USJ 25th Anniversary – Part 3 - Japanese Breakfast

 

March 28, 2026

For the last ten years or so, Larry has requested we only stay in hotels that serve breakfast. (We became spoiled when we started staying at Hampton Inns with their breakfast buffet included. Domestically, they became our hotels of choice.)

We have stayed at the Hotel Universal Port each time we return to Japan, and we always opt to add the breakfast buffet. It’s Larry’s kind of meal. Lots of small tastes of a bunch of different foods. And the best part is the cappuccino machine!

Since they moved our room to the top floor (ocean view, not park view), we discovered we also got some great perks.

I need to thank the Room Support clerk, Setsuko Washio, who made it all happen and for going far out of her way to make sure we were satisfied. She kept checking in with us to be sure we were enjoying our stay.

And she gave us a sweet card and 25th anniversary sticker from the hotel.

Being on the top floor meant we got special blue ticket for breakfast. Like fast-passes or lightning lanes, they allowed us to bypass the regular (LONG) lines at the entrance and get seated first.

Then, we were escorted to a special, separate dining area. I always request to be seated where we could see the children in the main area. I love watching their enthusiasm as they anticipate a day in the park. The last time, we saw more kids in Harry Potter robes and Mario hats. Fewer were in costume this time, but their excitement was no less palpable.

Not only did we have reserved seating, but each day we received a special “treat” with our meal.

The plates were side plates, and the tiny cups were the size of egg cups, but the fruit was fresh as was the tiny mint leaf, and the fork was about the size of a cocktail fork. Fresh strawberries are expensive, so this was truly a lovely surprise. (They looked exactly the same every day.)

The other perk of being on the top floor was coupons for free drinks in a couple of the hotel lounges. Since we don’t drink, we thought we wouldn’t use them, but several of our Japanese kids came to visit us, and we went there to eat with them. They enjoyed the free drinks!

We always started breakfast with a cup of cappuccino to wake up.

Then we picked up a tray and added one of the smaller serving trays for our food. (They are half the length of the tray and fit across the width. They are sort of like egg cartons with six shallow indentations. They only hold a small amount in each one. So, you can try many options.

There are numerous food stations featuring Japanese, Chinese, American, and other specialties. There is also a kid’s station with special minion-themed dishes for them to eat from. Their section has (among other things) a choice of cereals and toppings—including soft serve ice cream. Larry started a bit of a trend by finishing his meal each day with it. He noticed several other adults followed suit. (He’s a trend-setter.)

My favorite area was the yogurt and smoothie bar. It always had plain yogurt and usually plain yogurt with chia seeds. (I might start keeping it on hand at home since it was good.) They provided small bowls (the same size as the coffee cups) for the yogurt and featured chunks of apple, pineapple, and other fruit. One day, they had fresh raspberries and Japanese blueberries (much smaller than ours, but tasty). Then there were toppings: passion fruit and mixed fruit. Yummy.

The smoothies were usually banana and mango, a berry mix, and green juice. We went for the fruit.

Many items were cooked fresh on the spot. Fried chunks of fish were being cooked at all times, and when a batch was finished, they beat on a drum as notification. Fresh Japanese “omelets” (hard cooked scrambled eggs spread thin and cooked in sheets, then rolled and cut into small bite-sized slices) were announced with a bell.

Larry usually selected the undercooked scrambled eggs. I preferred to choose a whole egg, formed in a perfect circle, which just fit into one of the indents in the serving tray. They made them over-easy, over-hard, and sunny-side-up.

I also liked the fried potato wedges. Larry usually got the tiny patty of shredded potato, sort-of-like McDonald’s mini-hashbrown patties. (I tried them once, but they were cold.)

He always tried a variety of the Asian choices, most of which I didn’t recognize. I pretty much stuck to western foods, and not much of any of them.

Many choices were provided, including undercooked bacon and unsmoked sausage. The undercooked scrambled eggs are in the red container, and the potato wedges are in the yellow one. The rest of the eggs, etc. are around the corner.

They provided a selection of breads and sweet rolls, too. Tiny croissants, small fruit-filled pastries, and bread for toasting were featured. A couple of days, they had miniature waffles, about the size of a quarter of a Belgian waffle, with one edge dipped in icing. Of course, we tried these.

We had to guard against eating too much, but everything was delicious!

We always finished our meals with a final cup of cappuccino while we watched the people enjoying themselves.

On the first morning, as I got my cappuccino, I spotted a little guy in a highchair. He had his stuffed purple paradactyl with him. He was ignoring his breakfast while he “flew” it around the table and placed it on his head. He made me smile.

Another day, a tiny boy, also in a highchair, smiled and giggled and flirted with me. I waved, and he laughed.

And Minion Bob greeted us as we left.

It was altogether a lovely way to start each day.

USJ 25th Anniversary – Part 2 - On the Road Again

March 26, 2026

The alarm went off at 6:00 a.m., but we were awake over an hour earlier. We decided to get up. Showered, dressed, stripped the bed, put out fresh sheets so the cleaner could remake the bed, and finished packing. (The cleaner was scheduled to come the day we arrived home.)

We had a quick cup of coffee and split a protein drink. Then we finished picking up, emptying the trash, and walking through the house closing windows and making sure everything was put away.

Our driver, Chris, (Christopher’s Car Service 949-870-7273) arrived at 9:00 as scheduled. Our flight didn’t depart until 2:20 p.m., but we had heard horror stories about delays at airports across the country due to the government shutdown and TSA not being paid. So, we wanted to get there extra early.

Since COVID, there are no airport shuttles from South Orange County to LAX. We used another service two years ago and were happy with them, but we decided to try Chris for this trip. He was great!

It was a quick drive to the airport. Not much traffic. Despite rush hour, we got there in just over an hour.

JAL has a direct flight from LAX to Kansai (KIX). The other airlines require a transfer. We took this same flight two years ago and loved it. We usually travel with one small rolling bag that fits in the overhead and one additional bag to go under the seat in front. Larry has a backpack, and I take a canvas bag. It holds my purse, computer, Kindle Fire, noise-reducing headset, neck pillow, and other items.

Our tickets included two checked bags at no additional cost. However, one each was more than sufficient.

We needed the extra space because we had to pack copies of our book, 31 Months in Japan: The Building of a Theme Park and omiyage (a souvenir brought for loved ones and close friends).

We took ten paperback copies of the book. On previous trips we had taken a few, and there was always more demand than copies. Larry packed five, and I packed five. (We sold two and gave away four. We brought home four.)

Omiyage is always a challenge. When we were living there, we usually brought back Universal-branded items for our friends and translators. Easy. This time, I got scarves for several of the “girls,” but they wouldn’t work for everyone.

I found some lovely and special small candles made by ScentsAbility before Christmas. I bought ten small ones for Christmas stocking stuffers, etc. However, they didn’t arrive until early February. This is a terrific nonprofit organization. You can read about them on their website. They were featured on the Today show, and I loved the whole concept. Besides, their candles smell wonderful!

I decided they would make nice little gifts, even though they added some weight. (But remember, we had lot of extra suitcase space.) I ordered some small scarves in Universal blue and some ½” white ribbon to tie them.

Then my sister-in-love mentioned that Trader Joe’s tote bags were considered stylish in Asia. A friend of hers had taken a few to the Philippines recently, and they were quite popular.

We checked all the local Trader Joe’s and were told the same thing. They come in without notice, and they sell out within a day when they do get them. Our local stores had none. Fortunately, I found some online. They were more than Trader Joe’s price, but definitely doable. I took eight of them plus tissue to fill them.

So, I had bags for the scarves and candles, and extra candles for others. I breathed a sigh of relief! They were a great hit. (BTW, several of the gals said they were considered like Gucci there.)

We checked in for our flight, got our boarding passes, and checked our two bags. I was scared about weight, but mine was only 35.5 pounds and Larry’s was under 30. Hooray!

Then on to Security. It may have been even faster than normal! We have TSA Pre-check, and there were few people in the line.

We went to our gate. (We like to get there early and would rather wait at the airport than wait at home.)

We had coffee and bagels while we waited.

JAL is nothing if not efficient. Boarding went smoothly. We like the seats in the rear on the sides with only two per row. More leg room and no climbing over other people to get to the bathroom. The only things we put in the overhead were our USJ team jackets. We always travel with them because we can have them cleaned and waterproofed. They came with the Universal Japan logo and our names on them. One of our team members located a shop that would add our names in Japanese (katakana) to match the English ones. Whenever we wear them in Japan, they get lots of notice.

We both put on our headphones, but I took my hearing aids out first. After a while, I knew they would hurt, and I could adjust the volume on my headset.

Since we would arrive in Osaka at 5:50 p.m., I wanted to stay awake throughout the flight so I could sleep when we arrived at the hotel.

I watched about 6 movies. Some I had wanted to see earlier. I was disappointed in a couple. So, I watched my current favorite, Rental Family, again. It got me in the right frame of mind for Japan, and I really like it.

We had a couple of meals on the plane. Always more than I can eat, so Larry picks what he likes of mine along with his.

This was the long flight (12 hours). While we flew, we crossed the International Date Line, so we lost a day and arrived on March 27^th.

March 27, 2026

We retrieved our bags and had our passports checked. (Our new ones have a bar code on the back. All we have to do now is scan the code and take a photo. They match us to the passport. Very quick and automated.) Customs was also quick and easy.

We had ordered a car service to take us to the hotel and had received confirmation before we left. We didn’t have to wait long for our driver to find us. We followed him outside and to the waiting car.

As we drove the familiar route to the hotel, we noticed many changes. Most of the industrial buildings are gone, replaced by modern structures. We saw much more English signage. But some places looked the same. As we approached the park, Larry recalled many trips on these roads, but now they are wider.

We arrived at our hotel, Hotel Universal Port. It is one of the original three hotels built just outside of the park. There are now quite a few others. It is the one we have always stayed at when we come back. It was originally the upscale luxury hotel—very fancy like the Ritz. However, they changed it to meet the needs of families. When we were there two year ago, it had been re-themed for the minions, and we loved it!

We had reserved a room with a queen-size bed. We got there after seven and gave them the reservation. They took us up to our room.

This is what we saw:

The beds (a queen next to two long twins shoved all together for a family) were on a raised platform about 6" tall), but they were set on the ground. I had just had shots in my knee and realized this wasn’t going to work! I was afraid if I ever got down into the bed, I would never be able to get up. And Larry would have been hard-pressed to get in on his side. Besides, the rocking horse and table were on the route to the bathroom. I could just see myself tripping over them in the middle of the night. (When you get old, you make trips during the night.)

The bathroom had an exceptionally deep tub like the one we had in our mansion in Japan. But we were 25 years younger then. It would have been a challenge today.

We went back down to the desk and explained why this just wouldn’t work.

They said there were no queen rooms left, but they found us a double (two twin beds pushed together). It was on the top floor. We discovered this was a decided perk! (More about that later.)

The bath in this room was just like the Japanese bath in our mansion. Our visitors will remember it. It is a wet room with a handheld shower and a tub. We could adjust the handheld so it could be used just like a standard shower. Success!

We had been up for over 24 hours are were tired. So, we went straight to bed. After all, we had busy days ahead.

USJ 25th Anniversary – Part 1 - Party or No Party?

Since March 31, 2026 would mark the 25^th anniversary of the opening of Universal Studios Japan, we wanted to get together in Osaka with other team members to celebrate.

Many changes have taken place in the past 25 years—including change of ownership. When we were there, a multi-national conglomerate (USJCo) owned the park. Today it is wholly owned by Universal Studios. Unfortunately, we were not able to get any help from them in any way.

All the people who planned the delayed 20^th anniversary party two years ago were too busy or out of the area and could not help us this time. I tried to make arrangements from here, but it proved impossible. So, I cancelled the event.

However, an angel named Atsuko Sera, Japanese born and bilingual, said she would see what she could do. She contacted the same hotel where the party had been held two years ago. They were willing to give us the same deal that we had then for the same price! (The only difference was that we had the room for two hours instead of three.) Fortunately, the exchange rate was much more favorable to us this time. The party was back on!

She and I coordinated the preparations and tracked the attendance. Two weeks before the event, we had 80 people who responded positively. This was the number we gave the hotel. (It was like a wedding reception where the number we locked in was the number we were responsible to pay for.)

Unfortunately, a war started two days afterward. Several people were stuck in places where they could not get a plane out. (One family was in Dubai, and the airport had been bombed.) Others were afraid to fly. A few had medical issues. We heard about long delays and cancelled flights at US airports. Still others just didn’t let us know their updates.

Fortunately, several who had not RSVPd were able to get to Osaka. We told them to come!

Sara-san (Atsuko) recruited a couple of friends to help with registration. She would be the MC for the event and do some of the translation. Fortunately, most of the speakers sent her their speeches for translation early!

It was a mad scramble, but we felt we were ready!

My Friend, Bernie Schwenck

How do you summarize a friendship of over fifty years? I have been wrestling with this for a couple of weeks. I still can’t figure it out, so I’ll start at the beginning.

We met Bernie when my mother-in-love bribed us to attending church with her. We had stopped going to church several years before. We had lived out of the state, and when we returned, our previous church was gone.

In the interim, Larry’s folks had purchased a mobile home in Dana Point. When we came back to California, we began to spend all our weekends there with them.

Mother’s birthday was May 6. A week or so before, she announced, ”All I want for my birthday and Mother’s Day is for my family to go to church with me.” So, we went.

That first week, we discovered that the pastor was a surfer. It was enough to get Larry to go back. The next time we went, the pastor’s wife greeted us by name! I later discovered she’d had the ability to really see and remember people from the time she was young. She never forgot a name. This was Bernie.

She was far from the stereotypical pastor’s wife. She didn’t play the piano or teach Sunday school classes. She sang in the choir, participated in Bible studies, and took part in women’s activities. She attended all the women’s retreats and contributed wisdom to all of them.

Schwenck family 1972

She didn’t look like a stereotypical pastor’s wife, either. Her long hair hung to her waist. She wore short skirts and knee boots—or whatever was comfortable. Since this was a “beach church,” people accepted her as she was, and she did the same. She always seemed to see the best in people.

The door to their house was never locked. Their friends and their children’s friends knew they could walk in at any time—and they did. Bernie’s only request was that if folks showed up and she was busy, they could either talk to her while she continued or they could help. And if she was watching a sporting event, guests were expected to join her. (They could cheer for the opposition, but she would cheer louder for UCLA or the Dodgers. And she would yell at the referees if she thought they made a bad call.)

Bernie had worked as a PE teacher and coached the cheerleading squad in New Jersey while Bob was attending Princeton Seminary. She had a real passion for sports, having been a cheerleader in high school and college. She never missed a game or sporting event for either of her children or her grandchildren.

Larry and Bob and our friend Diana Gardner (nicknamed “Gidget”) formed the Community Presbyterian Surf Team. They had great times surfing together, and Bob became Larry’s best friend.

After the Schwencks’ first trip to Hawaii, they became as hooked on the islands as we were. By this time, we had gone quite a few times and had visited all the islands (except Niihau). The four of us began to vacation together. In time, we traveled all over the world, and we always enjoyed spending time together.

We usually followed the same pattern. We would start planning a trip several months in advance when we discussed the details. Since I am somewhat of a control freak (an understatement), I usually made the arrangements for flights and hotels, etc. (unless they had miles or credit they could use to book their own). In our first meeting, however, each of us chose one thing to do on the upcoming trip. I usually selected something adventurous, like taking the helicopter flight over Kauai or visiting the leper colony on Molokai. Larry’s choice always involved surfing. Bob usually picked something fun, like bike riding down Mt. Haleakala on Maui. Bernie, however, always wanted to do the same thing: paddling the outriggers on Waikiki. She said, “This is the only place on earth where you can do this.” And she loved it.

Bernie 3rd from left

We all liked “funky” places to stay, and we always tried to save money. However, we found some incredible places where we returned on future trips. Fortunately, we had quite a few friends who lived in the islands, so when we were there, we tried to visit them. I have terrific memories of special adventures with dear friends.

Bernie always went along with whatever craziness I planned. She’d say, “I just want to go along and have fun.” The only other thing she wanted to do in Hawaii was spend time sunning on the beach. Because I am far too fair to spend much time in the sun, I either went shopping, or swam laps in the hotel pool, or read a book.

On one memorable trip in 1990, we were joined by our friends Don and Karen Seapy. Don always said it was his very favorite vacation. The highlight was the glider flight over Dillingham Airfield.

l-r: Larry, Bob, Bernie, Don, Lorna, Karen

When Bob did an exchange pulpit in Scotland, we stayed with him and Bernie and spent several days with them before we visited with my family and did a bit of sightseeing. When he did the same thing in New Zealand, we went to visit before exploring the country on our own. In both places, we met lovely people from his guest congregations, some of whom we are still in touch with.

We also traveled to places in the US together, and many of those trips resulted in great memories—like the Rainbow Motel, the very worst place we ever stayed. (Bob picked it.) Even the not-so-great experiences became shared legends and the sources of much laughter.

We visited Italy, Ireland, Australia, France, and other spots in the world with them. We never failed to enjoy our travels.

Through the years, Bernie and I cried together and laughed together and shared lots of love. We lost friends and loved ones and grieved together. We comforted each other and knew we could count on each other.

But, who do I count on now?

Bernie passed away on May 23 after a battle with Parkinson’s and a couple of strokes. It’s hard to believe that her vibrant spirit and contagious laugh and smile won’t be there for us anymore. There are so many things I will miss: hugs, and wisdom, shared silences and shared laughs, moments when no words are necessary, and moments of understanding.

I visited with her each of the three days before she passed and was able to tell her it was okay to let go. I assured her that Larry and I would be there for Bob and her family, and they would be okay because she helped to make them the strong, loving people they are. I prayed with her and told her I loved her. I assured her that I was certain her daughter Erin would be waiting along with her mother and other friends and family. And I assured her God would greet her with: “Well done, good and faithful servant.” I truly believe this.

But my dear friend left a huge hole in my life and that of the others who loved her.

After she passed, I did what I do. I helped Bob write her obituary and then created her obituary website: bit.ly/459dNMl

I also spoke at her memorial service and created the video: https://youtu.be/cSJoF6a4nfM

But these small things just can’t begin to capture who she was and what she meant to me and to those who loved her. I shall miss her for the rest of my life.

…And Still More

 Since May, eight of our friends have passed away besides Brooke Bailey, about whom I wrote about in May. (She died on the fifteenth.)

…And they just keep coming…

Bob Wille

Bob Wille

Sherry Derr-Wille and Bob

Bob was the husband of one of my writing partners. They had been married for just short of 60 years. He died on May 10.

Lynette Christy

Lynette

On June 26, we finally located her younger brother just to discovered she had died about six months ago. We’ve looked for her off and on for years. He told us she had married and moved to Ecuador—quite likely the reason we hadn’t been able to reach her. Larry and I and his best friend and Lynette double dated for a couple of years. Larry’s friend passed away in 2008. We had hoped to share this video of when we were all together with her. We sent it to her brother to show her son.  https://youtu.be/uKh4mhEqStM

Teri Atkinson

Teri

She was related to our great-niece, Savannah. Her mother died when she was eleven, and her grandmother died ten days later. Terri was like a surrogate grandmother to Savannah and a lovely lady. We shall miss her.  https://tinyurl.com/4vkkwh9m

Shaun Corrales

Shaun

Shaun was my cousin, Eileen’s oldest child and her only son. He passed away on May 22. He was only 55 years old. https://www.echovita.com/us/obituaries/ca/templeton/shaun-luis-corrales-19855537

Bernice Smith Schwenck

Bernie

Bernie passed away on May 23. I will write more about her separately.

Nelloise Blue

Nell

Nell passed away on June 27. She had been a member of our church for many, many years and was a loving and sweet friend to many of us.

Wendy Jenkins

Wendy

Wendy was a longtime friend and church member. She passed away today, July 10. She had an infectious smile and a wonderful sense of humor. (She always accused me of dying my hair!) She took a bad fall a couple of weeks ago. We visited her in the nursing home, and she was anxious to get back home. She did return, but then had a series of strokes. I shall miss her very much.

 

Far too many in a short time.

Another Loss…

 Losing those we love is always hard. We all expect our parents to die someday. If we are married, we assume one or the other of us will go first. And if we are blessed to live long enough, we will begin to lose close friends. However, what we do not expect is for young people to die suddenly.

I am currently helping to facilitate a GriefShare group , and several of the people in that group have lost children. I know I will never understand just how they feel, but I can’t imagine anything more wrenching.

About an hour after I returned home last Thursday, while scrolling through Facebook, a photo of a dear young lady we loved appeared. When I read the caption, I began to sob. Larry was sitting next to me and asked what was wrong. I was crying so hard I could hardly answer him. I managed to get out, “Brooke died.”

His answer was to be expected: “Huh?”

“Brooke died.”

This time, what I’d said finally registered, and I watched the pain on his face.

I cried for several hours…

~~~

Brooke’s mother, Arleen, was one of our daughter Kim’s best friends in high school. She spent hours with us, and Kim spent time at her house. As with many of Kim’s friends, we stayed in touch with Arleen through marriages, divorces and kids, mostly through email and then later through Facebook.

She finally met Jim, and her life became more stable. They had a daughter, Brooke.

Kim worked at Disneyland for several years, and Arleen and Brooke had passes. When she could, Kim met them there, and they enjoyed the park together.

I remember her telling us that Brooke’s favorite ride was The Haunted Mansion Holiday. Even though she was little, Brooke was never afraid. She loved Jack Skellington.

A few years ago, Arleen called us. She had a favor to ask. Brooke was enrolled in IPoly High School, located on the campus of Cal Poly, Pomona. Only the top students qualified, and Brooke was a terrific student. This program combined the usual high school curriculum along with college-level classes and self-directed learning.

Arleen explained that for her senior project, Brooke had to select a career she might be interested in pursuing and then find a mentor to work with her through the school year. The commitment was for fifty in-person hours plus emails and phone calls throughout the year. Arleen knew we were authors and that I was editing. Brooke decided she wanted to find out about this career, and Arleen asked if we would be willing to work with her. We did not hesitate to answer, “Yes!”

So, during the next eight months, her folks drove her down to our home in Dana Point from their home in San Gabriel Valley every few weeks so we could spend two or three hours with her while they went to the beach. (Fortunately, they both love the beach!)

Arleen, Brooke and Jim

We started with the basics: story structure, character development, world building, etc. We have an extensive collection of books on writing, and every time Brooke came, she went home with two or three. The next time, our visit started with a discussion of what she had learned from the books.

In October, I suggested she take part in NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month. Participants commit to writing every day, completing a book within the month. I told her if she finished, we could edit it together and publish it. She was excited at the prospect.

Larry is a plotter, so he and Brooke discussed creating an outline ahead of time so she would know what her story was about and where it was going. (I, on the other hand, am a “pantser.” I write by the seat of my pants and let the story evolve through my characters.)

She started out enthusiastically, but about halfway through, she lost interest. She completed the book, but she said when she finished, she didn’t like it and didn’t want to publish it. We agreed the experience was still a good exercise.

I gave her a couple of chapters of a book I had edited and asked her to take a shot at it for practice. She brought it back, and we compared her notes with mine. She did a great job with it.

Larry completed his sci-fi book, The McGregor Chronicles: Book 3 - Alien Invasion, while we were working with Brooke and invited her to be a beta reader. She gave him several suggestions, which he included. And she is mentioned in the Acknowledgements. Her review is quoted in the Readers’ Comments section of the book.

Periodically, we had to log into her school portal to record the number of hours we’d spent and answer a few questions about what we had done. She did the same.

During one of our last sessions, she sat with me as I uploaded a manuscript I had edited and formatted for an older gentleman. I’d asked if I could call him during the process so I could explain what I was doing, and I asked his permission for Brooke to look on in real time so she could see the actual steps. As a former teacher, he was delighted to have her. She watched and asked questions of me and the author. It felt like it was the most valuable time we spent with her.

She had to produce a final project and chose to do an interactive PowerPoint for her class about what she had learned. She sent it to us ahead of her presentation, and we were impressed with her work. So was her teacher. I think she got an A+ grade on it.

Of course, we attended her graduation and cheered loudly along with her large family when she walked across the stage.

High School Graduation

She decided to take a gap year before starting college. During that year, the family moved from California to Florida.

She did return to college, where she graduated with honors and immediately started on her Masters degree. We expected to hear great things from her.

She was one class short of completing her degree when her mother found her in her bed last Thursday morning…

~~~

We are still processing the news, but we are also very grateful to have had Brooke in our lives. We came to love her very much. We have no grandchildren, but Brooke became like a grandchild.

Thank you, Brooke, for the sunshine and joy you gave to this world.

 

Thanks to her sister, Amber, and her godmother, Chris, for the photos.

This is a link to her obituary. https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/boca-raton-fl/brooke-bailey-12379068

My Maternal Cousins

 

Karen, David, Kathy, Eileen, Lorna, Ron

My maternal cousins and I grew up together. We all lived fairly close, so we saw a lot of each other. Aunt Muriel and Uncle Gordon (David and Eileen’s parents) lived in El Sereno. Aunt Evie and Uncle Frank (Karen and Kathy’s folks) lived in Monterey Park. We lived in Alhambra. We were within five miles of each other.

We spent all of the major holidays together. Mom hosted Easter, Aunt Muriel had Thanksgiving, Grandma had Christmas, and Aunt Evie and Uncle Frank had New Year’s Eve. Known as “Hogmanay” in Scotland, New Year’s Eve was a very big celebration. (My grandparents were both born and raised in that country.)

David was the oldest. I was next and fourteen months younger. Three years later, all the “littles” were born. My brother, Ron came along in May, Eileen arrived in August, and the twins were born in December.

Aunt Evie and Uncle Frank put in a swimming pool, and we spent a great deal of time during the summer at their house. Lots of happy memories were made there!

We all knew each other’s neighbors because we played with them. Many years later, a couple came to our church. I recognized her as the little girl who had lived across the street from my cousins, Eileen and David. They had a large family, and we had played at their house often.

I babysat for my aunt’s neighbors and knew them and their kids very well. When I was in my twenties, I went to work for an income tax preparer. I ended up working for my aunt Evie’s best friend. I had taken care of her kids. She and I also became good friends over the next few years.

When I was in my early teens, Aunt Evie and Uncle Frank moved north to San Mateo in the Bay Area for work. The first Thanksgiving holiday after they moved, Eileen and I took the train to visit them. She enjoyed playing with the twins, and I got to spend time with Aunt Evie.

We still got together fairly often. In high school, I dated one of David’s friends, and he dated some of mine. We practiced dancing together to all the latest music. He embarrassed me by screening my boyfriends!

After Aunt Evie and Uncle Frank moved away, Aunt Muriel and Uncle Gordon hosted the Hogmanay party as well as Thanksgiving. Aunt Evie and Uncle Frank sometimes came down for the holidays.

Eventually, I married, and David went into the Air Force. Then he moved back to the East Coast where he married. We all loved his wife. They later moved back to California where we got together with them once in a while.

Life moved on, and we all became busy with our own families. Larry and I visited Aunt Evie and Uncle Frank a couple of times a year. We saw Karen and Kathy while we were there.

The last time we were all together was at our 50^th wedding anniversary party in 2015.

Karen, Kathy, Lorna, Ron, Eileen, David

Ron passed away five years later.

This past weekend we celebrated the life of Aunt Evie, who died at 101 years old. She’d had a long and happy life, so we all wanted to be there to celebrate her. The remaining cousins all came.

Kathy, David, Lorna, Eileen, Karen

I still love my cousins and am grateful for all the wonderful memories we share.

Remembering Aunt Evie

 

Aunt Evie was my favorite relative on my mother’s side of the family. She was young and fun, and I loved her dearly.

Born Evelyn Ella Higginson Methven on August 28, 1923, she was the youngest of three girls. Aunt Muriel and my mother, Vera, were raised as good Victorian children—seen, but not heard. Evelyn was seven years younger than Muriel and six years younger than my mother. She belonged to a different generation.

Mom said they all spoiled her. She and Muriel treated her like their very own living baby doll. And she was “cute as a button.” She had a heart-shaped face and big eyes, and charmed everyone.

She was also an independent spirit. She took part in sports and had lots of friends.

When she was about five, the family moved from their home in East Los Angeles to a new house in West Hollywood, then a part of Beverly Hills. At the time, many young people who would later become film and TV stars also lived nearby, and Evelyn new quite a few of them.

Down the street lived the George family. One member of the family was of particular interest to Evelyn: Frank, the third of four sons. They dated throughout high school. Grandma always said she didn’t need to guess where Evelyn was. All she had to do was look down the street. Usually, Evelyn was draped over the front fender of a car looking down into the engine compartment while Frank was working underneath. He was crazy about cars. And they loved to dance!

Mom described how they would come home from a dance and Evelyn’s chin was raw from rubbing on Frank’s suit jacket. They danced the jitterbug and all the other popular dances of the day. He lifted her up and flipped her over his shoulder and then pulled her through his legs.

They were engaged the evening of my mother and father’s wedding on October 27, 1942. Frank and Dad were both in the Army at the time.

They were married on August 15, 1943.

She moved with Frank to Washington, DC, where his job was teaching pilots to fly, using the LINC simulator. Following his time in the service, they moved back to West Hollywood, and Frank opened his own garage. It was a lot of responsibility, but he loved working on cars, and did so for the rest of his life.

On December 1, 1949, Evelyn gave birth to twins: Karen Ann and Kathy Lee. By this time, they were living in the “little house,” an ADU behind my grandparents’ home. My family had lived there until I was two years old. By this time, Grandpa had died, so Grandma liked having Frank and Evie nearby.

Evelyn really appreciated the help with the twins as they had many allergies, both of them to different things. Karen was allergic to cow’s milk and had to drink goats’ milk. Not easy to find in those post-war days.

This was also the era when babies were put on feeding schedules. However, the twins were on different schedules: one was every three hours and the other was every four hours. Evelyn was exhausted!

Frank was working very long hours in his business, so they weren’t able to spend much time together. They met with their pastor for counseling, and he suggested they plan a “date night” once a week where they could spend some time away from the children and reconnect. Friday nights became their special time, and they continued this practice for many years.

After my father died, when I was seven, my mother was determined to raise us by herself with no help from anyone. This included family. (My mother had an over-developed sense of pride.)

Evelyn and Frank did what they could to give my brother and me special attention Uncle Frank attended Indian Guide meetings with my brother, and Aunt Evie spent time with me.

Christmas was a challenge. The three sisters agreed to give small gifts only to the kids and to their mother. They set a limit. I think it was about two dollars each at the beginning for our gifts. Later, it may have gone to five. In those days, it was possible to buy toys for that amount.

When I was about ten, we arrived at Grandma’s for Christmas Day. My eye was immediately attracted to a HUGE package. When I checked the tag, it had MY name on it! It was about 3 feet wide, two feet high, and two inches deep. I couldn’t wait until after dinner when we could finally open our gifts!

Inside was a Betty Crocker Junior Baking kit! It held miniature cake pans, cookie cutters, a mixing bowl, spoon, measuring spoons, cookie sheet, plus several mixes for cookies, cakes, and icing. I heard my mother scold Evelyn about exceeding the limit, and my aunt told her she had found it on sale. I knew it was a lie, and so did Mom, but there was nothing she could do about it.

I felt so loved, not because of the size of the gift or because Aunt Evie had dared to stand up to my mother, but more because she understood who I was and knew this would be the perfect gift for me. I baked all the mixes, but I kept the cooking items and used them for years. I still had them when I my own daughter was born, and she and I played with them. I think she may still have them!

In the early 1950s, Evelyn and Frank moved to a new house in Monterey Park, California, just a couple of miles from our house in Alhambra. We spent a lot of time with them—especially after they put in a swimming pool.

When I was about twelve, I began babysitting for Aunt Evie and Uncle Frank. Because I knew so many of their neighbors, I also babysat for their kids.

Eventually, Evie and Frank hired me to sit with the girls for their Friday night “date nights.” Even then, I recognized this as a way to give me a little extra spending money, which my mother could not object to.

Aunt Evie picked me up on Friday afternoon and took me to their house, where she had already prepared dinner for the girls and me. After they left, I fed the girls, and they watched TV until their bedtime, while I cleaned up the kitchen. Then I oversaw their baths and got them into bed.

Then, I had the TV to myself and could watch my favorite TV shows: 77 Sunset Strip and Hawaiian Eye. At home, I rarely got to choose what I wanted to watch, so this was a real treat!

Then, I locked up the house and went to bed in their guest room.

In the morning, Uncle Frank fixed breakfast, usually pancakes. (They were his specialty.) From Aunt Evie, I learned to love them with plain yogurt and fresh fruit. This is still my favorite way to eat them.

It was about this time that my relationship with Aunt Evie changed from aunt and niece to friends. I used to tease her that she was my favorite playmate!

Uncle Frank’s job took him to San Mateo, so they moved there in the early ‘60s. The first Thanksgiving break following their move, my cousin, Eileen and I took the train up to visit them.

Aunt Evie was a phenomenal seamstress. She made all her own clothes and for years, she made all of the girls’ as well. On this particular trip, I took fabric and patterns to make Mom and me dresses. Aunt Evie taught me how to make self-belts, and how to put in invisible zippers. These were two dresses Mom and I both wore until they fell apart, and we loved them.

After Larry and I were married, we went to visit them once or twice each year. Larry was an engineer and was genuinely interested in the details of Frank’s work. He would listen to Frank’s stories and ask appropriate questions. They got along very well. Evie and I frequently left them and went shopping.

Before we arrived, Aunt Evie would find fun, new places to visit with us. We also had some we all enjoyed and visited each trip. Spenger's Fresh Fish Grotto in Berkeley was a favorite as was the Alta Mira Hotel in Sausalito for brunch. We especially loved Allied Arts Guild in Menlo Park. They had a wonderful restaurant and lots of little shops. I often bought Christmas gifts there. When Evie was a docent at Filoli, we visited several times. Once she gave us a behind-the-scenes private tour.

We also went into the city (San Francisco) to sightsee, shop, and play. We spent time at Pier 39 and Ghiradelli Square, and Evie often found fun new places to shop for bargains.

In 2011, Aunt Evie had a stroke. A couple of months later, we went to see her. I was amazed at how she managed. She had gotten along well with her physical therapy. The only real aftereffect of the stroke was her issue with speech. She was sharp as ever and knew what she wanted to say, but she got frustrated at not being able to get the words out.

Their daughter, Karen, was concerned about her folks living in their big house with many steps as they got older and began to have some physical challenges She decided to ask them to move in with her so she could care for them. Before this could happen, however, Uncle Frank was hospitalized. He passed away on January 4, 2017. They had been married for 73 years.

Since the moving plans were already in place, Evelyn moved into Karen’s house. The twins cleaned out the family home (a daunting task!) and rented it. Evelyn and Frank had purchased two other homes when they first moved to the Bay Area, and those provided rental income for their retirement.

A couple of years later, Karen’s daughter and son-in-law moved to Reno. Property was reasonable, so Karen sold her home in California and moved to Reno, Nevada. Kathy was still working and living in California, but she planned to follow her sister when she and her husband retired. They visited often.

In 2023, Aunt Evie turned 100 years old. Karen and Kathy threw her a great party to celebrate. Most of the family attended, as well as many of her friends from California. She had a wonderful time and even got out on the dance floor.

Kathy and her husband, Jay, moved to the Reno area not long afterward, so she was able to spend more time with her mother.

On November 5, 2024, Aunt Evie died after a short hospitalization.

I am very grateful to Karen for her dedication and care during Aunt Evie’s last few years. She was able to provide her a marvelous quality of life, and Aunt Evie truly enjoyed herself.

We were able to see her in June of 2024, and spent a couple of days with her. We shared memories of her early life, and she laughed and we shared pictures. I loved her for my entire life, and I am grateful for all the wonderful cherish memories of her.

Here is the link to a video I put together in her memory: https://youtu.be/FFcOc25IDvg