Category: Life Events

There are many heartbreaks in our lives. There are many episodes that throw us into deep despair, wondering if we can/will survive. There are many situations that seem impossible to rectify, yet, somehow, the next day dawns with the same bright sun – unless, of course, you live in Ocean Beach and wake to another foggy day – and you put one foot in front of the other as you circulate throughout the day.

There are also some situations that you cannot see any way out of and still keep your sense of humor; your fortitude; your desire to plod on. Instead of being lifted from the doldrums, you are sucked deeper and deeper into the black hole beneath your feet.

Sacred Heart Kitchen: A Time and Place for Miracles

The week between Christmas and New Years is, and has, always been one of my favorite times of year. The madness of Christmas day preparations, regardless of how much you keep to the spirit, can be in a word, “draining.”

This special week between the culmination of the year and the leap into the next is my time of reflection… and not merely to read the media’s take on the highs and lows and celebrity events of the past year. It is my time and no one expects anything commercially productive out of me.

Though I know not
what a prayer really is
and so many
“How to live”
theories and
philosophies
lean towards Show Biz –
I never-the-less
bask in the multitudes
of petitions to a higher power
and self help psychology
that my family has realized
since my daughter
began her struggle
to remain alive….

To all you well wishers out there, know that I love each one of you dearly and deeply appreciate your prayers and your soothing words and your hugs and two kisses. Oh, you ease so much of the pain that our family is going through hoping that our Debbie will pull through.

Okay, so I know you’re thinking “Yeah, we cool, but how are YOU doing?” Well, you mean, other than not knowing whether I’m coming or going?

Actually, I’m okay, under the circumstances, one might say, but in all this I find myself wondering “Am I crazy?” Then I think I must be because I can’t rid myself of a most compelling urge to just let loose like Daffy Duck, casting my sanity to the four winds, the pain is so stunning.

My dearest Debbie: this is so scary, your cardiac arrest. Seeing you on Thanksgiving Day connected to all those tubes and machines buzzing and beeping and ringing, with their blue and green and yellow lines zigzagging across a bank of screens, dancing and flashing “vital sign” statistics like storm troopers – I thought I would die, baby. That was so surreal, so not you.

I cry to the universe, stunned, with a simple question on my tongue, like a character in the old time movies: “What’s the big idea?” I mean, really, what genre of karma is this that has you in such a dark valley between life and death? And I can’t help but recall when you got here.

Not too long ago I stood in a line at a grocery store with two men who were old and tall like me.

I was captivated by the scene and found myself reacting out loud, in a spirit of goodwill and levity, with: “Wow, it looks like National Old Tall People’s Day.” One of the men smiled and the other, as though he had just chugged a gallon of lemon juice, managed to say: “Yeah, if you want to call yourself old.” And being one who is tickled pink (picture that in a man the color of coffee without cream) to be old I had nothing else to say.

Good morning OB, San Diego and all points beyond! I hope all of you had a good Thanksgiving. We sure did! Actually it was one of the better ones for me during the last few years, we had more than a dozen family and friends here for dinner on Thursday, and then almost all of them came back Saturday for my mother’s 73rd birthday. We had chocolate cake and my two little grand-daughters (her great-grand-daughters) helped her blow out her birthday candles.

It’s pretty amazing having four generations of family all together in one place and we are blessed that we all live close and can do it on a pretty regular basis. It’s one of the thing that I am thankful for.

OBcian One of Activists on Hunger Strike

At least two San Diego activists are currently on a hunger strike because of the attitude of the City of San Diego and its Police Department toward allowing Occupy protesters to have tents at Civic Center Plaza as part of the protest.

Nancy Casady and John Kenney have both been on a hunger strike since earlier this week. Nancy began hers on Monday, November 7th*, and John, his the next day, Tuesday the 8th. So, it’s Nancy’s fifth day and John’s fourth day.

Nancy stated: “I am on a hunger strike until the City Council takes up our request for tents.”

A little note: I told this story of being separated from my mother when I was six years old in “Say What? (Remembering a Childhood Experience),” OB Rag, November 2, 2011. After writing that piece I asked myself: What would my mother say about that year in our lives? And I started seeing her in my mind, standing with her hands on her hips, feet firmly on the ground, her natural stance for baring her soul – and from this image of her there came these words of recall – in her voice:

What a moment. Pulling that little boy of mine to my chest and telling him that we were going to have to live apart was the most heart wrenching experience of my life. I don’t know if I could do it again.

Editor: A Tulare County man has been accused of elder abuse and embezzlement of his elderly relatives – Julia and Harry Tuck – who lived in Ocean Beach at 4485 Pescadero Avenue. The article below is somewhat confusing as to whether the Tucks – who have since passed away – are parents or aunt and uncle of the accused.

By Luis Hernandez / Visalia Times-Delta / November 8, 2011

A Tulare man is facing felony charges of grand theft, embezzlement and elder abuse, making him subject to a possible eight-year prison sentence.

Keith Little, 47, entered a not guilty plea to the charges in Tulare County Superior Court in June and is due back in court Dec. 7 for a preliminary hearing. He was released on $100,000 bail.

On Saturday, October 2, Ocean Beach celebrated the life of John Kays, a long-time area resident known for his love for his family, his passion for surfing, and his always-friendly personality.

More than 100 of John’s friends joined members of his family on the sand near Ocean Beach’s Avalanche break to remember John. Dozens of surfers also paddled out on to the ocean, forming a circle in John’s honor.

From the event’s program:

“John spent his youth growing up in Texas and at the age of 21, in search of better surf, made the journey out to San Diego… John met his wife, Troy, in Ocean Beach in 1994… John and Troy settled in Ocean Beach and started a family, welcoming daughter Brynn in 1998 and daughter Aidan in 2002.

REMEMBERING BOB

You passed away two years ago today,
And it has been very hard.
I wish you would get your ass back here
And take care of your frigging yard.
You didn’t tell me what to do,
Now all your trees are covered in white-fly goo.