Sunday, December 21, 2014

25 years

Dennis and I have been married 25 years.

Wow!

It has been an interesting 25 years:


  • Got married in Las Vegas - gained two daughters - Nicole and Denise
  • lived in San Diego, Denver, San Diego and then settled in L.A.
  • Went to work at MSMC - become a career counselor, assistant director, and then director.  Got demoted back to assistant director so quit and went to Jewish Vocational Service - got laid off.  Out of work for 8 months then hired by Education Fund.
  • I got a Master's degree.
  • Lost my mother, my father, my mother-in-law Roseanne, my Aunt Rochelle and my cousin Mark in the 90's.
  • Survived the 1994 Northridge earthquake.
  • Dennis worked as a caddy, ran a snack bar for caddies at a local country club.  Did in home support for his mom, Mary, Maxine and another lady. Cleaned a laundromat  every night for over a year.  Drove Harry for 2 1/2 years.
  • Denise got married in 2001 - 1st grandson Laurentis born
  • Second grandson Joshua (Nicole's son) born in 2003
  • William married Melissa in 2004
  • Lost Denise in 2008. And Dennis' nephew Dean as well (both too young).
  • Visited Edmonton, Alberta twice (once for Denise's memorial) and Windsor, Ontario once.
  • Grand daugther Kaylee Elizabeth born in 2006
  • Lots of good times - country western dancing, birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, trips to Disneyland, Legoland (4 times for me), Solvang, San Francisco, Windsor, CA, Portland, OR, Seattle, WA, and Tucson, AZ. Attended plays and musicals.
  • Dennis' brother Ray, my first brother-in-law Dan, Harry and a good friend Don, from the San Diego days all passed in 2013.
  • Celebrated our 25th with our kids, grand kids, niece, and friend Adrienne.
Here's to 25 more happy and interesting years!

Holiday Season

A bittersweet holiday season.  Laid-offs are predicted after the first of the year.  I'm very sure that I will be one of the ones to be let go -- in the L.A. office I have the least seniority and in the Ed Fund in general I am very close to the bottom.   

I really wanted to to work at least another 2 to 3 years to get as much money as possible from my SS.  

I think I'll start to look for a job even if I don't get laid off.  Maybe I can find a two year grant situation. That would work.

Worried, frustrated and blue.

But, we have had some fun so fair as the Canadians are here.  Went to a great production of "Into the Woods" at the Jewish Women's Theater Company.  Melissa was the costume designer and also played the Wolf.

Have been lighting the Hanukkah candles every night - Joshua really enjoys that.

Soon we will be celebrating Christmas Eve with all the kids.  I look forward to that.