Graduates lined up for the processional at Harvard-Westlake's graduation. My goddaughter, Hannah Rosenberg, graduated. And there was a big cheering crowd of friends and family to congratulate her...and her mom, Paula Weinstein, for making it through as a single, working mother. Her husband, film producer Mark Rosenberg, died just as Hannah came into the world.

Here the grads come, as the traditional processional played and we all cried!!

A huge turnout for the grads

...So big we had to watch it on the big screen

With her mom, showing off the diploma.

Paula hugging her happy daughter as my son, Troy, watches on. He flew in from Chicago for the ceremony.

Delmi, next to Hannah, who is almost as proud as Hannah's mom. Delmi helped look after Hannah when Paula was working, making her wonderful films and TV shows. (Her latest is HBO's 'Too Big To Fail.'!!! Don’t miss it)

Troy and Simone flanking Hannah

Yours truly hugging the beauty!

left to right is Doug Wick, cousin Jenny, Aunt Lisa.

Doug Wick, Hannah, Pat Newcombe, me

I don’t know why I didn’t take pictures of the post graduation party because it was really fun and great food…Hannah’s favorite: meat loaf, spare ribs and fried chicken. I had the best time catching up with old friends and watching Hannah and Paula basking in the great joy, wonder and relief that she is all grown up (well…almost) and still in one piece, It is so hard being an adolescent these days and even harder being a parent, knowing when to step in and when to keep your mouth shut. (The topic of one of my next books. I didn’t do a great job of it so I am studying this parenting issue. Teach what you need to learn, right?).

Then I’ve been developing the “Special Bonus” segments which, this time, is meditation on one and relaxation on the other. I’m excited. We have live bongos on the set and the music by Ralph Carter, is totally amazing.

Except for Saturday night, just about all I’ve been doing is rehearsing, writing script and sleeping. Well, Sunday night, Richard and I watched the first part of ” The Kennedys” which I thought was pretty good. Kate does Jackie really well, I think. It’s interesting. I knew the Kennedys and never knew that Jackie wanted a divorce before Jack ran for president. Didn’t realize the extent to which father Joe ran the show. Talk about patriarchy! In that family it was quintessential!

Left to Right: Howell Ferguson, Simone Bent Garity, me, Nico Evers-Swindell, Megan Ferguson, Sharon Maxwell Ferguson, Troy Garity

Saturday night I went with my son and daughter-law to the engagement party for Megan Ferguson, the daughter of my friends Sharon and Howell Ferguson. You may have seen them in some blogs I did in June from Paris. Megan is an actress (just finished a pilot for TNT called ” Hound Dog”.) Her fiance, Nico Evers-Swindell, is from New Zealand and is also an actor. He just finished playing Prince William for the Lifetime miniseries about Prince William and Kate. It was a fun party. Nice people, good friends, good punch: crushed watermelon and tequila, sweetened with blue agave. Yum!

Megan and Nico getting it on

Jill Clayburgh's daughter Lily Rabe who just finished playing in 'Merchant of Venice' with Al Pacino on Broadway, with Megan and me

Troy, Simone and I hung together for awhile after. Interesting things happened but…that’s for another time. I gotta get ready for bed. Tomorrow we begin the DVD shoot and we have only 3 days to do 2 whole DVDs.

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 9: Actor Colin Farrell (L) and cast member Jane Fonda (R) pose backstage after the opening night performance of "33 Variations" at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre on February 9, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 9: (L-R) Cast member Jane Fonda, cast member Zach Grenier and Playwright/Director Moises Kaufman pose during the party for the opening night performance of "33 Variations" at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre on February 9, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 9: Cast member Jane Fonda (L) and Cher (R) pose during the party for the opening night performance of "33 Variations" at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre on February 9, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 9: (L-R) Cast member Jane Fonda, brother actor Peter Fonda and Parky DeVogelaere pose during the party for the opening night performance of "33 Variations" at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre on February 9, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 9: Actress Anjelica Huston (L) and cast member Jane Fonda (R) pose during the party for the opening night performance of "33 Variations" at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre on February 9, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 9: (L-R) Actors Carla Gugino, Anjelica Huston and Rosanna Arquette pose during the party for the opening night performance of "33 Variations" at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre on February 9, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 9: (L-R) Cast member Jane Fonda, actress Carla Gugino and actor Ben McKenzie pose during the party for the opening night performance of "33 Variations" at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre on February 9, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 9: (L-R) Cast members Grant James Varjas, Samantha Mathis and Zach Grenier pose during the party for the opening night performance of "33 Variations" at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre on February 9, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 9: Cast member Jane Fonda (L) and son Troy Garity (R) pose during the party for the opening night performance of "33 Variations" at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre on February 9, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 9: Cast members Samantha Mathis (L) and Greg Keller (R) pose during the party for the opening night performance of "33 Variations" at Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre on February 9, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)

Mary Catherine Bateson addressing the group who gathered on Friday at Richard’s about her new book, “Composing a Further Life: the Age of Active Wisdom”
Mary Catherine wrote a book, “Composing a Life,” that had a big effect on me ten years ago and I have subsequently become her friend. She is as wise and interesting as one would imagine, given that her mother was Margaret Mead and her father, Gregory Bateson. Her way of helping us understand the meaning of the new longevity…the extras years that we can look forward to—or enjoy right now, in the middle of life—is fresh and inspiring. I was so happy that many friends of mine gathered to hear her and get her to sign their books.

With my bro, Peter Fonda

Two of my favorite men: my son, Troy Garity and the great cinematographer Haskell Wexler

Haskell was the Director of Photography on my film 'Coming Home' and he went to North Vietnam with me, my husband Tom Hayden and Troy (when Troy was 9 months old) to make a documentary, 'Introduction to the Enemy.' In other words, we’ve shard a lot.

On the 21st, my winter solstice birthday, I received many moving calls, cards and wishes including on my blog and Facebook. The kids came over for awhile, Richard surprised me with a lovely green marzipan cake, I blew all the candles out (there were only 7 instead of 72 but I bet I could have blown all 72 out as well) Actually, I think I already posted photos of that celebration.

I forgot to write about the Christmas tree, You gotta understand, I am a Xmas tree nut case….In New Mexico we have a 14 foot tree (plastic cause Vanessa insisted and, you know what, it works anyway) and 100s of decorations that have become my friends over the years. Amazing decorations. I think the importance I place on the tree and its décor is because my father did. He wasn’t an ebullient man but at Christmas time, when it came to the tree, he poured his heart and soul into it. Richard, on the other hand, hasn’t celebrated Christmas with a tree for something like 19 years..no tree, no garlands, much less kids and grands gathering. So we went out to pick a tree. He came with me. NO MAN HAS EVER COME WITH ME TO PICK A TREE! I picked one and then he found a better one…the one we bought. We had shopped in Santa Fe for ornaments (There are 2 Xmas Shops there that are open all year and have the best stuff). We found there the most unique twinkling lights with seven different twinkling patterns, We discovered lots of musical instrument ornaments, horns, trumpets, piano, guitar, flutes, oboe, a jukebox, piano, Elvis and a base drum with “Rock On!” written on it. Little did I know this would become the theme of our Xmas tree.

Then, back in L.A. when we got the tree, we also found collector handmade 45 single records from the 50s and 60s made into ornaments and even more instruments. We got home and put up the tree, got the lights on including my special (brought from Santa Fe) heart lights. They are about 2 inches across, bright red and are the best accent ever. They make a real difference mixed in with the small white and other color lights. Richard then asked me to remove all the price tags from the newly bought decorations while HE HUNG THE MUSICAL ONES. When I called Simone to tell her what was happening she said she couldn’t believe that I had relegated the hanging to Richard. I’m the one who uses a laser beam every year to direct my main Xmas helper, Tommy, perched way up on a tall ladder to move a particular ball 2 inches one way or another. It takes at least a full day and a half to finished my trees…along with wine and mellow jazz. That’s Tommy and my annual drill. So this year I’m taking price tags off and Richard’s doing the hanging!! He was working on his music theme, hanging the 45s and various instruments just so in relation to Elvis, the “Rock On” base drum and the hip Santa with Ray bans on a motorcycle. When he’d finished and I looked up from my manual labors, I saw that he had created the theme all right, but it was all clumped at the center of the front of the tree and everywhere else was mostly bare. “Richard,” I said, “You can’t leave it like that. Your theme is fabulous but there needs to be decorations all over the tree. Look at all the empty areas!.” “No, this is fine,” he replied. BUT, knowing we wanted it to be a copacetic tree trimming event, he let me decorate all the tree. I even bought more very special balls and when I had finished he said he thought it was the most beautiful Xmas tree he had even seen…”By our powers combined!” said he and it was true. We did it together and although there were times when we were each outside our comfort zone we made it work. Ben McCarthy, Richard’s assistant, who has lived here for 18 years but worked with him for 22 or so, said it was the best Christmas he’d ever had.

On the 23rd, we had a party (photo in a separate post) that morphed from what I had suggested be an intimate gathering of family and closest of friends—singing Christmas carols—that sort of thing, Into something MUCH BIGGER, but that’s for another blog. I am one who plans in advance and has everything worked out down to the last detail. Not Richard. So for me, the days leading up to the party meant trying to manage my stress level, not get mad or impatient and trust that Richard knew what he was doing. …He did.

The party day, the 23rd, Lulu ad Nathalie arrived, Lulu from Tucson and Nathalie from my ranch –so the entire extended family was here.

Xmas eve we all went out to a great pizza place together with Tom (Hayden, my ex) and his fabulous wife, Barbara Williams and their son, Liam, who is Malcolm and Viva’s age and they all get along great…as long as we don’t try too hard to define who is a brother as opposed to an uncle.

Xmas day Vanessa and the grandkids, Lulu, Nathalie all came over to Richard’s to open presents and then, as evening drew nigh, we went to Troy and Simone’s home where they cooked their first Xmas dinner—for 21 people. Besides all my immediates, there were Shirlee Fonda (my stepmother) her partner Rob Wolders, Bridget, Oliver and Danny, Troy’s father, Tom Hayden, his wife Barbara and their son Liam, Richard’s roommate at University of Michigan, Joe Allen and his wife Annette Tapert Allen and her son, Nick, Paula Weinstein and Hannah. Troy and Simone turned their yard into a magical kingdom with hanging fairy lights and ornaments and they put couches outside (and many heaters) and it was a grand and historic event. It was Troy’s first tree, in their own house. To top things off, Troy made 3 kinds of ice cream…Vanilla, peppermint and apricot and, I tell you, all three were to die for. He reminds me so much of my father who also loved to make ice cream.

Richard, Me, Tulea with Richard's roommate at University of Michigan Joe Allen and his wife Annette Tapert Allen

So, now I will write about our party.

See you next time.

This is the shortest day of the year. I happen to feel it is the coolest day to be born on. The short, dark solstice here but it’s bright and long at the other side of the earth where it’s summer. I wasn’t even blogging this time last year. I’ve come a long way Baby! It’s a perfect birthday day here in L.A. Cloudy… A wanna-stay-inside-by-the-fire kinda day. Vanessa and my grandkids are on their way over. Troy will come in a little while. It feels good to have them all here. Lulu and Nathalie arrive Wednesday.

Last night was closing night for “Baby, It’s You” at the Pasadena Playhouse. What a wonderful theatre that is!!! The play will reopen at some point this winter in some new out-of-town theatre. Here are some pictures I took of the closing party last night.

Richard and me with some 'Baby, It's You' cast members...left to right: Erica Ash, Paulette Ivory, Meegan Hollowat and Crystal Star Knighton

Lyndon and the famed acting teacher, Ivana Chubbuck

Choreographer, Brigitta Mutrux, opposite her husband, Floyd Mutruz, the play's co-writer and director with Jerry Katell in the middle.

Me with Geno Henderson and Julliette

Malcolm, Troy, Viva and Tulea

We gathered at the ranch for a week and it was great fun. My friends, the Bickfords joined us over the weekend. They were with us on the Galapagos trip so it was a 6-month reunion of sorts…though I see Jewelle all the time when I’m in New York and she’s just joined the board of The Women’s Media Center. Emily and George’s daughters, Nathalie and Elizabeth somehow didn’t make the photos but they were a delicious addition to the otherwise adult gathering.

I took everyone into town on Saturday and in the fabulous store called Nathalie on Canyon Road we all put on cowboy hats to have our picture taken.

Left to right - Laura, Nick, Nat, Jewelle, Richard, Me

Nathalie, the beautiful owner of the store, with me and Jewelle

Me with Jewelle

It was a snowy weekend…very appropriate for Thanksgiving. We played games like this one where we each had a name attached to our foreheads and had to guess who we were. I was Beethoven but didn’t guess it. We also played a fabulously fun games called Taboo. Men against women. We won. Then we sang Christmas Carrols…a holiday tradition for my family although I’ll have to admit I always have to strong-arm the kids to join me (I grew up singing the old fashioned carrols and want my kids and grands to know there’s more to it than ”Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer,” tho that’s perfectly charming).

Laura Bickford, her sister Emily Lansbury and Nathalie Vadim

Richard who is trying to guess who he is (Marlene Dietrich)

Troy, George Lansbury, Nick Jarecki and Nat Bickford

Laura and Nick gave me a beautiful Mexican bowl with a couple of skeletons dancing on the bottom. I love it cause I love how Mexico isn't afraid of death

Richard's not the only one to wear my mug shot T-shirt!!

Today’s our last day and we’re going into town for some Christmas shopping. As always, I am slightly down cause I hate leaving.

See you next time.

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