Mary offered me anything I would like for breakfast! Is this my last meal??
I was up at 6:36 am, and Mary followed me in about twenty minutes. We had our coffee in the office, and Mary did a final check on the recent trip to the East Coast. She also proofed my Daily Dairy from last night.
It must be Fall as Alexa announced it would only be 75 degrees today; it’s time to wrap up in a bankey and watch TV by the fireplace.
I made my meal selection: Taco from Del Taco for lunch, and then Mary will prepare Turkey Legs for an early dinner. I can’t eat anything after 5:00 pm because of tomorrow’s surgery.
Mary did breakfast while I gorged myself on three hard-shelled tacos complete with the El Diablo hot sauce1
Taco’s for my last meal?
From Del Taco, we went VFR to Ralph’s Market for a quart of milk. Oh my, the list expanded to include a load of groceries. It took us four trips from the trunk to the kitchen. I had one job: writing expiration dates on all the incoming goodies. I guess you could say I had a ‘good’ job! But I had to be quick, or else the goodies would go wrong while I was still writing!
We carefully crammed all the goodies into the frig after removing the science projects and other food green colors (that were not vegetables).
At 2:00 pm, Mary began fixing dinner, peeling onions and Bell Peppers for the turkey legs. These puppies were nice and big and were ready for cooking. Mary put them in for an hour at 350 F covered, then 30 minutes covered with the veggies added, and finally for 30 minutes with the foil removed!
Mama made the most incredible turkey legs!
Meanwhile, we set up and activated our new air fryer from Amazon. We have an Emeril Lagasse 26 QT extra large air fryer and a convection toaster oven with French doors, all in excellent stainless steel. It fits perfectly in the corner of the kitchen!
Our new air fryer+
The advertisement looks better!
We made extra legs for Dianne and Jeff and took the legs to Jeff before hitting the sack.
Irene is coming to be with Mary tomorrow and will be here at 5:30 am/ She is such a great friend!
I may have a short entry tomorrow because of the operation, but I’ll be there!
We were up at 5:30 am and got coffee ready to get our hearts started! Then came the phone call, “We will be there in twenty minutes!” The grandkids are coming over to tear out the summer garden! Oh my! Mary headed to the kitchen to make muffins to fire up their engines.
Before I went outside, Mary made me try on my Halloween costume. It fit, and now I look like a secret agent in disguise! Watch out, world!
Perhaps I should carry a flag??
The boys came over, attacked the garden, and filled 250 gallons of summer veggie remains.
Joe was going to watch (i.e., supervise), but alas, you can’t keep a good man down. It was exciting to see summer gone and room for winter!
They cleared it out pretty fast!
Joe rototilled the big garden as the others can be done by hand (after the operation). Being part house-apes, the boys jumped up and down on the trash cans and were stuffed to the brim!
He did not find any dead bodies nor gold, pretty uneventful!
Joe washed down, and the sky opened as if saying, “You did a good job!”
Ready for winter!
We are so fortunate to have our son, Joe, close by. I never thought I would be so old that I would have to ask for help. Joe and the boys (and his wonderful wife) are an old man’s dream! What is more important is that I see my son working with his sons and hopefully teaching them all the lessons I tried to pass on to Joe.
In the afternoon, we rested and watched two YouTube videos about Monday’s operation. If you are queasy, skip the video!. I am already practicing my moaning.
We went to the Elks via Dianne’s house at 5:00 pm for Italian Night. Doors open at 5:30 pm with an Italian buffet, then dancing from 6:00 to 9:00 pm with the band Tropic Star. The evening starts with hand-passed prosciutto & melon balls and bruschetta on grilled baguettes. The buffet includes an antipasto salad bar, minestrone soup, spaghetti & meatballs, chicken Marsala, chicken picatta ravioli, seafood pasta with shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels, and calamari, rice pilaf, and vegetables. There’s a rolling pizza cart with freshly baked pizza! For dessert, it’s spumoni ice cream served with Italian cookies, plus a coffee and liquor cart.
We popped over and got Dianne, and we were off. The Elks is only twelve minutes from Dianne’s home.
Vicky was already there and had a table almost big enough for the gang. Dianne and Mary wore their Halloween bonnets!
Ready to carry on!
The first dance was for Mike and Bridgette.
Mike and Bridgette take our breath away!
We missed two couples, but they found a table near us. We also missed the Capps (Bill and Mary) and the Zaitz (Bob and Donna), who were home with medical issues.
The gang is all here!
Iris sat across from us, and she was, as always, a hoot. She has a quick wit and is as sharp as a tack!
She is going to be 98 this New Year’s Eve,
We asked her age again, and, being the clever devil she is, she turned the Table #66 sign upside down and gave us a “99”.
While the girls were line dancing, Iris got up and departed the table without Wil. I thought this odd, so I followed her and picked up her arm mid-dance floor. She was headed to the Loo, so I escorted her to and from the facilities. She thanked me, and I asked her for a dance.
That woman has moves that have not been seen on this Earth for seventy years! She escorted me back to the table and called Mary to get the oxygen bottle out for me!!
Oops! Maybe 99, but who is counting?
While talking about numbers, Vicky flashed us her 44s! Huh? VICKY!!! We are telling….but there is no one to tell at our age!
Vicky indicated 44?!?!?
The menu called out calamari, but we found no calamari as we went through the line. John, the Lodge General Manager, popped by every table, and I asked him about the calamari. He said it was in the pasta. Not missing a beat, Dianne said, “Oh my, you are right… I found ONE right here!”.
John nodded his head, smirked, and departed. We thought nothing more about it, but fifteen minutes later, Dianne was presented with a large plate with a steaming pile of hot directly from the kitchen calamari! Oh my, we polished off the plate by passing it around the table! Thank you, John; you are amazing.
Tropic Star did an excellent job last night, providing music for everyone but the teenie boppers (the under-30 crowd). We danced everything from the Waltz to the Merengue and many line dances in between.
I love the bonnet!
Did I say line dancing? Our group showed the others how it was done!
Go, Girls. You too Mike1
Mary and Dianne had a great time twisting and turning; it must be nice to be young!
She was stirring up the dust!
The staff posed the following sign on the dance floor when they saw “the fearsome foursome” moving in unison toward the floor!
Lodge members scampered back to their seats!
Then came the fearsome foursome. Oh my! Legs were flying, 911 was being alerted, and ambulances were on the ready! Someone yelled, “Is there a doctor in the house??” Mary was on standby!
The room began to shake, the lights dimmed, the TVs blinked, and the action started!
Someone else yelled, “Lights, camera, action!”
What are they doing?
Beware. This video is NOT for the faint of heart!
Dianne and I hit the floor, and Bob Carlson came over and filled in Dianne’s dance card.
Dancing the light fantastic! (She checked, and there were no marks on her shoes afterward!)
Alexa woke me up at 6:30 am. I jumped out of bed, scratched my head, and wondered what she wanted. After a few minutes, I remembered that the Silver Fox needed his 50,000th-mile checkup. I had an appointment at Tustin Lexus at 8:00 am.
OK, I got dressed, brushed my tooth, took our guard dog outside, and departed. Before I left, my dearest bride got up and gave me today’s “to-do list.”
When I return home, expected around 10:30 am, we will go to my foot doctor and then off to the American Legion for lunch.
The Lexus dealer suggested a wheel alignment and AC filter replacement, so we added those to the list. They were done within 10 minutes of their estimate. Tustin Lexus is a first-class operation!
How did Precious get here before me?
I checked when Precious should come in for her annual makeover. She is due to have 13,000 miles on her.
We decided to take Precious since she stays home most of the time and needs a good run!
The poor ol’ gal only has 13,000 miles on her!
We departed home at 11:00 am after talking to Carlos, our Landscaper. He is excellent and knows his stuff. We tried to get Carlos to trim some flowers out front, but he said, “Nope! You must wait 30 days until the blooms are gone!” Who is going to argue with him? Probably anyone with a death wish! Not me, for sure; I want to have lunch first!!
We drove to Newport and met with Dr. Bill, our podiatrist friend. He trimmed my toes, as the nails were thick and hard to cut. We shared our recent vacations with him, and he will also join us at the Halloween Ball at the Elks!
We are off to lunch at the American Legion! We got the last parking spot and tried Mary’s new entrance pass.
Try and try again!
Today, the fog and overcast were still playing hide and seek with the bay, so we did the sensible thing and sought refuge in the bar. It turns out, our eyesight may not have improved, but at least our spirits did!
It was not necessarily cold, but it was damp! Just like my enthusiasm for Monday mornings.
The inside was warm and toasty. We ordered a turkey club and a burger and had them cut both in half so we could share. It worked out well, as both were delicious, and we also shared coleslaw and fries!
Lucille’s purse (Jeff’s wife, who passed away in 2020) has traveled again!
On our way home, we stopped at Ace’s to play country music on the jukebox and have a glass of wine before attacking the front yard and setting up the last Halloween decorations.
The clientele likes our music!
Now, we got on our grubbies and went back to work! Some people worked, and others lounged around on the grass, attempting to arrange the tie-downs!
It’s a fight, and I do not know who is winning!
Mary checks for leaks and then puts on the waterproof electrical boxes. If the water starts rising, at least the electrical boxes will be ready for a swim!
It’s up and inflated; Mary is the winner! The box said it has LED lights inside, so we will have to wait until later to find out.
Next, we unroll Mr. Ghost, who stands nine feet tall!! Mary has a brilliant suggestion! She said, “Let’s put it on the patio table. That way, it will be safe, tall enough to look over the fence and away from the gardener!”
BOO!!
We can now relax!
The orange flag now officially waves over the old homestead!
One last change: we took down the “We The People” flag and replaced it with the Mary and Paul Halloween.
We are watching classic movies, so we watched “African Queen” circa 1951. After the religious spinster’s (Katharine Hepburn) missionary brother is killed in WWI Africa, the dissolute steamer captain (Humphrey Bogart) offers her safe passage. She’s unsatisfied, so she persuades him to destroy a German gunboat. The two spend most of their time fighting with each other rather than the Germans. Time alone on the river leads to love.
It was great to watch it again!
Then we watched “Goldfinger,” produced in 1964. The first James Bond blockbuster, this film follows 007 as he investigates Auric Goldfinger, a gold magnate suspected of smuggling England’s gold reserves. The film was a financial success, grossing over $120 million worldwide. It was also the first Bond film to win an Academy Award for Best Sound Editing.
I like Miss Galore!
Now, the yard is looking great! Mr. Ghost will scare the spooks away on Halloween!
Now, we are officially spooky!
Mary wanted to work on her needlepoint, so we watched “Thunderball.” Led by one-eyed evil mastermind Emilio Largo (Adolfo Celi), the terrorist group SPECTRE hijacks two warheads from a NATO plane and threatens widespread nuclear destruction to extort 100 million pounds. The dashing Agent 007, James Bond (Sean Connery), is sent to recover the warheads from the heart of Largo’s lair in the Bahamas, facing underwater attacks from sharks and men alike. He must also convince the enchanting Domino (Claudine Auger), Largo’s mistress, to become a key ally.
Who is whom, and where are they?
It is 10:30 pm, and we are done! Time for bed!
Mary is off to bed, and I am attempting to follow her!
Working in the garden was refreshing. I mean, who needs a spa day when you have a garden, right?
Since I am going in for a hand operation on Monday, we thought we might as well get busy taking out the summer garden because we want to plant the winter garden soon.
My Trapeziectomy is scheduled on Monday! This is the most common form of surgery and completely removes the trapezium. Some surgeons fill the gap left by the removed bone using a piece of tendon from your wrist. I may given an artificial metal and plastic joint or a silicone rubber spacer to fill the space left.
Recovery from this procedure is slow. Most patients take 4-6 months to return to all their normal activities.
After the operation, I expect I will be in a cast for a total of six weeks. After the first two weeks I will see the doctor to have the stitches taken out and be put into a new cast for the remaining period.
Even though it was 65 degrees outside, it soon became very hot when removing this much greenery!
I worked in my gardening costume to keep cool!
We cut, slice, pull, and toss all the hardworking summer plants onto the concrete walkways between the raised beds, making it easy to sweep up and throw in the trash.
Some of these little plants have roots that make it to China! I guess that’s why they call it “digging to China” instead of “digging to your neighbor’s garden.” And here I thought I needed a passport to visit China! Many tomatoes have roots two to three feet long!
This is about 1/3 of what we have to do!
The plants that grew onto the trellises had to be removed. We got the bottoms but left the tops to the grandkids on Sunday. Too much reaching makes everything sore.
Two hours earlier, this trellis was loaded with Japanese yardlong beans, which we carefully removed and put on the drying racks. It was also full of tiny tomatoes, but not enough to make it worth keeping.
The overheads take time.
While hacking away and clearing out the foliage, we made many discoveries, including hidden grapes, peppers, and eggplants.
We made some discoveries.
The grandkids did not know there were different types of veggies and that gardens had to be replaced yearly (except for grapes, berries, and trees that go dormant in the winter).
The main difference between summer and winter vegetables is the temperature at which they grow best!
Summer vegetables Grow best in warmer temperatures, between 65°F 90°F during the day. They are not frost tolerant and can be damaged by temperatures slightly above freezing. Some examples of summer vegetables include beans, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, melons, peppers, zucchini, and summer squash.
Winter vegetables: Grow best in cooler temperatures, between 40–70°F during the day. Some winter vegetables can tolerate light frost, and some can even withstand a freeze with little to no damage. Some examples of winter vegetables include radishes, carrots, beets, turnips, rutabagas, salsify, and parsnips.
Winter vegetables are also more flavorful than summer vegetables because they are harvested in colder weather, which helps them stay fresh longer. In addition, cold-adapted vegetables concentrate sugar in their cells as a survival strategy to resist freezing temperatures.
Meanwhile, we are still removing plants.
We hope this fits into two 100-gallon containers.
By 10:00 am, about 30% of the garden was pulled and awaiting disposal. It looked like the plants were staging a rebellion, but we were determined to restore order. We had to clean up and prepare for Girls’ Night Out at the Elks. It’s incredible how quickly we can switch from garden warriors to party animals!
Vicky joined us today, and we had nine brave souls! We discovered that Saturday was a dance night, so we all bought in and will reconvene here at 5:30 p.m. for a night of cavorting.
We are at Girls Night Out.
On their way out, some of the lodge’s older members were having lunch on the entranceway. The meal looked odd, and one guy lost his head over the selections.
Vicky, Mary, and I opted NOT to join them even though they asked us to be their guests!
The Lodge was decorated for the holidays.
Oh dear! Halloween will soon be upon us.
He apparently did not like his lunch. Note to self: No more experimental recipes for unsuspecting family members.
We went home, got out of our nice duds, and returned to the garden, where we worked for another hour filling the trashcans with the plant remains. Those 100-gallon cans are heavy to move across the lawn, even with their nice big wheels.
We managed to drop in two wheelbarrows worth of trimmings that Mary and I did earlier. By the time we had wrestled these barrels to the front yard and street, we were pooped out.
We were full from lunch, so we opted to watch TV. I took a well-needed shower before joining Mary in the TV room.
We watched two movies, Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon. Both classics are often seen, and we will still notice things we have yet to notice. Did you know that Lazlo was paid more than Rick for doing the movie?
We crashed at 10:00 pm, and I must be on the road at 7:00 am to get my 50,000-mile checkup on the Silver Fox, the Lexus.
First things first, our bi-weekly workout! My back sounded like Rice Krispies—Snap, Crackle, and Pop! After the workouts, we feel worn out, but we move better after a few minutes of complaining.
Sore today, stronger tomorrow. Remember, Take care of your body. It’s where you live.
We walked into the garden and surveyed the work ahead of us: removing the summer plants, turning the soil, and preparing for the winter garden. Our grandkids are coming over on Sunday to pull everything out and begin turning the soil!
I have to stay away because on Monday, my hand gets operated on, and I will not be useful in the garden for a month or so. Looks like I’ll have to avoid using my hand for a while, which means no high-fives for anyone. I guess I’ll have to perfect my fist bumps instead!
Say goodbye to Summer.
The Japanese Yard Longs are indeed that. We eat some fresh but remove the other pods from the plant and lay them on top of a storage shed to dry in the sun. After a week, we shell the beans and store the seeds in Mason jars so we can have soup later in the year!
Beans are a great source of plant-based protein, fiber, iron, and antioxidants. Eating beans on a regular basis can help maintain a healthy weight, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and support gut health. Soups are an easy and delicious way to enjoy the health benefits of beans.
We shall dry these out and use the beans inside for soup!
The yardlong bean, a true legume, enriches the soil by fixing atmospheric nitrogen in nodules on its roots. With the help of nitrogen-fixing bacteria, the plant makes its own food. Distribution: The yardlong bean originated in southern Asia and is now grown extensively in Asia, Europe, Oceania, and North America.
Our cleaning crew arrived at 2:00 pm, and we were already dressed for this evening’s outing to the theater. We stayed in the office until they were ready to clean it up, which meant vacuuming and taking out the trash!
Mary’s side of the office; Paul’s needed a wide-angle lens!
Robin joined us directly from work and arrived at 4:15 p.m. We shot out of here, heading for the South Coast Repertory Theater. On the way, we picked up Brenda, who works just two blocks away at Experian.
We rolled into the Silver Trumpet at 4:55 pm sharp, right on time. Silver Trumpet Restaurant and Bar combines upscale cuisine with the lively atmosphere of a bar and lounge. Its AAA Three-Diamond rating is a testament to the culinary team’s commitment to excellence. Located at the prestigious Avenue of the Arts Costa Mesa, it is a short walk to the local theaters.
Great dining: The Silver Trumpet.
We were hoping Jan Mongel would go but decided she would likely refuse; it would be great for the five of us to get together.
Ladies, enter for a gastronomical adventure!
Would you like to go inside?
We began with wine, did terrific appetizers, and threw caution to the wind!
We had a leisurely dinner.
Lamb Lollipops for appetizers.
The entrees were out of this world!
Mary did the rack of lamb.
We almost ordered the salmon to share.
Paul did the scallops!
With full tummies, we waddled to the theater and found our seats. We were ready to laugh and giggle. We saw “Little Shop of Horrors.”
Summary: Meek flower shop assistant Seymour pines for co-worker Audrey. During a total eclipse, he discovers an unusual plant he names Audrey II, which feeds only on human flesh and blood. The growing plant attracts excellent business for the previously struggling store. After Seymour feeds Audrey’s boyfriend, Orin, to the plant after Orin’s accidental death, he must come up with more bodies for the increasingly bloodthirsty plant.
Two movies were made, one in 1960 and one in 1968; both are quite funny!
The walk home was needed after sitting for two hours.
We had a photo op and took advantage!
Here we are.
After the show we were giggley and ready to walk to the car.
Good looking group!
We have season tickets to the South Coast Rep because it is easy to reach and offers excellent presentations.
Two blocks to the car.
We dropped Brenda off at work and then took the 55 North for a leisurely 15-minute ride home. Brenda, if you’re reading this, we promise we didn’t actually drop you, it was more like a gentle roll!
There was an old saying, “If I ran any faster, I’d run up my butt and disappear!” We were running around from 8:30 am until 7:00 pm today!
We started the day by visiting the Senior Citizen Center and signing Mary up for a watercolor class. Mary is exceptionally talented, but we have been on the go for the last four years so we let her art ambitions take second place. We plan to adapt the upstairs into an art studio, small computer area, and entertainment center!
We have plenty of room and excellent lighting all day long!
We went to brunch at Benji’s from the Senior Center. Mary was in a serious pickle trying to decide what to order. It was as if the menu had turned into a multiple-choice exam, and she was convinced that the wrong choice would lead to a culinary catastrophe.
Decisions decisions.
Their family-owned and operated NY-style Diner | Lounge | Deli boasts the classics you crave—from bagels and lox and Matzo Ball soup to pastrami on rye. One of the only old-school Jewish restaurants in Orange County, they pride themselves in excellent service and unbeatable eats that will leave you feeling like you’re back in Bubbe’s 1960s Brooklyn kitchen.
They are a cornerstone of the North Tustin and Santa Ana communities and widely recognized as a must-experience restaurant in Orange
I ordered a pastrami, triple-decker. And then I realized I should probably start working out if I’m going to keep ordering sandwiches that big!” It was THREE sandwiches, so two came home with us and are now living with Jeff.
Oh my!!
After brunch, we went to see my pulmonologist at UCI/St. Josephs. He looked at everything and said, “Keep doing what you are doing!” I will not see him, unless there is a problem, for six months!
The doctor’s office was decorated.
Then we went by CVS to get some meds and a flu shot. I have to go back after my operation next week and get the remaining shots, which include rabies.
Then we went to the bank so Mary could check on some items… and ended up leaving with a toaster, a free pen, and a mysterious sense of financial responsibility!
From the back, we went to Irvine to see Mary’s doctor. She is on a street unknown to GPS, so we have to go by sight.
On the way home, the traffic was terrible, so we called Dianne and decided to have dinner with her at a local eatery called Fresh Off The Boat—they were not kidding!
We noticed they also cater, so this is another place we may use! Hopefully they can cater to our strange obsession with mini hot dogs and unicorn-shaped sandwiches.
Dinner with Dianne.
We came back to the homestead at almost 7:00 p.m! Colleen sent a WiFi picture frame so the kids can send us pictures directly to the frame from their phones. I had one waiting.
I set upo the frame that Colleen sent us.
Dinner with Dianne.
We were pooped out and crashed, but I managed to call Joe and see if the boys wanted to earn some money! My poor old hands do not work well in the garden, so the operation is on Monday.
I need to get ready to plant the winter garden, but summer is coming!
Monday was a slow day for us. When we got up, the weather was dreary, and the fog was pretty thick. I think even the sun hit the snooze button a few extra times that morning!
We are at foggy bottom, Orange, CA.
The rotary garden are doing very well with the flowers leaping out of their little pots as if they are attempting to reach the pato!
The flowers seem to like cool weather!
We went to the gym and got so twisted into shape that we ended up looking like a couple of pretzels! Neither of us could hardly walk after 90 minutes of abuse!
We worked around the house until the cooking bug bit the Misses and the Turkey Wings became the menu!
Turkey Wings and mashed potatoes! Comfort food!
We were going to watch TV but decided we had better crash early as tomorrow is a full day of errands.
Only a few days remain until Halloween!! It was time to practice my pumpkin-carving skills and perfect my costume. I hope my neighbors appreciate the giant inflatable ghost I plan to put up in the yard. Boo!
Today, we worked on emptying all the suitcases and washing everything. Then we watched some movies and crashed!
We watched the 1953 movie, “The High And The Mighty”. The High and the Mighty is a 1953 novel by Ernest K. Gann about an airline flight from Honolulu to San Francisco. Just past the halfway point, or the point of no return, the flight has a catastrophic engine failure, puncturing the wing and fuel tanks. As the flight crew struggles to get the damaged airliner to safety, human drama unfolds for the crew and passengers.
Robin arranged for us to join her group in Huntington Beach for the yearly Air Show!
We joined Robin on the tenth floor of the Hilton Hotel on Huntington Beach’s beach for a fantastic airshow view!
We got to HB at 10:00 am and decided to have a bite to eat before going upstairs. We must say that the Hilton Hotel food provided via the CaboWabo restaurant was unexpected!
The drinks were fantastic and the meal excellent!!
There was still some fog, so we went upstairs to the suite and entered a party underway! Food and drinks abounded on every flat surface!
Oh My! Did we have food or what?
Out on the balcony, the weather was poor.
Just a bit of fog!
Kelly Grigsby was there, and we got to visit and catch up on this since I retired 18 years ago. Kelly was on my staff and took care of many tasks for me. She was ex-Navy and never met a challenge she could not tackle!
Kelly Grigsby joined us!
We heard the jets go by, rattling the iron railings on the patio. We never saw the jets and hoped they had their radars on, as we were ten floors up on the beach and could not see a thing!
You could not even see the ships!
We decided to head home ahead of the traffic since the fog was still pretty thick. Robin got the car from the auto park about three blocks away and drove it to the front door. I had a few drinks and decided to have Robin drive home; it was a good choice.
Dog-A-Puss and I lay on the floor and talked about our recent trip! He told us he loves Irene; they are quite a pair!
Poppy and Scout!
Robin had to leave early to relieve Nick from Binx-watch. Their family kitty is 14 years old and not doing well, so they want someone always to be there.
We decided to go into the hot tub for a while before watching TV. The weather was a balmy 78 degrees, so we stayed in for three cycles, which was around an hour. We popped out, dried off, and decided to watch Hocus Pocus in the TV Room.
Mary crashed hard, like a computer running Windows 95 trying to play a Blu-ray movie. She looked so peaceful, so we decided to let her sleep!
Scout and I stayed up until it was over and woke up sleeping beauty. Looks like I’ll be watching it again tonight! I guess I should invest in some toothpicks to keep her eyes open!
In all fairness, we’ve been on the move for ten days straight – even the Energizer Bunny would be begging for a break by now!
The iPhone alarm went wild at 6:03 am this morning. When I jumped out of bed, I noticed the shower was running, and sure enough, Miss Bright Eyes And Bushy Tailed was already getting ready to go!
While she was showering, I arranged her eight steamer trunks by the door, making her packing easier. The two trunks used for shoes were already packed to the top. The other six steamer trunks were partially full, and she laid the contents on top.
The cab company and moving vans will pick us up and her suitcases at 9:00 am.
The other alphabetically color-coordinated suitcases were ready to receive her clothes.
Color coding makes it easier to find them when the cargo plane lands in LA.
She is so lovely to me! She ironed my Ralphs Market paper sack and reinforced the paper handles with scotch tape so it would not fall open on the way to the plane.
We took some last-minute snapshots of the inn!
By the way, the book on the table was our donation for the decorations last year!
Goodbye, Inn, see you next year.
Talk about scary! This scary spook was UGLY!
A spook in the mirror!
Everything was decorated!
Once a year, all the cobwebs become decorations!
Now, after breakfast, we are ready to go!
The kids, God bless them, came to say goodbye and make sure we could carry our baggage to the car. The moving van arrived just before the kids, or they would have panicked and driven off into the sunset.
The drive was uneventful, a mere 45 minutes.
Colleen leaves this airport when she comes to visit.
We got our picture taken with a moose!
Hi Moose! We are Elks!
We made it to the plane with few issues, except that we tried to take our luggage ON THE PLANE! We wondered why the suitcases would not go through the X-ray machine. Yes, we should have checked them in! So, we went through the TSA line twice.
Here we go!
Up, up, and away!
Flying to Charlotte.
It’s time for a quick iced tea before boarding.
Quick stop in Charlotte before the next leg
The flights were excellent since we now travel first class; we are getting too old to sit like sardines for hours.
Robin picked us up, and we were home at 8:00 p.m. and in bed by 8:15 p.m. since it was 11:00 p.m. our time.
How did Precious get here before me?
Lucille’s purse (Jeff’s wife, who passed away in 2020) has traveled again!
