Thursday Has Arrived And we Are Ready!

Posted on Thursday, June 11, 2026 by Paul

We had to pay the quarterly taxes today, and I tried six times before I gave up and gave the checkbook to Mary.  I was so upset about how much money they collect from us that I could not write the checks properly.   Finally, Mary wrote the checks, and I went to the corner of the office with my bankie and cried.

We enjoy our morning coffee together!  (We put our coffee in wine glasses in case you noticed)

We got ready to go to the Elks for Girls Night Out after dealing with our Tax Consultant because the IRS messed up on our 2024 Returns.  The gang was there, ready to toss spears at each other and coordinate this weekend’s events.

Lee joined us at the Elks today, and we invited her to join us on any Thursday she is in town.

Friends for 64 years!

After the Elks, we went to the American Legion since we didn’t have time to drive to Orange and back.  We enjoyed a glass of wine while watching boats go back and forth.  We also shared a nice warm pretzel and some fruit and cheese.    The doctor’s office was six minutes away, so we had plenty of time.

After getting home from the Elks and the doctor’s office, we went foraging in the garden, pulled off four ears of corn, and, using the following secret recipe, had corn for dinner.

We have so much corn that we are going to send a load to the gym tomorrow morning!

Within 24 hours of being picked, sweet corn converts up to half its natural sugars into bland starch.  To reverse this, chefs skip plain water and poach their cobs in milk and sugar.

Beyond the boiling pot, professional chefs rely on a few specific techniques to elevate corn from a backyard side dish to restaurant quality:

Stop overcooking it: The single biggest mistake home cooks make is leaving corn in boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes.  Fresh sweet corn can actually be eaten completely raw.  Boiling it isn’t about breaking down tough fibers; it’s simply about heating it through and softening the starches.  Three to four minutes in boiling water is the absolute maximum. Any longer, and the kernels become tough, chewy, and waterlogged.

Induce the Maillard reaction: Boiling is fine, but fire is better.  Caramelizing the sugars in the corn via the Maillard reaction adds a layer of complex, smoky bitterness that balances the vegetable’s aggressive sweetness.  Chefs will often grill the corn directly on blisteringly hot grates until the kernels are speckled black and brown.

Finish with acid: Corn is sweet, and butter is fat.  In the culinary world, that heavy combination demands acid to prevent the dish from feeling cloying. A final squeeze of fresh lime or lemon juice right before serving cuts through the richness and makes the flavors pop.  The same structural secret makes Mexican elote (street corn coated in mayo, cotija cheese, chili, and lime) so universally beloved.

We used lemon juice (the lime was hiding in the fridge).

I fixed dinner for Mary and me, consisting of corn, applesauce, peaches, and beans!  We watched “Resident Alien” until 11:00 pm and then crashed.

Posted in Doctor, Elks, Working Around House | Leave a comment

The Mid-Week Activities Kept Us Busy!

Posted on Wednesday, June 10, 2026 by Paul

Since we were driving all night to attempt to find the lost phone, I didn’t get up until 7:30 am, which was just enough time to get coffee for Her Nibs and slither into my workout costume for the morning meeting with death.

Mary was still feeling poorly, hanging on to that nasty cold, so I left her at home and went to the gym all by myself, through the rain, sleet, and hail, over the 1.2-mile drive.

I left Mary pounding the keys!

After carefully parking The Silver Fox, I tippy-toed along the sidewalk, attempting to enter without being seen by the PPT (Pain Producing Team) at Peak Performance.

I actually made it through the door, got onto the stationary bike, and began to pedal up a storm.  After reaching 60 rpm and approaching 6 miles, I felt a tap on my shoulder.  It was Jeff ordering me to the floor mat, where he worked on perfecting his recreation of the Rice Krispies “snap, crackle, and pop” sound using my skeleton as the instrument of choice.

I was speeding along at breakneck speed!

After an hour, I was allowed to escape and flew to the safety of The Silver Fox, making sure the PPT was not chasing me!  I flew out of the parking lot, leaving a pound of rubber and a distinct odor coming from the burning tires.

I got home safe, then immediately clocked in for my second job: short-order cook for Mary and me.

I made steak and eggs because the market had these thin little pieces of steak a few days ago, and I had to buy them.  They cook in the same amount of time it takes me to make my special scrambled eggs, which is perfect because nothing says “culinary genius” like both breakfast and dinner giving up at the same time.

The steak and eggs came out perfect!

After lunch, we headed to the Elks to drop off a tomato pie for John, the General Manager.  Then it was off to Mary’s doctor in Irvine, where I rested in the car for 90 minutes, enjoying a small nap!

While Mary was inside, she received a message from the Seagerstrom Center that the iPhone had been found and would be available for pickup at Stage Door One, the security entrance.

We decided to park at The Silver Trumpet restaurant and imbibe on a drink to celebrate the event.  Mary went to the bar and ordered while I walked to the security office, a mere 3 miles away, down a hard concrete path, while the clouds let loose with a barrage of lightning strikes, thunder, and pounding rain.

Mary missed the “fun” because I went alone since she was sick.

Mary approves of their wine selection!

My iPhone went off while I was enjoying my greyhound drink, and it was the iPhone photo system notifying me that I had saved this photo twenty years ago.  I took the fuzzy B&W photo and ran it through AI, and there it was in bright color… my amazing Aunt Edith in her basketball uniform at the McRae high school gym in 1927, NINETY-NINE Years ago!

Aunt Edith (Liles) Parchman on the right in 1927, almost 100 years ago!

This was the original picture taken from the McRae History Book that Uncle Otis gave me years ago.

AI is an amazing tool!

After getting the iPhone and finishing our drink, we went directly home, where our cleaning folks had just finished.  Mary got her jammies on and watched TV while I worked in the office.

Mary was a little hungry, so she rang the bell—and naturally, I dropped everything and sprinted in like a highly trained butler with questionable knees.

I prepared a gourmet feast: beans with cheese, chicken-noodle soup, applesauce, and a tiny glass of sake—because nothing says “fine dining” like hospital-room tapas with a Japanese twist.

Next time, I will make sure the wine has a cork in it!

I’m basically a leftovers wizard.  I can take yesterday’s food, wave a fork over it, and make it look like it just emerged from a Michelin-starred oven… or at least from a microwave with ambition.

We watched the fourth season of a series called Resident Alien, which follows an extraterrestrial on a mission to destroy humanity who crash-lands in Colorado and ends up posing as a small-town doctor.  He struggles with his hidden mission while awkwardly trying to assimilate into human society.

I could NOT resist, just one more AI try!

We declared victory at 10:30 pm and hit the sack!

Posted in Adventures, Doctor, Elks, Gym, Uncategorized, Working Around House | Leave a comment

Tuesday, Back To Normal, Off To The Doctor!

Posted on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 by Paul

As you may know, we plan to get a doggie after our trip to New Hampshire in September.  We have been looking into various sources about Australian Shepherds and maybe even a Chihuahua, so they would not be lonely when we are gone.

Today, my youngest grandson turns seventeen!  Happy birthday, Alex!!  It’s hard to believe he will be in college very soon, then out and about, terrorizing the world!

It’s amazing to see them grow up!

Right after getting up and doing our coffee thing, we headed for my pulmonologist, who gave me a clean bill of health.  We brought him a box of veggies directly from our garden.  Mary, being a Type-A personality AND a doctor, always wants to get to an appointment on time.   Today, she overachieved!  We arrived at 9:30 am for a 10:30 am appointment.  We were happy we brought our electronic readers along.

By the time we finished with the doctor, we did NOT have enough time to go home and then get to Mary’s watercolor class, so we did the next best thing…. We went to Benjie’s and dove into a half-sandwich and soup or salad.  Mary chose a soup called Jewish Penicillin (chicken noodle soup), and I chose the salad.  I finished the meal with a root beer float!

Mary works hard on her paintings!

I made a beeline for home, where I worked on the computer and got the paperwork ready to attack the IRS when they attacked us first.

3:00 pm came quickly, so I was back in The Silver Fox winging my way to pick Mary up.

Finally, we arrived back at Casa Valencia and realized we had 90 minutes to get ready for dinner and the theater.  We had tickets to see “The Sound of Music” at the Seagerstrom. 4:45 pm and we are back in The Silver Fo,x going south to Costa Mesa for a rendezvous with Vicky and Jim at The Silver Trumpet

Mary, Vicky, Jim, and I walked from the restaurant to the theater.  We were ready to sit for almost three hours!

We had asked Vicky and Jim to join us, making for a delightful evening of fun and sharing.

As usual, we enjoyed a wonderful dinner, retold old stories, and laughed as if we had never heard them before.

The show is about to begin!!  We have our electronic gear on. The technicians wired our headphones directly to the microphones on stage, so we hear the voices and music much more clearly than we would through the hall’s acoustics.

We now get the headphones, as they significantly improve the theater experience!!

For 65 years, The Sound of Music has been one of our “favorite things.” With its timeless story and irresistibly charming score, this Rodgers & Hammerstein classic isn’t just meant to be enjoyed – it’s meant to be shared.  Now, a critically acclaimed North American tour brings the cherished musical to stages across the country, teaching a new generation to sing and an older generation to hum along!

This vibrant and romantic tale of Maria and the von Trapp family will captivate audiences with its universal themes of love, resiliency,e and the power of music.

Featuring beloved songs like “Do-Re-Mi,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” and “Edelweiss,” The Sound of Music is the iconic tale of a spirited nun who chooses not to live behind The Sound of Music closed doors – and, by following her heart, learns to climb every mountain.

At 11:00 pm, the play was over, and we headed home, but alas, upon arrival, my iPhone was missing.  I used “FindIt,” and sure enough, it was still in our front row seats.

We drove back to the theater, but it was locked up tighter than a drum.  I emailed, texted, and left voice messages with the Seagerstrom front office, and I expect to drive down there again tomorrow to pick up the phone.

Screenshot

Posted in Dining Out, Doctor, Painting, Theater | Leave a comment

Oh No, Alone At Peak Performance!

Posted on Monday, June 8, 2026 by Paul

Mary needed some time to rest due to her cold.  I flew in some help!!

I was up before the roosters and began with yesterday’s Daily Diary entries.  Around 7:30, her nibs showed her face, and we finally decided: I would be going alone to the workout, UNSUPERVISED.   That could be a disaster!

I was in the bathroom trying to find my morning pills when Mary showed up!

REALLY???

Off I went, all alone, thinking the whole time, “Should I plan to play hooky?” I knew Mary would find out, so I went to the workout by myself.

Into the mouth of the gym I went, fearing nothing other than the equipment, music, trainers, and the ever-present movers who bring unimaginable pain-causing devices to the unsuspecting.

After 90 minutes, I escaped, running toward Ralph’s Market with my shopping list burned into my head and hearing Mary say, “Only bring home what is ON THE LIST, NOTHING ELSE!”

Knowing I wear the pants in the family (when Mary says it is OK), I added some blackberries to the list, but I hid them well when unpacking!

We (Mary) made a tomato pie!  We had enough goodies for TWO pies, some we will give to tomorrow’s doctor!

Layer upon layer of goodies!

Good thing we had enough pictures from last year’s pie-making activity—without them, we might’ve accidentally invented soup.

I kept the evidence!

Like magic, the cheese melts, and the ingredients join forces to make a memorable pie!  Look out, Vanna White!  Mary can take your place easily!!

They couldn’t be prettier if she had watercolored them!

Time to let it stand and cool down!  Try it, it’s easy!

For the Filling:

3 to 4 large ripe tomatoes (about 2 lbs), sliced  1/4 inch thick

1 tsp kosher salt

1 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

1 cup chopped green onions or scallions

1 cup finely chopped yellow onion (optional)

Freshly ground black pepper

For the Cheesy Topping:

1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, freshly grated

1 cup Monterey Jack or Mozzarella cheese, freshly grated

1 cup mayonnaise

1 large egg, lightly beaten (helps bind the filling)

2 tsp cornstarch or 1 tsp hot sauce

Instructions

Drain the Tomatoes: Place the tomato slices in a single layer on a paper towel-lined baking sheet.  Sprinkle with 1 tsp of salt.  Let them sit for 30 minutes, then pat them completely dry with paper towels to prevent a soggy pie.

Par-bake the Crust: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C  Fit your pie crust into a 9-inch pan, line with foil, fill with pie weights (or dry beans), and bake for 15 minutes.  Remove the foil and weights, prick the bottom with a fork, and bake for another 10 minutes. Sprinkle the cornmeal into the warm crust.

Mix the Topping: In a bowl, combine the grated cheeses, mayonnaise, egg, and cornstarch (or hot sauce) until smooth and creamy.

Layer the Pie: Arrange half of the dried tomato slices at the bottom of the pie crust.  Top with half of the basil, green onions, and black pepper.  Repeat with the remaining tomatoes, herbs, and pepper.

Add the Cheese: Spread the mayonnaise-and-cheese mixture evenly over the tomatoes, sealing the edges of the crust.

Bake: Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the top is bubbly and golden-brown.

Cool: Let the pie rest at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing, so the filling can set.

Main course OR dessert, that is the question.

Dru popped by, and we visited for a while.  We gave her dinner: corn chowder, applesauce, and tomato pie!  After dinner, we went shopping in the garden, and Dru departed with two Ralph’s bags filled to the brim with goodies, including a spaghetti squash!

Spaghetti squash (Cucurbita pepo) is a nutrient-packed winter squash that magically transforms into noodle-like strands when cooked.  It provides a low-calorie, low-carb alternative to traditional pasta, with only about 42 calories per cup, compared to the 200+ calories in a standard serving of wheat pasta.

Mary was delighted to find that her flowers had finally come into bloom!

Everyone who comes by and everywhere we go, people get a sweet pea bouquet!

We watched some TV and finally crashed.  It was a good day!

Posted in Cooking, Friends, Gym, Working Around House | Leave a comment

Sunday With No Sun, Yet!

Posted on Sunday, June 7, 2026 by Paul

It’s us again!  Getting ready to take on the world!

At 6:00 am today, I was successful.  I slipped out of bed without being detected!  Of course, the two pounds of Crisco, a bottle of vegetable oil, and a can of WD-40 were quite helpful, even though they left quite a mess.  My jammies may never be the same!

Today, according to our calendars, is blissfully wide open—our only scheduled event is a trip to Joe’s to celebrate Alex’s 17th birthday.  Seventeen!  Oh my stars, I asked Mary to fetch me a fainting couch and some smelling salts.  I am feeling faint!

I had grand plans to make Jell-O and use up the remaining Polish sour cherries, because nothing says “celebration” quite like a wobbling dessert with international fruit.  But then we opened the refrigerator.

Big mistake.

It was like Fibber McGee’s closet in there—containers, leftovers, and unidentified foodstuffs came tumbling out like they’d been waiting all week to escape.  So the Jell-O plan was immediately canceled in favor of the more urgent activity: surviving the fridge avalanche.

Run for your life!  We found Mary’s science project!

Mary had planned to have Dianne come over and had some secret plan to entertain her, but she would not tell me what it was!  I was getting skeptical when she handed me my morning meds and opened a new Amazon arrival label, “Quoits”!

Oh Dear!!!!  This is more embarrassing than “Pin The Tail On The Donkey!”

What is a QUOIT, you ask?  A quoit (pronounced kwoit) is an ancient outdoor target game similar to horseshoes.  It involves players tossing heavy rings—traditionally made of iron, steel, or heavy rubber—across a set distance to land over or as close as possible to a central spike (called a hob or pin).

I worked in the yard taking care of Mary’s roses, which needed some attention, and Mary was not up to the task today!  After some serious TLC, including an exorcism, de-thorning, weeding, fertilizing, and selective use of a fungicide, they looked top-notch again!

The roses are ready to continue blooming the rest of the summer!

While Mary was in the shower and putting on her face, I “AI-ed” two old photos, and they turned out amazingly well (I thought).

Here I am with the old “boat anchors*”: a National NC-303, which I converted to solid-state; a Gonset GSB-100, which drove my 10 kW homebrew amplifier, featuring 2 each of Eimac 4-1000As running 8,000 vdc on the plates at 1.2 amperes; and my Collins 75A4 receiver.

* In Ham Radio jargon, after transistors were invented and radios got significantly smaller, older vacuum-tube radios, which were very heavy, were referred to as “boat anchors”.

WA6CJC at your service in 1975

This photo was one of the last taken of my dear father, taken at my aunt’s home in Downey in early 1970, just before he passed around Thanksgiving of that year.

Paul William in 1969, just before his passing.

We got ready for today’s outing, a trip to Joe’s to celebrate Alex’s 17th birthday (which is Tuesday!  This will be slightly different, since it will be the first time his brother has been away from home.

From left to right, our son Joe and grandson Alex!  Two pods in a pee!!

We departed for Joe’s at 4:15 pm and arrived within 10 minutes of the specified time after three attempts to leave with everything!  The family all gathered together, Joe and Alex assumed the TV position!

Looks normal!

Then it happened: the sneaky old Sandman sprinkled his magic dust over Joe, and immediately he was off to Never Never Land!

One look at him and my mind went to Disney, wondering why he never produced a feature film entitled “Sleeping Ugly”?  It could feature Apollo as the handsome prince, me as the wicked witch (it fits), and Joe’s crew of dwarfs.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z

After placing dynamite under Joe to wake him up, we began to devour pizza!  Joe mumbled something like, “In crust we trust,” and then threw himself into a pizza-eating frenzy!

Alex started opening cards and presents with the calm confidence of a seasoned professional.  Clearly, this was not his first rodeo—he handled those envelopes like a man with 17 years of gift-unwrapping experience and a highly refined sense of where the cash might be hidden.

Alex is well-versed in opening GIFs.  He cut through the ribbons, scotch tape, and masking tape in a matter of seconds!

In costume, Alex resembles Harry Potter!

Our own movie star!

Then cake time came.  Of course, Apollo immediately volunteered as tribute to taste the first piece, purely for “quality control” and absolutely not because he is a Labrador-shaped dessert vacuum.

“Whoa!!! This can’t be right, Alex is not 71!”

Unfortunately, the official house rules clearly state: “Labradors are NOT allowed to eat ice cream and/or cake!”

Apollo has since filed a formal complaint with management and is seeking legal representation.

Chocolate and chocolate, what can be better than that??

Just before dark, we headed home to get Dr. Mary horizontal again, as she was getting tired from her cold.  Ah, that sound of the TV and her favorite drink!  Plop Plot Fizz Fizz, Oh What a Relief It Is!

We watched several episodes of various series and declared victory at 11:30 pm.

Tomorrow we are going to make tomato pie and Jello, and I will be making steak and eggs for mid-morning breakfast before we head to the pulmonologist for my checkup!

Posted in Family, Friends, Fun, Gardening | Leave a comment

Saturday And We Are In Recovery!

Posted on Saturday, June 6, 2026 by Paul

While going through the camera, I found this picture of Mary on the morning of May 26th (her birthday), which made me feel grateful and excited to share this special day with her and her extinguisher!

The clock read 6:00 am, and I was wide awake, trying to sneak out of bed without waking Mary, when she suddenly asked, ‘Why are you up so early?’

CAUGHT!!!   I answered, “Mother Nature is calling,” so she went back to sleep.  I waited five minutes to be sure, with half my body dangling off the side of the bed, and the rest of my body attempting to grab the sheets to keep from falling.  I decided I have had my exercise for today already!

In the office, I worked on the Father’s Day announcement and then spotted an old, blurry photo of Mom and Dad.  I tasked my friend AI with fixing it, and I was genuinely amazed at how it turned out-such fun tech magic!

Mom and Dad at Dad’s 25th anniversary with Ralph’s 5, 10, and 25 Cent Stores circa 1954.

But I digress!  The first thing I did after the adventures with AI was to get the flyer ready for the family, as Father’s Day is coming up!

Sounds like fun!!

Finally, her nibs arose from the dead and wandered into the office where I was busy pounding on the keyboard frantically attempting to say something clever.

We had a small breakfast, and then I was sent to the market with a list of five things.  However, I came back with five shopping bags because things just kept falling into my cart!

While Mary finished her shower and put on her face, I put away most of the groceries (actually, I hid them so she would not find them immediately).  Then we went to work.

Corn chowder was the main event.  We pulled out the handy-dandy corn kernel remover tool, and like magic, ten ears of corn became naked!  Corn chowder is a rustic American comfort food that swapped clams for sweet corn in the traditional New England chowder base.  It has been a beloved staple since the 19th century, evolving from colonial fisherman’s stews to a creamy, tiny-potato-studded favorite.

I was done in a flash, and I was neat!

We had a load of kernels, which went into the chowder.

The kernels were beauties.

Adding whole corn cobs to corn chowder while it cooks gives the soup a much deeper corn flavor and a silkier texture.

Here’s what happens:

Flavor extraction: After you cut the kernels off, the cobs still contain sweet corn milk, starch, and aromatic compounds.  Simmering them releases that into the broth, making the chowder taste more intensely “corny.”

Natural sweetness: The cobs add subtle sweetness without adding sugar.

Creamier body: The starches and residual pulp from the cob slightly thicken the soup, creating a richer mouthfeel.

More savory depth: Long simmering pulls out vegetal, almost buttery notes that you don’t get from kernels alone.

Plop Plop!!

Just before adding cream to the chowder, we extract the cobs and dispose of them!

Chowder is on!!!

We had fresh apples in the yard and two bags of apples, one from the store and one from Farmer George!  George gave us the apples on Thursday at Girls Night Out.

Looking good!

While I was busy peeling the apples, we watched “1883” again.  “1883” is a Western drama series that serves as a prequel to Yellowstone.  It follows the Dutton family in the years after the Civil War as they travel west across America in search of a better life, eventually settling in Montana, where they founded the Yellowstone Ranch.

I almost went to my closet and put on my cowboy duds and 11-gallon hat while peeling those pesky apples!

Mary said I did a good job and needed no batteries; I was not plugged into the wall, nor was I hand-cranked… well, maybe a little hand-cranked by the chef!

After cooking up a storm, Mary returned to her nest in the TV/Living Room, and we watched several Yellowstone-related shows until about 10:30 pm when the Sandman visited us.

 

Posted in Cooking, Just Us | Leave a comment

Hello Weekend; Mary “Rests” Today!

Posted on Friday, June 5, 2026 by Paul

I was hoping everything would be just “Ducky,” but that didn’t happen!

Poof!  Mary got a cold!  Headache, sniffles, slight cough, and most telling, no desire for a glass of wine!  I fixed her coffee, and we sat at the table for a few minutes talking to Colleen.  After that, Mary headed to the sick bay!  She was easy to find; I just followed the trail of Kleenex.

“I came, I saw, I coughed.”

Robin stayed with us until about 9:00 am, then took off to run errands/chores.

I gently placed a blanket on Mary, who was in the “cold position,” sitting comfortably in her lounge chair in front of the TV, sewing quietly.    I then went outside and worked in the garden for about two hours before it got too hot, enjoying a peaceful moment in my day.

The first ripe cantaloupe of the season was spotted!  It was a delicious event, even though some sowbugs seemed to enjoy it also!  The ripe fruit was sitting on the ground, which was my fault; it was too well hidden from sight.  In one case, 3/4 of it was delicious, tasting like sugar.  In the U.S., what people call a cantaloupe is usually actually a reticulated muskmelon, not the true European cantaloupe.

There are about ten more in hiding beneath the leaves!

I came in at 1:00 pm after two plus hours in the Sun.  I joined Mary to watch TV, and around 3:30 pm, I went back outside to continue planting our latest veggies.   While outside, I thought a lot about growing up (yes, it is still a work in process) in the neighborhood.

I made my first car using my neighbor’s baby buggy wheels.

Back to farming.  I planted four types of climbing cucumbers.  The favorite around here is the Japanese Long.  Japanese long cucumbers are usually slender, dark green, and nearly seedless compared with many Western cucumbers.

I planted four new cucumber varieties, all climbers, including Japanese Longs.

Watering the corn was next on the agenda.  They are ready to be picky, so tomorrow we are going to make corn chowder and corn on the cob.  It will be a corny day!

The corn is tall, and we have 60+ ears to devour in the next two weeks; then we plant another batch!

Iowa in Orange, CA!

The tomatoes are going wild, and thank goodness we have a lot of friends, or we would be drowning in tomatoes!  The large, heavy tomatoes are usually called beefsteak tomatoes.
They’re big, meaty tomatoes often used for sandwiches, burgers, slicing, and salads.

definitely a “Big Boy.”

As I rounded the garden, I spotted the berries, which are about a week away from becoming a pie.

Next week, I will pick blackberries for an hour and return to the house with one cup of berries and seventeen scratches.  The berries will be free.  The skin donation will be mandatory.

We probably have 200+ berries on the plants!

At 6:00 pm, I returned to the house, fixed Mary dinner, and provided her with the Alka-Selzer cold relief medication that usually works fine!

Here are some fun bits of Alka-Seltzer trivia you can drop at a party, over breakfast, or while waiting for the fizz to finish fizzing!

It wasn’t originally famous for hangovers.  When Alka-Seltzer was introduced in 1931, it was marketed primarily for headaches, colds, and upset stomachs.

A famous advertising slogan doubled sales.  In the 1960s, an ad campaign encouraged people to use “Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is!” The catchy jingle became one of the most recognized advertising slogans in American history.

The original formula contains aspirin.  Classic Alka-Seltzer combines aspirin, citric acid, and sodium bicarbonate.  When dissolved in water, the acid and bicarbonate create the signature fizz.

The “two-tablet” recommendation came from marketing.  An early advertisement showed a glass with two tablets dropping in, rather than one.  Sales reportedly increased significantly because many consumers began using two tablets each time.

It had a famous cartoon mascot.  “Speedy Alka-Seltzer,” a smiling character with a tablet-shaped body, appeared in television commercials during the 1950s and became a pop culture icon.

The fizz is chemistry in action.  The bubbling comes from carbon dioxide gas produced when citric acid reacts with sodium bicarbonate in water.

We watched 1883 (again) until 9:54 pm, then turned off the TV and hit the sack.  I have a photo of Mary asleep, but since she has veto power over blog content, we can’t use it.  This will have to do.

On her way to bed, I heard her say, “I’m powered by tea, soup, and self-pity.”

Mary has a cold.  Picture this with red eyes, a runny nose, and a fist full of Kleenex.

Good Night All!

Posted in Doctor, Vegetable Garden, Working Around House | Leave a comment

Thursday Is Here!

Posted on Thursday, June 4, 2026 by Paul

5:30 am, and Alexa came alive with sounds not heard since prehistoric times.  We begged her to cease and desist, but she refused.  Finally, I begged her, and she stopped.  The alarm worked, and we were out of bed and moving.

I ran across an OLD, fuzzy, and faded picture of my son Joseph, and with the magic of “AI”, it was restored to how it once looked.

Hansome devil he is; looks just like his Dad, me!

Then, I found an old picture of Colleen and did some magic on it!

We hit the freeway at 7:00 am, heading for Long Beach for additional cancer removal surgery.  We pulled into the parking lot, took the lift to the third floor just as they called us.  Within 90 minutes, I was treated by an excellent surgical team.  Mary thought she might help and brought an icepick,  a potato peeler, and a rusty hacksaw, but they were not needed!

On the way to the Elks, I thought about how Joe was brought up, and it apparently worked, as he is a man’s man!  Works hard, cares for this family, and is someone we are very, very proud of!

After the surgical procedure, we headed to Santa Ana to pick up the Grey Ghost, a.k.a.  the Honda Odyssey, which is in the car hospital, having its front arms fixed and its brakes worked on.  The first time the brakes needed servicing was at 106,000 miles!

On the way into the Elks, we picked up the latest brochure and started a party, much like last year!  Invites will go out tomorrow morning, and the venue will fill up quickly!

Sydney joined us for lunch at the Elks today, and we caught up on all her adventures.   She and Mary have been friends for over a quarter-century, and, as you may remember, she was the real estate whiz who handled all the house-and-rental property swapping back in 2021 to get us together in Casa Valencia.

Long-time friends!

After the Elks, we headed home in the two cars and decided Mary was about to come down with a cold, so we took a nap.

Robin was due over around 4:30 pm so we could have a movie night!  Mary and Robin went to the computer to change the reservations for our New Hampshire adventure coming up in September, while I went to One-Hung-Low’s Restaurant and picked up plenty of dinner.

We enjoyed our post-dinner movies.

At 10:30 pm, we declared victory and crashed.  Robbin is going to her sister’s place in the morning, and I am going to nurse Mary back to health.

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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.

Posted in Art, Dining Out, Family, Painting, Uncategorized, Working Around House | Leave a comment