Month: June 2024

It’s going to be a bumpy night

Who is your favorite historical figure?

Powerhouse of a woman who molded herself!

My favorite historical figure is Bette Davis. She was not only a great actress but a strong woman who didn’t take any crap, even from the studio heads. She was a woman who knew her worth, and in those days, it earned her a reputation for being difficult.

The roles she played all had one thing in common, female bravery, it was the bravery to play an unlikable character, like in the 1934 film, Of Human Bondage, where she played a prostitute who died of consumption so convincingly that , when her name was not included among the nominees for the best actress category, thousands of fans wrote in demanding she be nominated and the academy aquieced ,allowing her to be a write in nominee. Even though she didn’t win that year, it was the first time ever, but not the last time that fans were able to change the academy’s mind. The very next year, the same thing happened to Paul Muni, who won the award before the academy decided to discontinue the practice. Bette didn’t have to wait long for her first Academy Award, though, because the following year, she won the best actress award for her film Dangerous. Three years later, she would win her second Oscar for the 1938  film Jezebel,where she played a strong-willed southern belle ,in my opinion, better than Vivian Leigh in Gone with the Wind .Throughout her career, Bette Davis was nominated for 11 Academy Awards,but those were the only two she won. Though, in my opinion, she should have won two more, the first for All about Eve in 1950, which is my favorite of her films ,and the second for What Ever happened to Baby Jane? In which she played a crazy aging child star so hauntingly and tragically that, even though it’s considered camp today, I always cry when I watch.

Off screen Bette Davis co-founded the Hollywood Canteen, which offered food and dancing to service men from 1942 through 1945,during World War two.  Davis was also the first woman president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1941.

When she died in 1989,at the American hospital of Paris from breast cancer, at the age of 81,she’d already survived a mastectomy 6 years earlier as well as 4 strokes.

It’s the strength of Bette Davis that I admire and to which I aspire. And I feel I’m getting there.

My first crush

A lifelong obsession

Way back in 1967 when I was just the age of 2, my parents introduced me to the sweetest treat 😋.  From the back seat of their 1959 thunderbird, I would attempt to eat it without getting it all over my tiny smiling face and clothes, and I’d fail every time. I couldn’t say the words ice cream cone, so I called it Keema Kona . I became obsessed.  With my new glasses on,I was an eagle eye. Any time we got within a mile of a Dairy Queen, I’d start chanting Keema Kona over and over until we would finally stop, and I would get my obsession sated . To this day, I can spot a Dairy Queen when no one else can even see it. When my husband and I are out in the car, every outing ends with hubby asking if I’d like to stop for Keema Kona, and, of course, the answer is always YES!

Just one specific region of France

What countries do you want to visit?

I’m lucky enough to have traveled to the vast majority of the places I’ve wanted to see. But I very much want to spend a few months in my favorite place in the world again, once I’m finally done with the health issues with which I’ve been dealing. It’s looking like next year might be the year, fingers crossed.

The first time I went to the Cote d’azur, I was 11 years old, and it was a bus trip through Europe with my family . When we got to Monte Carlo, I actually knew my way around. That’s a big thing for me because I don’t have a good sense of direction in general, and it takes me a long time to find my way. It just felt like I had spent all of my life there. We were only there for a few hours, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I needed to get back as soon as possible.

Monte Carlo

The second time, I was in the south of France, I was 29, and I stayed in Cannes in a shared villa with friends for about a week. I only had the chance to get to my favorite city for an afternoon, and it still felt so very familiar. I was able to use the French that I studied for 5 years in school, and the locals were very friendly .I spent a couple of hours in the royal casino playing blackjack and won around a thousand dollars from the 50 that I brought with me.

As much as I love Monte Carlo, I could never afford to live there, but I really want to spend time in the area before traveling is no longer an option for me. There’s a commune just outside of the city called Menton that looks a little more affordable for a few months stay and that is where I want to go next year and hopefully I can sell my husband on the area, because I would love to live in the Cote d’azur eventually.  The seaside, the amazing food, and 350 days of sunshine are all selling points . The best thing for my current situation is the wheelchair accessibility.

Menton

Even if it’s just this last trip, at least I can finally spend more than days  in the  Cote d’azur.

My favorite thing about me…

That nearly everyone misses is my strength. When you see a woman who is thin and uses a power wheelchair, you don’t usually think there’s a strong woman. But wheelchair users have strength beyond able bodied folks. We’ve had to deal emotionally with things that scare the able bodied so much that they become uncomfortable when they see us. The discomfort stems from the subconscious knowledge that they could be us in a split second. We’ve had to become okay with our own mortality and the fact that we aren’t indestructible. We might not be physically strong, but emotionally, we are the strongest people you’ll ever meet if you’re not too afraid to speak directly to us. We are judged by the able as being weak and sad. They think that we should just stay locked away so they don’t have to be confronted with their own fear. They judge us as unable to talk or unable to discuss things on their level . Even though one of the smartest people to have recently lived, Stephen Hawking, was a wheelchair user. Wheelchair users differ from each other just as much as able bodied people differ from other able bodied people. And shockingly, we may have some of the same interests as you do. But you’d never know it if you’re too afraid to get to know us. For instance, I love the ballet, the theater, stand-up comedy, drag shows, and going to concerts. Even with the judgemental or horrified looks, I get. I’m strong enough to know that your fear is not my problem.

Hubby and I headed out to dinner

I always wanted to retire early

How do you want to retire?

Be very specific about your wishes because they can and will bite you on the ass. I was forced into early retirement at the age of 50, after coming closer than anyone should to death. Regular readers of this blog for the past 9 years are likely sick of my story by now, so I’ll just give you the bullet points.

5 weeks after my 50th birthday, I collapsed in public with a massive stroke.

I arrived by ambulance at the hospital about 15 minutes later, where the cause of the stroke was found to be a tumor in my right atria, the smaller atria of my heart.

I spent 6 months and 2 days in hospital. First, having a 4.5 hour heart surgery to remove the 4 by 7 centimeter benign tumor from my heart . Then, in the stroke recovery unit of the hospital.

The tumor is called an atrial myxoma, and  one of the most common side effects is sudden death. It was incredible that I survived the whole thing ,10 days in ICU, 3 weeks waiting for heart surgery, and then dealing with the stroke which left the left side of my body paralyzed.

It’s been almost 9 years since then, and I’m still partially paralyzed, and the paralysis I’m left with is permanent.

My retirement was a complete life change in the worst way possible.

If you want to read more about it, just go back through this blog to the year 2015, and you can read all about every excruciating detail.

Graham is thinking inside the box this Caturday

I love it when Graham puts himself away if his mommy has to leave my comfy chair to go somewhere, even if only for 5 minutes. He knows the box is his, and he can get some private time without worrying about being stepped on by the clumsy feet of his father. If he’s not in his box, he’s sitting in his spot beside me. He’s my bodyguard, and he takes his job very seriously. It’s adorable, and I couldn’t love him more ❤️ 💗 💕

Cher and share alike

Describe one of your favorite moments.

One of my favorite moments that happened after becoming a wheelchair user was going to see Cher with my mother, who is just a few years Cher’s senior and sharing our mutual joy at getting to see the icon perform live.

We used to watch the Sonny and Cher show together.

Sonny and Cher

Then, later, the Cher show. We both loved the costumes created by Bob Mackie

Cher in Bob Mackie

and Cher’s gorgeous deep voice even back then. Cher was the first woman that I wanted to be . I remember tying scarves around my head and pretending that I had long hair , like Cher and singing loudly if poorly to Cher’s songs as a 6 year old kid. So it was very special seeing her live with the woman who molded my young life back then.

I remember my mom commented that she certainly could sit in the audience if Cher could still perform at her age.  To this day, we still watch every interview and enjoy every new performance that Cher gives .

We loved her new  Christmas song!

As many great concerts as I’ve been lucky enough to attend, like the Rolling Stones and David Bowie, that performance by Cher is the one that I  will always remember most fondly.

Still can’t believe she looks this good in her 70s

My evening with Jimbo the drag clown 🤡

Last night was well worth the wait! It became obvious to me that Jimbo is a creative genius who has been planning out his career every step of the way. From the very first time we saw him on Canada’s drag race in that rubber mini mouse inspired outfit saying, “OH WOW!”, while entering the work room, to the moment of winning All Stars 8, Jimbo planned it all.  And it was pure perfection.

Jimbo’s drag circus was everything a fan could want. Every character we’ve come to know and love showed up, including  Joan Rivers and Casper, the baloney ghost. There were original songs as well as not so original songs with new and very original lyrics . And Jimbo can and did dance!

My friend Rebecca and I were let in first, and the first person we saw entering the theater was Jimbo’s sexy partner, Brady Taylor, which made it all the more real to me.

The response from the hometown crowd, from beginning to end, was simply love and joy because that’s what Jimbo inspires. When intermission began, I spotted Jimbo’s mother, Mary Insell, with whom I have exchanged brief conversations on social media.

Jimbo and mom, Mary, after the all stars win

There have been 3 additional shows added, so this was not the last show of the tour, which means that I must not post spoilers , so I won’t . Suffice it to say that anyone lucky enough to have purchased tickets won’t be disappointed. I know that I can’t wait to see what Jimbo has planned for us next!

Tonight is going to be a lot of fun, regardless

After more than 6 months of waiting patiently, tonight I will be seeing Jimbo and his drag circus 🎪!  My friend Rebecca and I are going, and we’re so very excited 😊.

Unfortunately, I can’t get my lower denture into my mouth because there is a spot that feels like a bone shard is trying to work its way out of the gum, or possibly a left over suture. But, thanks to covid, I’m still going. I’ll just be wearing a mask 😷. Because there’s no way I’m showing off my toothless face even in a dim theater . But I’m not missing this for anything! If I can’t be comfortable, then I can’t enjoy it fully, so a mask it will be.

Jimbo as Marilyn Monroe
Jimbo, the baloney ghost 👻
Jimbo, the drag clown 🤡, is both Adam and Eve

I’ll let you know how it went tomorrow 😏

My favorite season has changed

What is your favorite season of year? Why?

It used to be autumn because of the fashions.I adore a high- heeled boot! But since I’ve been a wheelchair user and can no longer wear heels, high or otherwise, summer is better for getting outside. Where I live, summer temperatures rarely get above 30 degrees Celsius, and, as I’m on an island in Canada, the ocean breeze is always there to help cool you. There are no dog day afternoons here and no real humidity either. Our summer is lovely, as long as there is no smoke from the wild fires that British Columbia is becoming known for in recent years. The only thing I don’t like about summer in my city is that it’s tourist season and it can get quite busy in the downtown area but, all in all summertime here is quite lovely.