Drug Emporium, got stamps for France. Home 2:40 p.m.
Read papers, watched Rockford Files. News, read Marco Polo book.
Thursday, Nov. 16, 1995
Called hotel in Paris at 1 a.m., asked for 5 nights. Slept til 7:40 a.m.
Cold but sun out. Breakfast McDonald's. Home, tennis. Chang lost.
Wrote to hotel increasing to six nights and twin beds.
To post office, to Kmart, got TV Guide.
Home, news, read, ironed t-shirts.
Watched Rockford Files, Geraldo, Poirot.
Bed. Took aspirin, slept OK.
Friday, Nov. 17, 1995
Fone regarding jury!
Up 9, breakfast BK. Walked in area. To mall, haircut, Richard stressed.
To library, post office. To mall, got "Blizzard."
Home, mail, just ads. Watched Rockford Files, X-Files.
Watched part of Dick Francis: Twice Shy.
Bed 10:30.
Saturday, Nov. 18, 1995
Up 9, breakfast Carl's. 10 a.m. meeting at Live Oak re Prop 199.
Got coffee, brownie.
To show, "Mighty Aphrodite." Good. Woman in theater dropped pen and address pad.
Stopped to see Mary, got salad at McDonald's.
Home, some French. Read "Paris."
Sunday, Nov. 19, 1995
Cold today. Up 9:30, breakfast McDonald's.
Tennis, football. Watched S.T. Voyager, 60 Minutes, Cybill, taped Mad About You.
Bed, sore throat. Feels like tissue swollen.
Monday, Nov. 20, 1995
Stayed in bed. Up at 11, to corner for paper and coffee. Talked to man with straw hat til 1 p.m.
Home, read paper. Gargled a few times, throat better.
Football, 49ers won over Miami, 44- 20! Good game.
Sergei Ginkov [Russian ice skater] died, heart. 28 years old.
Watched Law & Order.
Tuesday, Nov. 21, 1995
Up 9, breakfast McDonald's. To library, Longs, pix of itinerary.
Home, lunch, to Live Oak for blood pressure.
Called Justine, left message to call if coming up.
Watched Frasier, NYPD Blue. Justine called, will be here in the morning.
Couldn't sleep, read late.
Wednesday, Nov. 22, 1995
Justine here? Slept 4 -8. Justine called at 9, to Zachary's. Carol there.
Home 10:45, Justine slept until 11:15, out late last night.
Paid fone bill, Justine left at 12 p.m.
Rested, read "Touch of Treason."
News, Newt put foot in mouth. Blamed welfare for death of woman!
Throat still hurts.
News, checked NBC, had Alan Dershowitz!
Bed, slept good.
Thursday, Nov. 23, 1995 [Thanksgiving]
Breakfast BK, mall closed. Walked a bit, watered lawn.
Lions 14, Minn. 38; Dallas 24, K.C. 12, Emmitt Smith knee injury.
To gas station, also Grey Bears.
Watched news, S.T. NG.
Bed 8:30 but read, finished "Touch of Treason."
Rested but couldn't sleep, finally 2 - 7!
Friday, Nov. 24, 1995
Up 7:30, to Ross, luggage small. Checked Penneys and Gottschalk's, Ross' best.
Got same as previous, but grey tapestry.
Breakfast Carl's, saw Lille. She had cataract, in good shape.
Home for little time, to show, "Nick of Time." Johnny Depp.
Watched Larry King, X-Files (2).
Saturday, Nov. 25, 1995
["Toilet acting up," written at the top of the page.]
Check with Clothes Closet.
Up 8:30 a.m., breakfast McDonald's. Put stuff in toilet.
To Mervyn's, bought black and blue knee highs. To Penneys, nothing.
Foned Clothes Closet, two items sold. Bring in silk pants and skirt.
To Town, ate brownie.
To "Pickle Circus," enjoyed. Then 40 mins to McDonald's, parked in "Deadhead" lot.
Home 6:30 p.m., watched S.T. NG, part of "Frenzy."
Bed, read.
Sunday, Nov. 26, 1995
Up 7:30, breakfast McDonald's. Computers out.
Walked in Capitola, beautiful day.
Football: New England vs. Buffalo, 49ers 44 - Rams 13.
Wrote letter to Mina, long. Preview of 60 Minutes, but didn't watch.
Cybill, taped Mad About You.
Bed, 2:30 a.m. Foned New Aquarius - Egyptian.
Monday, Nov. 27, 1995
Up 8:20, Carol called. Meet her 1 p.m.
Breakfast Kmart. Returned 21 x 14 x 8 suitcase, got $21.62.
Got black sox (2), TV Guide.
Home, wrote checks. To post office, mailed letters, got post card.
Mervyn's, returned hose, got refund. Got yogurt, pie.
Home, lunch, read. Football: San Diego 12, Oakland 6.
Watched Poirot, S.T. NG, Law & Order, Biography - Kellogg Bros.
Tuesday, Nov. 28, 1995
Late nite, something about Santa Cruz announced at 10 p.m., CH 2, but dropped it.
Up 8:30, breakfast McDonald's. Town, library.
Paper wrong, no show at 11:10, "American President."
Home, to Cathy's house, returned book on Paris, talked.
Packed clothes. To Clothes Closet, took silk pants, black skirt. Bring pink coat back in March.
Home, lunch. Watched McGyver, news, read.
S.T. NG, Law & Order, two Frasiers and NYPD Blue. Some news.
Wednesday, Nov. 29, 1995
Up 9, coffee and donut. Home, read, ate here.
To Carol's, talked til 2:45 p.m. Re: Bali, C and O. [C was her daughter and O her son-in-law. My parents met Carol and her husband while coming back on a ship from Europe after getting married, which is how they heard about Santa Cruz and why they moved there.]
To see Mary, she getting better, can take a step. Met Corky on way out, she to get radio.
Mail, got bank statement.
Watched Law & Order, end of Presumed Innocent.
Thursday, Nov. 30, 1995
Rent. Up 8:30, breakfast McDonald's. Bank to safety deposit.
Trader Joe's, home, read some papers.
1 p.m. to show with Corky, "Carrington." Enjoyed film.
Justine called, got letter from friend Rebecca.
S.T. TNG, Law & Order, Mystery: Sherlock.
Two quakes today, near Hollister/San Juan Batista. 3.4, 3.8
Wrote Mervyn's and Sen. Feinstein.
