In September 1984 we moved to California. We really wanted to live in Los Angeles but rent there was too high (and still is), so we settled in Long Beach. A nice city, where my mom would live for 33 years until the end of her life.
The move turned out to be fortuitous for all of us. I, who kind of struggled in Chicago, fell upon the profession of computer programmer and stayed with it for the rest of my career.
My mom did great. She developed a pleasant circle of friends, both Russian immigrants and Americans. She was faithfully attending Long Beach Community College, continuing her education, spending a lot of time with my family and friends.
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| Mom by the apartmet building in Bixby Knolls, Long Beach, where we rented our first California apartment. |
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| Mom exercising. Not a great pic but so her. |
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Mom, Greg and me with my mom's visiting friend from Chicago.
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| With friends |
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| With friends |
In 1985 I got married again and in 1987 my daughter, Judith, was born. My mom loved her with her entire heart and helped me with her a lot.
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| Mom with newborn Judith |
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| Mom and Greg with newborn Judith |
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| Mom feeding Judith |
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| Mom and Greg around 1989 |
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| Mom, I and mom's close friend, Clara |
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| Mom and Judy |
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| 1989 |
Mom travelled to Europe, Hawaii, Canada, New York, always regaling everybody with fantastic tales of her adventures.
In 1988, when my mother turned 70, she started something completely new. She began painting. She has always been good at visual arts but now she blossomed. Her work was even exhibited at Long Beach Public Library in 1996 under the title "The Meaning of Flowers". The next section of this blog is dedicated to mom's art.
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| Mom by her exibit. |
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Mom by her exibit.
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In 1992 my marriage to Judith’s father fell apart and I started my life with my soul mate, Arcady. Granny welcomed him into her heart. She also formed a close relationship with Arcady’s daughter, Alice, who became her 3rd grandchild.
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| Alice, 1992 |
In 1995 our relatives from Lvov, including Bronya, with whom my mother spent the war, immigrated from tthe Ukraine and settled in Los Angeles.
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| 1946 - Lvov |
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1995 - Los Angeles, we meet them at the airport.
Mom is between Larochka and Bronya. To the left, Lara's husband, Stasik and their son, Victor. |
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1995 - Larisa and Bronya reunited after 14 years apart.
To the right - Greg. |
In 1998, my mother's highschool friend, Miriam, visited my mother from Israel.
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| Miriam Podgayetsky - 1937, Kiev |
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| Larisa and Miriam - 1998, Long Beach, CA |
Mom's life went on in the family circle, with painting and friends.
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| Mom's 89th birthday lunch |
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| In Long Beach City College |
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| Judy's Bat Mitzvah |
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| With Judy and Amy Preiser (see condolences from Intro) |
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| With Judy at Alice's UCLA LAW graduation |
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| With Larochka and Stasik at our house |
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| With Greg and Judy, Sukkot 2006 |
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