The dog is better for my heart
because she doesn't take it across the street.
The dog is better for my eyes
because she suns behind fences
while you run in front of cars.
I prefer the dog now,
because she keeps my heart close by.
Tuesday, January 5, 2021
Friday, January 1, 2021
My Grandmother's Journals: January, 1996
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| The visa my grandmother got to live in France for a year. |
But then I had a really rough December at the end of a really rough year, and one particularly bad night, I sat down to read another month of her daily entries. And immediately I felt better.
That was cool.
Something about following in her footsteps, living the details of her day, soothes me. The routine. The normalcy. The predictability. I need it right now. And maybe others do, too?
So, here goes: 1996 in the life of my 80-year-old grandmother, who was still living alone in a mobile home park in Santa Cruz, Calif. In January of that year she was still recovering from our adventures in Europe, walking Paris during a transportation strike and driving the foggy English countryside. She also found out she needed a crown and two fillings, and saw many movies: "Leaving Las Vegas," which she deemed sad, "Waiting to Exhale," which she deemed "stupid," and "12 Monkeys," which she found so confusing she saw it twice.
Monday, Jan. 1, 1996
Awake 1 a.m., then 3:45 a.m. Worked on travel accounts, analyzed.
Breakfast BK at 7:20 a.m., McDonald's not open until 8 a.m.
Home, Rose Parade. To mall, Lilly there, failed driver's test.
Gottschalk's, got pants for Peter. Cost 45, 52 with tax. Black denims.
To show, "Sense and Sensibility," excellent.
News, CNN, read papers.
Tired at 8 p.m.
Tuesday Jan. 2, 1996
Breakfast McDonald's. Another beautiful day.
Wrote Sandra, wrapped pants for Peter. Mailed certified mail with bond.
Got TV Guide and candy.
Mary Clark came by with pot of African violets.
To show, "Leaving Las Vegas." Nicholas Cage as alcoholic determined to die of drinking. Sad.
Home after Lucky, sirloin micro food, $1.29! Got four.
STNG, best one: Data's head in cave, two-part.
Wednesday, Jan. 3, 1996
Up 6:30, Breakfast McDonald's.
To Toyota, got oil change. Quick, washed car.
Home, wrote girls with accounting of money, wrote Andra & Lutz.
Lunch, finished letter to Sandra.
Library, got two books. Too tired to go to movie.
Home, McDonald's, got salad.
Watched news, second part of ST best segment.
Bed 8, read a bit.
Thursday, Jan. 4, 1996
Up 6:30, tea, breakfast McDonald's.
Work in yard, pruned roses, some weeding.
Read "Five Pieces of Jade."
Called dentist, offered tomorrow, no can't. Then said Monday, 12:30 p.m.
Debbie and I to show, "The City of Lost Children." French, very weird!
Friday, Jan. 5, 1996
Carole to SFO, she to Hawaii. Call her at 5 a.m., she said 5:30.
She not there, went in, clock off 7 minutes.
Good ride, at SFO 7:20 after stop at usual place.
To Serramonte, ate at Denny's, slam, good.
Home 4:10, ate at Wendy's. TV, read papers, crashed.
Bed 7:30, read a bit.
Saturday, Jan. 6, 1996
Breakfast McDonald's, Albertsons groceries.
Home, two football games. Buffalo vs. Steelers, Green Bay vs 49ers, 27-17.
Tired, read book, ran Mozart tape.
Felt cold, used heating pad.
How many times I take Carole to airport?
Sunday, Jan. 7, 1996
Breakfast at donut, muffin and coffee.
Thought to have haircut, he not there. Home, watered houseplants.
Football: Cowboys vs. Eagles, 30-11.
To "Toy Story." Good.
Chiefs vs. Colts, 10-7. Thought Chiefs would win, kicker missed three field goals!
Put "Jade" in library, checked bank balance.
Watched 60 Minutes, segment on Yo-Yo Ma.
Monday, Jan. 8, 1996
Up 7:30, ate Lyon's.
Walked Capitola, rested a bit.
To dentist, tooth broke. Need crown, $625, 10-percent, paid $140.50.
To mall, coffee, bought gloves, ear muffs on sale, then boots (not waterproof.)
Home, ate, to Drug Emporium, TV Guide and candy.
Called re: Jury, no for tomorrow, but call!
Bed, exhausted.
Tuesday, Jan. 9, 1996
Woke up, couldn't sleep. Up 8 a.m.
Breakfast Carl's Jr., walked mall, Lilly passed test at DMV.
Wore boots, warm!
Home, called Corky, she to art museum for talk on opera Wednesday.
To show, "Waiting to Exhale." Stupid, I thought.
Trader Joe's, home, paid IRS.
Watched news, Star Trek, Law & Order, Third Rock from the Sun.
Wednesday, Jan. 10, 1996
Call jury after 5:30.
Up 7:30, breakfast McDonald's.
To library, returned books. To post office, Orchard Supply.
Home, ate here. Showered, washed hair.
Rested 4 -5, walked at beach. Home 5:30.
Mail from Mina, Justine.
To art museum 7-8 with Corky.
Thursday, Jan. 11, 1996
9:30 a.m. dentist, impression for crown.
Up 7:30, breakfast BK. To Drug Emporium, got cookies after dentist.
Coffee/donut at corner, some more pruning.
Longs, Xerox gone. Wrote Mina, to Kinkos to copy Stimson's letter.
To deli, got sandwich. To show, "12 Monkeys." Brad Pitt is paranoid, good acting.
To library, got La Boheme, M. Butterfly.
Home 5 p.m., tired! Soup. Bed early.
Friday, Jan. 12, 1996
Up 8, breakfast McDonald's. Sunny day.
To San Jose, sale at Nordstrom, Macy's.
Arco gas pump 15, ran over. $10.14, 9 gals. 10.14/1059=9.575 gals.
Got navy jacket at Nordstrom. Ate hot dog. Home 1:30 p.m.
Wrote to Prudy, Sy. Took letters to post office.
Got candy! Taped Thelonious Monk.
Watched X-Files, news. Bed 10:30.
Saturday, Jan. 13, 1996
Slept well, up-to-date with letters. Must write Mina.
Up 7:30, breakfast McDonald's. Lovely day, walked Capitola.
(Freda came over, said Clara on floor?)
Played La Boheme, some TV.
Watched "All the Mornings of the World," French. Lovely color!
Sunday, Jan. 14, 1996
Up 7 a.m., to town. Breakfast Golden West.
Walked along the river, saw one Snowy Egret!
Home, two football games: Colts vs. Steelers, Green Bay vs. Cowboys.
Taped "Pride and Prejudice."
Monday, Jan. 15, 1996
Up 7:30, breakfast McDonald's. Walked Capitola.
Pruned two pots, to Scott's Valley Kmart.
To show, "Tom and Huck." Better than I thought.
Ate Wendy's, brought home salad.
Watched news, taped "Pride and Prejudice."
Storm in night, rain til mid-afternoon tomorrow.
Tuesday, Jan. 16, 1996
Awake 6, electricity on. Up 8, electricity off.
To Kmart, storm. Home 10:10 after bank.
Changed clothes, to library, got some books.
Home, read a bit, slept 1.5 hours.
Tape Pride & P, watched Frasier, John Larroquette, NYPD.
Wednesday, Jan. 17, 1996
Awake 7, up 8. Breakfast McDonald's.
Walked Capitola, to Longs, Xerox.
Home, put (lawn) seed in spots. Checked General Feed, no steer manure. They use cottonseed meal, 30 cents a pound.
News, caught up on papers.
Clara's granddaughter here to clean out her place. Makes me want to downsize, also!
Bed 10:30. Dentist called.
Thursday, Jan. 18, 1996
Dentist 1 p.m.
Up 8, breakfast Carl's Jr. Walked in area.
Showered, washed hair. Dentist 2 hours, did cleaning! Next week for lower teeth.
Home, gums hurt. Some TV, Star Trek, Holmes.
Finished book.
Friday, Jan. 19, 1996
Breakfast Kmart. Home, wrote Mimi.
To show, "Sense and Sensibility."
Post office, mailed pictures to Justine.
Home to find letter from Justine, no email luck. She taking International Communications.
Behind on papers, watched Star Trek, X-Files.
Saturday, Jan. 20, 1996
Up 8, wrote Peter, breakfast at corner.
To mall, post office, library, returned two books + records. Read Newsweek.
To Scotts Valley, Kmart. To show, "From Dusk til Dawn." Special effects!
To Wendy's, got chicken and salad.
Walked, low tide.
Skating: Rudy Galindo won! Bobek out, bad ankle. Stubborn! Dick Button said she would get third!
Sunday, Jan. 21, 1996
Up 9 a.m., breakfast McDonald's.
Showers when starting to walk.
Home 11:30, read.
Siskel & Ebert 5 p.m.
Watched part of 60 Minutes, some of Golden Globes.
Bed late, read some.
Monday, Jan. 22, 1996
Good sleep. Up 8, breakfast BK.
Laundromat, washed 5 pair pants.
Tennis. To coffee shop, scone. Drug Emporium.
To show, "Dead Man Walking." Sean Penn, Susan Sarandon. Good.
Mail, letter from Mina, $103.88 from Colonial Penn.
TV, Poirot.
Tuesday, Jan. 23, 1996
Cold, rain forecast for tomorrow.
Up 8:45 a.m. Breakfast McDonald's. To bank to deposit car insurance refund.
Home, ironed pants.
Tennis: Chang vs. Enqvist (Swedish), easy win.
Tire easily, stayed in. Read, no walk!
Avoided State of the Union. Watched Frost, 3rd Rock, dumb.
Bed 10:30.
Wednesday, Jan. 24, 1996
Dentist tomorrow, 1 p.m.
Up 8, breakfast at corner. Got Lotto, Albertsons.
Tennis, Becker won 6/4, 7/6 (11/9), 6/1.
Wrote Mina, Justine, finished ironing pants. To post office.
Larry has roof leaks. Sporadic showers.
Thursday, Jan. 25, 1996
Dentist 1 p.m.
Up 8:45, breakfast Carl's. Checked right front tire.
Home, tennis. Seles won.
Dentist, x-rays, cleaned lower teeth. Found two small cavities.
To Albertsons, got liver. Taped Mystery.
Friday, Jan. 26, 1996
Up 8, to Denny's for breakfast.
Library, looked for Steffi article. No go.
To show, "12 Monkeys," second time. Understood better, not completely.
Kmart Scotts Valley, got more chicken.
Home 2:30 p.m. Cold, read.
Watched some of taped Sherlock, Seinfeld, skating competition.
Taped X-Files.
Saturday, Jan. 27, 1996
Raining. Up 9, breakfast McDonald's.
Car not right, stalling. No tune-up since '93!
To Toyota, out to lunch?
Home, dug up two rose bushes. Larry took one. Asking Sister Grace if she wants?
Sunday, Jan. 28, 1996
No rain!
Breakfast donut shop. Rose bushes, dug up 3, two in bags, one to trash!
Worked til 1 p.m., read, watched one tape. 2 Hoop Dreams? 3 Mad About you.
Superbowl, Joe Montana flipped coin. Still not sure talking at halftime.
Watched Masterpiece Theatre.
Monday, Jan. 29, 1996
Up 9, slept good from working in yard, digging roses.
Breakfast McDonald's, then to laundromat. Busy, lot of people.
To Toyota, order seat belt. $107.17.
Ate here, read, rested. Sewed tape on purse.
Taped Poirot, Star Trek, Marple, Law & Order.
American Experience, Orson Wells, Hearst. Watched one hour, taped second hour.
Tuesday, Jan. 30, 1996
Rent tomorrow.
Up 8:30, breakfast BK.
Dentist 10:30 a.m. until 12:15 p.m., two fillings.
Took BP, 165/75. Put record of BP in mailbox? Found. Not higher.
Ate chicken, watched Morse, Frasier.
Mail, bank, balanced OK.
Some pain, rested a bit.
Rain started in night, heavy at times.
Wednesday, Jan. 31, 1996
8 a.m. Toyota.
Awake 6. Set alarm but did not turn button. Up 7, 7:30 to 41st donut shop.
To Toyota, read papers.
To Kmart, lunch, got Sony tapes (2), candy, purse! Got Lotto.
Home, sun out. Warm. Showered, washed hair.
Watched first part Malcom X, taped Othello, watched Law & Order.
Bed, read. Not good sleep.
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