Mid-Week And All Is Well!

Posted on Wednesday, June 3, 2026 by Paul

We are off to the Rock Pile, where we will bravely endure 90 minutes of cruel and unusual punishment.  The horrors awaiting us include forced bicycling, floor exercises performed without the comfort of a mattress, lifting outrageously heavy objects, dragging ropes through a labyrinth of pulleys, and, most shocking of all, forcing our exhausted muscles to hoist entire one-pound dumbbells.

Perhaps it’s my gym suit that upsets the trainers?

Medical experts may someday study our suffering.  Historians will write of our courage.  Statues may be erected in our honor… assuming we can still lift our arms afterward.

Should we survive this brutal fitness ordeal, we expect a hero’s welcome, a parade, and possibly ice cream.  Until then, thoughts and prayers are appreciated.

We are already missing the Perrys; their visit was too short.  I was looking up something on Google, and then it came to me, I do NOT need Google when Colleen OR Mary are around.

We made it home, then went to the garden to begin planting our recent purchases.

Silly us…thinking we had an afternoon off!  Mid Morning Mary discovered she had a doctor’s appointment in Newport, Neach at 1:00 pm, so while she got cleaned up, I continued working in the garden.

We were back at 3:00 pm, and I returned to the garden while Dr. Mary got ready for the Starlighter’s Board Meeting at our house at 6:00 pm.

Bob Z showed up at 5:00 pm, and everyone else at 6:00 pm.  The meeting was fairly short, ending at 7:00 pm.  A few hung around with us until 8:00 p,m just sharing memories.

On a serious note…

We are probably going to cease operating the Starlighter as a private dance club in January because many of us on the board have served for 10 years!  I have been a secretary and photographer for EIGHTEEN years.  We are collectively tired and want others to come in and fill our shoes so we can rest, but alas, NO ONE wants to volunteer.

 

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The Kids Are Off, Going Home!

Posted on Tuesday, June 2, 2026 by Paul

We got up early to head to the airport, but first we had to hit UPS and The Original Pancake House—priorities: packages, pancakes, then planes.

But before departing, Colleen took her camera into our backyard and took pictures of some of Mary’s flowers!

Click for full sized collage!

Visiting at the Elks!

The kids came in from New Hampshire to help celebrate grandson Charlie’s departure from High School and starting engineering school in the fall!

Alex and Charlie, our two youngest grandsons!

Breakfast was, as expected, wonderful.   We drove to the airport, delivering the kids around 11:35 am, and then we went home for a quick snatch & grab; Mary got her two new fox stoles so we could take them to the cleaners, the furrier to be precise.

Mary showed it to Robin last week, and Robin almost fainted when she saw the face on the stole and realized the stole was making eye contact with her!

Fox stoles with the head, legs, and tail attached were most popular from the late Victorian era through the mid-20th century, especially:

• 1880s–1910s: Became fashionable as part of elaborate fur accessories.
• 1920s–1930s: Very popular with flapper and evening fashions; fox stoles were a status accessory.
• 1940s–1950s: Still common and glamorous, often worn with coats or formal outfits.
• 1960s: Began to decline as fashion changed and attitudes toward fur started shifting.

So, their peak popularity was roughly the 1920s to 1950s, though they existed earlier and lingered afterward.

Funny!!!!!  I am watching you!

After the furrier, we ran another errand, and I dropped Mary off at the Seniors Center.  A furrier is a professional who designs, makes, repairs, alters, and cleans garments made from animal fur.  They also serve as dealers, selling both new and vintage fur coats, and offer specialty services such as cold storage during the summer to preserve the pelts’ natural oils.

Before I returned home, I collected her two remaining paintings on display, and I’ll be darned if someone didn’t pay $100 for one of them!!!!!!  I will make sure Mary paints a lot so we can become accustomed to the style I would like to become accustomed to!

Her current painting is looking pretty good, also, and I may go door-to-door in my role as a salesperson!

Just remember, “I came, I saw, I honked.”

We had intended to work in the garden, but we were worn out, so we vegged in front of the TV until 10:00 pm, when we crashed.

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T-1; The Great Escape Is Tomorrow!

Posted on Monday, June 1, 2026 by Paul

Up and at ’em!

We were up fairly early and greeted by Mark and Colleen, who clearly had a plan.  Before I knew it, we were all in the car headed to South Coast Plaza Crystal Court, where I was gently—but effectively—hog-tied into buying a new computer, since mine had officially entered its “needs reading glasses and complains about updates” phase.

Amy met us there as she was also getting a new computer.  We all laughed and giggled a lot as we watched the flow of dollar bills wash over the sales counter.  When the lady salesperson hit the buy key, I began gyrating uncontrollably… I almost scared her to death.

The girls left the Apple Store to visit the local shops, with Lululemon as the main attraction.

While Mark and I were inside, the girls went shopping!

At the same time, I finished purchasing the new iMac; the girls texted us and asked for help.  Mark jumped up, knowing he needed a two-wheeled cart since the girls were shopping.

They texted us, asking for assistance with their purchases.

I got worried, so I hid my wallet, claiming insanity!

We did order a new shirt for Bill Capps since he likes Lululemon so much!  With Bill’s new Lululemon shirt, the restaurant had to dim the lights and provide dark glasses to the other guests.   Bill kept humming the tune, “I Feel Pretty”, from West Side Story.

Gee Bill, you light up the room!

We made reservations at “One Hung Low”, also known as “Din Tai Fung”.  Din Tai Fung is a Taiwanese restaurant chain specializing in Chinese cuisine.

Mark and I had martinis; Mark is partial to little flowers!

Drink?  Who, me?

This drink required further inspection!  It is a Lycee Nut Martini.  Despite its nickname, the lychee nut is not actually a nut—it is a tropical fruit from the soapberry family native to southern China.  Known for its translucent flesh, floral flavor, and tough, leathery exterior, this delicacy has a fascinating history dating back thousands of years.

I was immediately attracted to the flower; it’s also MY color!

We slurped down the drinks in record time and then began dining on dumplings, ribs, fried rice, and many other goodies.  Great fun!

First class Chinese delights.

We ordered ribs, which I thought we were going to share, but I tried to get one with my chopsticks, and whammo, a hand came out of nowhere, inflicting great amounts of pain, and a voice said, “HANDS OFF”.

SLAP  !!  I dropped my ribs, and Mark immediately picked them up

Mary and I tried to dissuade Mark from attacking anyone who got close to the ribs, but alas, we gave up after several knuckles being hit by chopsticks.

Who?  Us?

We left South Coast Plaza and headed home to set up the new router and connect it to the house network.  It took about an hour, but once we were finished, we were getting 1,050 Mbps at the router and much faster speeds on the iMac.

When the new iMac arrives in two weeks with its upgraded WiFi capabilities, things will be blazingly fast!

Colleen and Mark headed to La Mirada to visit family before returning to our house.

While the kids were done, Domi called and wanted to bring some REAL Mexican food over!  She brought enchiladas, which were “flat” and were delicious.  She used the corn husks from our garden.  “Flat tamales” generally refers to either tamales oaxaqueños (wrapped in banana leaves) or tamales de elote (sweet corn tamales).  They are made with spread masa and a center filling, but instead of being rolled and pinched like traditional corn husk tamales, they are folded into flat, neat squares or rectangles and tightly wrapped in leaves.

Yummy!!

When the kids got home, we all enjoyed Domi’s creation and sat on the patio until it began to get chilly.

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Today Is Another Family Activity; Shopping And Eating!

Posted on Sunday, May 31, 2026 by Paul

We were up around 8:00 am, by which time Mark had already launched himself toward the co-op to meet up with Joe.  Meanwhile, Colleen, Mary, and I held a very important board meeting around the table—mostly dedicated to solving the world’s problems and “shooting the bull” with zero actual progress.

By 10:00 am, we decided it was time to become presentable to the public, so we all headed for the showers.  Big day ahead: we’re going shopping!!  Hide the credit cards!

Of course, we walked in the garden, and I introduced Mary and Colleen to my newest creation, blue oranges.   I am going to call them either “Blue-tiful Disaster” or “Blue-berry with Commitment Issues“.

Magnificent!!!

I could NOT resist taking one inside and cutting it open on the kitchen counter!

We are getting ready for an exciting day at the Spring Boutique!  With just a $5.00 charitable donation at the door, we explored a vibrant marketplace featuring a variety of small local businesses.  The girls discovered unique treasures, including jewelry, trendy clothing, delightful candles, delicious baked goods, stylish home decor, personalized items, and much more.  We invited Donna, Amy, Robin, and Colleen to the event.  Bob and I will attend the bar next door.

First stop: the Elks.  Bob and I settled into the lounge, enjoying what we foolishly believed would be a peaceful break while waiting for the girls to return from their shopping expedition.

Robin and Mary arrived right on schedule… but not to join us.  They made a precision strike on our wallets, announced that Phase One of the shopping mission had been a success, and promptly launched Phase Two.  Bob and I were left guarding the table, wondering whether to report our wallets missing or accept our role as the expedition’s financial sponsors.

Amy does the “Amy Smile.”

After dinner, we all headed to the OC Mining Company for a steak dinner.    High upon the hill overlooking Orange, we had a bird’s eye view while consuming large quantities.

Amy and Colleen.

Robin and Bob joined us for dinner.  Robin was tired from shopping, and Bob and I were half in the bag from sampling various Elk wines.

Robin and Bob

The only way I can describe Mary is fiesty!  Do we have fun or what?

Just us!

Down the table was the “bald boy”, commonly known as Joe, searching for his favorite raw fish and rice.  We told him to look no further; we sent him a can of tuna-flavored cat food and two straws (the closest thing we could find to chopsticks).

Mount Baldy!

The end of the table was laughing, but we know not at what!  We have suspicions.

Alex gets along well with the old folks; we are proud of him!  In two years, he will be off to college.

I ordered shrimp cocktail, not realizing these critters could have eaten half the fishing boats in Long Beach Harbor.  I passed them down and watched them disappear; the shrimp, not the people.

My oh my!! 

Why is shrimp cocktail often served hanging around the rim of a glass?  Answer: It was designed to be easy for guests to grab while standing and socializing, making it a popular hors d’oeuvre at parties and cocktail receptions.

Being with family is one of life’s greatest blessings.  It’s in the laughter around the table, the stories shared, the quiet moments, and the feeling of belonging that remind us what truly matters.  Family gives us comfort, joy, support, and memories that stay with us forever.

We are here: Left side:  Robin, Bob, Fast Eddie, Amy Colleen.  Center: Alex, and Right side, back to front: Mark, Joe, Dianne, Paul, and finally Dr. Mary.

The gang is all here

Mudd Pie, Oh My!  It was as high as an elephant’s eye!

Wow

Then, Paul spots the dessert and wrestles it away from Dr. Mary (with little success)

The “chomp” heard around the world.

With tummies overfilled, we headed home, only to hang out on the sofa with the TV on.  Colleen and Mark took the Grey Ghost to the Honda dealer as it was acting up.  They returned within a few minutes and crashed.

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Saturday Was A Day Of Kinda Rest

Posted on Saturday, May 30, 2026 by Paul

We were up fairly early and did our necessary chores, like filling pill boxes and moving veggies from yesterday’s trip to H&H Nursery to the garden.

My kids ganged up on me and FORCED me to commit to a new Router system and get a new iMac, as mine is six years old and getting elderly.  It is a NETGEAR Orbi 970 Series Quad-Band WiFi 7 Mesh Network System (RBE973S), Router + 2 Satellite Extenders, Security Features, Up to 27Gbps, Covers Up to 10,000 sq. ft., 200 Devices, 10 Gig Internet Port.

While I was at it, I upgraded the digital service to 1GB from the original 400 MB.  With the service change, the new router, and the new iMac, the system ought to scream!!!!!

My first car did not cost this much.

Colleen and I strolled into the garden, dropped off the new veggies, and set out to find anything remotely interesting.  I found the purple tomatoes — a brand-new variety we apparently acquired thanks to AI, which is either progress or the beginning of the vegetable apocalypse.

It took a long time to breed these guys to be purple.

Collen and I continued our little walk, and I explained to her about the new zucchini we are growing.

We crossed a zucchini with an orange to see what would happen!

Colleen galloped out the door at 10:30 am for Lilly’s practice game in La Habra—probably aiming to arrive before halftime and the halftime snacks.  Mary and I played domestic ninjas: stealth-cleaning, laundry-lassoing, and generally convincing the house we were in charge. After a ceremonial lap around the garden (inspecting every suspiciously cheerful blossom), we tidied enough to earn a field trip to the senior center to reclaim Mary’s paintings—because art, like socks, must be rescued from mysterious public institutions.

I offered to go so Mary could take more time to get ready, and, to my surprise, the center was CLOSED.  Poof!!

Robin showed up around 4:40 pm, and the four of us made our way to Huntington Beach for dinner at Vitorio’s — because apparently our idea of adventure is eating dinner in a different zip code.

We are gathered together!

We are ready to dine; the wine, however, is running low!

Paul gets all the girls!

Beware, VickyCam is in action!

Vicky pulls out the new camera!

Will and Mary are in serious discussions about the world.

Mary laughed so hard she hit the wall and made a large crack in it.

Another camera-person to watch out for!

“Everybody smile!!”

Bill looks a little worried since I am playing “spin the bottle” and it almost pointed to Bill!!

“Excuse me, I am changing chairs!”

Always a lady and fun to be with!!

I am a very lucky man!!

What are these two up to?  One can never be too careful!

Beautiful smiles!

I am attempting to be serious because if I laugh, my head hurts!

Be serious, Paul!!

Since the scalp surgery to remove the cancer, every time Paul laughs the head really hurts.

Then someone cracked a joke, and I began to laugh and then…..

STOP!  No more jokes!

Oh oh!  Mary is attempting NOT to be funny; she is protecting my poor little head!

Now we get serious!

Our chauffeur drove home, and we stopped at the OC Mining Company to make reservations for tomorrow night’s farewell dinner, as the kids are heading home on the 2nd of June.

Both Mary and I love family and friends.  Without them, life would be a lot quieter, a lot less fun, and we’d have nobody to blame for eating the last cookie.

Posted in Dining Out, Family, Friends, Fun | 1 Comment

Charlie Graduates Today!

Posted on Thursday, May 28, 2026 by Paul

I was up at O-Dark-Thirty with my trusty sidekick, Dr. Mary, and we were off to Long Beach for ANOTHER procedure on the old knogen.  That will make two this week.  My head will be so full of bandages, I will look like a mommy…..er, mummy!

The plan was to go home and get the kids to go to Girls’ Night Out with the gang, but alas, this procedure had to be repeated,d as the lab said the first-cut margins were NOT clear!

Change of plans, we departed Long Beach for the Elks and called Colleen to meet us there.  Mary knew several of the folks and met a few new people.

Colleen and Mark joined us a few minutes before noon!

After lunch, we all went home and relaxed before driving to Sonora High School for the ceremony!

Joe saved the family seats on the 25th yard line, PERFECT!

We are getting ready to watch the ceremony!

The gang is all here!

No sunshine allowed on the wounds.

Charlie was a member of the National Honor Society!  Looking good kid!  The world is your oyster!

We headed home directly afterward, with a stop at In-N-Out for a burger feast!  When we got home, the burgers disappeared in a matter of seconds!

We were beat, four hours is a long time to sit in the cool SoCal air!

Posted in Adventures, Elks, Family, Memories | Leave a comment

On The Run Again!

Posted on Wednesday, May 27, 2026 by Paul

We rearranged our schedule and went to the gym on Tuesday instead of Monday.   I was worried when we arrived at the gym because there were bales of hay and four horses outside.  A new gym machine, perhaps?  Hope, I recognized it as a drawn-and-quartered machine.   I must have thought ahead because the sugar cubes I gave the ponies worked.  They refused to pull me apart!

We went home and then separated for the first time in a year!  Mary went to get her hair done before all the festivities began, and I headed to the airport to pick up the kids.   After riding in an airplane all night, they were ready for some REAL food, so we went to Rofrigo’s on Katella, where I got my usual 46-oz margarita.

Slurp, burp, belch!

We got home, met up with Mary, and all got ready to fight the traffic to Joe’s home in La Mirada.  Let the party begin!!  Party and Pizza both start with “P”, is that a conincidence?

Mary and Diane catch up!

We both enjoy family!

Just us!

____is so funny!  I could watch him all day!

Guess who he is, JUST LIKE!

Grance and Charlie both graduate tomorrow!

Charlie has a new girlfriend, Grace!

Getting ready to head to the barn!

Resting!

Giggles and laughs all night long!

Just taking all the activities in!

At the end of the party, we were all cooked and headed home and to bed!

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Happy Birthday Mary!

Posted on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 by Paul

Today, Mary has to share her birthday with John Wayne, James Arness,  Peggy Lee, Sally Ride, Al Jolson, and Jay Silverheels.

Well, it finally happened.  Mary and I split up!

It was a busy day: I sent Mary off to her watercolor class while I headed to Long Beach for another cancer-removal surgery.  Yes, the separation was intentional.  Our calendar gets so crowded that about once every six months, we have to sit down, look at each other lovingly, and say, “You take art, I’ll take outpatient surgery.”

On my way home, I brought Mary some red roses to celebrate her birthday!

Bright red and Mary enjoyed them!

We decided to go out to dinner at the Tartan Room in Tustin — partly so Mary could enjoy her petite filet mignon, and partly so I could investigate their New York Sinatra steak, which I assume comes with a side of attitude and sings”My Way” if you cut into it correctly.

After dinner, our waiter brought Mary a courtesy cheesecake complete with a candle.  The Fire Department knew Mary was aged and nixed the idea of one for a year!

Yummy!!!  But after the steak, we took most of the dessert home!

The meal was great.  On the way to the house, I even captured our flags waving in the breeze — proudly saluting two satisfied Americans who had just done their patriotic duty: supporting local beef.

The flags are good for Memorial Day and July 4th!

Upon arrival, Mary went to the mailbox and retrieved several cards, and a package addressed to her was waiting on the front door walkway.  Bonnie sent Mary two decorative lanterns, which will be perfect on the patio.

Mary made quite a haul this year — gifts, cake, attention, the whole operation.  In fact, she did so well that she’s already planning a second birthday in October.  At this point, it’s less of a birthday and more of a quarterly fundraising event.

Mary says, “Thanks for all the emails, messages, phone calls, letters, and gifts from all of you!”

Lighting up our lives!

We watched three episodes of Marshals, a spin-off from Yellowstone, before hitting the hay.

Today was just wonderful, and I am glad I can share it with this beautiful lady!

When the Sandman starts to arrive, we give up and go to bed; we are too old to fight!

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Monday Was A Day Of Rest

Posted on Monday, May 25, 2026 by Paul

We first went to the gym!  Oh, that’s me on the right!

As we drove up, I could not believe it, the delivery truck was again parked in front of Peak Performance.   They had just driven up, so we rushed into the gym and began our exercise regimen.  I cycled for five miles and then began the floor exercises.  We kept an eye on the front door, expecting the new torture device at any moment.  The delivery guys took a short break and had a cup of coffee while Mary and I ran through our exercises as fast as we could.  We will see what it is next week!

We escaped and never looked back.  We went directly home, where I camped out the rest of the day.  For some reason, I was dizzy most of the day and had a difficult time walking.

Mary and her workout buddies (the trainers)

We were supposed to meet Robin and Bob at Downtown Disney, but I could not walk that far.

Dianne called and offered to bring us dinner, and we jumped at the chance to visit with her and get a hamburger at the same time.

Mary opened her presents with vigor!  She went crazy for her leopard gloves and gardening hat!

She is ready to go to the garden now!

We watched some TV and went to bed around 10:00 pm, and I was hoping this dizziness would go away after a good night’s sleep!

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We’re Off To Seal Beach For Dinner!

Posted on Sunday, May 24, 2026 by Paul

While we were working around the house, we got two pictures of our daughter Robin at a wedding.

Wow!

Bob has arm candy!!

I love this picture because it makes US feel so young!

Mary does the cleanup after we trim.  I help by emptying the small wheelbarrow.

We kept working and filled another 90-gallon can with trimmings; the garden is looking pretty good right now!

We worked until 2:00 pm and then prepared dinner.

We made quite a haul while trimming.  The milkbottle case was almost filled to overflowing with fresh veggies.

We went to Patty’s Place in Seal Beach to meet up with Charlotte and Wayne, long-time gold friends and really nice people.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ES1uaYU1CCU

I went for the rack of lamb, while the girls had the petite filet mignon.  We laughed and giggled for two hours.

Dinner, as expected from Patty’s, was OUTSTANDING.

Wayne is coming along pretty well after the stroke.  He said the salmon would probably help in the recovery.

We brought goodies from the garden for Charlotte, and Charlotte had birthday goodies for Mary!

Great time, great friends.

We were successful in keeping Wayne in stitches!

We all had a good laugh and enjoyed the camaraderie.

We departed Patty’s and stopped by to see Vicky on the way home, where we visited, and she shared her latest patio progress with Dr. Mary.

From Vicky’s, it was a quick 19-mile trip home, where we crashed.  It was a marvelous day!

Posted in Dining Out, Friends, Vegetable Garden | Leave a comment