Dinner in Corona

Saturday January 2, 1993

I had a bad night. My chest and back hurt. I sweat alot and that continued all morning. I have a hard time getting ready to go to Rowena's. I wish I didn't have to go. By 11:30 I am ready to go. Somehow I managed to curl my hair though I couldn't get it dry due to sweat.

I start to feel better. We leave at 12:15 and arrive at Carol's in North Hollywood at 1:00. We leave there about 1:15 and arrive at Rowena and Marv's in Corona at 2:30. I'm feeling good. I'm glad I came. We have alot of laughs, a nice dinner with wine. We leave at 6:30 per my request. It's 8:30 when we get home but I still feel good.

We stay up until 10:30 saying goodbye. Bob and Donna will leave at 5 a.m. tomorrow for dinner.

I have no photos of Mom's long-time friend Rowena. I don't even know her last name, but I do remember she talked to me at Mom's funeral. We had never met until then. Rowena, Carol (Frank's current wife), Donna and Mom were good friends since early elementary school days. I admire all of them for keeping their friendship alive. I only keep in touch via Facebook with two childhood friends. That makes it easy when long distances are involved.

I didn't know where Corona was until I looked it up. It is 90 miles, almost a 2 hour drive, from Simi Valley. No wonder Mom wasn't feeling up to it. I'm glad it worked out and all the friends were able to reunite, perhaps for the last time.

The Gospel Hour with Marty and Kathy

Sunday September 6, 1992

We're up early. We will meet Marty and Kathy at 9 a.m. for the gospel program, one hour of church choir, a young black group, and one hour of sing-along church songs. This is my favorite part of the festival. I love to sing the songs. I know most of them by heart from my younger years of attending church regularly. Frank sings too and quite well. Marty and Kathy like it alot.

We spend the day until 11 p.m. taking them to hear all the best groups. They love it and want to go again. We have lunch and dinner outside at the pool, listening to groups play for us. We see Carol a few times.

I felt much better today.

Mom's friend Carol got Mom and Frank hooked on both square dancing and jazz festivals. Now Mom and Frank have got Marty and Kathy hooked on square dancing and now jazz festivals as well. I lost touch with Marty and Kathy after Mom's death, but was happy to receive a Christmas card from them last year with this photo. They look just the same 20 years later! They live in Arizona now.

I can't help wondering why Mom doesn't go to church regularly like she did as a young girl. She always goes to the gospel hour at the jazz festivals in Monterey, Sacramento and Los Angeles, and she talks about how the gospel hour is her favorite part. She believes in the power of prayer and her faith is strong. Wouldn't it help her to be surrounded by other believers all praying for her and for each other? I have been a part of a prayer group at my church for many years where we pray together for our kids. My church also has a prayer group for people battling cancer. Matthew 18:20 says, "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them."

Frank's 56th Birthday

Sunday September 1, 1991

Frank's 56th birthday! We're up at 7 a.m. so we have time for breakfast before the gospel hour followed by the Hymn-Along. The "Hymn-Along" is great! We all get song books. Everyone sings, even Frank. He sings quite well and seems to enjoy it almost as much as I do. We sing all the good old hymns like "In The Garden" and "When The Saints Go Marching In". It is a very inspirational and meaningful 2 hours for both of us.

We spend the afternoon (12-5) listening to the bands at the pool with Carol, Ray, Nobie and Kay and friends of Carol. We stay til 10:30 p.m. then head home.

It has been a great weekend. Frank and I feel very close--lovey/touchy. Loved dancing with him. My butt is sore from too much sitting but otherwise I feel wonderful. Carol and Ray were very affectionate and thrilled with my news.

I can understand how Mom would feel inspired by the Hymn-Along. I'm not a big fan of gospel or old hymns, but when I attend my church and sing along with the Christian rock band which plays contemporary Christian music, I feel refreshed every week, and feel I am the presence of God. Mom had a special reason to draw close to God, having been convicted that He had healed her cancer.

Los Angeles Jazz Festival

Saturday August 31, 1991

We're up early and off to the L.A.X. Jazz Festival of Dixieland music to celebrate Frank's birthday weekend. We arrive in time to attend the first performance at 10:30.

At 3 p.m. we meet Carol and Ray at the pool at the Marriott hotel. We are staying next door at the Hilton. Our room isn't ready til 4 p.m. When we finally get the key, someone is in that room. The clerk gives us a free breakfast chit for all our trouble. The room we finally get is large and lovely.

We have a great fried chicken dinner at the Marriott. We had breakfast out in Simi.

All the musical groups are great fun. We dance and hang out with Carol and Ray and go to bed about 10:30.

The annual Labor Day weekend Jazz Festival is still held at the Marriott Hotel near the Los Angeles Airport. It is called the Sweet & Hot Music Festival since 1996. Their website claims that it is considered to be the finest combination Jazz Party/Jazz Festival in the USA with over 50 of the best all-star artists performing the music of the 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s. Mom and Frank met Mom's friend Carol and her friend Ray at the festival. Carol and Mom were friends since kindergarten. They got together at jazz festivals in Sacramento, Los Angeles, and Monterey every year. Carol also loved square dancing as Mom and Frank did. In fact Frank is now married to mom's childhood friend Carol.