GLAD I GOT TO MEET YA

Tribute to Bo Diddley 1928 - 2008

ACHY BREAKY HEART

Doing a little catching-up on my Blog since I've been so busy:

Quiet day here at work, thank goodness. Been working extremely hard in my new job as a Legal Document Specialist in a law firm and my brain is sore from all the input being injected into it! Haven't had time to pee in a pot! I AM however learning a LOT and if I should sink here, it will certainly prepare me for another law firm. But so far, so good. Didn't think I could do some of these advanced word processing applications, so kind of proud of myself being over a half century old~~~!!! Next week, I go on a 3pm to 11pm shift. Have to reconfigure how and when to eat lunch and dinner!

Since I experienced reoccuring Pericarditis symptoms pretty bad last weekend, I went back to the Cardiologist this last Wed, and she says "So how's XXX-medication working for you?"... I say "what? I'm not taking that medicine!" oh. She then informs me that they supposed to have given that to me when released from the hospital! OY VEY!

Anyway, I'm on it now (prevents irregular heart rhythm) and she changed my med for the Pericarditis. I already feel better, but it just relieves and doesn't necessarily make the virus causing this condition to go away. Says my actual heart is in A-OK (Oh really?) and it's just the outer lining that has this virus. They have no clue what causes this, but says it's more common than you think. Still, after my episode with Atrial Fibrollation and my stint in the hospital, excuse me if I don't feel totally assured that my heart is 'A-OK'!!

Tomorrow I am taking advantage of my health insurance and going for another Echocardiogram and after that then go for my eye exam and new prescription glasses, which I sorely need for this job. A lot of proofreading and legal terms!

So glad I did all my heavy duty work around my house these past few months before starting this job, like cleaning closets, moving furniture, and organizing. Makes it easy to get ready for work and nice to come home to a clean house at night. This year is in absolute contrast to last year - Last year, all physical and emotional work, and now, this year, all mental work. I've been so exhausted that I haven't even been on Ebay for months, but looking forward to getting back to that soon since I have TONS of inventory from mom's place and mine waiting to go to a good home. Oh, and coming soon, will be my Ebay listing for my hospital bracelets!! Yes! There are people who actually collect these damn things! What a hoot!

Just hope I can take Celine Dion's advice that my "My Heart Will Go On".....!!

MASS TRANSIT VIA POPE MOBILE

This morning I went to Mass. Well, sort of. Watched the whole Catholic Mass with Pope Benedict from Yankee Stadium on cable TV. That's as close to going to church I'll probably get, being the Agnostic I am! What a spectacle it was! With all that angelic music and pomp and circumstance, I thought I died in my sleep and woke up near the Pearly Gates!

Yet, it didn't matter what 'religion' it was, as long as it brought people together in joy and happiness, which it certainly seemed to do. It was truly amazing to see this kind of unadulterated bliss coming out of jaded hard-core New York, and Yankee Stadium at that! And what a refreshing change from all the political and war coverage on TV! I'd rather look at the Pope any day than Hillary knocking back a whiskey!!

Still, I am left with some burning questions:

1. Boxers or Briefs under Benny's vestments?

2. At the end of the event, when Benny went back inside the dugout to change before boarding the Pope Mobile, did his high-hatted assistants personally assist him in the 'Men's' room? And when in there, did he get special embossed TOILET PAPER? I'm sure he didn't have to suffer wiping with the usual Yankee Stadium TP!

3. Is the Pope Mobile equipped with DVD and a CD player? Did he pop in 'Heaven Can Wait' in the DVD on his way to the airport or maybe the song "'Drop Kick Me, Jesus, Through The Goalposts Of Life"'!?

4. Did anyone else notice the red-hatted Cardinal who, at the end of the event, whipped off his holy red hat and put on a Yankee's ball cap?! (Yes, this really happened!)

In any case, I have to admit that I really do admire Benny. At 81 years old, he obviously is very sprite and aware of all that was going on around him, including all the jokes, songs and screaming during the Mass. Indeed, Benny is a Rock Star! Imagine how excited all those nuns were today! Probably the closest thing to orgasm they'll ever feel!! And all those lucky people who got to kiss His Eminence's Ring! They are all now probably expecting good luck to befall them. Knowing my luck, if I ever got a chance to kiss the Pope's ring, I'd probably turn into a Frog!

And now just think of all the items that are going to turn up on EBAY!!! Yellow and white hankerchiefs that 'waved at the Pope', a popcorn cup that has the Pope Mobile's tire tracks on it, Rosary beads that broke during a stampede between a Mother Teresa nun and a grey-haired Catholic Italian lady, a photo of the Pope's foot, or maybe a hot dog with a mustard-smeared image of Jesus on it!

Which all makes me wonder......

..... I wonder if Jesus Christ will get the same media and security coverage when HE comes back?? ~~~~~

I RAN WITH THE OLYMPIC TORCH!

...or The Olympic-Size San Francisco Switcheroo..

Well, yours truly ran with the Olympic TORCH today! Well, um... Not quite..... I didn't actually RUN and CARRY the Torch....! It happened like this:

I wasn't really planning on going down and getting in the middle of the Olympic Torch Ceremony today, but since the Embarcadero is only a couple of blocks from where I live, and since it's a historical (hysterical?) event, and because it's not happening anywhere else in the United States, I decided I'd pop down just to watch the Flame go by and then get back to my chores. It was such a gloriously beautiful day, that I decided to try my luck by driving straight down Vallejo street (right outside my garage) where I happen to know of a few legitimate secret parking spots that most visitors wouldn't even think of. Sure enough, I found several spots right across the street from the Waterfront Restaurant on the Embarcadero!! All I had to do was cross the street!!! "Woo Hoo!!" I thought!!!

Well, as expected, there was a all kinds of commotion and hundreds of protesters marching past, etc. Tibetan flags and Chinese flags everywhere, some even coming out of people's parkas and some sticking out of people's hair! The official start was to be at 1:00 pm from The Ballpark area, a few miles down on the Embarcadero, and so I stood along the Embarcadero for about an hour in the brisk, cold wind, waiting for the EVENT to pass by approximately at 1:30 pm.

However, at approximately 1:45 pm, we noticed some 'oddities'. The same crowd of hundreds of protesters who were initially heading toward Fisherman's Wharf, and who had passed before us about a half hour previously, were now COMING BACK THE OTHER WAY! Then we also noticed the police loosening up and not worrying if people were in front of the barricades or even in the middle of the street. Pretty soon, the buzz went around, emanating from people listening on radios, that the TORCH was clear across town on Van Ness Avenue (!), and nowhere near the Embarcadero!! SAY WHAT???!!!!

What a disappointment! You could almost hear a huge collective sigh of frustration from the crowds, many who had come from out of town and even out of state. I walked back to my car, hopped in and took off, literally following the helicopters above! For wherever the helicopters were, that's obviously where the Torch Procession was! I was sure I could head them off down at the end of Van Ness and Bay Street, and sure enough, I was right! Flew down to the corner of Bay and Van Ness and quickly pulled over into a fire hydrant spot! Now, any other day, this would be committing San Francisco Parking Suicide. But there were cars parked every which way and in all kinds of illegal spots, as everyone KNEW that at a time like this, there were no meter maids or police bothering with such piddling things such as parking tickets !! So it was 'Every Man for Himself' as thousands chased down the Moving Target, the TORCH!! I only had to walk 50 feet to the corner from where I illegally parked the car (My Parking Karma rescues me again!), and there I got to see the whole Olympic kit and kaboodle go by!

Filmed all of the procession, the buses , the riot police, the police on bikes, the police on foot and thought I got the FLAME on my camera as it and the blue-costumed Torchbearers went right past me, but alas, there was too much confusion and people in front of me..! Darn! Got everything on film but the damn Torch!! BUT I DID SEE IT WITH MY OWN EYES! So my wild goose ...er, TORCH... chase across town paid off!

It was a most gorgeous day in SF. One of those 'Only in San Francisco' moments and events! So after the Torch and Torchbearers passed, they surprisingly headed toward the Golden Gate bridge. Nobody was expecting THAT! I went back to my car and sat there deciding to stay put for awhile, while listening the the news on the car radio, thinking the Torch procession might be coming back the same way. San Francisco became a madhouse! There were TV and radio reporters who had no idea in which direction the Torch was going and who ended up running down sidewalks, hailing cabs, and reporting LIVE with gasping breaths!! One TV reporter even ended up getting a ride from a competitor TV reporter to chase down the Torch! INSANITY. I'm sure the ancient Greeks never visualized anything quite like THIS!!

But by now, I guess you heard, they cut the whole thing short on Doyle Drive, the approach to the GG Bridge (of all the dangerous places!!), and then the whole group got in buses and headed down 19th Avenue back to the airport. The Closing Ceremony was briefly held right there on Doyle Drive, of all inane places, and it terminated right after that. Supposedly, the Flame leaves the airport at 9 pm tonight and heads south to Buenos Aires.

A lot of people are MAD. Mad that Gavin Newsom, our Mayor, changed the route and cheated a lot of people who had come from out of state and/or out of town with kids and dogs in tow, and misled them with a Bait and Switch. Others are saying that it was good no one got hurt. Well, I was lucky that I live here and was able to jump in my car and follow it across town, but I feel sorry for all those people who made a day of it to come to SF by boat, Bart or car, and then missed the whole thing! What a dirty trick. Frankly, I think they could have prevented any serious disruption with all the THOUSANDS of police and riot squads they had, without having to COMPLETELY switch the route! That in itself almost caused a riot!!

But what I really want to know is .......
......how the hell do they get a LIT TORCH on an AIRPLANE, when I can't even take my tweezers!!!!??

SUPER SAD TUESDAY

SUPER Tuesday? SUPER Bowl?..... Everything lately seems to be just peachy keen SUPER.

Super Tuesday for me takes on a whole different meaning, for it was exactly one year ago today, February 5, 2007, I lost my mother. Nothing super about that.

As most people were preoccupied with lighting up the voting booth today, I was lighting a candle.

As most people are concerned who will sweep their state, I would give anything to see my mom in her house sweeping her kitchen floor once more.

As most TV anchors are yakking about CAUCASES, I'd give anything to once again experience the RUCKUS we used to have at Mom's house when we had to try to park 3 cars in a 2 car spot!

As most voters are either Conservative or Liberal, it only reminds me of how Mom was a real conservative with her money, but oh so liberal with her love, generosity and wonderful home cooking.

As we continue to hear the results of the EXIT POLLS, I fondly remember little Mama backing that huge Monte Carlo out her driveway, and always successfully managing to avoid hitting the telephone POLE upon EXITING!

As one of the major issues of the day is Health Care, how well I remember Mama taking Care of our Health when we were kids with those old time mustard plasters and Vicks Vaporub!

As some political parties are obsessed about Progressive Grass Roots, I sit here with a glass of wine laughing to myself about the time Mom tied herself to the tree out on her front hillside so she wouldn't slip on the leaves as she dug up her GRASS ROOTS!

As the results of the Primaries continue to roll in, I reflect upon how my mother was such a PRIMARY force in my life, and how much I miss her.

Therefore, on this SUPER Tuesday, I NOMINATE my Super Mother for bringing such joy and laughter into my life, VOTE that her spirit live on forever in the minds of all her had the good fortune to know her, and congratulate her on the biggest win of all, bringing her love and laughter to Heaven and winning over every last angelic candidate!

So today, February 5, 2008, one year after God elected her to join him, I cast my vote: my MOM for PRESIDENT of Heaven!

A HOUSE IS NOT A HOME

Today we signed the escrow papers... So many various documents, that I almost got Carpal Tunnel! This is the beginning of the end of the 'Ordeal'. My sister was as nice as could be today, for a change! We actually got along great and she invited me to lunch Friday to celebrate. Somehow, however, this doesn't quite feel like a 'celebration'.......

Tomorrow I have to go to Mama's house for the LAST TIME. I have to orchestrate the move of my storage items to a storage unit in San Francisco, and wait for the movers, and then I have to have my classic Corvair towed to my mechanic's shop for a tune-up. After that is all done, the house will be totally empty and void of anything that represents our last 48 years there.

I know it will be emotional for me, and it's going to be REALLY hard to press that damn remote to close the garage door for the last time as I back out of the driveway... It really hasn't totally sunk in yet, that there is no more Mama's home. No more going home for Christmas and seeing the house full of a warm glow with the fireplace going . No more going home to get that always much needed dose of Mama's TLC. No more going home to await Mama's delicious holiday dinners which filled the house with wondrous smells and made our hearts get that warm fuzzy feeling. No more going home and seeing my cat, Nefer, make a beeline up the garage steps to run into her little cat-house in the bedroom. No more going home and snuggling up in the same bed I slept in since I was 16 years old. And most of all, no more Mama to hug and kiss hello.

The lady who bought our house is a real estate agent. She and her fiance are going to move into as an investment and fix it up. I hope that I get a chance to meet her and can see the house after she flips it and redecorates it.

I am emotionally and physically drained.. None of this has sunk in yet, as I have been running around like a chicken with its proverbial head cut off to arrange the final necessities. And presumably, you read my BLOG I recently sent you where I told you about my flood here at my apt. in the midst of all this commotion! It's still not totally fixed, and I have not been able to use my kitchen sink for 3 days now! Evidently, this being a building that was built over 50 years ago, there are some corroded pipes that need replacing. Thank goodness, my landlord offered to pay for any food delivery while this is going on! So last night, I ordered a pizza so big, that it wouldn't hardly even fit in the fridge!

Tomorrow night after my last day at Mama's house, I plan to come home, turn out the lights, light a candle and cry my eyes out.

Farewell to a lifetime of Memories ~

THE WEEK FROM HELL

I realize there has been no blogs from me for a LONG TIME. That is because this year has been one ordeal and commotion one after another. My mom passing away was terrible enough; however it was all the rigmarole I had to go through with her estate that was the Ordeal from Hell.

Well, things are now wrapping up since we finally sold the house, and now, I am having the week from hell here.... Kitchen sink overflowed and right now there is one Mexican, one Argentinian and one German in my apt under my sink! All the stuff under my sink has been taken out and is laying all over the living room. Which now means I will want to wash and clean them all again before I put them back! Then on top of that the toilet backed up, and so couldn't even take a s**t...!

Believe it or not, I'm still trying to burn the last of my Xmas DVD's (!) and now my laptop is rejecting 80% of the DVDs that are brand new! Wasting them all and wasting time, and each one takes 1.5 hours to burn!

On top of THAT, escrow closes tomorrow and I had to dig through a zillion papers to find the signed & notarized affidavits and other papers I need. Does my sister help doing any of this....??? NOOOOOO. Then the storage unit I was supposed to have by Wed to move my stuff into is STILL OCCUPIED by another person! So had to hustle on the phone these last 2 days trying to find another spot and movers! Finally got that organized while making my way through a few vodkas.....!

On top of THOSE THINGS, I have to figure a way to get my car out of my mother's garage and up to my mechanic! I think I have it figured out, but I'm stressing out over it.

I spent all of Sat over at the house trying to sell off the last of the furnitures. Had to put up with Craigslist people coming and going, promising to buy something and then reneging, calling and calling and calling! Sold the dryer and most ALL of everything else, except still was stuck with the dining room table & chairs! HAVE TO HAVE IT OUT BY WED, and unless someone bought it, I had a PROBLEM! I wasn't able to get anyone to pick it up to donate even! Salvation Army needs 2 wks notice and Goodwill doesn't pick up at all, and it's way too big for my storage unit. Finally in the 11th hour yesterday someone called and told me they wanted the dining set. Had to hustle again and since I wasn't over there today, had to arrange with the realtor to be there so they could pick it up. Thank god he went over there, and thank god they got the dining set! So the house is now COMPLETELY empty. What a strange, empty feeling.

Tomorrow my sister and I are meeting with the escrow lady for the final signatures. Then Wednesday I go over to the house and have to orchestrate the moving of the car, and my stuff to the storage unit in SF, take the rest of the junk to Goodwill. and lastly take the pile of rubbish out and dump somewhere, since we no longer have garbage pickup. Then I have to cut off the electricity and water. Again, is my sister helping here??? NOOOOOOO..

Thursday, the money in escrow is OURS. Accounts already set up and the whole ordeal will be technically over. Is my sister coming up to get her share of the money that day?? YESSSSSSS......

Almost 1 year to the day that Mom died. May she Rest in Peace cause I'm sure as hell not!

OH NO! NOW THE ALIENS HAVE INVADED MY DECK!!

Ok, it's bad enough that my bathroom was invaded by aliens the other day, but this morning I get up this morning and find a pair of feet dangling right outside my window!!!



Then I look at my deck, which I just meticulously cleaned this past week, strewn with paint chips all over the place! No warning... nobody thinking to put down a TARP....!! HELLO!!!!


Not only that, but I find a huge scaffolding hanging dangerously and precariously right above me as I walk out on the deck! Yes, ok, the building badly needs painting (see picture below), but can't I have some kind of warning or notice when it involves my personal space??!!


I was shocked and furious. House painters have arrived and are chipping off the old paint on the house. Did anyone notify me or anyone else in the apartment house this was going to occur??? NOOOOOOO!! No matter what I yelled out to them or how loud, they (of course!) could not (would not?) understand a word of English!..

So, I got the landlord on the phone and got him to come up here to see what was going on. Now picture this: Mr. German Landlord was now out there speaking pigeon-English with a German accent trying to communicate with the Mexican workers! This should have been on America's Funniest Videos (except it wasn't funny!). He finally got them to put down a tarp and told them that when they finished work today, they would have to CLEAN UP MY DECK! To add to this International Incident, I have only one thing to add: a very JEWISH "OY VEY"!!!!


Paint chips were EVERYWHERE (even in my barbecue pit) and plugging up the outside drain! And if there is anything that gets Herr Landlord upset, it's having any kind of loose residue, leaves, etc. going down the outside drain and plugging it up for fear it will cause another flood on my deck! Glad he saw that it was not my fault and that his workers were at fault. In fact, he did get mad at them and was out there cursing in German!!

Not only was it a mess, it was dangerous, as I had no idea that the scaffolding was right above my head when I walked out onto the deck!!! Geez!!

Never a dull day here! Totally wreaked havoc on my concentration and couldn't get a damn thing done today. If I had a chimney, I wouldn't even be surprised to find Santa Claus stuck in it!!!


5:00 or not, it's time for a drink!

ALIENS HAVE INVADED MY BATHROOM!

Right now, there are 2 Mexican men in my bathroom!! Are they hiding out from the Immigration Authorities?? No, they are here, upon command of our Landlord, installing a new low flow WHITE toilet! Now, that sounds fine, except.....

That my bathroom fixtures are all yellow! And my plush black bathroom carpet (which is now hard to find) is cut to the OLD toilet dimensions (!), ... And my special toilet flush handle shaped like a Leopard may not now fit on the new toilet!! And my specially ordered ZEBRA toilet seat may not fit the new toilet!!! ACHHHHHHHH!

Oh, and now I just found out that the new toilet is SHORTER, and now I have to move a shelf! Oy vey...!

I am not a happy camper. This is where being eccentric and exotic doesn't work!! Ha ha!! I tried to talk my way out of even getting a new toilet, but it's now the code and I guess I have to go along with the plan. So I am going to try and paint it when they are all done. There is a type of paint that does go over porcelain, so I'm gonna give it a try! But now I may have to get a new carpet and toilet seat! Landlords don't care about that type of 'inconvenience and cost', but the Rent Board told me this morning that it can be construed as a Decrease of Service if your fixtures are changed to the point where the integrity of the room is changed. So I may have to now file a Decrease of Service Petition. Arghhhhhh! Does it ever end?!! Yes, indeed, I am having a CRAPPY day!

Is this what they mean by Things Coming to a Head???? Or does this qualify as "SH**T HAPPENS"?

GOODBYE TO A LIFETIME

Well, this is the LAST DAY in our family house. I cried all last night. My sister was here all day Fri and Sat and we actually had a pleasant day together believe it or not. Friday night I had a couple of my friends over for a last BBQ feast on the deck, and we had a beautiful summer night out there. My friend Rich was supposed to come, but at the last minute, reneged, as he said he was still in the middle of working on re-tiling his hot tub with his workman. I was rather disappointed as he first told me he was coming and then kept calling saying he'd be on his way any minute, and then NOTHING.!! NEVER SHOWED UP!! And since our last conversation on the phone Friday night about 9:00 when he said he'd be on his way, I have not heard from him to this minute?! If he is gonna be flakey like that, then crap. Wouldn't feel comfortable asking him to my high school reunion dinner dance coming up in August and paying his meal and then having him not show up or something!

Anyway, my friends and my sister actuallly all got along great, socializing with them like I've never seen her do for ages. The next day her and I worked like dogs here getting EVERYTHING out of the house that will not be included in the estate sale. What a tedious and backbreaking JOB! Cleaned out 3 fridges and all the kitchen cupboards and we just didn't know what to do wih everything and all the food! We split up as much as possible, but still stuff left over.

Then the 2 of us actually had a very pleasant time having lunch out on the deck and taking some final photos together, which amazingly, she was a good sport about. My sister even planted mom's memorial forget-me-not seeds in the garden. It was our own little private memorial service so that Mom's spirit will live on here after we are long gone. Someday, when another family will be sitting in this garden, they will say, "oh look! Pretty little Forget-Me-Knots are blooming in our garden!". It was the best time we've spent together in years, and I was choked up all day.

When my sister went to leave last night, she also got choked up (yes! my usually unemotional sister!) although she tried not to show it, and then gave me a REAL hug - the first hug I can ever remember from her ever. I broke down and it was extremely emotional for me. As I saw her little car pull out of the driveway last night, I knew it was the end of an era, and went back upstairs and bawled my eyes out for 2 hours sitting in front of mama's picture, with a candle burning, and downed at least 2 bourbon and 7's

Today I am alone here at the house finalizing it and getting it ready for the estate sellers who are coming tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. to set up for the sale which will take place next Fri, Sat, and Sun. I plan to be here on an off during the week to check up on their setting-up progress and am prepared to sleep on the floor in a sleeping bag if they take the beds down. Still have cable TV hooked up so I'll be fine as long as I can sleep somewhere and have a TV and food.

The hardest part here is hauling things up and down these goddam stairs here at the house! That's one thing I'll be glad to see the last of! I haven't been home to my apt. for over a week! And I feel like I'm in a Twilight Zone here... don't know who I am any more or where I live....! My poor little kitty, Nefer, is getting traumatized being shuttled back and forth from my place to mom's house, and runs and hides if she so much as HEARS the harness and leash..

Well, it's almost 4 pm and still no word from Rich! That is a red flag if he first doesn't show up for a dinner invite and then doesn't even get back to me as to why he didn't! Yet, in all his emails and phone calls, he is flirty and coming on to me, so I know I am not reading anything into anything, I'm sure. Plus he invited up to his house a few weeks ago, and it is awesome. Lives in a mansion off of Old Petaluma Hill Rd., 2 boats, 1 RV, 3 cars, hot tub, 3 level home... ! Oh well, it's his move now, and that's that.

Farewell family home of 48 years. No more running home for Mom's TLC or homemade pumpkin pies at Thanksgiving. No more putting up the Christmas Tree and hanging our raggedy and years-worn socks on the mantle and doing our little holiday rituals. Simply and sadly, No More. Gone.

What the hell is life all about anyway.........

I WAS THERE! On the spur of the moment at 5:00 a.m. on Monday morning, I decided to do a wild and wacky thing.... I booked a flight to Las Vegas via the Internet and within hours, there I was flying down to Las Vegas just for ONE DAY, so I could see the IMPLOSION of the STARDUST! Just got back tonight. And all I can say is that it was worth every cent to go and see this! This wasn't just an implosion .... this was a LAS VEGAS implosion! And at precisely 2:30 a.m. Tuesday morning as scheduled, the Stardust indeed became DUST and its memories and history descended up into the STARS!Stayed at the Royal Resort right across the street and from my room, I had a perfect view of the whole Stardust area .. however I chose to go down on the streets to experience the implosion with the crowds gathered there from all over the world. I had planned to have dinner before the implosion, however many restaurants around that area were closed or serving non-hot food from a pared-down menu. The Denny's across the street was completely shut and the Peppermill had to stop serving hot food as they had to close/tape off the chimneys and vents because of the dust! They even had menu items named after the implosion!As some of you may know, I am a freelance writer for a local newspaper, and I had a fantastic time interviewing people down on the streets, and having them sign this huge STARDUST memorabila book that I had purchased when I stayed at the hotel the last weekend it was open last October of 2006. Now my book is full of wonderful comments and stories written by people from all over the United States and the world telling of their connections with the Stardust. Soon, I will be writing an article for our newspaper about how I got so involved with the Stardust. In fact, it all started at last years Fan Club Meeting in 2006, when I won a 3 day stay at the Stardust from a Timesharing company., which coincided with our Fan Club meeting dates. Having never stayed at the Stardust before, I was really sceptical and expected it to be a dump since I was only paying $19 for 3 nights! However, not only was it NOT a dump, I fell in love with this wonderful old-Vegas hotel. And it became even more endearing to me upon realizing that it was where S & R performed for 3 years of their first days in Las Vegas, and where Bernie Yuman first became involved with them and subsequently became their manager.Three weeks after our Fan Club Meeting, upon finding out the Stardust would be closing at the end of October, I turned around and flew back down to Las Vegas to stay there for the final weekend! I got to see the final show in the theater starring Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, and after the show, ran into Norm Clarke, the society columnist from the Las Vegas Review. I went over to say hello to Norm, and after remembering me from being up on the podium the day S & R got their star on the Walk of Fame, he invited me to come partially backstage for the after-show party. http://imagehost.vendio.com/preview/la/ladygold/NORMMEx.JPG I didn't really get into the REALLY private party, but I got far enough backstage to where I got to meet Steve & Eydie, shake thieir hands and see other celebrities such as Frankie Avalon. Steve and Eydie closed down the theater in a grand style to many tears and cheers. Well, that final weekend endeared me to the Stardust even more. It was now a full blown love affair! The whole weekend was a tear jerker with old-timers and all sorts of people gathering there who loved the Stardust. It was like a grand reunion and many people were hugging and crying, sad that the Stardust would be no more. So going to the implosion was just the final something I had to do. I had to go and say goodbye. I was blown away (literally!) by how this implosion was done. An implosion of a building is awesome enough in itself... But this implosion was done - A-La-Las Vegas style! Astounding fireworks, music, laser lights, and a timed countdown was built right into the demolition dynamite itself! You could hear a multitude of people muttering 'YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING' when they saw how this implosion was being done! The big implosion itself was so loud and awesome, that it rocked and shook the depths of your soul. People were screaming and crying and laughing and jumping up and down. Translation: Mindblowing! There isn't a nightclub show in Vegas that could have rivaled the implosion of the Stardust!After the implosion and a small delay, a HUGE dust cloud, that resembled a giant MONSTER, began billowing and rolling over that whole area of the Las Vegas strip. This post-implosion dust cloud was a just a teeny small example of what 9/11 in New York must have been like. Of course, nothing could ever be as severe and as bad as that, but this did give everyone a small taste of what that must have been like. The dust cloud overcame us, chased us, covered us and lost us. You literally could not see the person in front of you for about a half hour to an hour after the implosion. The dust permeated EVERYTHING. People had their mouths and noses covered with scarves, coats or whatever they could grab. People were wandering aimlessly around, not able to even see the sidewalk, while trying to find their way down the invisible Las Vegas Strip back to their respective hotels! It reminded me of the Night of the Living Dead!! You could only see vague shapes moving in slow motion that resembled some type of alien beings appearing out of a space fog! The whole scene was downright SURREAL. After it was all over, I traipsed back down to the Riviera Casino to try and find something to eat. And what really got to me was that the monster cloud of dust even permeated the Riviera Casino and completely engulfed the INSIDE of the air-conditioned casino!! It was downright weird to enter the Casino, and see people at the slot machines coughing and trying to wave the dust away, and neon lights dimmed by the dust!I finally got back to my room about 4:30 a.m, with a luke warm hamburger! My clothes were covered in dust which literally was flaking off my clothing when I got back in my room! About 5:30 a.m. as I sat there trying to enjoy limp, cold onion rings (!), I glanced out my hotel room window and saw the most eerie and strange thing going on. A caravan of trucks and cars began to drive up on Convention Drive and were then lining up and pulling into a huge parking lot. They seemed to drive around in circles and in various directions. I also noticed that there was a person stopping at each car's window to talk to the driver of each vehicle. At first i thought it might be some kind of car club gathering in Vegas or some such. But more and more and MORE trucks and cars kept filing into this parking lot. It was a never-ending cortege of vehicles, and in the dusty pre-dawn night, with the cars' headlights dimly shining through the dust, it almost looked like some strange ritualistic vehicle ballet! From my vantage point, they looked like a bunch of ants going in every which direction. Then finally, as I saw the drivers of these vehicles emerge and start walking down the street, I began to realize what it was! Each indvidual had on a hard hat and carried a cooler or ice chest..... THESE WERE WORKERS COMING TO DO THE CLEANUP AT THE STARDUST LOCATION!! Thousands of them!The next morning when I looked out my window of my hotel room, all there was left of the Stardust was a huge pile of grey matter. It looked like a huge crumpled up piece of paper. 49 years of history, now a wadded up piece of twisted metal.I probably will never see anything quite like it again in my life, and I am so glad I became a little teeny bit of Stardust history.

Here's what seeing the implosion of the famed Stardust was like. (see links below). http://www.reviewjournal.com/media/video/stardust1.html
http://www.reviewjournal.com/media/video/stardustcountdown.html
http://www.reviewjournal.com/media/video/stardustdemo2.html

GHOSTS OF THE PAST

I have been over at my mom's house for 6 days trying to sort things out. My sister and I met over there on Tuesday last week to tend to affairs. After our meeting with our attorney on Thursday, my sister left to return to her home and job. I was going to return home that afternoon, but then the battery went dead on my mom's car which I am now driving. The AAA came out and couldn't get it started (!), and said it probably drained so low that the computer had to be reset! Well, by that time, it was dark and everything was closed. Had to stay another night.

Next day, go down and the car starts fine. But since I was worried about it, took the car to the local shop. Turns out it did need a new battery, so there went another $110. Then I ran into a friend of mom's walking down the street near the repair shop, and we decided to have a late lunch together. Badly neeeded some company to talk to, so that was nice. By the time we got done, it was again too late to drive home to SF. Decided to stay another night at mom's. Or maybe I just found it hard to leave Mama's house.

That night I try and start cleaning out some closets and drawers at mom's. Find hundreds of photos, momentos that just blew me away. Started bawling and sobbing, and walking around her house in a state of stupor and anxiety, wondering how the hell I was going to do all this cleanup and resolve what we have to resolve. Completely wore myself out with the emotional upheaval. Fell into her bed that night and fell asleep without even getting under the covers, but tossed and turned all night and had nightmares. Dreamed I was driving my car and my mom was in her car ahead of me on the freeway. Then she took a turnoff the freeway, and I could NOT go that way! I had to go straight and lost her. I could not follow her. Need I say what that all meant!?

So now it was Saturday. I thought that since I was already there at mom's house and had no urgent duties at my house, I might as well keep on the roll I was on, cleaning things out and organizing. Oh gawd. Every drawer I opened, every closet I opened, I would find more lost letters, photos, memories, etc. A lot of this I HAD NEVER SEEN IN MY LIFE! I don't know why mom kept such precious memories hidden from us. For instance, I found my FATHER'S WALLET as it was on the day he died in 1956! A 3 cent stamp still in it, his drivers licence, photos of us as kids, receipts for his car insurance, etc. Even his Pharmaceutical licence. Just TOUCHING his wallet I broke down. I've never cried like this in my life. Deep sobs and tears from my soul. Then I found love letters from him to my mom before they were married. He called her 'Doll'. Why did mom never share these with us, I'll never know.

I spent all day Sat and Sat evening going through personal effects. I cleaned out 2 closets and put all the personal effects (photos, albums, etc) in there for now, knowing that at some point when we sell the house, those will all have to go in storage as neither my sister nor I have space in our small apartments to store such stuff. Then I cleaned out a couple more closets, putting unwanted stuff in bags to take to Goodwill, etc. But this was all so difficult, as I felt that everything I touched was part of my mom, and even the most worn, faded potholder was hard to throw in the bag. I felt like I was defacing and ransacking her house.

While I did all this cleaning, I also gathered up some worthwhile items I want to sell on Ebay. Had to photograph them, and then write up the descriptions. In doing so, I had half the living room and kitchen area crammed full of these items all over the floor.

Saturday night, I sat down to eat, and then again, put down the fork and just came apart. I sobbed and sobbed until I was worn out. I have no one to share this grief with as my sister is now totally over it. She says she has no good memories in the house and it is all just 'stuff' to her! I don't know how she can say this. That hurts too. So I am so alone in my grief.

Woke up Sunday and was drained. Was going to get dressed and leave early afternoon. But then I looked around and found that I could not leave the house in such an upheaval. I decided I would put all the Ebay to-sell stuff in the spare bedroom and get them out of the living room and kitchen. In order to do that, however, I had to clean out part of the small bedroom. Then I hauled all the photos, albums, boxes, etc. to the closet in that room. Then I took all the stuff that will be hauled away down to the garage. This involved many trips up and down the steps and a LOT of heavy lifting and pulling and pulling. After that, I washed the dishes, vacuumed the house, and felt somewhat better that I did some things. Still, it is only the tip of the iceberg. I was so exhausted. Where is everyone who in the days during and right after the funeral, said they'd be happy to help?

Finally left mom's house Sunday at 6 pm after being there since Tuesday. On the way home, someone driving in the next lane signaled to me that my front right tire was really low. I found that I almost had a flat tire! Stopped to get some air at 3 different gas stations, and each one, believe it or not, was OUT OF AIR! Kind of like me..... out of air. Finally found a station, and got some air and made it home by 7 pm.

I feel like those 6 days was actually 48 years. I relived the 48 years of us being a family in that house, and all the events, good and bad. Saw photos of myself from the age of 17 years to now in a million zillion different hair styles and clothes styles! Some boxes had just negatives of the photos in them. Negatives of photos I've NEVER ever seen before. The negatives showed people and lives now gone by and over and done with. Viewing these negatives was like seeing GHOSTS of the past. Only shadows. What is life all about anyway?

MY LIFE IS CHANGING - MAMA DIED.

Haven't posted for so long. Life got ahead of me. Have so many things to blog about, but the biggest life changing event for me happened on February 5 of this year, 2007.

My mama died.

Mom went into the hospital on January 29 with a case of atrial fibrollation which developed into a small clot, and caused a pre-stroke. But it disappated that night and we thought mom was improving, however, things slowly changed for the worst. We came to find out she had a massive stroke and was failing. The doctors talked to us about whether we want to keep her going using artificial means if it comes to that, which we did not, and mom did not want that either.

She then developed pneumonia and an infection due to the massive stroke. She could not speak or swallow and was paralyzed on her left side. She did recognize us and responded somewhat, but it is was not good, and she went continually downhill. My sister and I were devastated.

Don't even get me started, however, on the quality of nursing and doctor care at the hospital. My sister and I are still gathering information and may have a lawsuit on our hands once we get all the facts. When mom came into the ER with a TIA (trans Ischemic stroke - or pre-stroke), they did NOT do a CAT scan on her nor did they carry out the necessary stroke protocols that have to be done within a 2 to 3 hour window timeframe! Not only that, they misdiagnosed her condition and then never notified her doctor or us! Then overnight, the major stroke happened, and still the next morning, they did not tell us. It was only when I called her room and spoke to her, that I found my mother all of a sudden, almost a vegetable, and not able to speak!!! It's almost as if they figured she was old, and she wasn't worth the effort. We are furious. Not only that, the neurologist gave us only about 5 minutes of her time since mom had been in the hospital and never really sat down with us to talk with us. We kind of grabbed her one night as she swung thru the unit making her rounds, and she was literally moving down the hall as we tried to ask her important questions! This is not right and is completely unacceptable.

One day, somebody called my home number and said the 'HOSPITALIST' wanted to talk to me.... The WHAT????!!! What the hell is a Hospitalist??!! Sounded like some movie Arnold Schwarzenegger was in or something!! Geez.

In the last days, I snuck a thermos of Bourbon in the hospital and sat there throughout the day drinking bourbon and 7's. God knows you have to have something strong to put up with what goes on in hospitals nowadays!

We got the call at 6:30 a.m. on the morning of the 5th. Even then the hospital screwed up. She passed away at 5:00 a.m. and they did not call us until 6:30 a.m.

Goodbye Mama.

MUSICAL TABLES AND CHAIRS

Well, I have been wheeling and dealing furniture items on Craigslist and you wouldn't believe the commotion I've been thru just the last few days. My apartment has been like warehouse central with chairs on top of chairs and tables on top of tables and stuff all over the place!!

It all started when I found this darling dining table with 4 ZEBRA chairs on the infamous Craigslist! I wasn't really interested in the table as it was too small for my apartment, albeit attractive, but REALLY wanted the zebra chairs! They are black metal with velvet zebra paddings and backs and just gorgeous! Since my whole apartment is done in African and ancient Egyptian decor, I just HAD to have them! And how could I resist when the whole set was only $60!! Being they were located in another town quite far away, I hired a mover, which I also found on Craigslist (!), to pick up and deliver the set all for another $60!

Ok, now I had a complete new dining set as well as my current set. Had to get rid of something as it started getting rather crowded. Posted the new table I had just purchased that came with the zebra chairs back on Craigslist, and sure enough, within one hour, had a buyer! The only trouble was that the new buyer didn't want the actual table, but only the glass top! So he came over and bought the glass top for $60, thereby getting me back the initial $60 I had spent to buy the whole set! WHOOPIE! However, I now still had the table base taking up room.

Then I found 2 FREE large storage cabinets on Craigslist that I badly needed for use on my deck and in my garage. Again, hopped onto Craigslist and found another couple of movers to deliver those! Then on top of it all, et I bought a dining table set (gorgeous glass top table & 4 chairs) that I found on Craigslist which happened to be located up in Petaluma! So, the other day, I had my uncle stop by with delivery of that since it was located in the town in which he lives.

But before anybody could come and bring anything, I had to jump thru hoops to get things ready! The logistics were something else! Before the 2 mover guys could come to deliver the empty storage cabinets, I had to clean out my old broken and leaking one out on my deck so that they could haul that one away. So I spent the whole previous night taking out the MANY ebay items I have stored in there. One of the new cabinets is going out on the deck to replace the broken one, and the other new cabinet is going in my garage. So it took me hours to take out all my Ebay items and pile them up on my table out on my deck.

Now before my uncle could bring the new dining table & chairs, I had to figure out where to put my current one and the 6 chairs!! My current table and chairs are over 30 years old and were shipped from where I lived in London, so it was time for them to go! But I couldn't just leave them all in in my apartment when the 2 guys came to deliver the cabinets, as they would have no room to bring the new table and chairs in thru the apartment. So I had to haul all 6 chairs down to the garage! Not easy as they are partly metal and heavy! Achhhh!

My I'm going to have the 2 mover guys take those and dump them as they are just old and too trashed to even be sold. On top of that, I wrapped up my current dining table with bubble wrap all around the glass and had to prepare it to be moved tonite by the 2 guys to the garage, where I'll keep it til someone hopefully buys it. I have that one up for sale on Craigslist too! It's like musical tables and chairs!! Right now the apt is a total mess due to everything being shifted and moved, so I'll have my hands full cleaning up and getting things re-organized..