Girls Night Out

Linda and Maria treated me to a three course meal at the Prado in Balboa Park.  Such a lovely place and such a lovely night.  80 years and counting.

 

 

 

 

Such a long time since I had a creme brulet!  My favorite.

 

 

 

 

I Thought I Better Note My 80th Birthday

I do not have an injured arm, it just looks weird.

 

My New Wheels

I am so afraid of that first scratch!!!!

Meet Sadie

Sadie and her brother were rescued from an animal shelter on Dec 12, 2012.   She is a mix.  Her brother looked totally like a Beagel,  Sadie is more like her Mom, a Spaniel, and father perhaps who is Terrier.  I have to qualify this.  In talking to one of the volunteers two weeks later she says they don't really know what her parentage is.  On the spay report the Vet put down chiwawa???  So who in the world are you, Sadie?

She has a sweet, understanding temperment who likes to like your neck and face and picks up new skills fairly easily.

 

She is enjoying playing with Sarah and friends and her toys but likes to cuddle in her little hooded home as soon as she  enters her  2 x 8 cage in my room. She is a climber, the suitcases were no deterrent to her escaping to the world beyond.

Truth and Memory

I have been listening to the book "Night" by Elie Wiesel about his experience during the Holocaust.  It is extremely interesting and now I find there is a controversy about it's truthfulness.  I quote here from Wikepedia:


Truth and memory

 

Ruth Franklin writes that Night's "resuscitation" by Oprah Winfrey came at a difficult time for the genre of memoir, after a previous book-club author, James Frey, was found to have fabricated parts of his autobiography, A Million Little Pieces. She argues that Winfrey's endorsement of Wiesel's work was a canny move, perhaps designed to restore the book club's credibility with a book regarded as beyond criticism. She writes that Night has a useful lesson to teach about the complexities of memoir and memory, and that the story of how it came to be written reveals how many factors come into play in creating a memoir: "the obligation to remember and to testify, certainly, but also the artistic and even moral obligation to construct a true persona and to craft a beautiful work ... truth in prose, it turns out, is not always the same thing as truth in life."

Wiesel tells a story about a visit to a Rebbe, a Hasidic rabbi, he hadn't seen for 20 years. The Rebbe is upset to learn that Wiesel has become a writer, and wants to know what he writes. "Stories," Wiesel tells him, "... true stories":

About people you knew? "Yes, about people I might have known." About things that happened? "Yes, about things that happened or could have happened." But they did not? "No, not all of them did. In fact, some were invented from almost the beginning to almost the end." The Rebbe leaned forward as if to measure me up and said with more sorrow than anger: That means you are writing lies! I did not answer immediately. The scolded child within me had nothing to say in his defense. Yet, I had to justify myself: "Things are not that simple, Rebbe. Some events do take place but are not true; others are—although they never occurred."

 

 

Now I am wondering whether to listen to the other two books in the Trilogy...???   And whether I commit the same folly... or do we all????

San Carlos

Sunday we had a wonderful birthday dinner for Johnny at the home of Johnny's Mom and Dad in University City.   We had steak and salmon and Susie's wonderful tossed arugula salad and ended up with cake!  The next day I traveled to Linda and Gary's rental in San Carlos and Melissa flew home. 

Since then I have taken my Subaru to the El Cajon Dealership to see if I can find out what is causing it to freeze up sometime.  I thought it was the fuel line but they are talking about transmission!!  That sounds like big costs to me,  tomorrow I will probably get the bad news.  Since I just bought new tires I am hoping it is fixable.  I am not quite ready to  buy a newer car, that is for sure.

Yesterday Linda took me in to get my eyes measured and check in for my cataract surgery next week.  Sounds simple enough, hope all goes well.

The tv here does not record for some reason but you can go into Demand the next day and watch what shows you missed the night before.  That is a new service of Cox I think.  What doesn't show up on Primetime I watch on my computer so I am not missing my regulars.

In the afternoon I have been watching the Food Network and am fascinated with the food that Gianda prepares.  I also watched "Fork and Knife" on Netflix and would really like to try a totally plant based diet for at least a month and see what a difference it would make in my health and especially in my cholesterol.  I think I will pick up a book tomorrow and try it!

It is cooler here lately but I am sleeping well and listening to my books at night and keeping busy keeping up on "Upstairs Downstairs" as well as the new 2013 episodes of my favorite tv shows so all is well. 

Happy Birthday, Dad.

My Dad was born in 1902 so he would have been 47 in this picture, only a year older than Johnny.   

Johnny's Birthday

Johnny, Maria, Melissa and I saw the movie "Zero Dawn 30" which was the detail of the storming and killing of Osama Ben Laden.  Very interesting learning about this CIA agent (woman) and her role in finding him.  It seems an almost impossible task, so was very fascinating.  They are keeping her identity secret according to the detail Melissa looked up.

After the movie we went to California Pizza to celebrate John's 46th! 

Massey Christmas 2012

I  like this picture of Matt, Meagan and Keira in front of a Christmas tree.  Wonder if it is the Del Coronado?

Off to San Diego

I drove to Chico on Wednesday and the roads were not bad but it is very cold at Chico at night.  Melissa and I saw the movie "Guilt Trip" which was  ok funny.  I have always enjoyed Barbara Streisand movies.  Thursday I slept later than I should have so we didn't arrive in San Diego till dark.  We should have driven on 395!  Still having some problems with Subaru, so will have to check it out in San Diego at the Subaru dealer.  There is still so much snow in Lake Almanor, it is sticking to the trees and roof but the snow blower is fixed and Mike has his Dad's 4 Wheel Drive so he should be fine. Maria had spaghetti for us made out of brown rice.  It was good, I will have to buy some of that.

Life of "Camelot"

It is wonderful to have so much time to enjoy the arts.  At night I am listening to the book "Unbroken" which is amazing.  The author Laura Hillenbrand is the one who wrote "Seabiscuit" and her description is of such clarity.  "Unbroken" is the true story of WWII Hero Louis Zamperini, who was an Olympic runner.  His plane went down and he spent 47 days at sea and then two years imprisoned in a Japanese camp of torture.  The movie is being made this year.  He is 95 years old and still touring with his story and attitude of Forgiveness.  His survival was due mainly to his optimistic attitude and use of his brilliant mind, I think, much like "The Count of Monte Cristo" except that the Count was out for revenge, not forgiveness, but what a story.

During the day I have been watching the 1973 series of "Upstairs, Downstairs"   a lot like Downton Abbey.  I love the British series,  there are so many good ones.

Since Netflix was having a problem loading, today I watched TCM.  They are playing the classics, "My Fair Lady", "Camelot". "Hello, Dolly".

It has been awhile since I watched "Camelot" and I had forgotten how well done it was, how great Richard Harris is in it and how sad it is and how beautiful Vanessa Redgrave was as a young woman, and Lancelot, wow, who wouldn't love him.  The words of the songs so marvelously depicted the sad tale and the emotion was so raw.  I cried, I admit, and I couldn't remember how it ended.  I loved the ending, the positive outlook and quote about the young boy "being just a drop in the big motion of the sea but some of them sparkle, some of them sparkle" and the fact that what they had tried to do at "Camelot" would be remembered and the stories retold and others would try to live that way, too.   That is what it is all about, to try and make life good for yourselves and others and to do the best you can.  Of course, it was easy to be sympathetic with Guinevere and Lancelot, too, if you've ever loved passionately and hopelessly, anyway it is.

It reminded me of Richard's relatives who had tried to live the United Order in Nevada but gave up after two and a half years.  We are just so human and weak that someone always ruins perfection.  Reminded me of the Kennedy years, too, "Camelot" as it was called.  He betrayed his wife, he was shot and Camelot was destroyed.

We are so blessed to have song writers and authors who can take history and bring it to life for us in such poignant, message giving, and entertaining ways.

Fairy Tale Interrupted

Giving my eyes a rest, I have been listening to books on my Library To Go on my computer.  I listened to two so-so mysteries and then looked to the autobiography section and came upon the book "Fairy Tale Interrupted".

Rosemary Terrenzio was a young PR person who became the personal assistant to John Kennedy Jr when he started the magazine 'George".  She worked for him for five years until his death in July 1999.  She also becane a close friend of Carolyn, his wife, during that time.  Working for him and being close to Carolyn changed her life, as you can imagine.

This past year she had her memoir published about this time in her life and I found it very entertaining and enlightening about the Kennedys as well as life among the determined to be successful New York yuppies.  It was also very moving as she told about the struggle of her life to begin again and move on after their deaths.

Coming from the Bronz without the background and education of her mentors and those in the Kennedy lifestyle, it is a great listen to of how she learns and copes and becomes a necessary and important part of their life.  She narrates the book herself and I think this adds to its success, probably better to listen to than just read. 

Love memoirs...

Christmas and Day After 2012

Matt and Johnny fixed the snowblower and spent a lot of time widening the driveway and Johnny made a path to the Propane Tank.  What a lot of work for the guys.

 Time to Say Goodbye and thanks for all the snow blowing and shoveling and fixing the snow blower, etc, and etc.  Loved having Maria and Johnny an extra day.

Clear starry sky and a full moon, wish I knew how to photograph it. 

 Funny birdhouse.

Christmas After the Power Came On, 2012

Miraculously we were ready to sit at 6:30 PM with a full Thanksgiving Dinner.

Matt had just arrived from Tahoe.

We did the White Elephant Game after dinner.

Sean from Oroville, Melissa's boyfriend.

 

Maria has all her children in one place at Christmas, with Bruce, too.

The Christmas of Snow

The snowblower broke and Michael had to shovel every day for three days before help arrived.

Melissa and Sean arrived around 3 followed by Maria and Johnny who brought Mitch.

Power was out for a day,came back and then was out from 11 AM Dec 23 to 3 PM Dec 24.

I had called Maria and asked her to pick up some ham as no oven, and then just as Melissa

arrived, the power came on and we rescued the turkey and put it in the oven.

 We had lots of good desserts.

Nestled Under the Trees

 

Winter Wonderland Extraordinaire

 

View from the back deck.

View to the left

View to the right.

Across the street.

Picnic anyone?

 

Birdhouses styled for Christmas.

 "I think that I shall never see, a thing as lovely as a tree..."

Notice those blue skies, it is sunny and over 40 degrees--beautiful in Lake Almanor.

A Thank You from Brynn

What a big smile from Brynn as she opens her Christmas present.  Thank you, Sarah, for sending.

Now This Is Snow Day!

Two hours later...you can't see how much snow is coming down.  Schools are closed and snowplows cannot keep the roads clean...says we may get 6 ft of snow.  Good thing I have new tires on my car and a lot of food in the house.  Hope no one gets snowed away for Christmas.  I better prepare for a power outage.



It is really coming down, snowing and blowing and the morning has just begun!

What I Want

So tomorrow my Reverse Mortgage closes and I will get some cash!!!  Of course, being the sensible person I am, I will not be spending much except for paying bills but...I decided I would satisfy a few wants.  And here is what they are...

New towels...one of the nicest memories of my Trafalgar trip to Scandinavia in the year 2000 was the fluffy white towels hanging on rods filled with warm water.  Towels can get so sad and droopy, so new towels are a must.

New white undies...ooh, they can get so dingy and dull, so definitely on the list.

New silky pajamas and robe...no one to buy for me anymore so must indulge myself.

New watch...why can I not keep a watch working and without a crack on the face very long I am not sure, but I have been without a watch for a long time now.  Time to invest...

New Vera Wang...I am down to last few scents, so I must replace.  I have many other colognes but I do love my Vera Wang.

More casual plates...so many of my everyday plates are chipped, time to throw them out and replace.

A new broom!!!...I love to sweep with a good broom my decks, my steps, my driveway.  Vida always used to sweep the front and back of my house, something I always neglected, now I like to do the same thing.

Teeth cleaned...oh my, I am ashamed I have thrown those reminders away for so long now, I cannot put it off any longer.

Well, except for bills and a few last Christmas things, that is my short list.  I am sure I can think of something else though...that is if there is any left after I pay bills and put some savings away.

Time for my bubble bath.  I do spoil myself these days, loved my long nap today.  That is one of the nicest things about being retired, being able to crash whenever the need arises.  I can remember in 2001 when we were working such long hours in Texas and and I laid my head on my desk for just a minute it seemed...my boss came and whispered in my ear.  "Janet, if you need a rest, you need to leave the area"...now, no bosses, nobody needing me, I can just nap whenever I want...good there are some perks with old age.