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| My grandmother and her daughter circa 1950. |
In 1996, she was 80-years-old and 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. (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
March of 1996, was still watching the A&E production of
"Pride and Prejudice" starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth (that she
recorded on VHS tapes two months earlier) every day, also reading the Jane Austen novel it was based on, and constantly on the lookout for the Dinty Moore frozen dinners she liked.
Friday, March 1, 1996
Tired, up 8:30. Breakfast McDonald's. "Out of sausage."
To Albertsons, bank. Sent girls $56.10.
Ate, tired, rested.
Watched some Geraldo, read papers.
Good sleep.
? Friend of Larry's pulled weeds at his place.
Saturday, March 2, 1996
Up 8:30. Sunny, warm.
Talked to Pearl, Harry there also. Talked about Clara.
Vacuumed. Showered, washed hair.
To Wendy's. Got chicken sandwich, home w/salad.
To Kmart, got Clorox and cookies. No Dinty Moore.
Put Clorox on termites in shed.
Ran Arctic tape, but not all of it.
No rain.
Bed 9:30, read.
Sunday, March 3, 1996
Up 9. Breakfast Scotts Valley Chubby's.
To Kmart, got "Desperately Seeking Susan," two Hitchcocks, Kit Kat bars, sunscreen, Tums and muffins.
Lunch here, wind and rain in GUSTS.
Watched news, some Poirot, also "Dalva" with Farrah Fawcett. Good.
Read a bit. Slept good.
Monday, March 4, 1996
Up 9ish. Ate Burger King.
To Drug Emporium, got T.V. Guide.
Library, returned Henry IV, Marcello Mastroianni.
Very windy, gusty, etc. (See Sunday.)
Tuesday, March 5, 1996
Awake 6, TV. Up 8:30, BK.
Kmart, got some Dinty Moore.
Lunch after news.
Washed some blouses, looked for polka dot nightgown that lost!
Mail, got book from Mina. Read for two hours.
Watched news, Law & Order, taped and watched 1/2 of Rio Bravo.
Wednesday, March 6, 1996
Awake 2, then 8. Up 9. Breakfast McDonald's.
To Beverly's Fabrics, got stencils for curtains, tulip and spring flowers.
Home, termites in shed again. Put Clorox on.
Watched some news, P&P most of time.
Bed late, sleep not good.
Thursday, March 7, 1996
Up 8:30, breakfast at corner.
Cambodian there writing about life, let me read preface.
To bank, dentist for high place in tooth. Fixed.
To Clothes Closet, only took 3: black blouse, pink coat, shoes; refused: dresses, shirt, blouses (2).
Warm, read P&P. Behind with papers.
Watched some Geraldo, no Mystery. Bed early.
Friday, March 8, 1996
Warm today. Breakfast Denny's.
To East Cliff, library. To bank, post office.
Home, feeling the heat. Rested.
Carole called, to airport tomorrow.
Bed early. Taped X-Files.
Saturday, March 9, 1996
Up 4:15. Carole called at 4:30. Got her at 5. To airport 6:35 a.m.
To Half Moon Bay McDonald's.
Stopped at "Greyhound Rock." Threw ball for dogs. Man with beard wore dress.
Home 9:30, rested a bit. Ran tapes from last night.
Ate here, read. Fixed curtains in bathroom. Put design on with iron.
Mail, letter from Carla.
Put message on Justine's fone.
Bed early. Sleep difficult.
Sunday, March 10, 1996
Rain in night. Awake 2, then 6, then 9:30. Rainy.
Nice of Carla to invite me.
Breakfast at donut. To bank, library. Carr, "Devil in Velvet."
To show, "French Twist." Many. Too many?
Home, read. Watched news, 60 Minutes, Cybill.
Bed, read.
Monday, March 11, 1996
Up 8:30. Breakfast BK. Walked to Drug Emporium.
Back to car, to Kinko's. Took pix for Mina.
Rain, stayed in. Finished book.
Some news, TV, read. Didn't feel too good!
Bed early, slept good. Needed it.
Tuesday, March 12, 1996
Awake 6:30 but up 9. Breakfast Carl's, walked in mall.
Video store had "Fabulous Baker Boys" under $10.
Wrote Mina, packaged books. To post office.
Ate here, read papers.
Showered, washed hair.
Watched Law & Order, Frasier (good.)
Taped "The Paranormal Borderline," host Jonathan Frakes; John Coltrane on Bravo.
Mail, Mastercard bill
Wednesday, March 13, 1996
Turned cold. Awake 6:44, out 9 a.m. Breakfast McDonald's.
To Louden's, blood pressure 142/84.
To Lucky, ate here.
Mail came 2:30. I'd sent duplicate copy instead of original, dumb! To Longs, got copy, re-mailed.
Home, read papers.
S.T. Voyager, new Paranormal. 1992 Richard Crenna movie, "Trouble on Track 9."
Thursday, March 14, 1996
Up 9. Slept good. Ate 41st Donut.
Walked Capitola, home 11:30.
To show, "Up Close and Personal." Good.
Home, some yard work, headache after. Warm out.
Dinner at Live Oak, sat with Vivienne, English war bride from Nottingham.
News, bed. Slept good.
Listened to Ray Taliaferro. He not afraid of threats.
Friday, March 15, 1996
Awake 6, up 9. Breakfast Denny's. Walked along river, one mile. Cool.
Read a bit, to Trader's Joe's
Home 1 p.m. Mail, ads.
Ate salad, washed two winter, long-sleeved tops.
Watched news, Piano Legends, good. Taped late show.
Bed, up in night. Ate half sandwich.
Saturday, March 16, 1996
Slept 2:30 to 9. Worked in yard. To corner.
Home, tennis. Graff finally won. Ties, good rallies.
Washed grey turtleneck. Ate salad.
To Drug Emporium, got antacid and cookies!
Walked East Cliff, half hour. One mile?
Surfed channels some. Bed early, read.
Sunday, March 17, 1996
Up 9. Chilly, ate here.
Walked East Cliff. Drove route, half mile each way.
Some yard work, tennis. Read "Emma" all afternoon.
5 p.m., to McDonald's for cone.
To Wherehouse, got "Clueless." Mostly boring, some items pulled from "Emma."
Watched 60 Minutes, Muhammad Ali.
Monday, March 18, 1996
Up 8:30. Breakfast Kmart, got Dinty Moore dinners, weed killer, gas for car.
Took back "Clueless." Longs, got Brewer's Yeast.
Home, mail. Wrote Carla, got fone bill.
Worked in yard, took allergy pill. Got boost?
Read, watched news, S.T.N.G.
Showered, washed hair. Power out 7 ish.
Tuesday, March 19, 1996
Couldn't sleep, up 1 a.m.
Drugged all day. Read, rested, napped.
Frasier a repeat. Ran "Desperately Seeking Susan," also part of P&P.
Bed 2 a.m. Slept OK.
Wednesday, March 20, 1996
Awake 8, up 9. Breakfast BK.
Laundromat, got nickels instead of quarters. Also found Phillipine coin in dryer.
Home, got plant from roof with ladder of Larry's.
To show, "Executive Decision." Very tense.
Home, dinner. Mina called.
Mail, Gottschalk's bill, letter from Mina.
TV, STNG, Data personalities!
Thursday, March 21, 1996
Awake 8, up 9. Breakfast at corner.
Called bank, paid Sears, also insurance for earthquake.
Checked videos for French, also got "Fabulous Baker Boys."
Wrote Mina.
Larry said he heard noise, thinks someone after the bicycle?
Taped Mystery, figure skating. Rudy third. Tense.
Got Benadryl for allergies.
Friday, March 22, 1996
Up 9. Breakfast Carl's Jr. Windy, foggy. Walked in mall.
To laundromat to wash comforter. Cost $3. Did not dry completely.
Home, read "Mansfield Park." Rested.
Read paper, some TV. X-Files rerun.
Cold enough for heater, but I'm waiting.
Bed 10:30. Fone call, no answer. Blew whistle.
Saturday, March 23, 1996
Still taking Benadryl. Breakfast McDonald's.
Walked Capitola, finished "Mansfield "Park" while on bench. Mist cleared and view grand.
Home, showered. Justine called.
Skating championship, Michelle Kwan 1st. Some P&P.
Saw comet.
Sunday, March 24, 1996
Donut at corner.
To show, "Fargo." North Dakota.
To Wendy's in Scotts Valley. Checked Kmart, out of Dinty Moore dinners.
Got cone at McDonald's.
To Santa Cruz Kmart, got some dinners. No chicken!
Home 6 p.m., watched 60 Minutes, Cybill. Bed 8:30, tired.
Monday, March 25, 1996
Sunny, but windy. Ate at Lyon's.
Drug Emporium, got T.V. Guide and cookies.
Sears, got front-fasten bra.
Home, tired from heat. Read some, rested.
Vacuumed some of bedroom, dust on walls. Seems better for allergy.
Ran part of P&P. Oscars tonight, watched after Poirot.
Tuesday, March 26, 1996
Breakfast McDonald's. Voted.
Walked on East Cliff. Tired, home.
More vacuuming, did walls, closet, sides of bed. Worked a bit in yard.
Some P&P, bed 9:30.
Up at midnight, ate half sandwich.
Wednesday, March 27, 1996
Breakfast at corner. Blood pressure at Louden's.
Looked for curtains at 5+10, none. To Kmart, no, or Sears, Mervyn's or Gottschalk's.
Looks like Prop 199 lost!
News, P&P. Started The Merry Widow. Too tired.
Thursday, March 28, 1996
Up 7:30. Ate here. Got paper.
To laundromat, washed blankets. Home, mended blankets.
Tennis 10 a.m., Graf over Davenport, 6/4, 6/4.
To McDonald's for chicken sandwich, then Wherehouse and Blockbuster.
Too late for show. Windy.
Home, news, P&P, Morse.
Friday, March 29, 1996
Up 7:30. Breakfast McDonald's. Crowded!! (Sausage biscuit up .05)
To Longs, got two tapes. To Trader Joe's, got groceries and vitamins.
Tennis, Agassi over Boetsch.
To Kmart in Scotts Valley to look for curtains. Panels $12??
Mina called, had bad day yesterday. Got locked out!
To show, "Diabolique."
Home, read. Some P&P, X-Files.
Saturday, March 30, 1996
Awake 5, up 8. Breakfast BK.
To Kmart, 1 panel. To Scotts Valley, 3 panels. (Had more, I did not look in the right place.)
Mail, letter from Mina.
Watched another hour of P&P, worked in yard.
Ate here, finished liver.
Tennis, Graf over Rubin.
P&P, bed, read. Not good sleep, right side hurts.
Sunday, March 31, 1996
Up 8. To corner, coffee and donut. Pearl there!
Home, wrote checks for girls.
Indy 500 race suspended for rain. Tennis, Agassi over Ivanisevic by default. Sore neck!
Read P&P until 60 Minutes, watched "Field of Dreams."
Paid rent.
Bed, ache on right hip. Sinus a bit better.
Still can't find scissors!
