Cozy Corner Chat

I've sure gotten old!

I have outlived my feet and my teeth.

I've had two bypass surgeries, a hip replacement, new knees, fought prostate cancer and diabetes.

I'm half blind, can't hear anything quieter than a jet engine, and take 40 different medications that

make me dizzy, winded, and subject to blackouts.

Have bouts with dementia.

Have poor circulation; hardly feel my hands and feet anymore.

Can't remember if I'm 75 or 92.

Have lost all my friends.

But, thank God, I still have my driver's license.

08/05/24 07:58 AM

#1736

I went to my primary care physician and she said I might be experiencing "destinesia". That's where you get to where you wanted to be but can't remember why.

08/24/24 11:28 AM

#1737

Hi Everyone and especially Richard and Greg. Thanks you two for keeping our Cozy Corner Chat going. I don't post very often but I do enjoy your humor Greg and the beautiful videos you have recently been sending Richard. I am also impressed with your photograpy and narratives. Your voice sounds the same as I remember it from school. Very smooth and calming. I have also enjoyed the lovely musical duets you and your wife share with us. Thanks to all who wished me a happy birthday recently. I forget to look at that section. I had a wonderful birthday "month" with lots of fun activities with family and friends...The Laguna Beach Sawdust Festival, the beach, concerts on the lake in front of my patio, long lunches out... Summer is my favorite season. I am so glad I did not have to go back to school again this year!!! Retirement is the best. Thank you Anita Dunn for being such a faithful birthday well wisher. That is super thoughtful of you. I noticed that Linda Eng updated her "now" photo. Very cute. I wonder if that is your granddaughter in the background. Thank you Nancy Anderson Madeira for keeping our website online. It is good to stay in touch.

08/25/24 12:21 PM

#1738

Joan Elliott (Euans)

Hi Rich, Kosmer Lake, another winner of a vacation video! There is such beautiful scenery, I could use it for my meditation time. And you're quite sturdy as a kayaker; did you bring that kayak with you? I also enjoy your dialogue with Greg about the drones. They are so lightweight. I suspect wind could be a factor at times. Very interesting topography that one/two lakes would be divided by a long winding channel. It reminds me of the Strait of Magellan dividing the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Probably because the book I'm reading for my Book Club, The Wager, is about a shipwreck, mutiny, and murder in that area but around the 1742 timeframe. It's a very engaging mystery about how the survivors got separated, how the angry ocean gave them a battle, and they all have different stories to tell, if you're interested. And I say ditto to Kathleen, it’s nice to stay in touch!

08/25/24 08:54 PM

#1739

Thanks for the positive feedback about the videos, it is appreciated. I love visiting the many wonderful natural places in the Pacific NW. And I enjoy sharing the journey.

Joan, yes, I bring the inflatable kayak with me. The kayak folds up to a reasonably compact package that can be stored inside my camper van. It makes it possible to get out on the water and see places that wouldn't be reachable otherwise. The book you are reading, the Wager, sounds interesting. I am always looking for things to read. I intend to give it a try. It is apparently a very popular book as my local library estimates that my hold will take about 18 weeks until I can check out the book.

08/26/24 09:38 AM

#1740

Thanks for the shout out Kathy.

A real conversation taking place on CCC, that's how these things are supposed to work. How often does one get to chat with others with whom we have so much in common? I hope this inspires more of our classmates to get involved and keep this site going for another 10 years.

Sandee and I were invited to attend a charity steak fry by Jerry LaBuda. He's one of the folks making it happen, he's also the music director for the band Warner Express who perform each year.

Jerry and I were catching up and it occurred to us that 2025 will be the 10-year anniversary of our 50th Savanna anniversary. They say time flies when you're having fun so I wondered what other fun things others have done in the last 10 years? (not all but just 1 or 2 that stand out)

For me 2017 was a memorable year. I did two things that I don't think even existed in 1965.

Sandee and I circumnavigated Key West on a personal watercraft.

I had a blast not sure my passenger agrees.

I don't know if it was too late to be considered a midlife crisis but it's something I'll always remember (as long as the Prevagen holds out)

08/26/24 11:32 AM

#1741

Joan Elliott (Euans)

Oh my, Rich, that's a long wait for the book! We must've got in on the beginning popularity. The author, David Grann, is very prolific. He has also written Killers of the Flower Moon and The Devil and Sherlock Holmes, so maybe you could get started on one of those. I have cards at a couple different libraries so I can usually get a book at one of them. I'm sure you have plenty to do traveling and making your videos. They are beautiful to see!

08/28/24 11:07 AM

#1742

Hello All, I am a David Grann fan, too. I have a copy of The Wager, Richard. Are you in OC any time soon? You may certainly have my copy. My sister and I frequent Beach Town Books in San Clemente. We give them books for credit and then we buy books. That's where I found my copy. We are supporting a cancer outreach at the same time. Also, David Grann will be speaking at the Segerstrom Music Hall in Costa Mesa on April 16, 2025. It is said, that most of his books are made into movies. Maybe The Wager is in the works? If anyone is in town and would like to join me it would be a fun reunion. I have not read The Lost City of Z about the British explorer, Percy Fawcett, who disappeard in the Amazon rainforest in 1925. Worth a read? Barbara Larsen Cummings and I got to see Kristen Hannah at the Segerstrom last year. She was speaking about her latest book, The Women. We lived through that time as very adults. It really was well done. I will get to go on a "behind the scenes" docent tour of WA DC in Octobor. I will for sure pay my respects at the Vietnam Wall and the statue of the nurses who served there, too.

08/29/24 08:03 AM

#1743

If you're anything like me remembering your passwords can be the most frustrating part of your day. I may have a solution.

"I'm thinking about changing my password to 'incorrect'. That way, when I log in with the wrong password, the computer will tell me, 'Your password is incorrect.'"

08/29/24 01:45 PM

#1744

Jerry Labuda

Good idea Greg

08/29/24 01:48 PM

#1745

Kathleen, thanks for the offer of sharing the David Grann book. I don't have any plans to be in Orange County in the near future. Also, this may be heresy for a book lover, but I do almost all of my reading now with a Kindle. I like that it can store multiple books, has a backlight to read in the dark and I can readily change font size. I can "check out" Kindle versions of books from our local library and they offer other books by Grann which I have put on my wish list for the near future.

08/29/24 05:09 PM

#1746

Hi Richard,

I read on my Kindle, too. Our OC libraries uses Libby. It is a bit unfriendly when I am trying to find a title to read on Kindle. I like the backlit screen, the ability to change the font size and the dictionary feature, too. I still like to hold a book. I usually buy used on Thriftbooks or at our little Beach Town Books "trade in" store. Besides David Grann and Kristen Hannah, I have enjoyed several of William Kent Kruger's titles. Ordinary Grace and This Tender Land were two of my favorites. The River We Remember is my next read.

08/29/24 08:03 PM

#1747

For an avid reader there is nothing like browsing the shelves in a library or book store and sampling a bit of interesting titles. The covid pandemic essentially blocked my ability to enjoy that pursuit. Now I almost never get to a library or book store. The Kindle is so convenient, if not as enjoyable as a trip to the library.

I have also read a great many of William Kent Krueger's books. I enjoy the Minnesota setting and characters. I just checked and he has written some books in the last few years that I haven't read. It will be good to return to his territory.

Books I have enjoyed in the not too distant past (the only ones I can sort of remember) include Vigil Harbor and The Widower's Tale by Julia Glass. Another interesting book was The Dutch House by Ann Patchett.

09/04/24 08:45 PM

#1748

I have not read that author. I will look those up. I also enjoyed The Dutch House. I have read others of Anne Patchet's but I can't think of the titiles at the moment. I am in a book group, my sister and my daughter and I trade books. We got through the Pandemic by rereading some classics. My sister and I reread all of Jane Austin, Charlotte Bronte and Dickens. We met in her garage with a little heater for our book discussiolns before we were vacinated. Talk about reaching for things to do. Yikes! I recently read Demon Copperhead that was amazingly written by Barbara Kinglover. She won the Pulitzer prize for that book. It was such a genious recasting of the orginal novel, David Copperfiled. A retelling of a coming of age story in a modern setting. The characters and events closely followed Dicken's David Copperfield. It was a tough read due to the sad drug abuse cycle in that part of the country but as I said, the writing was amazing. Thank you for the new author and titles.

09/05/24 04:26 PM

#1749

I also have read a number of books by Ann Patchett. I particularly liked The Magician's Assistant and Tom Lake.

I have also enjoyed a number of Barbara Kingsolver's books. Perhaps my favorite is Unsheltered. I think most homeowners can identify with discovering that your house has vastly more serious problems than you ever realized. I don't read much nonfiction, but I also liked Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, her story of moving to a farm and trying to eat locally produced food and to raise much of the food for her family. I have to admit to being frightened away from Demon Copperhead by the apparent relationship to David Copperfield. Maybe I have to get over my trepidation as I do like her writing.

09/06/24 10:56 AM

#1750

Linda Wonn (Carpenter)

Richard, Thank you for sharing your wonderful music and your inspiring videos. I think you will enjoy Demon Copperhead, which is indeed inspired by the characters in Dicken's David Copperfield. While I personally love Dickens, I could not get my students (high school or college) terribly inspired by his longer works, although they they grudgingly read Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, and A Tale of Two Cities. Charlie Thurston narraes the Audio book of Demon...which should be available at your public library. Like you and Kathleen, I too, think Kingsolver is wonderful writer. Let us know what you think.

09/08/24 08:30 AM

#1751

Hi Linda, So good to hear from you. I have missed seeing you at the plays. I know that was suspended during Covid. Are you still involved with the drama department at the high school? Planing any trips to London soon?

Greg, I think that is a great idea about sharing a highlight or two from the last ten years since our reunion. I am not as good as you are about posting photos here. I will work on that and put something together soon. I hope many other classmates will do the same.

I am traveling to DC soon for a "behind the scenes" docent tour of many museums. We will visit the Marjorie Merriweather Post home. Richard, I try to read a non-fiction book as I rotate between classics, fiction, and biographies. I will read The American Empress about Post's life before I go. Fun to talk about books!

09/08/24 08:28 PM

#1752

It is great that we can talk about books here on the Savanna site. Joan, thanks for getting this discussion started by mentioning David Grann's book, The Wager. I am still waiting to check out the Kindle form of that book from our local library. Kathleen and Linda, thanks for continuing and expanding the book discussion. The Savanna Class of 1965 web site has lately been somewhat quiet. Maybe this is an opportunity for at least an occasional book discussion.

09/09/24 03:26 PM

#1753

Linda Wonn (Carpenter)

Hi Kathleen, Your upcoming excursion sounds absolutely delightful. Yes, I am still doing the plays for the Edison Students at South Coast Rep (God Bless Them as they are now giving 13 of our high school students free tickets to each play with a new program they are promoting called Theater Access. I will be at at SCR on September 25 for The Little Shop of Horrors. The kids are so thrilled to have this opportunity and I feel quie confident that they will become the subscribers of the future. . and I still have my Premium and curtain call season at the Segerstrom only this year I am on Thursday and Friday nights. I see an occasional show at LaMirada,The Carpenter Center or Laguna Playhouse and I have a handful of people waiting in the wings to do the London and Paris theater tour I set up right before COVID hit. Ae you still interested in that? I am also keeping very busy caring for my 102 year old father though he now has two full time fantastic caregivers whom he will actually listen to so that has been such a relief. Norm and I are in the middle of a house remodel which Norm didn't want to do in the first place, and it has truly become a comedy of errors, if only it were funny. Let's get together. And yes, I am always up for theater, travelor to go hear a lecture. Thanks to Mr. Jeter, I remain a Life Long Learner.

09/21/24 07:51 AM

#1754

Charles Harvey

May be an image of phone and text

09/22/24 07:09 PM

#1755

Jerry Labuda

Sounds about right, Charles.

09/23/24 08:03 AM

#1756

You're right Charles! Once

again The Savanna Class of

1965 solves one of the

world's great mysteries.

09/28/24 02:44 PM

#1757