My Grandmother's Journals: August, 1997

My grandmother in Toledo, Spain, 1968.

My grandmother kept track of her days in tiny notebooks, writing down when she woke up, what she ate, what movies she went to see and what she watched on TV, which was a lot of news, sports and Star Trek.

 

In August of 1997 at 81, she was exchanging letters and phone calls weekly with Mina, a woman she met while both were being raised in a Masonic home in Covina, Calif., while still battling ants in her kitchen and fretting about having to take a test to renew her driver's license. 

 

Unfortunately, she was also still avoiding the donut shop where she had befriended the owners and most of the other regulars. More on that in the July entries.

Friday, Aug. 1, 1997

Walked on West Cliff.

To Longs for BP, paper.

McDonald's, got coffee & muffin (mall).

To Credit Union, put $5,000 in CD for 3 years, 6.5%

Forgot rent. She leaves at 3 p.m.

TV: Star Trek, TNG.

Saturday, Aug. 2, 1997

Up 7:30, tea.

Called Mina, talked 1 hour. She stopped taking blood thinner.

Wrote more of letter, sent article on HMO.

To Longs, BP, paper.

To library, got video: “When the Cat’s Away.” Some fun, but main girl dumb.

Home, lawn. Read papers.

Sunday, Aug. 3, 1997

Tennis.

Put up new shades on two windows. First goofed, second no problem.

TV: Dodgers vs. Cubs, some 60 Minutes, X-Files, La Femme Nikita.

 

Monday, Aug. 4, 1997

Call at 3:33 a.m. Did not answer.

Not best sleep. Sun bright.

Cleaned kitchen sinks with Pine-Sol, hope keeps ants away.

Longs, paper & BP.

Safeway, corn, zucchini, forgot deodorant spray.

Put up two more shades , then vacuumed some walls and floor. Moved bookcase in bedroom, swapped TV and shoes.

TV: News, Poirot, Miss Marple, Suddenly Susan, Cybill, TNG.

Full day.

Tuesday, Aug. 5, 1997

Up 8. Tea.

Some cobweb cleaning. Watered lawn.

Shower, hair.

To Longs 11:45, Vibol in parking lot. Said hello.

Got Osteo check at Longs, 30% down on bone mass.

Ran Morse tape, Law & Order new to me.

 

Wednesday, Aug. 6, 1997

Up 8:30. Radio static. To Myra’s, tried radio.

Some housework.

To Longs, got cans of Mandarin oranges.

To Wherehouse, got two videos.

To library, read on Osteo.

To “English Patient” again.

To market, got a few nectarines and peaches.

Ran “Lost Boys.” Loud. 

Bed, no sleep til 2 a.m.

Saturday, Aug. 9, 1997

Tea, cereal here.

Walked on East Cliff, some high waves.

Longs, BP, etc.

To Gembrokers, appraisal. Nice man.

Got fish and chips!!

TV: 49ers over Seahawks.

French, news, Faulty Towers.

 

Sunday, Aug. 10, 1997

Up 8:30. No electric blanket. Radio static. 

Walked, many in surf, parking lot full.

Tennis: Sampras, Seles won.

Some golf, wrote letters.

TV: News, Siskel & Ebert, Silk Stalkings.

 

Monday, Aug. 11, 1997

Wrote checks for girls.

Longs, BP. Bank, post office.

Planted Lobellia and Forget-me-nots.

Talked to Margaret.

Warm. Larry cut Myra’s grass. Cutters came same day, swept.

TV: News, Poirot, Marple, Cybill, TNG.

Sleep 11:30-1:45-3:30-7:30

 

Tuesday, Aug. 12, 1997

Watered lawn with fertilizer.

Ronn in LA, good talk.

Shower, hair.

Longs, BP.

To show, “George of the Jungle.” Some fun.

Home, washed white curtains.

Mary to Marie Callender’s. Soup, pie.

Home, ironed curtains.

TV: Morse, Law & Order. Fraiser, TNG. Only watched 1/2 hour, tired.

 

Wednesday, Aug. 13, 1997

Slept 10:30-1:30-3:30-6:30.

Radio, tea, cereal. Ronn controversial.

Washed middle room windows, put up curtains. 

Kmart, checked BP, got chicken sandwich. Gave boy seven cents.

Got ankle hose, TV Guide.

Mail: Letter from Mina.

TV: News, Dodgers lost, Giants lost.

Star Trek Voyager, TNG.

 

Thursday, Aug. 14, 1997

Slept good.

Washed car & hosed west side of mobile home.

Longs, BP, then Albertsons and Trader Joe’s, got ginko for Mina.

Home, golf. To bank to deposit Mina’s check, $14.81.

DMV, made appt for license. 

TV: News, some Benny Goodman program.

Friday, Aug. 15, 1997

Next door yelling at 7 a.m.

Up 9:05, tea.

Golf, Tiger to start at 10.

To Longs, BP, got Kleenex and muffins.

Mall, looked for “Polish cloth.” Got scarf, black hat, purse.

Paper, crossword.

News at 11, UPS scandal.

 

Saturday, Aug. 16, 1997

Not good sleep.

Longs, BP + paper.

Home, message from Carol. Sentinel has article on Vibol.

Golf: Tiger not putting good, anxious.

Kmart, got wipes and dish soap.

To show, “Shall we Dance?”

Sears, got coin purse. Almost got purse.

Library, got 3 videos. 

Sunday, Aug. 17, 1997

Up 8, golf.

To Albertsons, got lettuce, peaches.

Called Carol to thank her for calling yesterday. She getting ready for art showing.

TV: “Great Moments of Opera,” checked 60 Minutes. 

To Trader Joe’s, more fish.

Not good sleep, Larry up calling, "Kitty."

 

Monday, Aug. 18, 1997

Awake 7, up 9. Ronn had psychic.

Longs, BP, Valerian, cayenne/garlic.

Wrote Mimi, Mina.

Football: 49ers lost to Jacksonville.

Saw MIR pass over 9:29 p.m., moon bright.

 

Tuesday, Aug. 19, 1997

Up 9, ate here. 

Some chores, watered lawns.

Shower, hair.

To show, “Conspiracy Theory.” Good, Mel Gibson gives good performance. Patrick Stewart is “bad” man. Show long.

TV: Taped Mad About You, Frasier. Watched X-Files rerun.

Bed, news, Letterman.

Wednesday, Aug. 20, 1997

Awake 7, up 9:40. Slept again.

Tea, walked. Felt dull.

To Longs, BP out of order.

To DMV. Passed written, but eye test difficult.

To Kmart, ice cream.

Thursday, Aug. 21, 1997

Worked in yard. Put plastic green between Larry and me.

Longs, BP still out of order.

To Beacon to put air in tires.

To Kmart, ate lunch, got “Gum-out.”

Two hours to write letter to Prudy, big, sent Justine's card.

Sunday, Aug. 24, 1997

Up 8:30. Breakfast McDonald’s!

BP at Longs.

Walked on East Cliff. 

Hot today. Beautiful day!

TV: 60 Minutes, part of “Man Without a Face.”

Bed late!

 

Monday, Aug. 25, 1997

Up 7:30, watered lawn. Some chores.

To Longs, BP low. Got TV Guide, fruit.

To McDonald's, had decaf and muffin.

To Kmart, got gas and BP.

Looked for cardboard box, changed car box -- oil, etc. -- into new box.

Cleaned shelves a bit, took to dump.

Bed 10:30, tired.

Tuesday, Aug. 26, 1997

Awake 5, back to sleep. Up 9.

Tea, cereal, walked.

Wrote girls re no deposit 9/1.

To post office, got stamps.

To Trader Joe's, got sorbet.

TV: Tennis, NOVA, Frasier, TNG.

Read paper.

Wednesday, Aug. 27, 1997

Good sleep.

Up 7:15, awake 6.

Checked oil, talked to Eloise.

Breakfast Kmart.

Justine called, changed number.

Changed pots and plants around.

Larry home, talked a bit.

TV: More tennis, TNG.

Thursday, Aug. 28, 1997

Watered back, weeded.

Tennis rain delay.

Longs BP out of order again!

To mall, Lily there. Eye trouble, growth on nose. Will not have it removed.

Gottschalk’s, sale on: Got denims, matching top.

To library, returned videos.

To show, “Mrs. Brown.” Good, need to know history!

TV: Tennis, Diagnosis Murder, TNG. 

11 news: Dog who sniffs termites!

 

Friday, Aug. 29, 1997

Rent Monday!

Up 8:30, ate here, low-fat muffin.

Longs BP OK.

Home 2 p.m. News, typed report of arthritis.

TV: Tennis, Dodgers vs A’s. Dodgers won in 10th inning. 5-4.

 

Saturday, Aug. 30, 1997

Breakfast Egg McMuffin.

Walked East Cliff 9 - 9:15.

Checked Thrifty for purses, none.

Longs, BP out of order.

To Kmart for eggs, ham, muffin.

News: Princess Diana killed in car accident in Paris, in Tunnel Pont de Alma. Chauffeur also killed. Watched TV til 1 a.m. Radio also.

Sunday, Aug. 31, 1997

Rent tomorrow.

Awake 7 a.m., up 8:30.

Radio a bit. 

Tennis: Seles won, Venus Williams won, Agassi won.

Changed coolant, watered lawn. Talked to Eloise next-door.

TV: 60 Minutes devoted to Diana, car traveling in excess of 100 mph.

 

More on my grandmother: In 1997, 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. (I wrote more about her life in an earlier post.)  

My Grandmother’s Journals: June, 1997

Grandma, left, chaperoning teens in June of 1961.

In tiny notebooks, my grandmother wrote each day when she woke, where she ate breakfast, any movie she went to see, any mail and calls she received, then what she read and watched on TV before bed, where she seemed to struggle to sleep most nights. 

In 1997, she turned 82 while 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 on the cliffs above the ocean and watching the surfers. When she died, 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 June of 1997, my grandmother was recovering from her latest visit to Europe while watching a lot of tennis and golf. She was also not only checking her blood pressure multiple times a day, but driving to different places to check it on different machines.

 

May entries.

Sunday, June 1, 1997

Up 7. Tea, cereal, strawberries and banana.

Washed car, watered lawns.

Yard work, took fern apart.

Worked until 9 o’clock.

Drug Emporium, BP.

Not as hot.

Tennis, Hingis won, Seles over Mary Pierce. Crowd does wave “For Mary.”

TV: “Red Dwarf” til 10.

Retired but no sleep, up for soup and toast at 12.

 

Tuesday, June 3, 1997

Tea, cereal. Vote 26th Street.

Money for girls: Check to H, deposit to Justine’s. ATM removed “Balance Inquiry.”

TV: Tennis.

Ate liver.

To Live Oak, BP 128/70.

Taped Karaoke. Two hours.

Wednesday, June 4, 1997

Up 8:30. Showered, hair, etc.

Late to Vibol’s. Monie is two months late, says Vibol wants child.

To Gottschalk’s, got blue/white umbrella stand.

Home, lunch, talked to neighbors.

Wrote letter to Prudy. To mailbox.

To OSH, got philodendron for blue/white vase.

Walked, knees hurt.

 

Thursday, June 5, 1997

Ate tea, sausage here.

Some yard work. Larry found picture.

Got another plant, indoor this time. Put other outside.

Got blue/white bowl for violet, one for other plant.

Ate chicken san at KFC.

BP at Drug Emporium, low also. Why? Only change was knee warmers?

Friday, June 6, 1997

Mailed birthday card + money to H. Also note to Justine.

Up late. To post office.

Checked BP at Longs early. 133/76.

To corner.

Home, tennis.

Wrote Andra/Lutz, Mina.

Bed 6 p.m., no sleep til a.m.

 

Saturday, June 7, 1997 

No real sleep. Why?

Up 8:30. Yunnan tea, 1/2 muffin.

Longs, BP low. 108?

Home, tennis. Hingis lost, had cramps? In interview said no problem, Iva played better.

Got gas, checked New Leaf for Yunnan tea.

Called Watsonville Food, no.

Pruned jasmine, cut limbs. 2 hours.

Watched Michael Flatley, Lord of the Dance.

 

Sunday, June 8, 1997

To Vibol’s.

Searched for Yunnan tea. Longs, mall.

To show, “Breakdown.” Very exciting, suspenseful.

Caught last 1/2 hour of “Lost World.”

New Leaf for tea, woman tried to locate wholesaler.

Home, 60 Minutes. 

Bed, but sleep late. Up three times.

Monday, June 9, 1997

H birthday.

Up 9. To Longs, BP.

To Vibol's. Talked with Clifton?

Looked more for tea, not found. Way of Life will try order. Got Chamomile.

Dinner at Live Oak.

Justine called at 4, returned call at 4:30. Finally talked 6 or so.

Bed after Cybill.

Tuesday, June 10, 1997

Had chamomile tea last night, slept good.

Up 9. Ate cereal, Yunnan tea.

Longs for BP. First 145, second 113. Got TV Guide.

To library, checked for herbs, San Jose herb markets.

Checked Bass tickets to “Phantom of Opera,” $67.50 downstairs, $50 balcony.

TV: Taped “White Ghost.” Not great!

No sleep until 2 a.m.

Called Justine at 1 a.m.

Wednesday, June 11, 1997

Awake 7:30, up 9:40. 

Breakfast McDonald’s. Took BP before and after.

Walked on cliff.

Ate sandwich at Vibol’s, he not there. Dave came by.

Way of Life called, tea in! 3.83 - 25 bags.

Wrote Justine.

Longs, checked BP, OK.

To post office, mailed letters.

Home, worked on plants.

TV: Baseball, Dodgers 10, Astros 5.

 

Thursday, June 12, 1997

Slept til 9:30. Shower, hair.

To Vibol’s, he cooked liver - onion, ginger. Needs garlic?

TV: Golf, Tiger not good.

BP at Mid-County, 188. 

Same at Longs, got dinners, new leg warmers, brown.

To bank, got GTE stock shares. Read market wrong, still thinking. May sell.

Slept good, took tea.

Friday, June 13, 1997

Fertilized lawn?

Up 7:30, laundromat.

Longs, BP machine off.

Got card from odd man, Phil. Working on Bebe’s roof.

TV: Golf, Tiger Woods back on track.

4:30, machine at Longs still down, checked at Drug Emporium.

Saturday, June 14, 1997

Up 9:15, tea. To Longs, BP working.

Got paper, to Vibol’s, home.

Ironed clothes.

Golf most of day. Cold, rained in early am.

Read papers, mended “apple” boy.

Golf held because of rain.

Watched some “Fanny,” old French movie, read some.

Watched MTV awards for 15 mins or so. Mike Meyers spoofed Lord of the Dance.

 

Monday, June 16, 1997

Breakfast here, cut more Jasmine.

Longs, BP, Albertson’s, Vibol’s.

Mail: Fone bill.

Talked to neighbor, made comment about Bebe.

Worked on branches until almost ill.

Rested and ate. Watered lawn, fertilized again.

Seems $180 was taken with pickpocket.

TV: News, Miss Marple, crossword.

Wrote Mimi.

Tuesday, June 17, 1997

Up 9. Very relaxed.

Ants in kitchen, grease.

To post office, mailed letter, got stamps.

Used toilet at Mid-County.

To Lucky, got 3 frozen dinners.

No BP at Live Oak today.

Walked on cliff.

Mail: From Mimi (Jazzy) and Andra with phone cards. Called Justine with one that had 9 mins on it. 

Worked in yard. 

Justine called 11:30. No sleep until 3 a.m.

Thursday, June 19, 1997

Eye Exam.

Up 9:15. Tea, applesauce.

Longs for BP.

Vibol's, library. Got Sentinel.

To doctor for exam,  no change in lenses. Should pass test. Drove home carefully.

Longs, took pix of pier accident. Sent to Justine with ticket (Phantom).

Got “Caught” video at Wherehouse.

Dodgers v. Giants.

 

Friday, June 20, 1997

Up 9ish. Tea. Ants here.

Longs, high BP.

To Vibol’s.  Seagulls got my car, hood.

Home, washed car. 

Ran “Caught.” Good, well-made.

Changed clothes again. To Wherehouse, returned tape.

To Drug Emporium, BP 137.

To post office, closed at 4:30!

To 17th Street, also now close at 4:30!

To Albertson’s, got macaroni & soup.

Hot, watered lawn.

Saturday, June 21, 1997

Not much sleep. Even took Melatonin, nothing.

BP OK, Vibol’s. 

To post office, $1 each letter.

Dodgers won 11-0.

Slept a bit after eating.

Walked on West Cliff. 

Bed early.

 

Sunday, June 22, 1997

Good sleep.

Tea, cereal. Longs, BP.

To Vibol’s, Clayton in. Second granddaughter born Thursday.  6 1/4 lbs.

Home. Worked on chain for bathroom basin. 

Also made new garters for brown knee warmers.

TV: Part of Dodgers, X-Files, some news.

Larry wants to re-sod lawn?

 

Monday, June 23, 1997 

Awake 8, up 9. Tea, toast.

Longs, then Vibol’s. Talked Pol Pot.

Vacuumed bedroom, walls, etc.

Lunch at Kmart, chicken sandwich.

To show, “My Best Friend's Wedding.” Funny, liked Rupert Everett. Had good lines.

 

Tuesday, June 24, 1997

Up 9:30. To Vibol’s til 11:30.

To Longs, then other BP. Good.

To Bank, got $200. T-Bill deposit!

Mail: Got package I mailed from England.

Took book to Larry. He not doing good!

TV: Law & Order.

Brian Keith shot himself. Cancer, emphysema.

Wednesday, June 25, 1997

Awake 6:30, up 8:30. Tea, cereal, fruit here.

Smog check. Now no coupon. Passed.

To Vibol’s.

Home 12:15. Unpacked package from London.

To Longs. BP, pix of DMV check.

Made tuna.

TV: News, baseball, Law & Order. 

No sleep.

Friday, June 27, 1997

Awake 7:45, up 9. Ironed blouses.

Longs, checked BP. Got TV Guide.

To Vibol’s. Clayton in.

To Burger King, got fish to go.

Read papers, watered lawn, talked to Larry.

News, bed early.

 

Saturday, June 28, 1997

Awake 4, up 9:30. Longs, BP 161.

Breakfast: tea, egg, poached.

To Vibol’s.

To show, “Citizen Ruth.”

Took pix of sunset, S.C. beaches. People many.

McDonald’s: Got chicken sandwich, sundae.

Dodgers lost again.

 

Sunday, June 29, 1997

Up 10:30. Carla called. [Carla, pictured above, was one of my mother’s high school friends.]

To Vibol’s, Longs. BP 159.

Planted new plant.

TV: ST Voyager, 60 Minutes. News full of Hong Kong.

Taped ballet.

 

Monday, June 30, 1997

Awake to rain. Accidents on 101.

TV: Wimbledon, Seles lost a close one. Wet, slippery grass.

Longs for BP. To Vibol’s.

Home, wrote Justine.

Papers, crossword, up 12 to 4.

TV: Oldies: Mary Tyler Moore, Dick Van Dyke, Odd Couple, Mr. Ed.

July entries.

My Grandmother’s Journals: May, 1997

My grandmother's 1964 passport photo.

In tiny notebooks, my grandmother wrote down each day when she woke, where she ate breakfast, any movie she went to see, any mail or phone calls, then what she read and watched on TV before bed.

 

In 1997, my grandmother 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. (I wrote more about her life in an earlier post.)  

 

She began May of 1997 in Paris, again, a city she loved to visit in the spring, even at age 81!

 

That was super cool.

 

April entries

 

Thursday, May 1, 1997 - In Paris

Vibol anniversary May 10, send card.

Up 3 a.m., 6 a.m. Back on schedule?

Got cheese, cookies.

To Mimi’s for dinner: Broccoli soup, rice, salad, strawberries. Talked.

To hotel, McDonald's.

Wrote three letters: Justine, Andra, Violet Hotel.

Woke with gum or tooth problem.

Friday, May 2, 1997 - Paris

Meet Yvonne at 4 p.m.

To post office, mailed letters.

Gum better, washed with salt water.

Talked to couple from Atlanta.

Hot, left coat at hotel.

Washed hair and bathed. 

Yvonne arrived on time. Talked til 6, walked a bit.

Saturday, May 3, 1997  - Paris

To Pere Lachaise (cemetery). Take camera. Hot.

Forgot map. Where is Jim? (Jim Morrison).

Took pix of “graffiti”: “Some are known, some unknown, between the two are doors.”

Got chicken and potatoes. Packed 4 to 5:30 p.m.

To show, “Looking for Richard.” Al Pacino.

Got chicken cubes & cookies at store.

Packed again. Rained a bit.

Little sleep.

Sunday, May 4, 1997 - Paris to Marseille

Train to Marseille, leaves station 14:24

Awake almost all night. Up 7:45. Gum much better.

To RR 10 a.m. Read papers.

Train late to Marseille. Bus, welcome. Pix of each as arrive (on the ship).

Two women, three men. Woman robbed!

Hot. Sleep impossible.

Monday, May 5, 1997 - On cruise

Roommate has bloody nose. Ladies are twins.

Find way to use air conditioner.

Breakfast eggs, hardly made. Omelet offered.

Morning spent on life-saving exercises.

Lecture on excursions. Bought excursion tickets.

Bed. Slept better.

 

Tuesday, May 6, 1997 - Malta

Breakfast alone.

Got stamps and mailed.

Lecture very good. Re: origin of things.

Got postcards, mailed before lunch. 6: Justine, Carla, Lois/Oscar, Joan/Sally, Mina.

Langoustine for dinner.

Slept some.

Wednesday, May 7, 1997 - At sea

Warm in night. 

Roommates left early? Gone by 7.

Breakfast, promenade deck. A little sea.

Ukrainian lunch. Music, tea, more music. Russian pastry.

Women at table, asked for paper to write card numbers on.

Thursday, May 8, 1997 - Rhodes

Up 8, breakfast 9.

Washed clothes.

Lunch. Man could not eat cheese/legumes, given omelette with cheese. Jean-Michel not pleased.

Walked near port, shops for souvenirs.

 

Friday, May 9, 1997 - Turkey

To Cappadocia. Finally off at 9 a.m.

Have to pay $20 for Visa.

Shop, problem with money. Want lira, not francs.

Visited mosque. 

Roommate lives near Monaco.

Buffet dinner, beautiful spread.

Bed after bath. Roommate to folkloric program. 

Grandma sitting next to Robert, center.

Saturday, May 10, 1997 - Turkey

Watched TV. American woman selling Internet.

Bus out at 8. To city of 15 chapels.

Very hot. Walked lots.

To other roadside sellers, camel. Ate at better places. 

Robert was there, he drank too much. Staggered.

Visited underground city. Children came, I went upstairs with them.

Sunday. May 11, 1997 - At sea

Not much sleep, noise of the air conditioner.

Breakfast, no Robert. Later he said  he ate at 10:10.

Rested most of day. Read paper, balanced money.

Washed clothes after dinner.

Dinner good, salmon. Talked to children.

Monday, May 12, 1997 - Crete

Up 645. Tired. Excursion to Crete, 8:45.

Young English photographer, talked of government change.

To museums, got two tops for Justine.

Dinner late. To cinema, “Les Miserables.”

Bed late, slept some.

Tuesday, May 13, 1997 - At sea

Ankles still swollen.

Breakfast, wrote cards, 5: Justine, Mina, Carla, Stinson, Larry (her neighbor).

Tea 4:30. Walked a bit.

Chamber music, kids asleep in armchair.

 

Wednesday, May 14, 1997 - Palermo

To Jurassic Park, dubbed in French.

Excursion to 3 chapels, traffic horrendous.

Talked to tall man with Claudine, he calm, patient, nice.

Bed 11:30. Slept a bit better. 

So tired, problem with knee.

Thursday, May 15, 1997 - At sea

Up 7:15. Dressed. Cold worse! Walked.

10 a.m.: Conference on volcanoes.

11 a.m.: to kiosk for photos.

Lunch, rested.

Filled out questionnaire, took to TransTours. Packed.

Dinner, Robert took more pix.

Addresses exchanged, goodbyes.

 

Friday, May 16, 1997 - Marseille to Paris

Breakfast with Mimi. She kissed me?

Made goof, got wrong bag, everyone looking.

Train, slept practically all way. Young man put bag up.

 

Saturday, May 17, 1997 - Paris

Mailed tops to Justine.

Bank, got 1,800. Paid four nights

To Pere Lachaise. Got new map, Jim Morrison still there. Took two pix.

Called Sy. Not good.

To Mimi’s, left note, her bag.

Grandma's cruise roommate Claudine.

Sunday, May 18, 1997 - Paris

Not much sleep again! Warm, humid.

Packed some, washed underwear.

Claudine called, gave me her number in case I came back.

To Louvre, closed for holiday.

Walked to hotel.

 

Tuesday, May 20, 1997 - London

To Eurostar, London.

Raining, changed to boots, raincoat! Maybe not good, humid.

To London on time. Sat with girl, but changed seats so could rest better.

Ate at station, called hotel. Took Underground.

Landlady said I could leave luggage here. 

 

Wednesday, May 21, 1997 - London

Showered. 6:45 breakfast.

Took pix.

To discount playhouse. Got seat for 10f.

Woman next to me from Vancouver, son teaches English. She teaches ballet.

Patti Lapone as Maria Callas. Difficult role, couldn't hear all the time!

Thursday, May 22, 1997 - London

Packed a box to send to myself of clothes.

To National Gallery. Ate dessert.

Ate at Wendy’s about 1 p.m.

To Selfridges, got silk undershirt. Got black purses also! Girl had seen “Lost Boys.”

Friday, May 23, 1997 - Liverpool

To Liverpool, 9:05 train. Andra & Lutz met me.

To Albert Dock, souvenirs. Got tea towels. Beatles.

Walked long, tired. Not much eating.

Lunch at Andra’s, salad, lasagna. 

Games on TV.

Bed 11, good sleep til 3.

 

Saturday, May 24, 1997 - Liverpool

Tea, toast. Andra, Lutz & I to town.

Met Sabine, friend from university.

To Cavern, Beatles, pix.  

Ate at Caesars (Palace). Great salad. Lutz had kebab. Paid 23.95.

To home, TV a bit. 

To train station.

Sunday, May 25, 1997 - London

Cold in night. Should use quilt! Dumb.

Sandra called 9:30, will be up 11:30. Showed on time.

Talked cruise, then her turn. Almost split with husband. Very unhappy in 1995 when (Justine and I) there. Told her very apparent.

Walked to embankment. To small place for sandwich.

To Underground, she to Waterloo, I walked.

Bus to Victoria, ate baked potato and candy.

Had horrible accident, went to Burger King to clean.

To hotel, took shower, washed clothes!

Wednesday, May 28, 1997 - Back home in Santa Cruz

Up at 4. Unpacked, ate at corner. Vibol high blood pressure.

Got mail, mailed letter to Sy.

Washed some clothes, cleaned patio. Cut roses, fertilized.

Called Justine at 10:30, woke her. Did not get tops.

She called back, got mail today. Tops and photo.

Worked on bank balance, not coming out right. Need statement, 3 days more.

Bed 8 p.m. after watering lawn.

 

Thursday, May 29, 1997

Up 5:30. Breakfast McDonald's.

Laundromat, Kmart, BP. Safeway, groceries.

Tennis: Venus won.

Took pictures of surf at 41st, marina.

Home, rested, read papers. 

Finished putting things away. Washed tights.

Tired, no energy.

Mail: Bank statement, balanced OK.

 

Friday, May 30, 1997

Awake 5. Tea, applesauce. 

Fertilized lawn with Miracle Grow.

Washed shirt, two blue tops.

To walk, take camera. Forgot. Foggy.

Tennis: Pete lost, had stomach virus.

To Longs, cholesterol good. Pix not ready.

Saturday, May 31, 1997

Not good sleep. Pillow not mine.

Awake 5 a.m. Tea and applesauce.

Got paper. Car trouble. 

To Kmart, got breakfast, nightgown.

Hot, rested. 

Tennis: Hingis won.

To show, "Fifth Element." Crazy SiFi. Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, Set in 2314. 

Man talked on way out re Jurassic Park: Lost World. Did not like.

Too warm. Gave up. Bed.

Is it cold that so tires me, or warm weather? Or HP?