Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Summer 2014

This summer in the United States was a little different. The trip back to the USA always messes with our minds as we leave Bangkok at 5:00 PM and arrive in Los Angeles about two and a half hours later.  That is after being the air for over 14 hours.


After a day or two of fighting jet-lag we went to work fixing air conditioning systems.  After all, that's our kind of work.

The same problem shows up again and again, dirt. The biggest thing a property owner can do is change or wash the air filters in your heating or air conditioning systems. 


The summer went fast but we were able to have some fun with friends.  Summers are always a good time for cake and ice cream to celebrate birthdays.  



Ralphie and Lahna always throw a great party for the kids. The only drawback was they wouldn't let Ralphie and I on the Bubble Bounce or the Pony Ride. 

Daeng had never been to a baseball game so our friends, Perry and JoAnn, took us to an Angel Baseball Game.  

We were part of a World Record, the most people in one place wearing Santa Hats.

It was a fun night although Daeng told me she thought baseball was a little boring.  Coming from a lady that likes to watch tennis, I finds that interesting. 


Funny Mom celebrated 93 years with cake and a big party at my sister, Diane's home.  


Here is a little home video of Mom and her cake.


We also had a little party at Flagship Healthcare Center. 

I think Daeng found the car she likes.  


She looks good in it and it jumps!  


By the way, I have been advised it is not jumping as that what kids do on a bubble bounce.  It is Hopping!


We went to see a few of our friends make folks laugh.

We met the Smash Brothers, Cory n Chad, at parties but had never seen them on stage.  Then arranged for us to come see them at their famous "Dirty Show" at the Ontario Improv.  

Ralphie May and Lahna Turner were correct, they are extremely funny. 


Daeng also got to see and meet the very funny Brad Williams.  Daeng said it was nice to meet a man her size. 

We also saw our dear friend Eric Schwartz open the new Irvine Improv.  
Our Mother did several rap videos with Eric.  Here are links to two of them: CHOCOLATE COINS and WHITE HURR.  I did a few seconds as the lawyer in that one, also. 

This summer, there were other events events that stand one I my mind. One is the increased price of refrigerant (Freon). "Freon" is Dupont's brand name for refrigerant.

I purchased a 50 pound container of R-500 refrigerant about 20 years ago for less than $50.00.  We sold the 43 pounds that were left in the bottle. A reclaimer paid us $430.00 for it. 


We attended a celebration of Narcotics Anonymous and saw a picture of where the first NA meeting was held. 


We also got to spend some time with our friends, Michael and Charlotte. 

We made a little trip to Wasco, California for the annual Splash to Recovery. 

We also got to eat more cake as we celebrated my not using any mind altering substances for eighteen (18) years/

It was a great cake, also. 

Daeng and I were talking about our finances and I said I was rich. 

Not that we had a lot of money but when I got a hole in my sock I could throw it away and put on a new pair of socks.  

Also, when the bath bar of soap got small I could take out another bar.  

She put her hands on her hips and said "I'm rich, too! I can take the sock with the hole in it, put in the little bars of soap, tie the sock in a knot and wash other things with it. I'm rich, also!"


Then there is always shopping!  Daeng likes to go shopping but she is very thrifty.  A big day shopping is spending twenty dollars at the 99 Cent store. 

It always does my heart good to see older folks together.

Here is a romance or friendship between two of the residents at Flagship Healthcare Center where our Mother has been living. 

I hope I can be that cheerful and happy in my later years. 

Daeng stays skinny by working out an hour or two a day. She skips rope and uses the hula hook along with exercising while watching exercise problems on the television.


Here is a video of her skipping rope. 

We kept busy working and trying to have a little fun but now I must talk about the sad part of this summer. 

I have been trying to avoid saying this.

On September 9th, our Mother, Jean Ellen Chinea, was booked into the Big Comedy Show in the sky.  

Here is her obituary: Jean Ellen Chinea left this earth peacefully while sleeping to be with family and friends already gone on Tuesday, September 9 at Flagship Healthcare Center in Newport Beach. She was born Jean Ellen Terwilliger on July 22, 1921 in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania.
Jean is predeceased by her mother, father, step-father, three husbands, her baby boy, her aunts, cousins and two son-in-laws. She is survived by one son Harold “Terry” Johnson (Daeng) and three daughters; Diane Dwyer, Suzanne Aldridge (Scott), and Sylvana Scelsi-Dodd (Rick). She is also survived by her grandchildren; Tina Johnson, Lisa Johnson, Denise Johnson, Amie Johnson, Jenna Aldridge Critton, Cassie Aldridge, Shelsea Dodd, Ian Dodd; step-grandchildren Holly Gieseke (Mark), Mike Murrin (Robin), Sean Dwyer (Katherine) and Maureen Phelps Guess (Justin); her great-granddaughters; Crystal Johnson and Hannah “Jasmin” Johnson, her step-great grandsons, Bryce and Brett Gieseke, Deaglan Guess, step great-granddaughter Britney Murrin, and her great great-grandson, Isiah, great great-granddaughter Angelina, and her newly born great great-grandson Nathaniel Atwater Critton. 
Jean was a caring and compassionate mother, grandmother and friend to many. She loved her family and her many, many friends from the East Coast to the West Coast. She was very artistic and passed her talents on to her daughter Sylvana and her grand-children. After living in upstate NY for several years, she lived in Chicago, Illinois, Highland Lakes, New Jersey, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and in 1981 made her final move to southern California.
Jean was always a woman ahead of her times. As a young woman, she was one of the first women to earn her pilots license. In 1961, she and a friend were the first women to go around the world on B.O.A.C.; a trip that to took them to London, Rome, New Delhi, Tokyo, Hawaii and San Francisco. While her children were in school, she was very involved as a member of the PTA in Vestal, NY and was a member of the Eastern Star. She taught ceramics to Girl Scouts. When not participating in community activities, she was making sure her daughters were involved in competitive activities such as baton twirling and roller skating.
While living in Chicago during the 60’s, she became the head cashier at the Knickerbocker and Playboy Hotels in Chicago. She loved to show off her pink sequin dress that she said Hugh Heffner bought her (with a bonus for her five anniversary at the Playboy Hotel). She continued working for the Playboy organization in the early 70’s as Head Cashier at the Playboy Resort in Great Gorge, New Jersey. While living in Lancaster, PA, she became close friends with many Amish families and drove them all over the country for their business and pleasure trips.
Settling in Fountain Valley, she became very involved as a volunteer in the Gift Shop at Huntington Beach Hospital and was a member of the Silver Anchor organization for several years.
For the last few years before going into Flagship Healthcare, she performed stand-up comedy with her son Terry. They performed at many comedy clubs such as the Improv, Martini Blues and the Ice-House. Terry was the straight man and Mom had all the lines. She also made two videos with her favorite comedian Eric Schwartz and appeared on the TV show “Blind Date”. 
After emergency surgery in October 2006, Jean was not able to recover enough to go back to her home. She was a resident of Flagship Healthcare Center in Newport Beach until her death on Tuesday. She loved the nurses, CNAs, RNAs and the staff at Flagship and they loved her. She had the sweetest nature and even when she felt horrible or was in pain, she was always sweet to everyone. Our family would like to thank everyone at Flagship for their caring ways.
A Celebration of Life will be held Monday, September 15, 3:00 pm at Heritage-Dilday Memorial Services, 17911 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach, CA 92647 with an invitation for friends and family members to continue celebrating Jean’s life at her daughter Diane’s home. The website for Heritage-Dilday is http://heritage-dildaymemorialservices.com. In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to: Assistance League® Huntington Beach. Contributions should be mailed to: Assistance League Huntington Beach, 8071 Slater Avenue, Suite 105, Huntington Beach, CA 92647. Please put to the attention of Diane Dwyer.


Mom, You will always be thought of with love in our hearts and a smile on our lips. 

Here is a little video of the last time Mom and I made people laugh from the stage: 

Funny Mom also pops up around the internet. Just see www.FunnyPlumber.com.



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