My mother became ill in August 2008 with ovarian cancer. This is a story of the final months of an exceptional woman.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Tis the Season of Giving

I awoke this morning with a scene from Annie Hall in my mind. Have you seen it? Until Susan's Birthday 2 days ago the Universe was definitely expanding for me*. Now it is just a place to have "jolly BM's"**. The Toto definitely helps.


I continue to feel like the old "love me or leave me" MizFlounce!*** The old bod is just great except for the times I chance to look down upon it.


But, Tis the Season. Even though I am a godless and probably soulless creature careening toward the Outer Void for Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth I am a bit into the excess of it all. Now that I am feeling better. There is something to be said for the ecumenical tinsel and glitter festooning all of our public places this time of the year. I know it tarts up in a good way all the strip and mini malls in our area. Janita wants me to even trot out and chop down a tree and hang some tinsel or apples or garlands or mice or whatever is draped on the thing! I never... .


And Paul has gone out of his way in preparing for their arrival by perfecting his Santa-ness. He has been "Ho! Ho! Ho-ing" all around the decks and halls of Shangri-La for days now. That man is a whirlwind of whimsy...
Judy, Still Here-Still Human & PJSanta


I have a more ambivalent relationship to gifts than to Santa-Paul. Like most folks enough stuff is never enough but even given my chemobrain and the general stupefaction that results from living in the Age of Madison Avenue I cannot help but notice Paul and I have far, far too much. Translation: do not send us anything.
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BUT, you might consider doing something in my name? I enjoy the spotlight you know.
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One of my favorite people in all the world, Angelo Pagano, is a serious do-gooder. He counsels folks going in for blood tests and supervises telephone helpline answering banks. All volunteer. Every week. And I feel good when I cast a beneficent smile upon someone. He is also the fellow who has done so very much to make a difference in my life. If it were not for him planning, arranging and setting in motion trips to France, Italy, England, Yosemite....all over... for me these wonderful things might never have graced my stay here in this world. He also spent hours and hours and hours putting the worlds best music on an IPOD thingie and sent it out to me to play on a stereo device.
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Now Vic Damone and I are an item every day crooning to the frozen snapdragons out back. ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuUpxt-I1jc )
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Who can ask for a better person in their life? And, Angelo never says things like "I love you" nor expects it in return. A low maintenance dude if there ever was one. He should be used as a template on life's assembly line.

Well...last year he got his fit and sexy bod on a bicycle and peddled his 54 years the 500 plus miles down to Los Angeles to raise money for the AIDS Foundation. I was too sick and distracted and demented to remember to contribute!! This year will be different. Won't you help me clean the egg off my face by contributing something to his ride in my name? Much better than sending me a gift or a card or flowers or anything else this Season. Just let me know you did it and I will have my sleep restored to me!! You will be truly Santa's Elves this year if you do this for me. Or is it Santa's Dwarfs? That damned chemobrain again. I refuse to blame my beloved Agave Tequila for anything. . .

Here is Angelo's portal.
Dump your tax deductible charity pennies
into his LifeCycle Treasure Trust!

Angelo Pagano: Biking for Dollars
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Judy & Angelo Chew the Fat, Ravenna, Italy

Angelo teaches me to Dance


Without your support: A Do-Gooders Destiny


I will have Angelo fax me an summary update of his contributions on a weekly basis. Like Santa I will be checking to see who has been naughty or nice!

Filled with the Light of the Holidays,
Judy (via jeff)

* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U1-OmAICpU

**After my heart blew up and I got the valve job last November it is reported I uttered a memorable line. QueenJanita entered my hospital bathroom and noticed a largish mass inhabiting the toilet bowl. In good Nurse Mildred Ratched style ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nurse_Ratched) ( here is a scene from one of Janet's typical workdays--home or hospital, it's about the same: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5NyyC-UjBM ) Janet came back out and congratulated me on my achievement. I happily nodded my head (they were giving me Agave Tequila IV for the pain ) chirping "yes, it was a Jolly BM"
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***http://mizflounce.blogspot.com/2008/10/blows-my-mind.html ;
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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

miss judy

paul is cool. you are lucky. does he sing and skip around to or just ho ho ho

my dad watches tv and fox and riley like him but they are different. my dad is not so much fun. all he want to do is talk about people dumber than he is or bad like niggers and fags or demcrats and librals. thats better than him shouting at me i guess

anyway i like model airplanes and action cartoons not fox. what do you like on tv

you like rap. wow...i like vic damone to

chris

Wolfgang said...

I miss you so much Grandmother... I think of you all the time. Now, March 30th has brought the painful memories back...but i know that a human being as benevolent as you is in a much better place.

Your loving grandson

Wolf

About Me

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Vacherie, Louisiana, United States
Born in rural Arkansas my tongue took up residence in my cheek shortly thereafter. I use it to speak "Genteel Southern Lady". Cussin' I only use when provoked by the Uppity. Paul, my husband, and I have lived in Cajun Country for many years raising cane, twins (a boy and a girl; now adults? definitely old) and other mischief. Alligators, water moccassins and bears have tussled with me as I protect our swampy coastal farmstead. We are stuck now on lovely Lake Hamilton near Hot Springs where we have our second home. We have been here waiting for Godot since my heart valves blew out Late November 2007 and now with cancer diagnosed August 2008. The Furies have me in their sights... I am writing this blog to let my Beloveds know how I am doing so they will not "get off" in imagined ways on my dire straits. The reality is bad enough without turning my story into a B-grade movie of the mind. I know all of you wish me the very best. And I miss you! never no mind your fevered imaginations. This is as close as I can get to a fond and loving chat with you right now... Sadly, Judy aka Mizflounce passed away peacefully early on Sunday morning May 30th 2009 age 78.