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Thu 1 January 2009
Happy New Year, y'all! This is our first chance to write "2009" for real, and we hope we can remember to keep doing it.
We're seated at Hobby Airport, our Houston favorite because it is so near everyone we know. And right now it's as empty as
we can ever remember. We arrived about 10:00 for our 12:30 flight, and with Jane in her wheelchair (still a "boot" on her
injured ankle) we got special treatment at check-in. Yet even with all the extra scrutiny in the "take-off-your-shoes" area
that her metal chair and David's metal knee required, we reached the gate a full two hours early. If you hate airport crowds,
we suggest traveling at midday on New Year's Day.
As we bought espresso drinks, we spied a Pappadeaux Restaurant just across the corridor, so we're giving serious thought to
a final Cajun seafood farewell dinner before we crawl aboard our Southwest jet to eat the peanuts. We'll check it out and
get back to ya.
It's much later now. David had his bowl of gumbo, but Jane chose a pre-packed ham sandwich to bring onto the plane. The flight
was fine and now we're back home in Northridge – all full of freshly cooked black-eyed peas with ham and cornbread,
which we remembered just in time to grab some at the grocery store. Now 2009 is certain to bring good luck, good health, and
good fortune... just like last year.
Tue 6 January 2009
Happy Birthday to Irene in Tacoma. She wrote to say that they have tickets to a local production of Greater Tuna, which
is a hilarious spoof of social life in tiny Tuna TX. This is the first play in the Tuna Trilogy that also includes A Tuna
Christmas and Red, White and Tuna.
Google says there really is a Tuna TX, also called La Tuna. Various Spanish translations for "La Tuna" range from "rascal"
to "prickly pear" to "a college musical group". And Google's Satellite Map shows it to be a wide place on I-35 between Laredo
and San Antonio, just a little south of Cotulla. There are no houses, no buildings and no signs of life. Except for the plays,
of course. So if you ever get the chance, skip the town and go see the play – any play about Tuna TX. You'll thank yourself.
Today we got another fun internet link for all you older people who once enjoyed the quaint sounds of a type of music known
as Doo-Wop. Back in the 1950s and 60s many teens found this curiously exciting. You can choose a title you
like, or just listen as the jukebox plays the whole list. Hey, call in all the grandkids. You may be amazed to hear them sing
along to quite a few.
Things in Northridge are truly uneventful. No auditions. No wild weather. No wild parties. So we won't bore you with any of
that. But Jane goes back to her foot doctor tomorrow. And we have a Thursday lunch date with Pat. Things could get real exciting
here very soon.
Thu 8 January 2009
Hey! Some excitement at last!
Yesterday, Jane's doctor said her ankle is healed and she should start "weaning herself" off her strap-on Nazi boot. That's
great news for her, but the ankle is still swolen, it still hurts, and she still walks funny, even without the boot. But she
can sleep without it, so David can get his side of the bed back.
And just before we left to see the doctor, an email came saying that she had an audition an hour ago. She answered quickly,
and found she could come in any time before 7:00pm. So after seeing her doctor, we raced down to a lovely building in an extremely
seedy part of town near San Pedro. Jane hurried in while David parked and waited. And waited. After almost two hours,
Jane called and David picked her up... steaming mad.
This was for a "no pay, but you get a free designer handbag and lots of publicity" sort of gig for still photos to appear
in magazine ads. She took a number when she came in and waited with a mob of other disenchanted ladies, many of whom were
about to be late to work. One offered to pay $10 to anyone who would trade her a smaller number so she wouldn't lose her job.
Jane agreed and refused the money. But the gal insisted, even though it only moved her up about 5 places. Jane finally got
out at 5:00.
David began a frantic drive back to Northridge while Jane muttered and sputtered... until she realized that this was her very
first "paid" audition.
We were rushing because it was the first Wednesday of the month – Soul Food Cafe night at the church. This is the cookin'-est
church we've ever been in, and Soul Food is always fun because the menu is so varied. This time it was beef stew, cornbread,
salad and dessert. Other nights we've had pork roast, chili, roast chicken, etc. Everyone picks a table, meets new friends,
tosses a donation into the basket on their table and enjoys the meal. And the church makes a profit, too. Nice.
Sat 10 January 2009
Costa Rica suffered a 6.2 earthquake yesterday. That's just a hair less than the major quakes that blasted Northridge... twice.
The epicenter was near the Volcano Poás – less than 20 miles north of the home of our friends, Dick, Sharon and Maia.
So we sent them an email this morning and got this report:
"Well, Maia was 30' up in a tree on the edge of a cliff with our latest couchsurfer, Avery, when the quake struck. They
were totally freaked, with s**t happening all around them, but managed to get out of the tree and back to the trail and home.
They were pretty nervous for the rest of the day, as we've had over a thousand aftershocks... it's moving pretty much all
the time. Everyone's worried about Poas blowing. Remains to be seen. Meanwhile, they're pulling bodies out of the mudslides
and all... the area around Poas is a real mess. Funny... we were there on the 5th for a wedding.
"So we've picked up all the books and paintings that fell off the walls, checked out all the houses for damage, and seem to
have survived unscathed. Some of the tenants just thought it was TOO exciting. It was."
Having experienced a few mild quakes, both in WA and CA, we know that terror, and we're delighted to hear their good news.
To celebrate, David looked up their home on Google Maps, and you can click HERE to see it. Those of you who have been there will have fond memories of that zig-zag driveway leading
down to the house.
Today, footloose Jane has driven herself to her beautician. Yesterday it was to her physical therapist. David may never get
the car again.
Tue 13 January
David regularly scours the photos on Wunderground.com collecting those you see on our menu page. Today he was drawn to this
toucan and found a touching first-hand report from the photographer:
This photo is VERY SPECIAL to me. It was one of the last photos that I took before a violent devastating
earthquake hit La Paz Waterfall Gardens in Costa Rica. The park was completely destroyed, people lost their lives there,
and dozens are still missing.
La Paz Waterfall was the exact epicenter of the 6.1 magnitude quake (the largest in 150 years). The waterfalls are on the
Sarapiquí River, the fault line that shifted that day. It was a beautiful natural park with an aviary, the world's largest
butterfly observatory, and other natural wildlife exhibits. People descending to view the waterfall a few hundred feet below
us fell from steps anchored to the cliff walls and were buried by a landslide. It was the worst day of our lives. I can't
even describe what we have lived though.
We saw incredible efforts by their staff and tour guides to provide first aid and comfort. Some 500 of us made it back to
the top of a narrow ridge to await rescue over the next few days. People were there from all over the world – French,
German, Italian, Australian, every nationality you can imagine. We were among the luckiest and were rescued by helicopter.
All access roads were demolished by slides and falling trees. There was no way out. Many had to walk out thru the jungle
for several miles over the next few days. There were over 600 terrifying aftershocks within the first 3 hours, the aftershocks
continue, and the rain is hampering rescue efforts.
Please pray for all the missing and injured people and wildlife and the families that lost their loved ones. Many nearby
villages were flattened. There are 1000's of local people in shelters whose homes have been destroyed. Please look for a
legitimate website and consider donating to relief efforts. For those who are concerned about the wildlife at La Paz Waterfall
Gardens, the website says they are doing everything in their power to make sure they are well taken care of through this trying
time. The main focus has been on rescuing people trapped in the rubble.
I hope this toucan is all right...he was so sweet and fun and helped save our lives, as I spent almost a half hour taking
photographs of him instead of moving on down the ravine toward the waterfall.
Photo taken Thursday, January 8, 2009 — La Paz Waterfall Gardens, Costa Rica
This really hit home, as we have visited Costa Rica twice. More to the point, eight of us old retired Texans passed right
below the huge cliff he describes, even waiting there a few minutes in its shadow until our tiny tour bus could take its turn
and cross the ancient one-way bridge at the base of the falls. And shortly before that we all stood on the 8,200' rim of
Volcan Poás and strained to see its crater's amazing blue lagoon through thick clouds that refused to part – the same
volcano that some now fear may "blow".
Granny is picking up speed and losing her limp. Yesterday she drove to her class, and today she drove over to physical therapy.
Brings to mind an old saying about a "spring chicken". Let's see, how does that go...
Sunday evening we attended the Jazz Vespers service at church that is presented every couple of months. This one included
a jazz quintet with an unlikely instrumentation – two baritone saxes, piano, bass and drums. Each player had an amazing
bio including major bands, artists, movies, shows, and awards. They came with no promised fee and played an hour of the finest
jazz you could want. That's another advantage of living in LA. The world's finest players live here and play the movie scores
that we take for granted, usually with no more rehearsal than an occasional re-take. A seat in the symphony might be nice,
but the studio gigs pay a lot better.
Fri 16 January
We went to another audition yesterday for CVS Pharmacy. Guess what they're looking for? Yep, a dancin' granny. They need someone
71+ years old who can leap around, wave her arms in the air and scream "I got bucks! I got bucks!" for a new give-away promotion.
So Jane put on her olive green high-top ground-grippers and sashayed around a bit just to see if she could wear them and still
dance. Then she took 'em off and chose some very conservative black granny shoes instead. David was crushed. He had campaigned
hard for the Granny Clampett look.
Today she got a "Callback" for her efforts, and so David may have been wrong. Still, she has enough time to go a new direction
– something truly unforgettable. So David says: Send Jane your emails. Say "Clampett, Clampett, Clampett".
But there is a down side if she gets this gig. She'll have to do a nighttime shoot next Friday in some empty CVS store. The
late-night part is OK. She does that all the time. But Laurie will be here next week, and Friday's her last night. Now perhaps
you can see why life is not always easy for the rich and famous.
Sun 18 January
Here's another tribute to Craigslist.com. Today while debating how best to manage this week when Laurie and Mark come to spend
two nights in our tiny living room, we decided to consult Craigslist. Going straight to their "Free" section, we searched
for "mattress". Sure enough, some nice person in Northridge wanted to give away a single-bed mattress – just what we
wanted. We emailed them back, and within 15 minutes they called. After a short chat they offered to deliver it in their SUV
so we wouldn't have to strap it on top of the Buick. Ten minutes later our new friends arrived with the mattress, handed over
the goods amid many a "Thank-you", and departed. Their problem was solved. Our problem was solved. Now only Mark has a problem
– that's his bed for the visit ... on the floor.
This week we got three more entertaining links – one is motivational, another is inspirational and one is absolutely useless but kinda fun.
Tue 20 January 2009
Wow.
Seriously...... WOW!
Wed 21 January
Yesterday we hung around long enough to scream and cheer as our new President and Vice-President were inaugurated, smile as
the Marine helicopter left the White House, and sing along with the impromptu chorus of onlookers that filled the mall.
Then we raced down to LAX to pick up Laurie and Mark. After wolfing down a hasty lunch, we drove over to Culver City Studios
to wait in line for a taping of The Bonnie Hunt Show that's broadcast in many cities – perhaps in yours. If you
have very good eyes and a High-Def monitor, you might spot the four of us on the very back row in the center. Or not.
This episode airs tomorrow (Thu 22 Jan) and features an interview with the final passenger to leave the plane during the recent
Hudson River miracle. He told us more about what those passengers experienced than we had yet heard. It was amazing.
Then we tootled on home and pretty much crashed in our tiny tenement. Laurie, who was stopped up after fighting a cold for
several days, could still barely hear after her recent flight. But we all slept well, and feel much better now.
That's fortunate, because when Jane returned last night found she had two auditions at noon today. We all went along, dropping
her off to wow each casting director while we went for coffee and conversation. Eventually we ended up on the Santa Monica
pier. We planned to eat a bite and ride the Ferris wheel, but quickly found the ocean air was too cold for our clothes. So
we returned to Hollywood, ate some Zeke's BBQ, toured Graumann's Chinese Theater, just missed seeing a movie because we came
late, and now we're back home again watching Lost. Laurie is a big fan, Mark not so much, and David and Jane not at
all. But we're getting caught up fast.
One final thing: Laurie just mentioned that grandson Tyler has quite a list of episodes on YouTube. If you would like to see
what a university junior does and thinks about, and also hear a bit of the music that he writes and performs to accompany
those thoughts, just Google supatheath or click HERE to enjoy the fun and relive a certain time in your life. And he makes great grades, too.
Thu 22 January
This morning we lounged about, watched The Bonnie Hunt Show at noon (we actually spotted ourselves during the opening
flourish) and then started an ambitious trek through Hollywood and western LA that included roaming the Farmers' Market at
The Grove, eating an exotic dinner at an excellent Ethiopian restaurant (Mark insisted, and we loved it), a very quick trot
through the grounds of the La Brea Tar Pits in the rain, and ended at LAX, where we bade Mark a fond farewell on his flight
back to Seattle. It's been way too long since the four of us had that much time just to hang out and act goofy.
But Jane's phone kept ringing every half hour or so during the day, and now she is scheduled for three more auditions tomorrow.
So why did they wait until the week when they knew we had company?
Granny's invitation to that "Night in the Pharmacy" didn't pan out, so now we'll relax at home tomorrow night, or maybe even
go out for a fine meal before Laurie heads back to Texas on Saturday.
Tue 27 January
Hey kids, we're having some fun now! Granny is getting overrun with job opportunities.
Friday she had two auditions, constricting Laurie's visit way more than we'd hoped. But we did squeeze in Slumdog Millionaire
together that evening. Depressing, scary, tense, inspiring, ironic, enlightening, strange - those are just a few of our conflicted
reactions to this startling movie. Better go see it. There's no way to explain it.
Yesterday, Jane had callbacks on both her Friday auditions. Today she did a new one, and tomorrow there's a callback and a
re-callback. If she lands all these, she'll appear in spots for a Crab Shack, a beer company and a Credit Union. That kinda
makes sense, if you think about it.
Thu 29 January
Today we're lounging around enjoying our first day off in a week. Yesterday's auditions went well, and we celebrated afterward
by meeting Pat for a late lunch/early dinner at our #2 favorite deli, Kanter's on Fairfax Ave. It's a grand old place that's
papered with celebrity black-and-whites from the glory days. Too bad we missed Hollywood when it was a swingin' joint and
not just another big city.
David's friend, who collects weird items on the web, sent a link with this note: "This is the coolest video I've ever seen...
base-jumping with 'wing suits'. I wonder what's the average number of jumps you can expect to survive?"
We watched it... It is very cool indeed, and we suspect the survival rate is very low.
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