OUR NEW VAN AND ME

ON MY WAY INTO THE VAN

NOW WE CAN TRAVEL

Well, we have added some more to our mini-rehab center. We had the opportunity to buy a 2006 Ford 350 handicap van conversion for a very reasonable price. It only has 44,000 miles on it and is like brand new. It will take the pressure off of Zoe so she doesn’t have to wrestle the wheelchair into the back of the Hyundai. It also makes it much easier for me to travel as I roll into and out of the van ready to go. I have applied for a power wheelchair through Medicare and this will simplify transporting even more. I am anxious for the chair but understand that it takes quite a while with all of the paperwork and approval. The power chair will make me much more independent too. I can roll down to the corner and catch the free village bus that will take me to the stores and I can do my own grocery shopping. Hooray! I obtained a wonderful book called “Barrier-Free Travel”. It is very encouraging about adapting to travel with a wheelchair. It has already been helpful in clarifying some of the American Disability Act laws. We had signed up to go with a village club to the taping of the Jeopardy tv show in LA. Then when I became completely wheelchair bound, I realized that I couldn’t go on their bus because I couldn’t get up the two steps into the bus. Then I read that the ADA rules say that any bus that has storage underneath (OTR) must have at least one bus with a lift. The club checked with their travel agency and got one so now we can go. Another hooray! The Jeopardy trip was fun, if exhausting. The whole excursion took 10 hours with the driving, show and lunch. We had a front row seat for the taping. Since I was in my wheelchair, we were put down on the floor with the cameras. I don’t know if we got in the audience shot or not. The three shows we saw will air January 14-18. Since we watch Jeopardy every day, this was a great experience but hard not to say the answers out loud. We went to a famous Jewish deli, Canter’s, for lunch.

ALEX

LOVERN IN FRONT OF JEOPARDY SET JUST BEFORE THE SHOW

OUR NEW WHOLE FOODS MARKET

REALITY CHECK

Susan stayed with us for a month to get things organized. She was a godsend as everything was overwhelming at first adjusting to a new way to live. She cooked, cleaned and shopped. Our place has never been so clean. By the time she left, we felt comfortable with our new lifestyle. Zoe still has to do most of the things but I am gradually able to do more and more (as long as it is not above shoulder high). We are getting back into our regular routine. It was our building’s turn to have it fumigated for termites. So everything edible or touched our skin had to bagged and our plants removed to the side lawn. Fortunately Susan and Russell were here and did most of the work. The Village paid for us to stay at a local hotel for the two days that the fumigating went on. Then we had to figure out all of the paraphernalia required for me. So up we trekked the wheelchair, walker, commode and other items. This was a reality check for me. I had dreams of still being able to travel (with a little help from my friends). That was dashed by this circus. If I can get more independent, maybe. We did have some good news though. I have been approved for the Orange County ACCESS wheelchair van service. They will pick us up at our place (Z rides free as my assistant) and takes anywhere in Orange County for only $2.70 each way. I can also have one guest for the same price. If we need to go beyond Orange County, they connect me with the service there. This means that we can now go to restaurants and concerts at night as Zoe can’t drive at night. There is a bus that goes to concerts from the Village but it has two steps to get up and I can’t do that. We will have an opportunity to try out the service next week as a friend has invited us to the Pageant of the Masters and dinner. The Pageant has live people stand in simulations of famous paintings. The Pageant was another reality check to realize the limitations of our excursions. The Pageant was amazing as the famous paintings projected on the outdoor screen gradually emerged with real people in the parts. The professional orchestra, live narration, stunning sets and sophisticated lighting made it memorable if chilly in the night air. The wheelchair van picked us up right in front of our place as promised and we got to the Pageant in time to have dinner beforehand at the restaurant there. It turned out that the restaurant was up an incline. Zoe managed to get me up there but halfway through dinner, I had to go to the bathroom (of course). So down we went to the bathroom which was halfway down. Oops! No handicap toilet there. We had to go further down, almost to the entrance. Zoe was overwhelmed to think of pushing me up that incline again. We noticed a young man admiring the art show there and recruited him to push me up. After all, Zoe is 80 years old and does not have the strength and fortitude of her younger years. More good news is that we now have a Whole Foods store in our area. I’m in heaven. There is also a Total Wine store about to open. How much better can it get?

US BEING FUMIGATED

CARE CENTER WHERE I LIVED FOR A MONTH

NEW BASE ON MY FAVORITE RECLINER

WHAT'S NEW

My right leg continued to be weak and my left hip began hurting also so I went for an xray. When they had me put my left leg up on a stool, my right leg gave out. I was still holding on to the xray machine but my left leg folded under me severely straining the muscles in that leg. They helped me to the car but of course when we got home, I couldn’t get out. The firemen helped me into the house and to bed. The next morning I couldn’t get out of the bed and the xray people told me to go to the hospital because they thought I might have a fractured pelvis. I was in the hospital for four days (no fractured pelvis thankfully) and then transferred to a rehab care center. Another 24 days there but I am home now. Zoe has arranged the house into a mini-rehab center. I have the wheelchair, walker, grab bars everywhere, bed grab bar, three-in-one commode for the toilet, foot bicycle exerciser, bath bench and a slider board for getting from one seat to another. It was all pretty overwhelming especially for Zoe who had to help lift me up to get in chairs. It was too much. Russell came down and was a lifesaver. He helped us organize the home health care people who will send a therapist, social worker and care aide. He took me to the orthopedic doctor who did a very thorough exam and recommend a further exam by a neurologist. He took Zoe to the health food store and got sandwiches and frozen meals to last us several days. He built a platform to raise my favorite chair so that I can stand up for the walker easily and Zoe no longer has to do any lifting. He had to go back home but Susan came down and helped us even more. She even covered the platform that Russell made to match the recliner. I feel stronger and am able to walk to the toilet or bed with the walker. I know progress will be slow but I am encouraged. When Russell came down, he brought our “Eclipse” triptych which we finally have room for. I have missed it. Susan has enjoyed her walks about the village and taking photos. She caught a momma duck and her eight babies on camera down at the stream. I’ll be glad when I can take walks again also.

"ECLIPSE" NOW HANGING ON OUR WALL

NEW SPRING DUCKS AT THE CREEK

THE OCEAN VIEW FROM "SPLASHES" LAGUNA BEACH RESTAURANT

ZOE'S 80TH BIRTHDAY

We had no sooner ended my birthday celebrations when it was time for Zoe’s. Susan came down early and painted the bathroom and planted the new semi-dwarf lime tree. We took Zoe to a great restaurant in Laguna Beach with a lovely view of the ocean. The rest of Zoe’s family joined us for the weekend. They originally planned to surprise her with their gift but finally decided that they better check with her. They wanted to take her SKY DIVING! When the shock finally receded, it turned out that this was a simulation and she would be floating on forced air in a giant tube. She had a blast. (literaly) The whole family also took turns except for Helen, Russell’s wife who had a broken foot and me who had an irritated knee. We stayed home. It was fun having everyone there but exhausting.
My knee grew worse with a huge hematoma that covered my whole knee. It affected my thigh muscle so that I couldn’t even raise my leg let alone walk. So I played the queen and let everyone do all the work and wait on me. After two falls where we had to call 911, I went to my doctor and he has put me on ‘house arrest’ for two weeks. We had to cancel a lot of things: the Foodies wine and cheese tasting, a concert, an art museum trip and most painful of all, my oil painting class. I guess that will probably be the routine for a while only, I hope. So here I am back in physical therapy and the owner of a bright new wheelchair.

THE FAMILY ON ZOE'S 80TH BIRTHDAY

ZOE INDOOR SKY DIVING ON HER 80TH BIRTHDAY

VIEW FROM ST REGIS HOTEL, MONARCH BEACH

 

INTERIOR SEGERSTROM HALL

 

THE LATEST

The Foodies Club we started is taking off. We now have about 40 members which is a good place to stop to my way of thinking. We have had a potluck at one of the members homes (not my favorite thing but it came off well) and will have a wine and cheese tasting led by a representative of the local BevMo at our next meeting. Several members have gotten together to visit restaurants. The different cities around here have different ‘restaurant weeks’ where they have fixed price lunches and dinners at $20 for lunch and $40 for dinner.
Zoe’s family is coming down soon for her 80th (can you believe it?) birthday. While Susan is here, we’ll have her dig up the extra lemon tree (which already has lots of blossoms on it for fruit) and plant a lime tree instead. We are giving the baby lemon tree to one of our Foodie members. I did make a lemon pie with the first fruits of our original tree.
Concert season has started and we heard a wonderful concert at the Segerstrom Hall in Irvine. The soloist played one of our favorite pieces, the Bruch violin concerto. It was so comfortable to just relax and let the bus takes there. We even get there early enough to hear the pre-concert lecture.
It was my birthday on Sunday and we had made reservations at a fine restaurant at the St. Regis hotel at Dana Point. I forgot that it was the same night as the Academy Awards. Then the manager called me and explained that there would be no one in the restaurant because of the Oscars. He invited us to be their guest instead at their Oscars party, food and drink at no cost. Boy that was a hard decision. We had a fantastic time and they treated us like royalty. They even had everyone sing “Happy Birthday” to me and presented me with a molten chocolate mini-cake and vanilla ice cream A small candle was in the ice cream and everyone counted for me to blow it out. I felt like one of the stars at the Oscars.

SEGERSTROM CONCERT HALL

 

pie from our lemons

 

OUR LEMON TREE THAT USED TO BE A LIME TREE

 

RUSSELL AND ZOE LUNCHING AT THE GOLF CLUB

 

LIFE IN THE VILLAGE

You’ve heard the expression “When the word gives you lemons, make lemonade”. Well, that’s what we’re going to have to do. Somehow our beautiful lime tree by the front gate ripened into a lemon tree! So now we have lots of lemons and no need for the baby one that we planted. We are giving it to a friend and getting a lime tree instead.

The village just had the opening of the new restaurant at the golf club house. Russell came down for a quick visit so we went to lunch there. What a wonderful setting over the 27-hole golf course. The last time we were in Shanghai, we went to a bird shop and fell in love with a rock. Poor Helen had to lug it home in her suitcase and they stored it for us. Russell brought it down with him this visit and we added it to our waterfall. We really love the effect.

I have started the Foodies Club here and have an enthusiastic group. They all offered suggestions of recommended restaurants and we have quite a list. It will be fun to find people with a common interest in good food and restaurants. It seems that each city here has a ‘restaurant week’ where they have prix fixe lunches and dinners at very good prices. We may just have to try them (all?).

As mentioned in a previous blog, we are going to go to several concerts at the Soka Performing Arts Center so we received an invitation to a free concert. It was our first time inside the award winning auditorium. What a beautiful facility. The President of the Philharmonic Society of Orange County announced the concerts for the2012-2013 season which include Joshua Bell, Itzach Perlman and Yo Yo Ma. The pianist Judy Huang played an amazing selection of very fast pieces. The acoustics were wonderful. For a change my walker was an advantage as we were seated right down front where we could watch her hands zipping across the keys. Hors d’oeuvres and wine were served in the lobby. It was a lovely afternoon outing.

OUR WATERFALL

 

SOKA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

 

WELL, IT IS THE HOLIDAYS, AFTER ALL

 

OUR LIME TREE

 

YEAR'S END 2011

Best wishes for the holiday season and the coming new year to all of our friends and family.
This has been a busy and eventful year with a big change to our lives. Gone are our toys: power boat, houseboat, RV. Our traveling is greatly curtailed and we are reveling in staying home in our new house. This is a new role for us and we are adjusting. In fact, our place is so cozy that we sometimes find it hard to leave it.
We did venture out this week with a three day two night trip to Laughlin with a club from the village. We did not want to drive the five hours ourselves. We went not to gamble but to see our friends Jan and Sally who stay near there for the winter. They are full time RVers. We had a wonderful day with them, it seems we never run out of things to talk about. The time at the casino though was awful with smoke and lousy food. We will not go again.
Old friends, Sitara and Sue stopped by on their way back home to New Mexico. We have also met three new women who have joined the Rainbow Club and we look forward to getting to know them better. I am planning to have a meeting after the first of the year to determine the interest in forming a “Foodies” club. What form it will take will be determined: fine restaurants? Cooking? Organic foods? Sustainable farming? Wines? We’ll just have to see what the members want, if anything. It could be interesting.
I am still doing my oil painting and look forward to learning even more this next semester. I was hoping there would be a class in abstract painting but it was cancelled.
I was trying to figure out what I could do with all the limes on our tree. Then it hit me, margaritas! Duh! Our dear little lemon tree is coming along fine and should be producing next year.
We think of you all often and wish the very best for you.

OUR NEW LEMON TREE

 

LOVERN'S OIL PAINTING