Many New Year's Ago ~

Overslept by an hour; still do everything on time. Home from meeting. Check e-mail and snack with girls (last of Christmas popcorn can). Start on new essay - work on it all morning. Stop for lunch and TV. Down for nap. Up and feed girls; then back to work on essay - research on computer and my diaries. Start dinner and O'Reilly. Beth home and we eat. She will have to work for a while tomorrow. TV -tape of Johnny Carson's final show. I write here. We don't stay up to bring in the new year. At our age it's all been done before. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Bethie and Me ~

Sleep in day. Beth up and to Hall. I up 6:15; shower and dress. breakfast with Sunday paper; trim beard. Beth home and we talk. I watch some TV - she dusts. Sister Sharon calls and we meet them at Mimi's for brunch. Home after and Beth starts making enchiladas for her employers. I nap quick - 20 minutes or so. Leave message for Dave Cass, and talk to brother, Bob. Beth and I drop off enchiladas to her employers and are invited to their daughter's annual pizza party. We home and get ready, then back to their place and follow them to daughter's home. Nice pizza; nice company. Home and we hit the sack. Later ~

Our House at Christmas

Home after meeting and check e-mail. Beth to Edie's. I vacuum tile; then out and take down Christmas lights. Beth home and she puts the lights away. We have lunch. Ron wade and his son by with Beth's enchilada dish. After lunch I down for nap. She mops tiles. Up and feed girls. Go through Christmas cards for George that were forwarded by realtor. Beth sends info on George to those people while I e-mail cousin Mary Jo. Both of us to office. I call brother Bob to set up meeting on New Year's Day. Now we plan on watching the Patriots-Giants game, have some dinner, then hit the hay. ~

Steve McQueen

Chilly out. Home after meeting and check e-mail. Respond to e-mail from my cousin Mary Jo Moon regarding George. Putz on computer all morning. Checks come for Beth and she by to pick them up then to bank. Lunch with paper. Down for nap. Up and feed girls. Sweep tile. More stuff with computer; then she home and we eat. Call brother, Bob. Later ~

Richard Boone

To 6:00 a.m. to celebrate Eric's 1st Birthday. Home after regular meeting, check e-mail. Bhutto assassinated in Pakistan. To bank and cash check for Beth. Home and work on computer and follow news stories. Lunch while reading paper. Talk to Beth, then down for nap. Up and feed girls. Talk Beth and drive to airport and pick her up as she left van for her employers. Drive her back to work, then home again. Computer and some TV news. Beth home and we eat. Both to office. Later ~

Merry Christmas! From the Lodge Family.

To meeting together - something we seldom get to do. Home afterward and read paper; she tries on down vest she got for Christmas and it fits. She makes enchiladas for us and Ron Wade's family. I to office for a while; she joins me after cooking. Then I to kitchen to fix lunch (the enchiladas she made. Ron Wade and his son by to pick up their enchiladas. After they leave I down for nap. Up and Beth feeds girls. We watch DVD of No Country for Old Men. Disappointing - no ending, only character studies. reviews say it's great. Well, it may be, right up to the point it where ends abruptly with many questions left to answer. I watch the Iverson's Ranch DVD Bill Sasser sent. Both of us to office. No dinner; just snacks. Later ~

Today is Beth's and my 14th engagement anniversary. That's when I asked her to marry me; on that Christmas Eve those oh so many years ago.

Stop by market and buy a chicken on way home from meeting. Home and message from brother, Bob. Check e-mail then meet Bob and Eva at bank to sign some things regarding George's estate. Home and work at computer. Several UPS deliveries so call Beth and she by to pick hers up. Mine was a DVD - No Country for old Men. Stop for lunch and watch Miracle at Sage Creek on the Western Channel. Down for nap. Up and feed girls. Open mail; Beth home early. Turn on KCET Christmas Eve six hour special from Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Beth calls my sister, Sharon in Orange County. I fix dinner - chips and salsa. Still watching KCET special. We plan on going to bed early; but who knows. Oh ... I hear distant sleigh bells - now little reindeer hooves on the roof. The girls are barking at a black boot that's dangling down from our chimney. Merry Christmas! Later ~

Lodge-Rogers Christmas get-together

Sleep in day. Beth up and to Hall. I up 6:15; shower and dress. Breakfast with paper. Trim beard. Beth home and we both to office. Get comforter out of shed. Take off at 10:30; drop gloves to Jolene at Retarded Meeting; on to Orphan Pet Oasis and drop blankets and pet carrier. Called Ross Salamone. On to San Bernardino where we meet Beth's Brother, Bruce, and family for Christmas get together brunch. Called brother Bob on way. Home and she makes up my pill boxes for the next two weeks; while I work on computer. Then we out to cruise Minerva Street Christmas Lights (Candy Cane Lane). Home and we both to office. Later ~

Beth with Sheri Priess - at her party tonight

Grocery shopping after meeting; then home and unpack. Beth attaches red ribbons to the fronts of our cars. I vacuum house; she putzes in office. fix sandwiches for lunch and we eat. She mops while I down for nap. Up and feed girls. Get ready and drive to Cathedral City for Sheri Preiss' Christmas Party. Talk with her husband, Bob. Home and to office. ~

Crystal and Misty - "The Girls"

Stop at Office Depot after meeting; then home to check e-mail and snack. Work at computer for a while then out to Christmas shop - Mervyns; Big 5; and Sears. Drop off blankets at Southwest Thrift Store, then to Beth's place of employment to drop off paper (which was late). Talk Beth and Susan; then home. Open mail. Make lunch and TV for a few minutes. Down for nap. Up and feed girls. Spend rest of afternoon on computer; sweep. O,Reilly, then start dinner. Beth home late. We eat and talk for a while. I to office while she folds laundry and puts it away. ~

The Garner Ranch House

Home after meeting to check e-mail; then Bob and Eva here to pick me up and we to bank. Out to get paper notarized and back to bank. Close George accounts. Home; they leave. I to new Mexican place on El Paseo to meet guys for Thursday lunch. Place closed so we end up at Baker's Square. Tom Snow, David Bradshaw, Harry Baddelly, Norman Foster, Tom Gillman, and me. Stop on way home and pick up some Christmas yard decorations (deer). Home and down for nap. Up and feed girls. Talk Beth. Then i assemble and set up deer in front yard, connecting them to some electricity and hiding cords. Back to computer. Beth at hairdresser and home late. Call Lee Ellis; e-mail from Mark Rizzo regarding new book. Watch some O'Reilly Factor and Hannity and Colmes. Beth home and we eat. Both of us to office. Later ~

Beth and Sherry Mesa (Should have put this up last night)

Home after meeting and check e-mail. Putz on computer; then down for nap. Up at 11:00 and fix lunch. Eat with Gene Autry on Western Channel. Open mail. Real Estate lady calls and talks about house clean up. Call Bob and Eva; then call he back. Call bank and make appointment Bob and me for tomorrow. To computer an work some on Dawn of Eagles. Feed girls. Dick Payne calls. UPS here with two more DVDs. More work on DoE. Then Beth home and we eat. Both of us to office and work. Later ~

Beth and Carol Castro an her party

Haircut after meeting by Sheri Mesa. Home quick and check e-mail; then on to Sam's Club to shop for Hall. Drop paper at Beth's place of employment on way. Home and to office. Work a little on new book. Stop for lunch with Buster Crabbe and Fuzzy St.John on the Western Channel. Down for nap. Up and feed girls. Mail. Work in office all afternoon. Beth home and we eat dinner. After we to office. Do Christmas cards to those we see every day. Later ~

Winter in Pioneertown

Grocery shopping after meeting; then home and unload and put away. Check e-mail. Some placement wrong on back cover; send it to Rod and he changes it. To bank and make deposit. Home and work at computer. Lunch with TV. Down for nap. Up and feed girls. Mail. Work at computer; send title pages to Mark at the college. Conversation with realtor about title. Start dinner. Beth home and we eat. After, both of us to office to continue working on George's stuff. Later ~

Jim and Marvin's Christmas set up

Sleep in day. Beth up and off to Hall. I up at 6:30 and shave. shower and dress. Check e-mail and and cook and eat. Beth home early as it was really cold. I vacuum house. She mops tile. Office and work on computer; she goes through more George's stuff. Lunch with Beth; then down for nap. Up and Beth had fed girls. We get ready then off to Eisenhower where Beth looks in on friend's daughter. On way and Beth calls friend about daughter. Then we on to Christmas Party at Jim's and Marvin's in Palm Springs. See Ray Jeffers and exchange e-mails and numbers. We eat and talk to old friends. Drive home and when we get there, turn on Christmas lights our neighbor from across the street put up for us today I'm getting too old to climb ladders). Later ~

Cleaning out George's house almost done

To Hall for chores only. See the group then home. Pack it up and off to Glendale. I start driving, eye trouble, then she drives the rest of the way. Hermine (real estate lady) meets us and Bob and Eva show up. Work loading up and showing stuff to neighbor. Sign some real estate stuff for Hermine. Bob and I to bank and work on one of George's accounts and a CD. Strike out both times as the bank still needs more info before anything can change hands. Back to George's. Refrigerator was picked up; we sell organ to next door neighbor's sister. Pack it up and off for home. Beth ate while we were at bank. I eat on way home. Arrive at 4:00 p.m. - change and off to Carol Castro's Christmas party. Good time had by all. Home. Write here and Beth talks to Eva. Later ~

Wally VanAllen; Bob Hoy; Me - 25-years ago

Home after meeting to get Marathon Meeting flyer and take to Office Depot for Xeroxing. Home and check e-mail and snack. Work on cover and back cover with Jerry through e-mail. UPS for Beth and she by to pick it up. Window washers here to do windows. Girls kind of scared. They leave and make lunch and eat while watching a portion of a western on Western Channel. Nap on couch until UPS shows up with package they tried to deliver yesterday. To bed and finish my nap. Up and feed girls. To Cat City to get cheese for Beth's enchiladas; plus our sandwiches for tomorrow. Home and check e-mail; work on computer. Beth home and we eat. Both of us to office and discuss Trust with bob and eva by phone. Later ~

Our friend, Tom Snow

Stop at Office Depot after meeting to buy stationary; on to post office and mail Christmas Cards. Home and check e-mail and snack on can of Christmas Popcorn. Flower delivery. Sean Keating over to check on Beth's computer; it needs new monitor. He gives me information and after he leaves, I down to Best Buy and buy one. Home and try to assemble the base to the monitor and have absolutely no luck. To a new restaurant and lunch with Harry; Tom; Big George; Norman; and David. Home and try connecting the monitor to the base again, then give up and down for nap. Up and feed girls. Try one more time and it fits (I haven't a clue what I did to get it to do that). Disassemble Beth's old monitor and set up new one. She now has a wide-screen like I have. Work on my computer and make a poster for Beth for Christmas and New Years marathon meetings. Beth home and after a few chores, we eat. I to office to do a couple of things. Later ~

Our friend Kim Hardee at ABC Christmas Party

More George stuff to Sue Welch after meeting; then by bank to make deposit and on home. Check e-mail and snack. Send help message to Mark at COD re: Christmas list. Down for nap. Mark answers when I get up from morning nap. Lunch. Off to Dermatologist office - take biopsy with results within 10 days. Stop by Beth's place of employment and talk. Home and work on getting Christmas List back in order with Mark's helpful e-mail directions. Beth home and we get some decorations out of shed. She in and we eat. I print mailing list and we do Christmas cards. I to office and do note to inform of George's death. Later ~

The John and Mary Lane Family at ABC Party

Home after meeting and check e-mail plus snack. Work on computer for a while. Talk Beth. She set up appointment at bank. Run to our bank and deposit check; then on to Beth's place of employment to drop of something for window washer. Home and eat lunch with some TV. Bob and Eva pick me up and to CityBank to conduct business; then to BOA for more business. They leave and are off to Las Vegas for next two days. I home and check computer - work on Christmas list until I screw it up. Beth home and we eat. Call Bob and Eva and talk about day. Beth and I to office. Later ~

My friend, Eddie Hernandez at Party

Grocery shopping after meeting; by Office Depot, supplies and Christmas Stamps. Home and call Beth. Check e-mail and no snack. Work at computer for a while then TV and lunch. Meet Bob and Eva at BOA for some transactions. Home and work more on computer. Tom Gillman by and takes me to ABC Annual Christmas where Beth has been slaving all day over the stove. See friends and others. LOUD MUSIC! Home at 9:15 and bed before 10:30. Later ~

Old Tucson, AZ

RAIN all night. Sleep in day. Beth up 4:30 and to Hall. I up 6:30: shower, dress, and eat breakfast with paper. Vacuum house. Putz on computer. Beth home and we eat. I down for nap while she mops. Up, feed girls, then sit with her while she does my pill boxes. Stuff Christmas Card envelopes. Office for a while. Cook some dinner and eat. To office and call Bobby - we to bank tomorrow afternoon. Later ~

The Cupboards Are Bare - Thanks to Eva and Beth

To Hall and do chores. Drive home. Stop for gas, then home and pack up; she behind me and does same. leave for Glendale at 7:30 (I drive - 1st time in a while because of eye surgery last week). Arrive and hardly get started when Bob and Eva arrive. Real Estate lady by and we list house. Second big deal today was getting George's Chrysler ready for the Salvation Army to pick up. They show up and take it away. Bob's and my first transaction as Trustees. Bob and I to George's bank and work out some problems that came up a week or so ago. Back to George's and eat. Then I work on cleaning out all drawers in middle bedroom. Beth and Eve get all dishes - china - glass ware packed up. Dining room is almost done - so is middle bedroom. Load up s bunch of stuff, and we all leave at 3:00 p.m. - RAIN on way home, and then SNOW in Beaumont and Banning when we drove through. Home and unpack a few boxes - most remains for Sue on Monday. Cook and eat; then Beth to shower while I write here. Later ~

Our Girl Crystal

Home after meeting and check e-mail. Spend morning reading text of manuscript for errors. Rod sends back cover sample and I send a justified version back to him. To see Dr. Stone at 11:45. I'm doing just fine according to the lab reports and the doctor. Home - no lunch - then down for nap. Up and feed girls. Mail. Talk Beth; then to coin appraiser to sell some coins of George's. Home and work more on manuscript reading. Start dinner. Beth home and we eat. Talk for a while. I to office and write here. Later ~

George A. Rutter Trust Board Meeting (4th member also camera man)

Home after meeting and check e-mail. To Dr. Williams' office for post op check up. Hank and deposit for Beth. Home and read more on manuscript. Beth calls - I pick her up and drive her to Bermuda Dunes Airport where she picks up here employers' van. I on to Indio and stop to talk with Joel; then meet the monthly conservative round table for lunch. Home and work at computer; then to bi-annual sonogram. To Panda Express and pick up dinner and take it home. Beth home, followed by Bob and Eva. We eat then we have George A. Rutter Trust Board Meeting - it's still going on as I write here. Later ~

Sneak Preview of our Christmas Card this year

Harry's 34th AA Birthday. Home after meeting and check e-mail and snack. Scan Bill Bizzell carrier crash for Rick Mesa. To Credit Union and get bond money for brother Bobby. On to Sam's Club and pick up Christmas Cards; then to bank for Beth, then home. Lunch with Gene Autry on Western Channel. Down for nap. Up and feed girls. Off to Eisenhower out patient and have laser eye surgery (minutes in the chair - no pain), then drive home. Work at computer. Sweep. Read some more of manuscript. Beth home and we eat. Both to office and work. Later ~

Christmas is coming to our house soon

Home after meeting and check e-mail, then to car wash and get Ford washed. Home and work at computer. Drive to Palm Desert to pick up vacuum bags for Beth then on to Sam's Club to shop for Hall. Home and make lunch and eat. Mail comes. Down for nap. Up and feed girls. Sweep. Back to computer and work some more. Beth home and we eat; then drive to Indio for Alumni Meeting and she goes through tableware stuff with several girls. Drive home. She shower and I write here. Later ~

Our girl, Misty, at dinner time

Grocery shopping after meeting; then home and put it all away. To office and read more of manuscript. Put in call to Debby Hobbs regarding my posters and spurs. She calls back and we met at noon and I got all my stuff back including a check for by book stock we had to use. Home and eat lunch and read paper. Down for nap with the girls. Up and feed girls. Back to office and return call to Sue Renner, a lady who sat next to me in dialysis six years ago. Putz on computer and pull trash together for tomorrow's pick up. Start getting dinner ready. Beth home and we eat. She talk Eva regarding her conversation with our attorney today. We to office, and that's where we are now. Later ~

Aunt Bette (right) with Keith Larson by Allied Artists' Gate

Sleep in day. Beth up at 4:30 and to the Hall by 5:30 - I up shortly after that. Shower and dress. To kitchen and have a muffin; then vacuum the house for her. Beth home and we get ready and drive to ABC Recovery Center for monthly breakfast. Eat with Bill and Sunny White. Dick Payne calls from Ohio. Afterwards we to Indio Sam's and she shop for ABC Christmas Party. I call Cass and James Jenkins and chat while she shops. Home and unload Expedition - move a bunch of George's stuff to office. I spend afternoon sorting, saving and tossing. She mops and cleans. Her brother, Bruce, calls and we talk. My sister, Shannon, calls and we talk. Brother, Bob, by and we give him info on Trust and from Realtor. Back to office. I expect we'll snack on something then hit the hay early. Later ~

Beth at lunch today in George's kitchen

Bill Bizzell passed away today.
To Hall just for chores - see guys and have half a donut. Home, Beth behind me. Load up and take off for Glendale. 2 hours and we're there. She works on dining room and dishes; I pack books in living room and in side bedroom. Put trash in back bedroom. Real Estate lady by with comparables and contracts which we'll take home to show Bob & Eva this coming week. Lunch in kitchen with Beth. Back to work. More moving trash and packing. She in dining room wrapping dishes. Load up the rear end of Expedition. Take off for home at 2:30 - Tom Snow calls with news of Bill Bizzell's death. Home at 4:30 some rain in the pass, that's all. Home and unpack only a few things. To office and check e-mail. We eat and talk. Back to office. She has some work to do. I write here. Later ~