W.A.A. Sports - Joyce Abbott at UC Davis

Like my dad playing baseball in college, I was surprised to learn that my mother played tennis. I don't remember her ever talking about playing tennis in college.

California Aggie, Volume 52, Number 28, 6 May 1954

W.A.A Sports

   Wednesday, April 21, the girl’s tennis team had a meet with Sacramento J. C. in Sacramento. Nancy Hughes and Carol Freitas lost their game, 6-0 and 7-5, but Sally Kenyon and Vi Kessell, the second doubles team, won theirs 6-1 and 6-5. Joyce Abbott won the second game 6-0 aird 5-4.
   Softball practice is every Monday and Wednesday at 4:30. Any girls interested come on out. We are getting ready for a game on May 12 with Sacramento here at 4:30. The big event of the season will be the Playday at Modesto May 15.

Dick Heringer and Joyce Abbott at UC Davis

Footnote: The Women's Athletic Association (W.A.A.) was the primary organization responsible for governing and promoting women's sports. It served this role for a quarter-century, specifically before the implementation of Title IX of the Education Amendments in 1972, which revolutionized collegiate women's athletics.

Sentimental Value

Wednesday afternoon, Sharon and I saw Sentimental Value at the Cinemark Century Greenback Lane. We are continuing our annual journey to see all of the films that might be nominated for an Oscar. As of today, GoldDerby currently has Sentimental Value with the fifth best odds to win the Best Picture Oscar.

Sentimental Value (Norwegian: Affeksjonsverdi) is a comedy-drama film directed by Joachim Trier. He co-wrote it with Eskil Vogt. It stars Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård [Dune, Dune: Part Two, Good Will Hunting], Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Elle Fanning.

The movie follows Nora (Reinsve), an actress, and her sister Agnes (Lilleaas), as they reunite with their estranged father, Gustav (Skarsgård), a renowned but aging film director, at their ancestral family home in Oslo. Gustav, hoping for a career comeback and reconciliation, attempts to cast Nora in his highly personal new film about their family's traumatic past.

The movie Sentimental Value received a total of eight Golden Globe nominations. The nominations included: Best Motion Picture – Drama; Best Motion Picture – Non-English Language; Best Director – Motion Picture (Joachim Trier); Best Screenplay – Motion Picture (Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier); Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama (Renate Reinsve); Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture (Elle Fanning); Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas), and; Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture (Stellan Skarsgård).

In a reverse of Hamnet, I liked the movie more than Sharon did. She thought that it was slow in spots... All of the acting performances are very good. Nevertheless, I am not fond of subtitles. Almost 75% of the movies is subtitled Swedish and Norwegian. Reading the subtitles, I feel like I miss some of the action. I believe that the movie will get nominated for a best picture oscar and will get several acting nominations. While we haven't seen Sinners yet, I still think that One Battle After Another is the favorite for the Best Picture Oscar.

mailing the Christmas Cards

Twenty-seven of the last twenty-eight years, Sharon and I have sent out a Christmas Card. Dissatisfied with the quality of the photos on commercial cards like Shutterfly, I built my own format and process. Unfortunately, this was a lot of work... Additionally, the number of cards that we send out has exploded in the last twenty years with the inclusion of people from SEAS, Outlaws, Jesuit High, Sutter Health, Adventist Health and Deterding Ranch.

Five years ago, I decided to go back to a commercially printed greeting card. After moving my database from Outlook into iOS contacts, I printed mailing lablels for the first time three years ago. Everything has gone a lot quicker!

I mailed 148 Christmas cards on Monday, December 8.

In 2024, I mailed 143 Christmas cards on December 3. I mailed three more on Friday, December 6.

In 2023, I mailed 136 Christmas Cards On Saturday, December 2. I dropped three more in the mail the next day.

In 2022, I mailed 127 Christmas Cards on Thursday, December 15. I dropped two more in the mail on Friday, December 16.

In 2021, I mailed 121 Christmas Cards on Wednesday, December 8.

In 2020, I dropped 119 Christmas Cards at the post office on Sunday night, December 6.

In 2019, I dropped 73 Christmas Cards at the post office on Tuesday night, December 17 and 33 more on Wednesday morning, December 18.

In 2018, I dropped 104 cards at the post office on Monday, December 17.

In 2017, I mailed about 70 cards on Sunday afternoon, December 17 and another 30 plus cards on Monday morning, December 18.

2025 Jesuit High School Lessons & Carols

The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is a service of Christian worship celebrating the birth of Jesus that is traditionally followed at Christmas. The story of the fall of humanity, the promise of the Messiah, and the birth of Jesus is told in nine short Bible readings from Genesis, the prophetic books and the Gospels, interspersed with the singing of Christmas carols, hymns and choir music.

Sharon and I went to Lessons & Carols, an evening of prayer and song presented by the Jesuit High School Chamber Singers, the Concert Choir of St. Francis High School and Jesuit Drama at the Chapel of the North American Martyrs. This is the sixteenth year that Jesuit High School has held the service.

After missing three years, we attended in 2023 and 2024. Prior to that, we attended in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Sharon's brother Tom went with us in 2018 and 2019. Sharon went by herself in 2015 while I was working in the Napa Valley.

At Ancil Hoffman Golf Course

Taking advantage of the street closures blocking access to the course due to the California International Marathon, Sharon and I played nine holes at Ancil Hoffman Gof Course. Teeing off at 9:40 am, we played as a twosome.

I was happy with how I played. Although we haven't been playing as much over the last three months, I have been striking the ball more consistently over my last couple of rounds. I only three putted one green, but my chipping is still a problem. I parred the par three ninth hole coming into the clubhouse. In spite of all the leaves, I didn't lose a ball!

I carded a very honest 52. Sharon ended up wth the same score, but used a number of mulligans off the tee. I used one gallery loss on the eighth, but it turned out my ball was in the middle of the fairway about 20 yards ahead of where we were looking...

We had a very nice relaxed Sunday morning. I really enjoyed having a chance to play as a twosome.

Holiday Get-together

With the house decorated for Christmas, we invited the Gainsleys and Larkins over for a cocktail. The Larkins bought some smoked salmon and crackers.

Afterwards, the six of us went to dinner at Fabians Italian Bistro. Sharon and I split a bland caesar salad. For entrees, I had FETTUCCINE BOLOGNESE [ ANGUS BEEF & PORK RAGÚ, PECORINO ROMANO, FRESH BASIL], while Sharon had HALIBUT PUTTANESCA [CAPERS, OLIVES, ANCHOVIES, TOMATOES, CALABRIAN CHILI, GARLIC BREAD].

It was a very nice evening. Sharon and I are regretting that we don't have a trip booked for 2026...

Sacred Heart Holiday Home Tour

Sharon and her brother Tom spent the afternoon at the Sacred Heart Holiday Home Tour. This is the fifth year that they have done the tour [2024, 2023].

They had a late lunch at Revolution Winery & Kitchen.

Carol Ann (Moline) Abbott

My mother had an older borther, Spencer Abbott, and a younger brother, Roderick Abbott. Carol was Roderick's wife.

Carol Ann (Moline) Abbott
May 14, 1937 - August 23, 2025

Carol passed peacefully, surrounded by her loving family. A special prayer for her soul was offered by her cousin, Dr. Melvin Morgan. She is survived by her devoted husband, Roderick Abbott, and is lovingly remembered by her two daughters, Jana Abbott and Judy Beil.

Jana Abbott is the loving mother of two daughters. Laura, her eldest, is married to Michael Mongon, and together they are the proud parents of Elleanora and Lochlan. Sunny, Jana’s younger daughter, is married to Evgen Gavryushkin.

Judy Beil is married to Jim Beil, and they are the loving parents of two sons, Ryan Beil and Evan Beil.

She is remembered for all things unique as she was, love of learning and adventure and the special way she touched all our lives for what we needed.

After having two daughters, she returned to college and proudly earned her degree from the California State University, Northridge.

Carol embraced every opportunity for adventure. With joy and resilience, she packed up the family and joined Roderick as they moved across several states throughout their marriage, always supporting his career and welcoming each new chapter with an open heart. One of these she and Roderick spent three memorable years living in Scotland, during which they explored Europe together.

Gifted in the art of sewing, she creatively crafted her daughters’ wedding dresses and created quilts for her grandchildren, featuring puzzle and airplane patterns. The airplane design was a heartfelt tribute, matching one made years earlier by Roderick’s grandmother.

Just a few weeks ago, we had the joy and privilege of celebrating Carol and Roderick’s incredible 67th wedding anniversary—a beautiful milestone filled with love, memories, and laughter.

Her legacy lives on through her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, whose lives have been deeply enriched by her love, strength, and unwavering presence.

The Widow by John Grisham

My book for December was The Widow by John Grisham. Somewhat unbelievably, this is the 40th book by John Grisham that I have read in the last thirty-four years.

The book centers on Simon Latch, a struggling small-town lawyer drowning in debt and marital problems. Simon's luck seems to change when he takes on Eleanor Barnett, an elderly, secretive widow who claims to possess a secret, multi-million dollar fortune.

This book was a mixed bag for me. I didn't particularly enjoy the first hundred and fifty pages; martial struggles are not one of my favorite topics. I was also bored by the interactions between the lawyer and the widow. Then, the book changes directions completely. I was a lot more engaged. The book shifts direction for a third time in the last 50 pages for an odd, unexpected ending.

I will continue to read Grisham novels as filler between more ambitious books. They serve as a nice mindless break.

25th Hour

The 25 Best Movies of the Century: No. 3, ‘25th Hour’

Sean and Amanda return to continue their yearlong project of listing the 25 best movies of the 21st century so far. Today, they discuss Spike Lee’s 25th Hour, one of the most present-tense films ever made. They discuss its fascinating legacy as a somewhat under-discussed masterpiece, explain why Lee’s stylistic choices are deeply moving, and identify the impressive fricative tension in all of the movie’s ideas.

Friday night, Jack, Sharon and I watched the 25th Hour. [Note to self], I need to build a blog post of The Big Picture's list of the 25 Best Movies of the Century.

The 25th Hour is a 2002 drama film directed by Spike Lee. It is adapted by David Benioff from his 2001 debut novel The 25th Hour.

The film stars Edward Norton. Philip Seymour Hoffman and Brian Cox [Succession] have a supporting roles.

The film takes place over a single day. It follows Monty Brogan (Norton), a convicted drug dealer who has 24 hours of freedom left before he must report to prison to serve a seven-year sentence.

Terrified of what awaits him in prison and filled with regret, Monty spends his final day saying goodbye to his father (Cox), his girlfriend Naturelle (Rosario Dawson), and his two best friends: Jacob (Hoffman), a shy high school teacher, and Frank (Barry Pepper), a high-powered Wall Street trader.

It is widely regarded as one of the best films of the 2000s and is particularly famous for capturing the mood of New York City immediately following the September 11 attacks.

Although it is a little slow in a couple of spots, all three of us liked the movie. We listened to the Big Picture Podcast talking about the movie on the way to an early dinner on Saturday. A random note, Jesse Plemons has become Phil Seymour Hoffman; it seems like Plemons is now filling roles that would have been filled by Hoffman twenty years ago.

Round Up of • Clubs • Halls • Fraternities • Joyce Abbott at UC Davis

California Aggie, Volume 51, Number 3, 26 February 1953

ROUND UP of • CLUBS • HALLS • FRATERNITIES •

SOUTH HALL
   New hard working officrs recently elected are: Marge Oehlman, President; Eugenia Hoffman, Vice-President; Joyce Abbott, Secretary; Marcia Reed, Vig-Committee Chairman. Toni Gills and Mary Ann Krull are our Contributions to the Interhall Concil.
   Vivianne Elorza, the chairman for our Picnic Day float, is busy at work making plans for the South Hall masterpiece, and wonders if anyone knows of any windproof glue.

Dick Heringer and Joyce Abbott at UC Davis