Monday, March 18, 2024

Simply Spendid Sunday

I bused to Ojai and got there at 11:00. We waited until Ellen "did" her hair--which means using a kind of revolving brush/dryer to coax the lovely curls out. (Darn! What I would have given to have such hair!) We set off for Lake Casitas' about noon, stopping first to look at a house, as Ellen might be interested in moving after she retires.

Lake Casitas was beautiful as ever and this is just a taste of the sun-dappled water, the hills and trees, and overall lovely setting that Ellen lives near. 

We had lunch at the restaurant overlooking the lake. I had a "breakfast burrito," since I had seen the lunch size and it was enough to feed three people.  They have draft beer, too, and I took the server's suggestion to try the locally-brewed Transition IPA.  He gave me a sample and yes, indeed, it was right down my alley--windpipe, that is.

After, we roamed the lake area, taking in the scenery, boaters, and picnickers enjoying the lovely area--pictures don't do it justice. Left about 4:00 and I was taken home after stopping at Target for provisions. 

Soaring Spirits for dinner today, then I have some free days. Must call Noreen, as we've discussed lunch and also Comic Potential. Can't decide if I want to go again or not. Also, Stella called about meeting for lunch, which I want to do, as she's the gold standard when I comes to testing the hearing aids. 

Hmm: It's now 6:45 am (I slept late) and I just got a call from an r.e. agent, asking if I want to sell my house in Jersey. Mike is constantly getting these calls for his house in Florida, so I guess the market is hot all over.   

Note: Although my companions wore green (I forgot) and I had sent the kids St. P. day cards, we really weren't into it yesterday. We talked about the fact that, although it's observed in a way on the west coast, it isn't nearly the thing it is across country.  The history of immigration makes clear why Cinco de Mayo celebrations are much more exuberant. 

Sunday, March 17, 2024

Saturday

Another life celebration and this was a wonderful experience, also. Vickie and I met up with James and Benny (in the box) about noon:

...boarded "The Dreamer" with the others and went out into the harbor. There were twenty of us,plus the captain and mate:
It was a perfect day: just warm enough, only slightly breezy, with blue skies and lovely sun. On the way out, which took about twenty minutes, we sang to Bob Marley and others, talked and laughed, got to know each other, and enjoyed the scenery and the little appetizer buffet (there's Benny over on the right, in the basket):
 A few random shots:

When we got out to what I assumed is the dedicated scattering area, the basket was brought over to the cutout by James and his sister. Benny's urn was in the middle, covered with rose petals: 
I was surprised to see that, rather than ashes being thrown to the wind, the whole basket was lowered down to the water. While it sank, the pedals floated gently on the surface:
Then, each person was given a flower sprig to drop in, after which the captain maneuvered the boat so the flowers circled around the pedals. It was a lovely and moving ceremony and when I dropped my flowers on the water, I surprised myself by starting to cry. I was thinking of my brother, Frank. 

We circled around for maybe ten minutes, then headed back to shore for the luncheon. It was at the yacht club (where BCNN used to meet) and by that time, it was after two and we were starved. At each place, there was a program and an angel and remembrance keepsake: 
There was also, I was happy to see, a champagne bucket on each table. A server came around asking if we wanted a dry or a sweet. We got the dry and it was so good. We toasted Benny, then people were asked to cite their relationship to Bennie, then we ate. Some artifacts around the room:

Above: Some of the citations he received after forty years in Ventura County Behavioral Health:

Above: Some items from on his retirement party; Vickie had been there.

Above: Vickie seated on the left, James; his niece, and I standing; two other Crayton relatives seated.

The luncheon was good--I ate too much--and we lingered over dessert before leaving about 4:00. When we got home, Vickie and I sat in the car for a good 45 minutes talking over our ideas and beliefs. Our concentration was on subjects of good and evil, sexual orientation, truths and fallacies, and the feelings of guilt that seems to be instilled in so many, often, thanks to the influence of religion. 

After the past two days, it occurred to me how much I enjoy the variety of people I know, not as servants and underlings, but as friends and acquaintances. Black, white, Latino, Asian, gay, young and old, sick and well, I want them all in my life. 

Of course, I love most of all having my family in my life. Today, I'm looking forward to lunch at Lake Casitas with two of them.   

Saturday, March 16, 2024

Friday

Well, it was a long and very interesting day. Gayle picked me up at 9:30 and we drove into town for Anne's funeral. I was surprised that the funeral home was so large--it featured a viewing room as big as some churches and lots of other areas. Anne was laid out old-fashioned style--actually whole and in a coffin, rather then being in an urn.  It didn't look like her--naturally, as it wasn't "her." The "her" she had been was gone as of February 22.

                               

As is customary now, this was termed "A Celebration of Life" and pictures of Anne and family were shown on screens flanking the coffin: 

As for immediate family, Anne had three sons and several grandchildren, although she was only 60. Her birth family, mother, father, siblings, and their spouses and offspring were all there. How many brothers and sisters did she have? Incredibly, fifteen. Yes, she was one of 16 children and when she was five,  her father "walked away," although he came to the funeral, according to Mary, Anne's mother, whom I found remarkably upbeat and cheery. She is 85, lives in Simi Valley, and seems in good health. Of course, so did Anne until she died. How she died is still not known; an autopsy was performed, but the results have not yet been told to the family.  

The funeral was conducted by a minister, which seems odd, considering that on Thursday, a Catholic mass was held at the Church of the Assumption, but maybe that's standard nowadays. The program yesterday included songs by one of Anne's sisters, who has a beautiful voice, and reminisences s by other siblings. All in all, it was quite an enjoyable, if poignant, occasion.

A reception in Santa Paula was held after and I enjoyed talking and getting to know some of the relatives. Refreshments included a number of traditional Mexican foods, plus soda and other (non-alcoholic) drinks, and an incredibly large and diverse array of desserts. Here's the venue, pretty clearly decorated for a wedding reception:

Now, here's a little addition to the "interesting" category of the day: 
On our way to Santa Paula, I had asked Gayle to stop at the dry cleaners to pick up my docent skirt. When we stopped, I saw that the facade was covered with dry wall and the door bolted. What--what had happened to the shop? A woman passing by told me it had burnt to the ground on Thursday night! AAGH--my skirt was gone! I had gotten it from a costume shop in L.A. six or seven years ago and it was fairly expensive. Well, I'll have to replace it, as I'm scheduled to do the tour on the first Sunday in April.

Got home, had a bite, Suzanne came over to chat, and then it was hot tub time. That was pleasant, although I just sat on the side and put my legs in. Plans were made to go to the Ojai restaurant for breakfast tomorrow and I'm looking forward to that. James C. called to be sure Vickie and I had all the information to witness the scattering of Benny's ashes. Yes, we do, and we'll board the boat at 11:00 today.  

Friday, March 15, 2024

Thursday

Ran over to Von's in the morning and got chicken thighs, grapefruit soda, low-cal popsicles, and a dozen and a half eggs. I was accompanied by ferocious winds, which convinced me decide not to venture too far later in the day. Instead, I rearranged some things in the bedroom and otherwise tidied up. Did a color wash and some kitchen counter cleaning. I looked up how to freeze eggs (you break them and scramble them together first) and put four in the freezer. Paid Community Memorial and a few other electronic bills. 

Called Muckie and we had a--get this--almost two hour visit. How I enjoy talking to her and how I'll miss that when I no longer can. Gayle called to confirm that she'll pick me up this morning and we'll go to Anne's funeral. She'll take me to the cleaners afterwards to pick up my docent skirt.

I was just about to start dinner when my pal, David, the birdman, texted me. He said he was outside at my patio gate, looking at my ficus tree. I went out and we discuses the tree, plus what he considers the too-enthusiastic tree trimmers. We then went over to the outside of his apartment and he showed me the tree in the patio of his downstairs neighbor,which shades his balcony above; it's quite beautiful. I asked how he was emotionally and, of course, he has his ups and downs. His ex-wife (yes, but he still loved her; I don't know why they divorced) died two years ago and misses her terribly. Life is so hard sometimes.  

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Wednesday

I'm still chipping away at items on my to-do list. At 10:00, I set out for the dry cleaners at the  Smart 'n' Final shopping center, about a mile and a half down Telegraph Road.  When I turned onto Hill Street, which borders my apartment complex, I saw this on the Campbell Farm:                                                                                                        

I asked a guy what was happening and he said the city had rented that section from Mr. Campbell because pipes on the road are being replaced. He also said Campbell was removing all the lemon trees and putting in avocados, as they're more profitable. Interesting...

Continued on my way and took my docent costume--the skirt, that is-- to the dry cleaners. The seamstress had me put the skirt on, she pinned it, and it will be hemmed, cleaned, and ready on Friday. Stopped into Smart 'n' Final and got four orange sweet peppers and a nice pumpkin squash.

When I turned back into Hill Road, I ran into my pal, David, the ornithologist. He was on his bike, about to ride up in the hills, but stopped to chat and we settled into a half-hour of complaining about management's nefarious ways. That's always fun.

It was a wonderfully warm and sunny day, so I made a sandwich, and took it and a beer, and my book, to the middle and ate my lunch there. It was so quiet and pleasant, my neighbors at work, the kids in school, the gardeners elsewhere. 

Back inside, I chopped the peppers and put them in the freezer to be ready for my next stir-fry. Did some computer stuff, took a 20 minute nap, then called Ellen and we had a good talk. She's winding down her teacher-life with just three months to go--YAY! 

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Tuesday

Got a fair amount done yesterday. Left about 9:30 and had plenty of time to go to the hospital billing department. Pled my case about the emergency room charges--why should getting the stitches out cost as much as getting them in? However, I didn't persuade the billing person, so the hell with it, I'll pay it and forget it. 

I had plenty of time after CMH to go to Miramar, pick out some frames, and pay for my glasses, which should be done in a week or so. I then kept my appointment with Amanda, the audiologist, about the problem with getting the left aid in. I was there for quite a while and in her presence, tried to insert it, but I just couldn't do it. She conceded that I have a small and twisty ear canal and then injected pink plastic into my ear, let it harden, took it out. She'll send it away to have a new tip made and, hopefully, I'll be able to handle it.

Walked back to the transit center/mall and went to Target for oatmeal, grapefruit, tartar sauce, and blueberries. Bused home, had lunch, and called Noreen. Tenttively, we'll go to Comic Potential on the 23rd and before that, will meet for lunch sometime next week. 

Suzanne texted Vickie and me to see if we could go over to her place for one of our get togethers on Friday or Saturday. However, V. and I are going to the scattering of Bennie's ashes on Saturday and we both have commitments on Friday, so Suzanne will postpone until later. 

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Monday

This laptop has been very slow, so I packed it up and took it over to Asurion, right next to Von's. The guy told me it was old. things were wearing out, so I should probably get a new one. Went from there to the post office for a few things, then back home. 

I had planned to keep my appointment with the audiologist at 2:30, then go to Miramar (eye) to get the RX filled, then to Community Memorial to negotiate about the $90 charges. However, I scrapped all that when Rick for Yondoo Communications called to say he was on-campus and could he stop to look at my devices? Switched the ear appointment for 11:30 today and will fit in the other stops I want to make, which are in the same general area.

Rick was here for an hour and he changed my modem, then--incredibly--restored my Firestick. He may have even fixed it so I can get cable, took, but once he left, I didn't remember how. I don't care, though, as I prefer what's on the paid stuff. I actually sat down in daylight and watched Super Size Me, which came out twenty years ago. I have the book Fast Food Nation, published in 2001, which follows a similar theme: the danger of the crappy fast-food that seems to still have such a hold on this country. 

Went over to Von's for goodies--i.e. apples, spinach, and broccoli. Scrubbed and trimmed the two pounds of carrots I had bought the other day and popped them in the slow cooker with white wine and Italian seasoning. Prepared the broccoli and along with leftover chicken and kidney beans, had that for yummy dinner.

Simply Spendid Sunday

I bused to Ojai and got there at 11:00. We waited until Ellen "did" her hair--which means using a kind of revolving brush/dryer to...