Jan Curran Events

Not hitting the sales...

Just read on twitter.com that my daughter Karen and granddaughter Emily were up at dawn so they could be at the mall by 7 a.m. for the big sale at Nordstrom...

Reading that reminded me of the "olden days" in Palm Springs when my mother would give me cold hard cash for Christmas/Chanuaka and I would hit Saks, Bullocks, I.Magnin the day after Christmas and always got a trunk load of great buys and clothes. What fun that was.  Bullocks, I.Magnin are long gone and we don't have a Saks or much else interesting in Ventura so as Karen is driving to the mall, hitting all the stores, I sit here in my jamies and robe to post a entry rather than sitting in my car looking for a parking place on Palm Canyon Drive in P.S.

I had a really nice holiday time.  Last Saturday my kids and I gathered at son Lee's for our annual gift exchange, big meal and time together.  It's the one time of the year when I get to see all four kids at once. Well, boohoo, son Tod and his Wendy were both sick and couldn't make the trip which, as he said, made them emotionally sick , and ditto for the rest of us missing them.

It was my first time to drive so far, from here to Calabasas and Lee's house, with my oxygen, etc.  On  Friday I had made two trips down to the car with all my gift bags so on Saturday I wouldn't have such a haul or schlep to get out of here. The drive went well, Lee unloaded my stuff, and I felt fine.

We sure ate well!  Lee made his famous tri-tip, Linda made enough sea shell casserole to feed a small army... and then there were good cookies, too . Daughter in law Val made what she called "Hello Dolly" cookies which were the same recipe as my favorite cookie my mom used to make called, " Gold Rush Brownies"... and then Karen brought a tin full of lemon bars that were a hit, too. As we were sitting at the table, with that pretty tin in front of us , Karen told me what happened to her when she went to fill it with the cookies.

That tin had belonged to my mother.  Karen said as she went to put the first cookies in she suddenly burst in to tears, missing her Nana.  Hearing that, gave me tears in my own eyes.  I have times every day, when out of the blue, it will hit me that Mom is gone, and I start to cry.  I also thought of my own Nana on Saturday and how the holidays used to be when I was little.

Chanukah?  We have an electrc Menorah in our lobby and every night at sundown a man who lives here an I do the prayers of Chanuka and then I twist the bulb on a light, and then there is the lighted candles. We also share the story of Chanukah and answer questions from the residents here about Chanukah.

One night a caregiver brought a woman suffering from dementia over here for the lighting of the candles. She lives in our other building, the assisted living building. The two buildings are connected by patios and a lovely courtyard.  Anyway, this woman just sat there, staring at the candles before they were lit. I took the mic and went over to her and asked her if she would do us the honor of saying the blessings in Hebrew.  For a minute or two she just stared at me, and then, this big smile on her face and she said, "  I love Chanukah!" and then, in a strong voice, she said the traditional words that come before the candles are lite.  After the candles were glowing, she kept saying how she loved Chanukah so I went over to her and talked to her about Chanukah.  When her caregiver went to take her back to the other building she came to me first and told me how happy I had made that lady and they would be back for the candle lighting the next night.  That sure made me feel good.

Did have a funny experience with the candle lighting. A woman here plays the piano and has been doing Christmas songs every day in the lobby and she told us she had some Chanukah songs to play, which was lovely.  What did she play?  Songs that all had the word sun or light in them because we were lighting candles.  But the funniest was last night, when after I lite the candles she played her first song............ " Silent Night".  Then she turned to me and asked ," Was that wrong to play that?"  I said, " It's okay, the candles are still glowing..." and everyone laughed. 

Yesterday, Christmas Day, the announcement about meals was that there would be just one meal, a Christmas buffet served from 11 until 2.  Well, I had real doubts about even asking any of my kids to come here to dine. If you've read this blog before, you know I complain a lot about the food, how everything is Mexican or a recipe just ruined by adding peppers, jalapeno, or some other ingredients that was never in the original recipe.

Son Lee, daughter in law Valerie and granddaughter Maddie came here at 12:30 for us to take part in the buffet. I warned them it could be bad. Well, were we ever surprised!  There was wonderful prime rib, sliced by the chef ,and a turkey that was so good Lee went back about three times for more and more. Me? I went back to get more rare roast beef ,which is never served here. If we get beef it looks like the side of my Coach bag and is so tough it is almost impossible to eat. Well, not on Christmas -- wow, a great meal and we really pigged out.  Was a fun time, but then, always is when Lee and his family come here.

Three of my kids -- Karen, Linda and Tod -- are all lighting menorahs this year. Well, they did it all the other years, too , but this year was special for Tod because he had my Mother's menorah, the one thing he wanted of her's after she died.  He posted a picture of it on facebook.. then I had such a giggle yesterday because he made my Mom's recipe for Kugel and put the picture of the finished product, fresh out of the oven, as his profile picture on facebook.

Linda has been lighting a menorah my Mom gave her as a wedding gift and made Mom's meat pie yesterday.  All those things made me feel happy -- the kids carrying on with sentimental things or wonderful memories of family.

I know you are waiting for me to give you an update on Karen.  Her first biopsy came back okay but the doc saw somethng , not sure what ,that concerned him, so when she has her lumpectomy on the other lump on Monday he will  go in and remove that " something" too.  Will keep you posted and you can always follow what is going on by following Karen Dinino or Linda Woods on twitter.com.  Well, we all, except for Tod, are on twitter.

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and are having a happpy Chanukah. I didn't have a picture card to send out this year so scanned a card from the 90's and sent it in email to a few friends who would remember how it was back in the glory days of glamour in Palm Springs with beautiful galas at Christmas time.. Wanna see?

 

Isn't that a hoot? Get a load of the shoulders!  That beautiful gown was a gift from the designer, did all the clothes on " Dynasty".  His name is escaping me.. was it Nolan Miller? Tall, good looking guy.  I loved that gown.. still have it. Well, in storage at Lee's.  I had the shoulders remade at a tailor in Palm Springs and then wore that gown to the inaugural of George Bush in DC . No, didn't vote for Bush, but the boy friend, Chuck, had tickets for us to two or three balls. 

I'm not jetting off to DC for Jan. 20 this year.. but my son Tod and his Wendy will be there staying with his best friend Todd Harris.  Will be exciting for them...

If you are hitting the sales, you better get going, it's nearly 9:30 a.m.....

Test results...

Well, good and bad.

Let's take the good first. Neck area where I had previous cancers is fine.  Chest area with prior cancer is fine. Lungs look okay. Nothing abnormal in the skeleletal area. Jaw area is fine. ( didn't look fine six months ago)...

The not so good news is a 2.2cm lesion in the tip of the left lobe of the liver. Dr. is ordering a catscan of the liver in six weeks and at that time, if the lesion has grown we will talk about which chemotherapy to use and the course of treatments. 

You know what you have to do , right? Focus on this lesion not growing.  The idea of doing six months of chemo again is something we'd all rather not face again.

Karen?  Her second biopsy will have to be a surgical one. She was not a candidate for the needle biopsy that is mammogram guided. No results until Friday or Monday on her first biopsy.

Other than that?  We had the party for employees here today at 3 and I got back at 2:45 and went right to the mic to handle the duties for the party, announce each gift recipient, etc...  don't you think I should be under consideration for an Oscar now?

My frame of mind is okay.  Just a bit sad. I was so sure the results would be good since I feel good.

Dr. said the fact that I gained two pounds and feel so much stronger is all a good sign.

All I've read of " Mrs. Astor Regrets" so far is just the first page, so can't give you a review on that yet.  Thought I would get some reading done at the doc's but they took me in right away and then the doc came in right away, so no chance to read or get nervous...

Yeah, still cold here.

I'm heading to bed, where I know it is warm and comfy...

I really need Noah today...

It's very stormy here in Ventura...  I went out yesterday to do an errand and it was not only very cold ( 43) but very wet with the rain pelting me from all sides in the wind.  I'd like to stay home today, stay in my snuggly robe and be warm and dry but you know it is the day I get the answers on my PET and CAT scans.  I go at 1:15, but can't post right away after that because then will rush home for the party the residents here host for the employees and I'm the one handing out the gifts....

There is humor in that job for me.. the one Jewish woman here giving out the Christmas gifts. 

Am I worried about today and the doctor visit? No.  I feel better than I have in months, am able to go a few hours at a time without feeling the need for the oxygen, I never use the walker.  My legs don't feel wobbly and I walk pretty fast down the hall, even when dragging that 20 lb oxygen behind me.  Everyone here tells me I look so much better ,better color, more vibrant. So, don't you figure, that must have some thing to do with the inner me, too??  Hope so.

Actually , I am more worried and concerned about my daughter Karen than I am about myself. It's okay for me to discuss her situation cus it's been on her blog, she is twittering about it, too.  Karen had her mammogram and oops two spots didn't look good.  She had a needle biopsy on Monday and is waiting results on that now.. and today she goes to see about having a mammogram guided biopsy on the other spot.  If they can't do it, then she will have it done with surgery.  Karen is always so positive about everything, always full of confidence for herself and for me.... so keep good thought for her, too. Okay? 

Talked to my brother in Seattle last night. No snow in the city ,but it is all around them.  No bites on Mom's condo.  Darn.  The condo is so beautiful, right on Lake Washington, in the great Madison Park neighborhood.  I know , bad time to try and sell anything,but surely this wonderful place should sell --- hopefully soon!  Know anyone moving to Seattle and wanting a 2 bedroom place that has a fabulous view, super location, and a "good" address, too?  If you want to look at it on the Internet, the address is 2040 43rd Avenue East, #210, Seattle, Wa. 98112. There are some lovely pictures.

Mail from cousin Dave in Minnesota, reading the Tony Curtis book and liking it. I got that book for my brother for Chanukah, too.  He should enjoy it.

Phone call from my friend Charlie in Pasco, WA.  Wanted to tell me he had a PET and CAT scan on Tuesday -- docs looking for possibilty of lung cancer. He has no symptoms, so don't understand that. Sweet Charlie is not real savvy when it comes to knowledge about cancer testing or symptoms so is kinda confused by it all. His docs are with the VA and he doesn't get results, he doesn't think, until some time in January and that is too long to wait. I told him to phone and ask to get in this week.

My daughter Linda wrote on her blog about how she doesn't like this time of year, the festivities, the shopping ,the crowds. Well, not me, I love it all. Miss being in the desert with those gala holiday parties and decor.  And, I've always loved being in the stores at Christmas time with the music and decor and the shopping displays.  Used to be a lot of fun for me to decorate gifts.  I used to put " blackmail" photos on the gifts for the kids instead of tags.. photos of them that they thought weren't any good. That always brought laughter.  Chanuka was fun with a little gift every night for them and then the bigger gifts on Christmas.  The most fun for me was watching them open the gifts... did they like the new pajamas, love the blazer, want that new toy?  Well, now they are are older and I'm not buying them outfits or toys or fun games ,but it's still fun to watch them with their gifts.  If I had money, I could be dangerous!!  Love to give gifts.

This year with the economy and all of us in a big crunch we are focusing just on the grand kids and my kids aren't exchanging gifts with each other.  Too bad cus that was always fun to see what kind of gift they chose for their sibling.. and usually they were so very clever.  I broke the rule and got something for each of my children and their mates, too. Won't tell you what I got them cus Lee sometimes reads this --- don't think the others do, but don't want to spoil any surprises. 

We are getting together at Lee's.  He'll make his trip-tip ( by popular vote), daughter Linda will make a casserole we all love and daughter Karen will bring some cookies that make you just want to pig out on desert.  Not sure if Tod is bringing any food from PS... and I'm not bringing any food.  I'll be lucky just to get all the gift bags in my Honda!  Would be nice to have a proper kitchen , with an oven and stove, so I could bake cookies. A day of rain and cold temperatures makes you want to bake, doesn't it?  Or at least make a stew.

A new book to report?    I have " Mrs. Astor Regrets" but haven't started it yet. Will take it with me to the doc's cus always have to wait there and will begin reading it there today.

Thanks for your good wishes for me on my scans.... don't you get the feeling we do this so often?? Been doing them since the late 90's -- every six months.

Okay, you know the routine.. now we move over to  visualchronicles.com to read my girls' blog, over to leegoldberg.com to read Lee's and then on to todgoldberg.com to read Tod's....

 

Fighting the crowds...

I was outta here at 9:45 heading to Barnes and Noble to get two gifts, one I really needed cus it is for my grandson Brent's 12th birthday.

I had read reviews of the book  I wanted to get him. All raves. The author is a nine year old boy and the book title is " How To Talk To Girls."  Rather than roam around the store,in the crowds ( and it was very crowded!)  and dragging my oxygen, I went up to the customer service desk and asked where I could find the book.  They sent a runner to get it for me, which I thought was really a nice p.r. gesture.  Nice gesture but they were sold out of the book.  They suggested  I go to Santa Barbara and see if I could get it there. Well, I wasn't about to do that.  I got the other book I wanted ,stood in the long line at checkout and felt very discouraged.

I didn't do any roaming in the store at all.  Would be a economic pity. So many books I would want to buy and who can afford a lot of books now?  I've always thought that we buy people the books we wish to read ourselves. My old beau, Chuck and I, figured that out years ago when we kept giving each other the new great bios that had just come out.... would read and then switch so we could read both.

A few weeks ago, as I was gift wrapping a gift for a friend out of state, I sat down with the book I had bought him and wondered if it was going to be something he would really like. Well, my  look at the book jacket went to the first page, just to get the feel for the book, and three hours later -- yeah , after  I had finished reading the book -- I finished wrapping it! 

Meanwhile, today, I came home and went online to Amazon, surely they would have the book I wanted for my grand son. The message on my screen said, " no delivery on this book until after Christmas." Crap.

What about trying Barnes and Noble online? They had the book, put it in my "cart" and proceeded to checkout where my password would not work. Tried over and over and finally clicked on that link that says " forgot my password." Am I having a senior moment, have been shopping at B& N online for years.  B& N said, " We have just emailed you a link to create a new password." Well, bull.  I waited 20 minutes and no link.

Back on again to B&N, ordered the book  and got a  message it would be shipped in 24 hours . A password? Forget it, I  went through the process as a "guest."

Blogs, Webs, Space Pages...

Yesterday at lunch a couple who always sit with me, and both of whom have internet accounts and claim to be on the internet all the time asked me what a blog was. "Well, why not just send an email instead?" the man asked. I went through the what I thought was simple explanation saying the blog was public, the email private. He still didn't get it and asked, " how is that different from a web page?"  Then I explained a web page.  Thinking I was done playing teacher I began to take a bite out of my sandwich when he asked, " So what is a myspace page and what is this tube thing that people watch and how do I get to those?" And this from a man who claims to have been using his computer since they were invented.  My kids would be horrified at his being so stupid, and gotta tell you, so was I.

Gosh, hope he hasn't figured out this all enough to be sitting at his computer right now reading this blog!

Well , the end of the conversation was when I asked if he had googled something. " What does that mean?"  It meant he had never heard of google or done a search.  Yeah, I explained that, too.  Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

At dinner... I sat next to the cute 95 year old lady I always sit near.  I'm starting to worry about her and if she can take her meds as directed. She told me the same story 4 times, asked her same questions over and over...  she's really suffering from short term memory loss. She doesn't have any children, just a niece in North Carolina.

Made me think of the time my Mom overdosed on her blood pressure meds and passed out at the airport in Maui and we went by ambulance to the hospital with me afraid she had died or was dying.. had her in my arms waiting for the 911 response and feeling very afraid and alone. People were standing around and staring at us.. and I kept asking people to call 911.. no one moved. Finally, at the top of my lungs, I screamed out " 911 please!" and someone at a ticket counter called.  I had rememberd reading somewhere that when people pass out on the street or in a store and drop their parcels or worse yet, their purse, others will steal it.  I leaned down and grabbed Mom's purse which had also fallen on the ground and put it over my shoulder along with mine. 

It had all be a pretty harrowing experience and we missed our flight ,had already returned our rental car, and had no hotel room or condo now.  The doctor at the hospital suggested we sleep in a vacant surgical suite.  What a hoot that was. Mom and I must have laughed all night. The lights were so bright, but we had these long comfy beds!  Mom kept making cracks about the wonderful makeup lights and then I would giggle all over again. We ended up getting on a red eye flight the next day back to Seattle, hoping our luggage would be waiting for us in Seattle... .It was.

Christmas Cards... Back in the days when I was writing my newspaper column I would send out 200 greeting cards.It was a big job. I'd have a picture card made at the drug store on Madison in Seattle and then spend hours in the month of September going through my big binder writing cards to individuals, friends, p. r. firms, charity groups, etc.  Mom would sit in a chair next to me and stuff the envelopes or put the stamps on them.  Then, when we were finished we would put the cards in a carton and mail them to my Palm Springs address and then all I had to do in December was mail them. Was a fun thing we did every year and when we were finished we would go down Madison Avenue to a pub she liked and have a steak.  Ah, what great times those were with mom.  How lucky I was to have all those years and times with her.  Sure miss her a lot. My daughter Karen tells me she thinks about my Mom every day, too.

I finished off my 2008 cards last night -- all 10 of them! With the internet I will send internet greetings. It's just not the same, is it?

All my Christmas and Chanukah decor is either in storage or I farmed it out to my kids, so if you walk in here there is no clue a holiday is coming up other than the fact I have my ironing board up and covered with gifts and wrapping paper. No, not going to iron the gifts -- I don't have a dining table anymore, so that is going to be my work table. 

This is enough ramble for one day, don't you think and I want you to go over to  son Lee's blog ( leegoldberg.com) and see the cover for son Tod's ( todgoldberg.com) new book.... and don't forget to go read my girls at visualchronicles.com, too.

 

I've got a date...

No, not with a guy, I should be so lucky! It's been about 3 years since I had a date  -- heck not even met anyone I'd like to go out with -- dating life is just that now.. an old daze.

The date I am talking about is the date for my PET /CT scan.  Jot it down. Dec. 16th at 12:45 which means a long time to fast for gawd sake... I asked for an earlier time and they said 7:00 a.m. and I said, " how about around 10:00?"  They told me to call back on the 11th and see if anything opened up. Will do.

I get the results on the 18th in the early afternoon. As my son Tod said, " why do you always get these tests around Christmas?"  Just the way it works out, every six months, like it or not, here comes a PET scan.

Those of you who have had cancer understand all this PET scan stuff and for those of you who haven't been down that road.. well, the PET looks for cancer full body. It all means NERVOUS.

Keep positive thoughts.

I haven't written any Christmas cards yet, never took a photo for an E-card.. am so far behind and for no good reason other than lazy, I guess.  We've cut back on our gifts this year and the holiday will mostly focus on the little kids who aren't so little this go around.. Emily is 14 ,Maddie is 13 and Brent is 11.  I tend to shop most of the year and then stash stuff -- stuff for my own kids -- so I will be coming with gifts for everyone. But that's what I like, watching them open their gifts. That's the most fun for me.

Boo Hoo... Boston Legal is no more. Darn. I'm really going to miss those characters and that show with such good writing...  yeah, I know there are reruns on channel ION and on ABC on Saturday nights, but I want more original episodes.  We all agree the finale was great. 

I've never been one to watch shows like "  Dancing With The Stars" or " American Idol."  Not going to start now, either.  I'd like some of the old Playhouse 90, Loretta Young Show, Make Room for Daddy.... Well, you get the idea.

Guess one could say I am dating Anderson Cooper.. the one constant male in my life. Yeah, I know, he wouldn't be interested...

 

One down, one to go...

For starters...

Thanksgiving was fun and nice and now that  holiday is past and the plans and gifts for Chanukah and Christmas can begin to flow.

We've really cut back on gifts this year - -everyone is so strapped -- mostly we are just giving to the little kids and they're not so little this year.  I did most of my shopping yesterday and at the supermarket. Mine sells gift cards. Does yours?  I grabbed two for Nordstrom for my grand daughters and one for Best Buy for my grandson and a handful of Starbucks for my own kids.  The new "rule" was not to get gifts for everyone but the rule was made after I had already begun my shopping last September , and as far back as last May, too... so my own kids will all get gifts from me. Nothing high priced, but a gift or two... and I hit Amazon, too, for gifts for friends and out of town family or pals -- so basically I am done. Just waiting on Amazon to deliver the purchases here and then I can gift wrap and hit the post office to get them mailed.

My daughters will bake some of our favorite cookies, cook a family tradition casserole ( a recipe my Aunt Esther cooked for a bridal luncheon honoring me back in 1957) and my son Lee will either make his famous BBQ tri-tip or his equally famous turkey recipe.  It is the one time of the year when I get all four of my kids at the same place at the same time and, for me, that is the best gift of all. I so rarely get to see Tod or Linda-- so it is a day I am looking forward to spending with them.  I feel bad that Tod and his Wendy have to drive from the desert and thought it might be fun for all of us to go them, but that just was out of the question... three car loads plus the logistics of my grand daughter having a soft ball game that same day -- so once again we go to Lee's and he and his Valerie are good sports to have us all again. Gone are the days of me having a big house and everyone coming " home" to me. It's times like this I wish I still did have my own home.

When are we doing this gathering?  We always do it the weekend before Christmas so no one is fighting Christmas traffic. Years ago when we all met up in the desert and long before there were grandkids, we would all get dressed up on Christmas Eve and go to the restaurant Le Valluris for dinner -  it was so elegant and festive  - but first I would go through the worry of kids on the freeway in traffic. One year it took Karen and Linda six hours to make the two hour drive and Mom and I were pretty frantic with worry.  Mom? Yes, I will miss her. Keep thinking of gifts she would like, books, blouses, makeup things.  It's tough.

Moving right along...

I had such high hopes for Rosie's special variety show and my God, what was she thinking?  It was beyond dreadful, lousy writing, stupid skits -- I've seen better variety shows put on my grade school kids.  The writers should be hiding their heads in shame.

I'm ticked off with PBS and have been for months now. My regular Friday night routine is to watch PBS and my favorite BBC comedies, all old, all seen before, but they still make me laugh.  For weeks on end the shows weren't on, replaced with BeBop or what ever it is called specials , over and over and then with the you want to throw a shoe at the t.v. set ongoing pleas for pledges.  Finally, 3 weeks ago my shows were back and I settled in with my Trader Joe's popcorn to watch and be enertained.. was wonderful. Then, this week? Damn concerts back again an the nagging for pledges until I was so angry I just turned off the set and worked on reading the book, " Middlesex."

Meanwhile back here at "the home.."

The Christmas decor is up and yesterday, December 2 , some Santa showed up so people could have their picture taken with him. I debated about going downstairs, just for the chance to sit on some guy's lap, but took a pass. When they do those kinds of activities -- dress in a costume for Halloween, etc.. I feel like I am living in a kindergarden, not a senior residence.  But those old ladies who go actually enjoy it all, love the making a costume.. they really get in to it.

We've got 12 vacancies here in this 65 unit building and what does that tell you about the economy? And they have raised the rents to the point where I wonder how long I can hang in here , too.  I'm in a one bedroom but have often eyed the bigger two bedroom units - but good gawd, those two bedroom spreads are about $4,500 a month now.  Who would pay that, who can pay that??? They used to be $3100 a month but now that's what they charge for a one bedroom. The world has gone greedy nuts.

New books..

My son Lee has a new Monk book out as of yesterday. This one takes place in France and should be a fun read. My brother, Burl Barer , has a new true crime book out  , too, but I don't read those - too bloody for me, but you might like it.  Check him, and Lee, out on Amazon.

Honors..

Son Tod has been nominated for the Pushcart prize given to outstanding short stories... not his first time to be nominated, either.. so proud of him, too.

That's it for today...