My Grandmother's Journals: September, 1995

My grandmother, left, as a teenager on Balboa Island.*

Every day my grandmother wrote down what time she woke up, where she ate breakfast, what movie she went to see, what mail and phone calls she received, then what she read and watched on TV before going to sleep.

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. 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 September of 1995 she turned 80 while getting ready for another trip to Europe and watching a lot of sports and a little of the O.J. Simpson trial. Unfortunately, that month she also found one of her elderly neighbors lying on the ground one afternoon after having a stroke.

Friday, Sept. 1, 1995

Up 8. More Cold? Eyes hurt.

Breakfast McDonald’s. Bank, haircut.

Tennis, Chang not doing well. Sampras won.

To cleaners, cost $9.75 to clean apricot dress.

To bank, money for girls. Sent Justine video. 

Eyes hurt.

Dodgers vs. Expos. Watched X-Files, taped Northern Exposure.

Bed early, read.

Saturday, Sept. 2, 1995

Up 7:30. To Longs for cholesterol test after ate McDonald's. 

Better cholesterol, under 200. But high triglycerides because of fruit.

Lunch, library, returned books.

Got ice cream cone!

Mary came by. Women in her house her two aunts.

Tennis, Agassi won. Jensen brothers advanced. 

Justine called from work, she going to Martinez by train.

Sunday, Sept. 3, 1995

Tennis at 9:30. M.J. Fernandez won.

Football, 49ers won over New Orleans, 24-22. Good game.

Slept, hot in here. 

Raiders vs. Chargers. Heard Joe Montana once.

Finished "Mrs. Pollifax on the China Station." Good.

Bed early, started second book.

Monday, Sept. 4, 1995

Awake 7, up 9. Breakfast Carl's Jr. Walked a bit.

Home, called Justine. Left message.

Tennis most of day. Put water on apricot dress, got spot out. [Just saved herself $9.75!]

Worked on taxes, less this year than last. 

Finished "Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle."

Taped "The Jessica Savitch Story." 

Couldn't sleep 'til 3 a.m.

 

Tuesday, Sept. 5, 1995

Two small quakes, East Bay. 

Awake 7:30. Up 9 a.m. Breakfast McDonald's. 

Home, tennis. Sampras won, Courier over Muster (who developed toe problem).

Steffi and Gabriel advanced.

Library, returned two Pollifax, got three others.

Tried new show, "Deadly Games." no go for me.

Watched Frost 10-12, slept well.

Watered, Hot Hot!

Wednesday, Sept. 6, 1995

Up 8. Donut shop.

Justine called, send her pralines for friend. To TJ's, got four.

To show, "Lords of Illusion." Special effects. Cult, "Devil."

Tennis, Agassi vs. Korda. Slow, AA won.

Called Justine, mailed candy. Cost $3.

Ran Alien Autopsy, MindWalk, Mona Lisa.

Thursday, Sept. 7, 1995

Up 7:30. Tennis, doubles. To McDonald's.

Home, still doubles. Washed car, got Mary's papers.

Showered, etc. Foned Discount Air, then Lyon Travel. {She was checking prices for flights to Paris, then taking the Chunnel to London.}

Helped Mary pack car.

Sampras won, Chang vs. Courier. Animosity apparent between Chang and Courier, Chang complained to umpire that Courier took too long. 

Bed early, read.

Friday, Sept. 8, 1995

Read book until 3 a.m. Slept until 8:30.

Tennis, library. Two books out, one returned.

Lucky's, looked at herbs, alfalfa not good!

Justine called, left message on machine. She got chocolate in mail.

Caught up on papers, X-Files. Bed, read Mrs. Pollifax. "Palm."

Slept 1 -8.

Saturday, Sept. 9, 1995

Justine to Martinez. 

Up 8:30, Mid County Sale, bought grape jelly.

Talked to Mary, Sandy. No coffee. Went to Burger King.

Home, tennis most of the day. Courier/Sampras, Agassi/Becker. Becker mad, calls going for Americans!

Watched Richard Crenna, "Internal Affairs." 4 to 8 p.m.

Bed early, finished Palm for Mrs. P.

Sunday, Sept. 10, 1995

Awake 7:30, up 8:15. To Baker's Square for breakfast.

To library, put wrong book in slot.

Tennis: Sampras won over Agassi. Football: 49ers over Atlanta, 41-10, Raiders over Denver.

Sampras received $575,000, AA $287,500.

Read Girl in Cabin B5, that read before.

Watched some of 60 Minutes, Murder while reading. Masterpiece, Spy Sir Anthony Blunt, art expert for Queen. Good.

Bed, read.

Monday, Sept. 11, 1995

Up 8:30 a.m. Longs, pix of M.H. renewal. Mailed IRS and HCD renewal.

Home, message on machine from Secure Horizons.

Wrote Andra, started letter to Stimson.

Erik's (Deli) for soup.

Library, got zipper.

To show, "Unzipped." Liked.

Football, Bears/Packers. Murphy Brown, news. Bed, read.

Tuesday, Sept. 12, 1995 {Her 80th birthday}

Up 8:30 a.m. Breakfast McDonald's.

Longs, got TVGuide. 

To mall, looked for raincoats, none. Got pair of boots from Sears.

Home, lunch. Balanced checkbook.

Finished letter to Stimson, wrote Justine.

Made appointment with doctor, to Post Office to mail letters.

(Box at corner at 3 p.m., Post Office at 5:15.)

To Mary's, got papers, sorted.

Watched movie "In the Name of Love." Not good, slow.

 

Wednesday, Sept. 13, 1995

Slept good! To laundromat, ironed pants.

Baseball, Cubs & Dodgers. Tie 6-6, to 11th inning. 

To Mary, returned plate. 

Went for walk, Penneys parking lot full, had sale on coats. Got short one, $19.99 + tax. Black, hip length.

Home 6 p.m. Geraldo, began How West Was Won.

Read, watched Star Trek, Q in it. 

Bed 11:20, slept pretty good.

Thursday, Sept. 14, 1995

Up 8:45. Breakfast Kmart. 

Home, put cotton sweater out to dry, washed two t-shirts. 

Vacuumed heat outlets for dirt/dust, watched some trial. 

Watered lawn before eating.

Mary C came by, then shower/hair.

To OSH, got replacement outlet for air/heater in bedroom.

To Aptos KFC, got chicken sandwich, strawberry pie.

Watched Charlie Grace with Mark Harmon, news.

Not good sleep.

 

Friday, Sept. 15, 1995

Awake 3 a.m. to 6 a.m., up 9 a.m. Breakfast Burger King.

Walked in parking lot, Gottschalk's, Penneys. 

Home 11:30, tired, rested. Read.

Watched Geraldo, Bio on Hoover, Ancient Mysteries, Law & Order, Picket Fences.

Skipped X-Files. Bed, read five minutes. Slept good from 11 to 7.

Saturday, Sept. 16, 1995

Up 7:30. Breakfast McDonald's. Walked in lot, to bank.

Washed two tops, to donut shop for coffee.

To library, got two books.

To show, "The Usual Suspects." Tense, absorbing.

Read "Uncertain Voyage," finished it.

Some yard work. 

Watched news, bed 11 p.m. Slept good.

Sunday, Sept. 17, 1995

Awake 8, up 8:30. To Scotts Valley, breakfast Golden West.

Saw "Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything." Not good show. No movement, stupid at times.

Home 2 p.m., got second half of 49ers/Patriots. Joe Montana on discussion at halftime.

Chiefs won over Raiders, 23-17. Final of 49ers, 28-3.

Bad sleep night, 1 aspirin. Then 2 at 3 a.m.

Junk left in yard.

Monday, Sept. 18, 1995

Dentist at 11 a.m.

Up 8:30, ate here. Laundromat, washed four winter tops, black pants, pink bathroom carpet.

Dentist Deborah. Good.

To Burger King for lunch, home, mail.

To Shorenstein, talked. Paid $35.

Home, Dolphins vs. Steelers. Marino hurt!

Tuesday, Sept. 19, 1995

Slept good. Awake 7, up 7:30. Breakfast McDonald's.

Longs, walked through yard. Met Lillie, 84, at Lyon's.

Home 9:55 a.m. Cancelled S.C. "No women." Maybe later.

Lunch here, to library. Thought to go to show at Rio, times in paper wrong.

To Live Oak for BP, 140/84. 

Home, to Mary C. She on ground, in gravel. Stroke. 

Called paramedics, me to hospital until 8 p.m. 

88 years old, clots to brain, may happen again.

Dodgers, Giants. Piazza hit on wrist. 

Wednesday, Sept. 20, 1995

Up 9 a.m. Breakfast donut shop.

To hospital, home. Ginger to arrive Thursday (for Mary).

Got gas, to Trader Joe's.

Home 7:45 p.m. Some TV.

Thursday, Sept. 21, 1995

Awake 4 a.m., loud noise. Up 8:45. Breakfast Carl's Jr.

Some housework. Shower, hair dryer kaput.

Checked Longs, Kmart, Beauty Supply, finally got at Longs: Contempo Travel.

Folding horrible, tried to fix Braun, no go.

Called Ginger at Mary's home, gave her purse, clothes. 

Ginger took me to dinner on Wharf.

Some TV, bed, read.

Friday, Sept. 22, 1995

Up 9, breakfast at Lyon's.

Mary moved at 2 p.m., Ginger cleaning the home.

11 a.m., Davis Cup. Sampras won, Agassi won.

Watered lawn, X-files.

Sunday, Sept. 24, 1995

Up 7:40, donut shop/coffee.  

To Drug Emporium, got calcium, light bulbs, no diuretics.

Walked, waves very strong, high tide.

Bears/Rams, 28-34. Rams quarterback Chris Miller injured by hits.

Raiders over Eagles, 48-17.

Washed some clothes, read papers.

Watched S.T. Voyager, 60 Minutes, Cybill. 

Bed 9:30, read a bit.

Monday, Sept. 25, 1995

Awake 7:40, breakfast McDonald's. To Drug Emporium, got light bulbs, two bottles of diuretics, soap.

Walked 1/2 hour. Myra called regarding Mary's glasses.

To mall, paid bills, also got "Blizzard."

Mail, package from Justine. 

To Gottschalk's, got two "Amethyst," XL for me, L for Justine. Sent it with tape of Northern Exposure.

49ers vs. Lions, 27-24. 49ers kicker missed field goals. 

Mary foned here twice for clothes, cards. Sandra to get pants.

Tuesday, Sept. 26, 1995

Up 7:55, breakfast Burger King. 

Got Kay to see Mary, she in wheelchair. 

To post office, library. 

To show, "Babe." Enjoyed; amazing mouth synchronizing.

Ginger got Mary's red robe in closet.

Watched part of Geraldo, Frasier, part of Murder One. Did not watch to end.

Wednesday, Sept. 27, 1995

Up 8:20, cold, put heat on. 

Foned Linda at Lyons travel, checked on Chunnel times, need to call to get reservations.

To Louden for blood pressure, cancelled, her daughter ill.

Back to donut shop, to Dr. Fong, glasses adjusted.

To Trader Joe's, got groceries. 

Ate here, eggs and salad.

Watched some O. J. trial, ironed clothes.

Watched bio of Thomas Jefferson, some Law & Order.

Bed, read some French.

Thursday, Sept. 28, 1995

Awoke 4 a.m., then up 9:30. Showered, etc. Breakfast McDonald's.

Ross, looked at shoes, jackets. One 100% silk from China, $20!

To Penneys, walked a bit, home, read papers.

Mail, bill from Mervyn's. 

Watched some CNN, Geraldo, no baseball.

Read some French. Slept good.

Friday, Sept. 29, 1995

Up 8:45. Breakfast Carl's Jr. 

To library, found Consumer Medical Dictionary, got a Gilman book.

Home 12:30 p.m. Gov. Pete Wilson is pulling out [of presidential race.] 

Wilson's voice cracked; 1 month, 1 day campaign. 

Dinner at Mid-County, back at 5 p.m.

Watched Geraldo, Strange Luck, X-Files.

Saturday, Sept. 30, 1995

Up 8:30, ate peach. To bank, 41st Donut.

Then to San Jose, looked at Emporium, Nordstrom's.

Show, "Devil in a Blue Dress," Denzel Washington, music blues, 1948 era.

Then to The Prophecy. 67.5 miles up, bad.

Home 6:30 p.m., letter from Andra and Lutz.

Some TV, John Larroquette, news.

August entries

 *The photo above shows my grandmother as a teenager in the 1920s with other residents of the Masonic home she was raised in near Los Angeles. The home owned property on Balboa Island they called Camp Tucker, where the kids enjoyed time at the beach.