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| Grandma, left, and her lifelong friend Mina in their 20s, circa 1939. |
Welcome to the days of my grandmother, who wrote down each morning when she woke up, recorded everything she ate, noted any phone calls or mail she received, then reviewed any movie she went to see before settling down with the television and a crossword puzzle in bed.
That was cool.
Because her journals are just about my favorite things to read these days, and have become one of the best forms of free mental health medication I can find these days.
The entries below are from May of 2000, when she was 84 and living alone in a trailer park. But don’t feel sorry for her, because she was the most fiercely independent person I have ever known, living in one of the most beautiful places I have ever known: Santa Cruz, California.
See some of her journals and learn more about her long and full life in this video:
Monday, May 1, 2000
Breakfast cold cereal + fruit.
Sorted out T-Bills & money. Vacuumed all.
Lunch 12:30. Law & Order.
To bank, deposited check from Joan. $41.36
Mail: Letter from Myra, Schwab (2).
To Carl’s for shake.
Home, Ellie stopped me. Needs cataract. Said Harry A dead and Gordon died heart.
Said I would pick her up after eye operation.
Called Myra. Some TV: JAG old, no second part of Friday’s.
Bed. Crossword, etc. Not good sleep.
Tuesday. May 2, 2000
Up 7, cold. Breakfast oatmeal.
Ready by 9:30. Put oil in car.
Very warm. To McDonald’s, English muffin.
To library. Man named Ray let me ahead of him. Checked E Mail. Message from Carla.
Lunch here. Read “Billy the Kid,” finished papers, etc. Crossword.
TV: JAG (seen), L & Order (seen), 2nd JAG new.
Bed, some TV. News til 11:30. Slept good 4 hours, rested.
Wednesday, May 3, 2000
Cold, heat. Breakfast oatmeal.
Swept, mopped bath, kitchen.
Out 11 a.m. Longs, BP OK. Got 3 items.
To library. “Ray” there. Got govt info for auction of 5-year Monday, 10-year Tuesday.
Called Schwab, money not ready. 5 days! Call Friday.
Wrote Carla, walked to corner PO Box.
Shower/hair. Called Mina, she got Notting Hill.
TV: JAG, West Wing.
E Mail hit by “I Love You” virus??
Slept late.
Thursday, May 4, 2000
Awake 4:30, then slept til 8:30! No melatonin.
News about new virus affecting E-Mail.
Out 12:25. To Kmart, bought TV Guide & small tissue box. Ate lunch there.
Very warm.
To Hollywood Video, got “Mumford.” (Recommended by Ebert.) Enjoyable.
Called Justine. She got package OK, enjoyed small ring. Sounded tired, bored.
TV: JAG old, Frasier (2).
Friday, May 5, 2000
Call Schwab for money.
Up 8 a.m. Called for checks. Said mail tonite?
Wrote notes to Carla, Justine. Wrapped book, video.
To post office, $1.13 each.
To Hollywood Video, returned Mumford.
Ate at Burger King.
Called Schwab, talked to woman. She checked, will mail.
Wrote Mina.
TV: News, Lehrer, JAG, etc.
Saturday, May 6, 2000
Awake 6:44. Breakfast poached egg.
Changed coolant in car. Power out 10:30.
Returned video, checked BP. Got new “Cover Girl.”
Home. Read paper, ate corn, did crossword.
To mall for panties, found at JC Penney. “Jockey” sports, $10, 25% off.
Electricity back 7 p.m., off 91/2 hours.
Bed 10 p.m. after some news.
Sunday, May 7, 2000
Up 7, breakfast oatmeal. Ready 9.
Laundromat, washed rugs.
To Penney’s, got new rug for bathroom.
Home, lunch, TV. Bullitt again! 1968, Peter Yates director.
TV: Forgot Ebert! L&O, old; X-files, dumb.
Read Murdoch, slept fair. 10:30-11:30-1-3-6:30.
Monday, May 8, 2000
Breakfast 7, oatmeal. Packed vitamins.
5-year auction from Internet.
Used heat pad.
Worked a bit on thrift shop donations.
To Drug Emporium for 3 Cover girls. To Trader Joe’s for groceries.
Home, lunch. Worked in yard, pulled weeds.
Mail: Mobile home newsletter.
Tuesday, May 9, 2000
10-year auction. 10 a.m. oil change.
7 a.m. breakfast, car to Good Year.
Home, used weed killer, wrote Prudy.
Got car. To credit union, paid bill.
To KFC, got pot pie.
To library, checked auction. 10-year not there.
E-mail from Justine, answered.
Home, rested til 2 p.m. Read papers.
Louis Prima Documentary on, taped 3 hours.
Bed, not good sleep.
Wednesday, May 10, 2000
Up 7, cold. Heat lamp til 8.
Breakfast TJ’s Oat Bran, easy on stomach.
Got Thrift package together.
Ready 11, to Goodwill van.
Then library, got online, E-mailed Justine.
Checked 10-year bonds, 61/2. But cost 1001.53.
To Albertsons, got stamps. To Kmart, mailed $15 to World Savings.
To BofA, deposited 22,184.44
Home, checked with bank, balanced.
Justine called. Sort of agreed to meet at tent.
Thursday, May 11, 2000
Get money from World, afternoon.
Up 7, breakfast. Warm.
Worked on pant legs.
To Aptos library for Muni fone, Exploratorium. Also ads.
To Wendy’s, then show: “Dreamed of Africa.”
Home, tired.
TV: News, JAG (old).
Bed 8, slept til 5. Legs hurt. Is it nodes?
Spent time calling library and Wendy’s for plastic purse, was in purse!
Friday, May 12, 2000
Up 5 a.m., Radio, heat. Cold.
Breakfast, finished pants.
Bank balanced ($1 missing??) No. Wendy’s 4:55.
Walked on cliff. Wind, cold.
To fruit stand, donut/coffee.
To library, sent email to Justine
To Kmart for gas, 14.43.
Mail: Check from Schwab, letters from Andra, Carla
To bank, deposited check.
Home: News, papers, JAGs.
Bed 8:30. Slept.
Saturday, May 13, 2000
Up 6, cold. Heat.
Breakfast same, washed some.
First to Longs, got paper, looked for elastic. None.
To Carl’s for coffee.
Then Gottschalk's, got Jockey pants, purse. To Hart’s for elastic.
To library, message from Justine. OK, stay home. Will go with another.
Legs hurt.
Talked to Lois, Oscar in home.
Home, news. Bed 8:30.
Sunday, May 14, 2000
Up 7, usual breakfast.
Massaged left leg, seemed to help.
Did crossword, etc.
Walked cliff. Windy, cloudy.
To Santa Cruz Bookshop, got two books: American Slang, and Collins World Atlas.
To show, “East/West.” w/ Catherine Deneuve, Sandrine Bonnaire. Thought good.
Home 4:15.
TV: News, etc. Slept 7-9, watched X-Files.
Read papers, slept 11-12-3-5-9
Monday, May 15, 2000
Up 9, breakfast usual. Legs better.
Spent time looking at Slang/Slagerman’s report on nodes?
Paid Blackwell’s, to Longs for pix (2).
Checked balance at bank.
Home, mail.
TV: Lehrer, news, JAG (saw).
Bed 8. ?
Tuesday, May 16, 2000
Awake 7. Cold. Heat on, back to bed til 8:30.
Breakfast oatmeal.
Wrote checks, notes to girls. $107.47 each. Noted how much total they received: $1,416.57
To Trader Joe’s for groceries, checked bank balance.
Took aspirin and legs were good!
Mail: Only ads.
TV: Usual, 2x JAG.
Bed 9:30. Heat lamp first.
Slept 3 hours heavy.
Wednesday, May 17, 2000
Awake early. Cold. Rested 5-8.
Usual breakfast.
To post office after writing letter to Andra, sending book of slang.
To Drug Emporium, got TV Guide & BP.
To show, “Center Stage.” Excellent.
TV: News, etc. JAG (saw), West Wing: ends with assassination attempt, who is killed?
Mail: Postcard from Mina
Thursday, May 18, 2000
Up 7:30. Breakfast oatmeal.
Shower, hair. Cut it close.
To fruit stand, library. No messages.
No mail.
Hot today.
Ate tamale (TJ’s), changed sheets.
TV: News, JAG, Mystery 8 - 10.
Bed 10:30.
Friday, May 19, 2000
Up 7:30, cold. Heat, rested until 8:30.
To Drug Emporium, BP.
Got coolant, took metal to Dump.
Ellie said her grandson “met a girl,” moving to Vermont. Suggested she have a hearing test.
Back to Senate Mattress, ordered “non-turn,” Simmons, $216
Lunch Kmart, home 3 p.m.
TV: News, Lehrer, JAG, Law & Order Special Victims Unit. Not great, 2 people to leave.
Sleep not great: 1-3-5-7
Saturday, May 20, 2000
Up 7. Warm. Breakfast orange, oatmeal.
Called Mina. She has no doctor’s appt til June 1.
To get paper, mall for coffee. Man with survey.
Home, watched tennis, some TV.
Rested, feet up.
3 p.m. to art supplies, got refill for pen.
To library, read medical book. Veins?
Home, papers, watched old movie, Margaret Rutherford.
Crossword, bed 9:30.
Sunday, May 21, 2000
Up 7, usual breakfast. To be warm.
To show, “Small Time Crooks.” Woody Allen.
Art fair on Pacific. Did not stop.
Home, read “Green Knight.”
Justine called, may come down next Sunday.
Watched Ebert, he liked “Crooks.”
No TV til 9, X-Files.
Not good sleep. Took melatonin, aspirin. 10:30-12:30-2-4-7
Wednesday, May 22, 2000
Awake 7, breakfast usual.
Hot again, 84 degrees at 10:30.
Out 8:30 to laundromat, no TV!! 5 minutes for 25 cents. Owner gave me .25, then dryer took quarter!
To gas, 4 gallons for $7.05
To bank, got $200. To Trader Joe’s, no papaya.
Home. Rested, TV: Quantum Leap, Law & Order.
Mail: Fone, letter from Myra, Visa bill.
Packed vitamins and some for tomorrow.
Lunch at 4, Lehrer at 3.
Crossword.
Thursday, May 23, 2000
To Mina’s Take grapefruit!
Left 9 a.m., stopped at Gonzales rest area. Gas in Santa Maria.
Ate at Andersen’s Pea Soup in Buellton.
Hit 405 at 5 p.m., 91 about 5:45. 91 very crowded, slow.
To Mina’s 7 p.m., bed 9.
Read papers, etc.
Legs good. No nap for Mina.
Friday, May 24, 2000
Slept pretty good. Up 7.
To cat clinic, cat ill.
Breakfast at “Spire.” Loud talker next, then child.
Home, more talk.
To chicken place. Milk.
Watched video of “Being John Malkovich.”
To Kathy, daughter, left 9.
Talked til 9:30, bed.
Saturday, May 25, 2000
Up 7, breakfast.
Out for gas, mailed letter.
Back, read. Mina slept til 1:30 p.m.
Vet called, need more medicine. Took cat to clinic.
To Radio Shack, got info.
To Plantation for lunch/dinner.
Back. Lehrer, Red Shoes.
Bed 9:30. 10:30-11:30-4-7.
Sunday, May 26, 2000
Up 7. Breakfast.
Talked til 11:30.
Lunch at Polly’s, 5.70 + 1.
Got papaya enzymes.
Back, watched Dorsey Bros video Mina had. Tape broken.
TV: JAG.
Bed 10, slept OK.
Got some things ready.
Monday, May 27, 2000
Up 6:30, washed. Left 7:30.
Hit curb, light bad.
Got on 60 to Pomona, then 71 to 210. Had to slow before 138. Highway work last about 1 1/2 hours.
Took Market Street from Salinas.
To Albertsons 4:30, got paper. Roads not great.
Justine called, called back. She not coming. To Phoenix next week.
Unpacked, etc. Sleep 10 p.m.
Tuesday, May 28, 2000
Awake 6:30. Cold. Put heat on.
Breakfast, more arranging things.
Called Myra at G’s 8:50 a.m. She called Tues, drove here, saw car in Harry’s.
Turned mattress, washed few clothes, took recyclables to garbage.
Walked to Albertsons for milk, TV Guide and bananas.
Home 12:10 p.m.
Jerry Giesler died at 75.
TV: Ebert rerun, interview with Clinton, Murder She Wrote old.
Bed 8:45.
Wednesday, May 29, 2000
Up 7, breakfast same.
Wrote Mina, sent copy of AT&T divestiture. Also pix of C to Justine to show H.
Watched tennis, ate lunch.
Brought in garbage can, Myra drove in.
To post office after Longs for copy, got paper, mailed letters.
Read papers, crossword, walked to corner of Portola.
Home, ate, X-Files. Bed.
1 a.m. took aspirin, slept til 3. Good.
Thursday, May 30, 2000
Up 7, Cold, used pad.
Forgot tennis! Rained out.
Showered/hair.
Washed black pants, called Goodwill, Thrift Shop.
GW wants mattress and box springs, Thrift Shop will take Tuesday.
Lunch at Kmart.
Home, TV, read papers, crossword, etc.
Bed after 11 p.m. news. Not good sleep.
Friday, May 31, 2000
Rent paid.
Up 7, French Open. Agassi won, first set very good.
Myra and G. visited Larry.
Balloon in tire, left car at Good Year.
Walked to Drug Emporium, BP. Got candy & TV Guide, pills: Tylenol arthritis.
Lunch McDonald’s
Call from Good Year, new tire on, can take car.
Walked up, hot. Paid, still need work: $447.79!!!
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