In July of 1999, she was an 83-year-old woman living alone in a trailer park, but she wasn’t sad, and neither was her home. Because she was the most fiercely independent person I have ever known, living near one of the coolest places I’ve ever seen: Pleasure Point in Santa Cruz, Calif.
And nearly every day she walked the cliffs along the ocean, looking out for the surfers who loved that spot, too.
Also in July of 1999, grandma was watching soccer, tennis, going to see “Notting Hill” in the theater again and yet again for a total of eight times, even more than the previous record of six times for "Shakespeare in Love."
And wait — chatting up a guy nearly half her age at the library, for an hour?!
Now that was super cool.
I wrote more about my grandmother's life in this post, or you can see her journals and hear her life story in this video:
Thursday, July 1, 1999
Up four times!
Up 7:30, usual breakfast. Chores.
Walked on cliff, forgot where I parked.
To Nob Hill, had Triscuits on sale. Got a mango.
To Orchard for mender hose.
Ate here. Worked on the hose, not easy.
Read papers, watched soccer. U.S. won 3-2 over Germany. First goal for Germany was by U.S.! Clintons attended.
Tennis: Steffi Graf over V. Williams, 6/3, 3/6, [?]
Mail: Letter from Stimson!
Bed, crossword til 12:30.
Friday, July 2, 1999
Up 7, usual breakfast.
Watered, but hose came apart. Get money back?
Walked on cliff.
Got hose and shoes at Kmart.
To donut shop. Man with British accent there, talked about an hour! Exchanged email addresses. He 53, has 20-year-old and 8-year-old. Divorced.
To library for Internet. Message from Carla, replied. Problems with mouse! on computer.
Got books regarding partials and bridges. (2)
Home, shoes two lefts. Back to Kmart, got a right. Talked to woman with diabetes & her husband.
Bed late. Struggled with hose.
Saturday, July 3, 1999
Awake 3:30. Ate apple, ginger tea.
Up 6:15, Agassi won, Sampras and Steffi won.
Out to get paper, also got under house. Hose over one pipe and under another.
Got enzymes.
TV: History, recorded Bye, Bye Birdie.
Girls came back.
Notes at the top of the page:
Sampras to be 29 in August, Andre 29 now, Stefi 30.
Sunday, July 4, 1999
Up 5 a.m. Electricity off. Back on by 6 for tennis.
Lindsay won, 6/4, 7/5, Sampras beat Agassi, 6/4, 6/4, 7/5.
Wrote Myra.
Shower/hair after soccer. U.S. won 2-0 over Brazil. Much elbowing, fouling. Second goal by a free kick because Mia Hamm was fouled.
Larry dumped garbage can again, looking for a key! He took back a pair of shoes.
TV: Little Lord Fauntleroy.
Monday, July 5, 1999
Up 5:30. Ate hot cereal. Ready by 9:30.
Washed floors, swept. Larry out.
To Ocean via post office, mailed letter to Myra.
To Kmart, got Brylcreem, soup, apricots.
To show, “Notting Hill.” 4th time.
Home. Emily’s friend discussed Maria and Larry, not pleasant.
Walked Capitola. Hot.
Tuesday, July 6, 1999
Up 6 a.m. First heat, usual breakfast.
Walked on cliff.
To bank, got $300. Balanced checks.
Fertilized lawn, watched news, read papers.
To library, messages from Justine and Carla.
TV: Diagnosis Murder.
Read papers, did crossword.
Wednesday, July 7, 1999
Up 7, usual breakfast.
To Kmart first, changed 25' hose to 50' hose. Got gas also. $9.96.
To library, read Mt. Sinai.
Stopped by Ramirez’ for info on acrylic.
Home, ate. Called Schwab. Sold 101 shares.
Maria and E’s friend are cleaning shed.
TV: News, reruns started. Lehrer, Law & Order.
Bed, but crossword.
News: Caught Gaston, almost killed two girls.
Thursday, July 8, 1999
Up 6:30, walked cliff. Cutting trees at O’Neill's. He also offering cancer screening. Some surfer died. (Sky or Sy)
To Albertsons, got fruit, etc.
Home 10:10 a.m. TV, wrote Prudy.
To show, “The General's Daughter.” Exciting.
Lunch KFC in Aptos.
To Drug Emporium, BP & TV Guide.
Home 4:20 p.m. Eyes hurt, rested.
Crossword, news. (Carrie called).
Friday, July 9, 1999
Up 6:30, breakfast usual.
Watered east, back. Washed car.
Walked on cliff. Skye Sanders, surfer died of skin cancer.
Mina called, returned called.
Tried dentist, just voicemail.
Sorted shoe boxes.
TV: News, Lehrer.
Bed 9:15, crossword, paper.
Sleep about 9:30-12:30-2:30
Saturday, July 10, 1999
Awake 6:30, usual breakfast.
Walked cliff.
To Ross, looked at bras.
To town, gave bags to thrift shop.
To show, “An Ideal Husband.” Trouble with audio.
Home, soccer. USA won 5/4 on free kicks.
TV: News, etc. Reruns.
Bed early?
Sunday, July 11, 1999
To McDonald's, ate muffin.
To show, “Arlington Road.” Enjoyed, but Siskel & Ebert said “no.” Last 20 minutes bad, not logical.
Home, ate here. Ellie outside, said Freda had operation, cancer removed. Size of pea, not walnut.
Ellie said Larry in back, lost something! Called Myra, she called daughter in Monterey. Got better info.
TV: X-Files, reading.
Put Weed-Be-Gone on Ellie’s weeds.
Monday, July 12, 1999
Dentist 9 a.m. Cleaning and crown.
Up 6, breakfast. $10 left.
Early at dentist. Hole in permanent crown, has to go back. Cleaning with "Tanya?"
To Kmart, lunch.
Home, TV.
Mail: Letter from Mina.
To Longs, got envelopes.
Walked on cliff.
To New Leaf for cheese and tea.
Home, news. Bed early, 8:30. Good sleep.
Tuesday, July 13, 1999
Up 6, usual breakfast.
To laundromat. Only “client” a worker. Bicyclist watching TV, then left.
Home, wrote Myra. To post office, $2.53.
To Drug Emporium, got TV Guide. To McDonald’s for coffee.
To Ross, tried on bras. Bought a sports bra.
Mail: Visa bill with a charge 59.95. Called #800. Called Visa and sent letter to Phoenix with copy to Better Business Bureau. To Longs for copies.
Home, foned for check. To be sent tomorrow.
Wednesday, July 14, 1999
Up 5, then 8. Walked on cliff.
To Kmart, looked for 38C bra. Got a Hanes 38C box, has wrong items.
To library after donut/coffee.
To show, “Ideal Husband.” Enjoyed, I think, but thought about bad breath, etc. Takes place in 1895.
Home, ate, read papers.
Some TV: Due South, Lehrer.
Bed early, crossword.
Thursday, July 15, 1999
Up 7, breakfast. Watered.
Worked on Ellie’s weeds.
Wrote TCI. To Longs, took pix. Mailed letter.
To bank, got balance.
To Kmart.
Home, news.
To dentist, was cancelled.
Back home, news, Lehrer, golf.
To bed, baseball: Giants 9, A’s 11: 9th inning, home run, 3.
Friday, July 16, 1999
Up 7, breakfast usual.
Ready 10, walked cliff.
To library, opens 12. To donut shop.
Parked across from thrift, gave donation: White pants, dark pants, two underpants? 40C bra!
Read a bit.
To show, “Tea With Mussolini.” Good. Maggie Smith, Cher, Lily Tomlin, Judi Dench.
Mail: Letter from Myra, check from Schwab.
TV: News, Law & Order, X-Files.
Saturday, July 17, 1999
JFK Jr. missing in plane, wife and her sister.
4:08 a.m. Larry out on back porch, to “See what neighbors are doing.”
To bank, deposited check.
To Nob Hill, got peaches.
To McDonald's, crowded.
Home. 11:50 a.m., Coast Guard confirmed debris as Piper Saratoga.
Ate here, watched TV.
Walked on cliff, accident there. Man needed help. Two fire engines, police carried out on stretcher.
Bed early.
Sunday, July 18, 1999
Up 6:30, usual breakfast. Chores.
Takes about 1 hour to make bed, dress, brush teeth, etc.
To Ocean Street donut, read papers.
To show, “Notting Hill.” (5th)
Lunch KFC.
Home 3:30. Scots won British Open. Frenchman had great sense of humor, said he made friends in Scotland.
Taped Ebert, watched 60 Minutes. Ran “Eyes Wide Shut.” OK.
Monday, July 19, 1999
Up 6:45, usual breakfast.
8:30 -9, worked in Ellie’s yard. Pulled up dried dandelions.
Called Treasury, then stopped. Called to talk.
Cleaned stereo, worked on system a bit. Radio good, but turntable and tape no good.
Lunched here.
Called back Treasury, bought $6,000 2-year notes.
Mail: Master, Fone, Coca-Cola, Elder Hostel.
TV: News, Lehrer, Poirot.
Called dentist, crown not there. Need compression of upper right.
Tired. bed early.
Tuesday, July 20, 1999
Shower first, ate Burger King. Bad.
Home message from Carrie, also from Myra. She liked ginger tea.
Took stereo to Goodwill.
To dentist for impression.
Walked cliff. Could see Monterey, unusual.
Back to dentist at 3, another impression. New appointment 8/4. (Losing money on me.)
Home, news. Nothing on JFK Jr. No plane, some debris.
TV: L&O, X-Files.
Wednesday, July 21, 1999
Up 6:30, news: JFK Jr. body found (2 a.m. Pacific Time).
Breakfast, chores.
To Gottschalk’s, bo’t 3 pair pants.
To donut shop after walk.
To library, message from Carla. Downloaded text on spironolactone, 9 pages.
Home, Larry wanted to put something in my shed.
JFK Jr. girls recovered.
TV: Due South, Lehrer.
Bed, crossword.
11 p.m. news, birth of baby giraffe.
Thursday, July 22, 1999
No sleep til 1:30. Took pill.
Up 8. Watered grass, cut plant back.
Drug Emporium for diuretics, Gingko.
Kmart for lunch. groceries.
TV: Murder She Wrote. Cleaned out shoes, five pair to thrift, keep some.
Called Stimson to say "Bon voyage." He leaves 3 p.m. Taking limousine to airport at Phila, sister also taking limousine.
TV: Due South, Lehrer, Diagnosis Murder.
Bed, read.
Friday, July 23, 1999
Up 8. No milk, eggs poached.
Wrote Sy, sent newspaper articles.
To Gottschalk's after donut/coffee. Got brown top.
To Scotts Valley, got ice cream. Saw "Notting Hill." 6th. Look for She!
traffic heavy on way back via Glen Canyon.
To Albertsons: Milk, peaches, bananas, yogurt.
TV: "River of No Return" til 11.
Bed, crossword.
Saturday, July 24, 1999
Slept til 7:30. Usual breakfast.
Very crowded at 41st.
To Longs, Xerox out. Got paper.
To Gottschalk’s, no bras. Got “Secret Credit” 10%
McDonald's for coffee.
To library, searched for plastic implants.
Home, ate, crossword, etc.
Walked cliff, 8 to 8:30.
Taped “Thin Man,” “Another Thin Man.” Corny now.
Bed 12.
Sunday, July 25, 1999
Awake 7, rested til 8.
Some chores. Shower, hair.Where are two cleansing creams?
Tennis in Italy. Venus 6/1, 6/1. Serena 6/1, 6/1.
Replied to Margie’s invite: No.
Longs, BP, got new toe nail clipper & 2 cans of soup.
To JC Penney, got bras. (2) 38D. Woman was in cafeteria of Kmart 15 years. (Made soup wrong).
To Kinkos, 2 copies. Mailed to DMV. Renewal! Overpaid $3.
Myra called. Talked 1 1/2 hours.
Bed, tired. Good sleep!
Monday, July 26, 1999
Awake 7:30. Breakfast usual.
Wrote Justine, paid MasterCard.
To Vitamin Center, no lemon ginger.
To Ocean Street donut, read papers.
To library, got pix of Mercury News article
Home, Murder She Wrote.
Walked cliff.
To Staff of Life, got Lemon Ginger and Yogi Cinnamon.
TV: News, Due South, very funny.
Found Cathi to leave message they they had lemon ginger for Myra.
TV: Law & Order, saw before. Some Ally MacBeal.
Tuesday, July 27, 1999
(Larry out 4 a.m.)
Up 7:30. Watered lawn, pulled some of Ellie’s dandelions.
Talked to lady in back. She to be gone Aug. 7 -14.
Drug Emporium, got TV Guide, coffee.
To “Notting Hill,” 7th. (Note the women and child on left.)
Ate at Wendy’s, had salad at home.
TV: News, Due South, old Law & Order.
To Live Oak. Three email messages from H, responded to Justine.
Bed 11:15.
Wednesday, July 28, 1999
Started on “Linen closet.”
Used heat lamp. (10 mins.)
Tired, need time out.
To Kmart, soup.
Then to show, “The Haunting.” Over the top. Some intriguing preliminaries.
Home, letter from Mina.
TV: News, Lehrer, X-Files. Finished “Thin Man” tape.
Thought about transfer to girls.
Bed, crossword.
Thursday, July 29, 1999
Up 8:30, breakfast usual.
To show, “Notting Hill.” (8th!)
Stopped at Sewing Center. No market for C’s Singer. [Justine here: my mother had a beautiful old Singer sewing machine, the kind built into a table that it could drop into and create a flat surface when you weren’t using it. Pretty ingenius!]
Ate KFC.
To live Oak for email, messages from H, Justine and Carla.
Home, news. terrible shooting in Atlanta.
Friday, July 30, 1999
Up 7, usual breakfast.
To Nob Hill, got fruit.
Home 11. CNN News: Linda Tripp indicted.
Read papers, washed two pair of pants. Redid one more shelf.
To library, message from Justine, answered.
TV: Due South, L/O, Farscape (SiFi)
Washed blouse.
Bed.
Saturday, July 31, 1999
Up 6:30, some chores.
Breakfast at Kmart. Got some TV dinners.
Home, worked on sewing machine. Cleaned, tried it.
Bought sound track of Notting Hill. Not too good.
Watched tennis, some TV. History, A&E (date drug rape). Pill made by British company.
Mail: Garbage bill/ Should have been much more?
Ironed some.
