In Memory Of Tony Curtis...

This morning we learned the great Tony Curtis died last night at his home in Henderson. About ten years ago my husband and I had the pleasure of meeting and enjoying the company of Tony and his wife Jill on two occasions.

Tony and his wife frequented the Prime Steak House inside the Bellagio Hotel, where my husband's son works as a bartender.  Tony and he were friends.  Tony invited my son in law, his wife, their children, and us to come to their home in Sun City, which is the bigger 55 and over community near our community.

He greeted us in a pair of crisp white shorts and sandals.  "Hello my darlings!" is what he said as he gave us each a bare chested hug.  He was so down to earth and so hospitable.  He showed us all his art work, which he rarely hangs on the wall.  Instead, he prefers to prop them up against the wall, along the floor, so he can change them around to suit his artistic mood.  He also does shadow boxes and gave us a tour of his studio.

Jill is also very welcoming and kind. Her love of horses, both she and Tony developed the Shiloh Horse Rescue Ranch, taking in abused, unwanted and neglected horses. Their home is unpretentious and unadorned  by what most people would think of a "movie star's home".  He had his movie chair with his name on the back, sitting in front of the panoramic window looking out over the golf course behind his home.  They have one of those infinity pools that look like it just overflows onto the golf course.

He had various pictures of him and other movie stars.  One in particular of him and Jack Lemon, dressed in drag from SOME LIKE IT HOT, sitting on either end of an ornate couch.  When we visited, it was before anyone knew of Jack Lemmon being ill with colon cancer.  He told us before we heard it on the news.

I told him SOME LIKE IT HOT was one of my favorites, along with SPARTACUS, THE VIKINGS, HOUDINI, SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, THE DEFIANT ONES and FORTY POUNDS OF TROUBLE.  He was so thrilled I remembered so many of his movies.  He took me by the hand and took me into his bedroom closet and showed me the hat and jacket he wore as the rich Shell Oil Cary Grant talking character in SOME LIKE IT HOT. He told me it still fit him.  He autographed a DVD of a colored version of the movie and gave it to my husband and I.

He showed me the beautiful tile work he supervised in his bathroom shower.  Beautiful turquoise tiles.  He also designed the mosaic in the entry of their home.  We all sat around enjoying his many stories about his life and career. Several of his stories would involve a piece of furniture he had in their home. His tastes were very eclectic.

The second time we saw him was at the Bellagio when we were at the bar visiting my husband's son.  Tony and Jill came in, remembered us coming to visit at their home.  We enjoyed a drink and some conversation before they went into the dining room for dinner.

What a talent.  What a kind, generous, wonderful man he was.  Rest in peace, you are in good company.

Thank you for the memories...

There will be a public memorial service on Monday, October 4, 2010, at 11am.  The news reported the family requests, in lieu of flowers, to please make donations to the Shiloh Horse Rescue.  See Shiloh Horse Rescue for further information.

I Am Still Drunk On Baby Jacob's Scent...

Got home Monday afternoon around 2pm.  Izzy was so excited to see me, she jumped at least three feet in the air.  It was miserably hot, but felt so good to return to air conditioning.

Today is my husband's birthday, so I was out running errands and getting his birthday card and gifts as I had no time while in California... We just got in.  He has an early meeting tomorrow morning, so we decided to just go to dinner (Italian of course) and then we stopped by another restaurant where one of my hubby's friends was giving his girlfriend a surprise birthday party.  Her birthday is the same as my husbands, plus they are both from Buffalo, New York!

We had planned on going to the movies to see WALL STREET...but since he has the early meeting, we will go tomorrow or Thursday.

He leaves for annual Mexico trip Saturday afternoon, and my sister arrives Saturday morning for the week he will be gone!!  I am so excited I cannot concentrate.  WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SO MUCH FUN!!

I have more errands to run tomorrow.  My left wedding band ring finger and the middle finger next to it are still sore...they just ache.  I am going to try rubbing DEEP HEAT on them... 

Izzy was so good last night...when it was bedtime, she followed me into our room, and she walked right into her crate.  She feels lighter...I think she lost weight...  This was the longest I have ever boarded her.

Since being in California, my sleep pattern is all goofed up.  I fall asleep between 8pm and 9pm, waking up at 5:30am.  My eyes are flapping right now and I cannot wait to hit the sheets.

Sorry this post is so boring...I am still drunk on baby Jacob's scent...

Who Turned Up The Heat???

I am so hot I cannot pay attention... it is absolutely ROASTING and the humidity is kicking my boo-tay!!  Mom has no air conditioning.  I don't know HOW she stands it...

We went to visit Dad again, and had a super visit, but I have zero energy to write.  I will have to wait until after I drive back home tomorrow to write...I cannot even think straight, because I feel like someone stuffed me in an oven!  And the weather report says it will be even HOTTER tomorrow!!

Can Anybody Tell Me What Day It Is?

Up early to help my eight year old grandson spike up his hair for school.  I saved him from getting a buzz cut from his Mom last night.  The younger one got buzzed.  Lots of snuggles, kisses and hugs...

Drove from Beaumont to West Covina to see Dad.  Found him sitting near the window in the lunch room.  He was sitting in his wheel chair, swaying and bobbing his head to the music playing over head from  the speakers.  I could see he had a huge smile on his face and his eyes were closed.  I walked around, getting directly in front of him and just stood for a few minutes, enjoying watching him.  I tapped him on the shoulder and when he opened his eyes I was swaying and bobbing my head too.  He began to laugh,  "DONNA! You came!  You're here!  Oh!  You're dancing with me too!!"

I leaned in to kiss and hug him.  I told him it was so good to see him so happy. "I'm getting married very soon to my lovely lady... let's go outside and I will tell you about it.."  Dad fancies many of the lady staff and believes they love him as much as he loves them... he is always flirting and marrying someone.

As usual, as soon as we were outside, he forgot that subject and was moving on to another.  We sat at a table with another lady.  She began coughing loudly, and Dad explained she had Asthma.  I asked the woman if she would like a drink of water, which she politely accepted.  I returned with her water and she acted like I had just given her fresh, mountain spring water, thanking me profusely...

I had brought my camera to show Dad the pictures from the past few days.  Dad was mesmerized and enjoyed all the pictures I showed him.

The woman who was coughing needed help going back inside, so I helped her get her wheel chair over the door jam and returned to Dad...

Another patient wheeled outside and sat a couple tables over.  She would sporadically shout and yell.  She made loud noises, no actual words really.  Dad smiled at her and told me he loved her because she always spoke her mind.  "I tell her to let 'er rip, and get it off her chest.  God Bless her!"  I marveled at Dad's positive attitude, because there was a time when he would have been embarrassed with her outbursts...

As I listened to Dad bounce from topic to topic, from the vicious way the Japanese fought in the war to the sweet young women who run from the other end of the hallways to come help him. As I would open my mouth to comment or say some thing, he would keep on talking like he was on a time limit to speak...

The woman with the loud outbursts would also stomp her feet, and since I had my back to her, facing Dad, as he faced her, I would instinctively turn around to look, because she sounded like she was charging us.  Dad was preoccupied with her and would stop and start his conversations to comment or smile to her.  His compliments to her sailed away on the breeze, for she never responded to him.  She was in her own world.

There was another gentlemen sitting right by the door from the patio to the lunch room.  He kept calling to Dad, calling him Papa... when I would help one of the ladies get back inside, he would thrust his worn photo album at me and point to his son, his daughter, his nephews, his grand daughters.... I told him the boys were as handsome as him and the girls were all beautiful, which they were.  He has a very wonderful family.

The CNA brought Dad's lunch tray outside and set it in front of him.  Dad told her, he would rather eat inside with his friends.  She carried his tray back inside and I following, pushing Dad's wheel chair inside.  She set his tray down at the table by the door with the friendly gentleman, who greeted us both happily.

The room was pretty full and Dad and the gentleman were sitting at a table for two.  The gentleman held up a magazine with pictures of women dressed in evening gowns.  "Which one would you pick to go out?", he asked me.  I pointed to a strapless floor length back dress.  He looked up and smiled, "SEXY".

Dad smacked his lips as his hands hovered over his tray with cheeseburger, fries, pudding, coffee, milk, juice, water, roll and cake.  "I'll make this food disappear real quick!"  I laughed out loud... I wanted to sit down and visit longer, but sitting by the door, there was not any room for another chair.

I hugged Dad and told him I would let him enjoy his lunch with his friend, and I would see him later on. I will try visiting earlier on Sunday... He told me he loved me and to enjoy my lunch, as he bit into the cheeseburger, taking almost half of it in his mouth!

I stopped at the nursing station to chat with the nurses, updating myself on how Dad has been doing on his therapy and some upcoming events.

On my way back to Mom's, I called to see if she wanted me to pick her up some lunch.  All she wanted was a Frappe from Mc Donalds.  When I arrived, the termite guy was preparing to crawl under the house to finish his inspection.  He is a friend of the family.  He used to be married to the neighbor's daughter.  Very nice man.  He gave Mom an incredible quote to treat all the hot spots and even to repaint her patio cover.

We sat and talked as the floor fan sprayed cool air, which felt so good on such a warm day. My sister stopped in after she got off work and we all went out to dinner.

My daughter had called to ask if I would come to visit tomorrow.  I will get up early tomorrow to walk and meet my sister and girlfriend in Claremont.  I won't stay as long as I normally do, so I can leave about 9:30 am to drive down to Lake Elsinore.  It will be my first time seeing their home.  My daughter told me my oldest daughter and two grand sons are also coming to visit.  Should be another fun filled day.

I am beginning to feel I live in my car...

More Pictures And Updates....

I tell you, I am EXHAUSTED!  I took a three hour nap today, and I am struggling to keep my eyes open to write this!

Yesterday, I spent the day at the hospital with my daughter Jodee and baby Jacob.  Jacob's Daddy had to go to work, so he relieved me at 5pm.  I drove straight to Yucaipa to meet with my girlfriend to see her new apartment, then afterward, we went out to dinner.

I have slow growing cataracts, so night driving is a challenge.  My new glasses have really helped to where I felt brave enough to make plans at night... but, some time between my last trip to Nevada in June and last month, my right eye was getting red in the outer corner of my eye.  Eye drops made it worse, so I made an appointment with the eye doctor.  Apparently, I have something "like" arthritis of the eye.  The doctor gave me some steroidal drops, which did help.  Lately, it has been flaring up again.  Now, I am concerned I may have been over doing it.  At any rate, when I return home, I plan on talking to my eye doctor to pin her down for some further explanation.

Also, I woke up Tuesday morning and my wedding ringer finger was painful and swollen.  I could not remove my wedding ring.  Most of the day I was miserable and by the evening, I was soaking my hand in ice water.  Normally, Windex works best for removing jewelry, but my daughter did not have any. She uses "green" products.  We went searching in the garage to see if her husband had anything, and found some heavy duty foam window cleaner.  My daughter sprayed it on my finger as I twisted my ring.  It hurt like hell, but I finally muscled it off.  My finger feels like someone stomped on it... it really is still sore, but the swelling has gone down.

Driving home Monday night after Jodee's delivery and then last night, tell me driving at night is NOT a good idea!  My eyes were all blurry and I experienced pain in my eyes from the bright lights.  I am hoping it was due to me being so tired, and not the condition of my eyes...

As promised, here are more pics of Jacob and of my daughter Jodee...

Mama Jodee and Jacob

                                                                 Sleepy little Jacob

Such a precious boy....

Proud Grandma with Jacob

Jodee called around 8:00 pm.  She was just released from the hospital!  She was suppose to be released right after lunch!  I plan on going over to their home to help out, but she told me she will call me and let me know when she is ready...

I also need to visit my Dad and help Mom with cleaning out Dad's desk stuff.  I have been staying with my older daughter Holly in Beaumont, so tomorrow I will head out to Covina, to stay with Mom.  Unless Jodee needs me to stay longer, I plan on returning home on Monday.

Tomorrow I will visit Dad in the morning, and if Jodee does not need me during the day, will help Mom at her house, then my sister, her husband, Mom and I will go to  dinner.

He Has Arrived...

Introducing Jacob, 8 lbs even, 21.5 inches long, born 3:48 pm by emergency c-section, September 20, 2010.  Check out those huge hands and long fingers!! Eyes open and focused.  He is so alert!  Very serious though... obviously, extremely intelligent!

Such a good baby...so far, sleeping, eating, and fussing only a tiny, tiny bit.  He loves to breast feed and has already gained two ounces!

Proud Daddy with his son.

My daughter needs to sleep today and rest.  She is exhausted! She asked me to come tomorrow from 9 am to 4 pm to stay with her and the baby, so Daddy can go home to do some work.

Promise to post pics of Mama and Jacob tomorrow...

Going to spend today with my other two grand sons... in fact, gotta go... they have finished their home work and are beckoning me to play!!

So happy... and so emotionally exhausted!

GOT THE CALL AT 4:03 AM!!!!!!

It is 7am and I am getting ready to load the car and take Izzy to the Vet for boarding, then on my way to CALI...need to talk to my oldest daughter, as she is who I will stay with while my youngest daughter is in the hospital, then will stay with my Mom when my daughter goes back home...

I am SO EXCITED and have major nervous stomach for my baby, who is having her first baby!!

More later...love you guys!!!