Sunday And We Are Busy!

Posted on Sunday, August 25, 2024 by Paul

Today was carefully planned, and then it changed! We toured the garden, and I went through two bags of Miracle Grow, making sure all the newbies were well watered.

The next project is to try to tame the wild jungle that is my potting bench. Honestly, it’s like the Bermuda Triangle of gardening tools—once something goes in, it’s never seen again!

There has got to be a better way!!

We wandered through the garden and noticed our pineapple was getting along very well.  We cut off the bottom of the little bugger in January after returning from Hawaii and planted it.  If all goes well, we will have a pineapple next June (it takes eighteen months).

A pineapple plant can take up to three years to mature and produce fruit, which can take 18–20 months to harvest. A single plant can only make one pineapple per season, but it can continue to produce fruit for up to 50 years.

Pineapples are technically a collective fruit, or multiple fruits, made up of many individual berries that fuse to form a single fruit. The berries fuse to the stalk in the center as the pineapple grows, creating the hexagonal sections on the rind.

Go, baby, go!

Mary packed a “Meals On Wheels” bag, and we went to Dianne’s and delivered goodies to minimize her need to cook for herself.

We watched Navy Seals most of the afternoon, but at 4:00 pm, we stopped and went to the hospital to visit David.  He is now at UCI in Orange, a great hospital, and he is known there as he was on staff for almost 40 years.  Dr. Mary operated there and taught for 30 years.

At 6:00 p.m., we departed the hospital and headed to Renada’s Bistro, which we visit quite often. We sit down, and the staff knows what we want; no menu is needed. Bob and Donna were already there.

I know I am getting old because when I sit in a rocking chair, I can’t get it going.

Renada’s at the Orange Circle is our “Go To Place.”

Bob and Donna have been friends for many, many years.  We saw them dance in the early ’90s and thought we would never be friends because they were so good at dancing they would not want to be associated with people with two left feet.  We sat together once and have been friends ever since.   Mary has known them for almost as long.

Donna and Bob are special people.

Bob ordered the special, and I ordered whatever Bob did.  It was excellent!

While the meal was being prepared, we talked a lot about David and what the future portends for him. Having good friends with whom you can talk is an essential part of living. Donna and Bob are the greatest!

Bob and I had the special.

I know I am getting old because my knees buckle, and my belt won’t.

The manager/owner took these snaps of us just before we departed!  He always enjoys our visits, and he gets a good laugh when Bob and I are together.

Just ussins

We have had and will continue to have great adventures, God willing, and the creeks don’t rise!

Loving life.

I know I am getting old because I have quit trying to hold my stomach in, no matter who walks into the room.

When we got home, I came across an old picture and ran it through an AI image processor I use. It came out just as I remembered. I miss my father, who has been gone for 54 years. My deepest wish is to be at least half the man he was.

Yours truly and my father in 1945 (color thanks to AI)

We swung by Aces, but the parking lot was bursting at the seams, so we decided to spare ourselves the hassle and just kept on rolling. The cars were playing a never-ending game of Tetris, and we weren’t about to join in!

Home away home, we were carried by the Silver Fox.   We watered the beast (Scout the Wonder Dog) and headed to bed.

 

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I Hear Water, It Must Be Saturday!

Posted on Saturday, August 24, 2024 by Paul

Our watering systems water on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday! This morning, one of the sprinklers managed to hit the side of a wheelbarrow, which was annoying! With the touch of the phone, it was turned off; I love home automation!

Morning cometh even though the shutters were closed and locked. It was 7:00 am when we awoke to the sound of Scout doing the pee-pee dance;  he wanted outside!!

I know I am getting old: Everything hurts, and what doesn’t hurt doesn’t work.

We got our coffee (to get the heart started) and headed to the garden to inspect everything!  All was well, and I picked a half-dozen blackberries, popping them into the jaws of death; it is fun to pick and eat right from the garden.

Need we say more?

I know I am getting old because I look forward to a dull evening.

When I paid my bills yesterday, I noticed we were paying $250 for Spectrum, so I looked at the bill in detail—oh my! We decided to research what we were buying and from whom since we are in a pattern now, and everything is streaming.

We’ve arranged to meet the Duda’s at Huntington Beach since they’ll be heading to the beach. We confidently suggested Duke’s for lunch!

We had the corner seats.

I am getting old because the gleam in my eyes is from the sun hitting my bifocals.

The view was incredible!! The weather was “perfect” (if you like bright sunshine), and Mary and I took a “stroll” (more like a brisk jog to avoid getting sunburnt) on the pier to pick up some new whirligigs! The ones we bought several years ago are on their last legs (literally, they’re missing half their blades and wobbling like crazy)!

What! No beach volleyball??? Nick was disappointed!

I know I am getting old: I feel like the morning after, and I haven’t been anywhere.

Tradition returns!  Root Beer floats!  We had these at Catal in Downtown Disney for many, many years!

Nick had the audacity to check my ID to see if I was old enough. He was surprised that I had been 21 almost four times!

We took a photo before we split.  The Duda’s were returning to the beach and we headed for home.

Mary and I are collecting matching shirts these days!

Black and white returns us to yesteryear!

Looking good, but where are Colleen and Mark??

I know I am getting old because my little black book contains only names that end in M.D.

Dukes is upstairs; the view is from the pier, looking back towards land!

The burger I had was fantastic! So wine was pretty good also!

We returned home and watched TV until midnight.  We binge-watched Navy Seals while grazing in the frig for remains of Mary’s cooking outburst!

 

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The End Of The Week Has Arrived!

Posted on Friday, August 23, 2024 by Paul

We expected a hot day, so just after the daybreak, we hit the yard, emphasizing repopulating the vertical towers, fine-tuning the drip watering system on the patio, and planting some of the flowers and veggies from Thursday!

I got my marching orders from the boss, “STAY OUT OF THE SUN!”  I moved from shady spot to shady spot with the agility of a pregnant ninja elephant.

When the Sun came out, I was ordered to work only under the patio cover!

At 10:30 am, we were both inside, and I heard a horrible sound.  It was Mary who had just been bitten by the “cooking bug.”  Without missing a beat the kitchen was transformed from a calm restful place to sit into a hub of clattering dishes, rattling pots and pans, and the swishing of knives.  That meant it was time to cook!

My life is blessed with Dr. Mary, who takes a house and makes it into a home and wants to cook creative and delicious dishes for the old man to feast upon!

First, she made stuffed jalapeno peppers that we had just picked from the garden. She stuffed them with cream cheese and wrapped them in turkey bacon, and after a while in the oven, the entire neighborhood knew Mary was in the kitchen.

Double yummy!!  The turkey bacon is an excellent substiti=ute for regular bacon!

The Anaheim Chilis were split in half. Below is just the smaller group; the others are in the microwave getting steamed/softened.

Cleaned and ready to go!

Meanwhile, Mary prepared the filling.  It included the eye of a newt, the toe of a frog, the wool of a bat,  a blind worm, and the tongue of a dog.   (When Mary starts cooking Scout hides under the bed!) The aroma was overwhelming!  This gets spooned into the Anaheim chilis and then baked with cheese!

The filling is ready!

Then Mary sent me to the store (she was having a bad hair day). I returned with everything she needed, plus some other goodies, including flowers for the lady!

I could not resist!

Mary was so excited about making tomato pie that she declared, “These little guys are so fresh, I had to slap them…with a seasoning, of course!”

Did I say fresh ingredients?

Today, I learned the hard way that my curiosity should come with a warning label. It turns out that ordering plastic knives on Amazon can lead to an unexpected career as a chef. I guess my curiosity leads to new discoveries. Those knives were as sharp as razors. The only downside is that they have to be hand-washed, but that is easy!

$9.49 from Amazon!

  • Powerful But Light-Weight Workhorse in Your Kitchen: With extra sharpness and precision, the Gourmetop paring knife set of 4 is designed to help streamline kitchen prep and optimize the efficiency of smaller tasks in the kitchen—like peeling kiwis, coring apples, hulling strawberries, deveining shrimp, trimming celery, mincing and dicing garlic and so on.
  • Top-grade Stainless Steel with Food-grade Nonstick Coating: Gourmetop paring knives specially adopt premium stainless steel for its exceptional hardness and toughness. Covered by food-grade nonstick coating, the Gourmetop paring knife set gets extreme surface smoothness. No more dragging while cutting.
  • Prominent Double-bevel 15° Knife Edge for Impressive Sharpness and Edge Retention: Easily slides through veggies, fruits, and other smaller ingredients, the Gourmetop paring knife has a pointy knife tip and remains the ultra-sharpness from heel to the tip of the knife blade. Compared to most blade angles, the 15° blade angle is finer and more accurate, which produces an exceptionally sharp edge, perfect for precise tasks like deveining a shrimp or peeling a tomato.

What is impressive is that they worked exceptionally well!!!

Fresh! Oh yeah!!

Once chopped, Mary arranges them onto a pie crust, making several layers of the same, and finally covers the top with cheese. Into the oven, and an hour later, fresh tomato pie! I know tomato pie may sound odd, but it is delicious, hot or cold!

Pie in the making.

Then, on top of all that, she made homemade bruschetta.  My shopping trip to the market provided the baguettes, and our garden did the rest!  Even the garlic was from the garden!

The results! L to R: Bruschetta, tomato pie, stuffed Anaheim chilis! After we were done and went to Jeff’s, only one stuffed jalapeno remained!

After marveling at Chef Mary’s work, we finally took a seat, only to realize that a hurricane had swept through the kitchen while we weren’t paying attention. It was as if every surface had been designated a landing spot for Chef Mary’s culinary creations! It’s a good thing her cooking is better than her tidying skills!

It was obvious: it was time for Super Paul and his cleanup skills! I was watching TV and not paying any attention, and ten minutes later, the kitchen was spotless. Hurricane Mary was a  five on the hurricane scale!

We did make a mess!  I was afraid to look at the ceiling.

We went to Jeff’s at 6:30 pm and visited him for a good hour before returning home and watching TV.

We talked to Robin and decided to join her for lunch at the Huntington Beach Pier because her and Bob were going to the beach and they asked us to join them.   I am steering clear of the sun because we found two additional squamous cell cancers on my face and they are scheduled for removal this next week.

Today was amazing.  Just puttering around the house with my best friend is a beautiful experience.

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Thursday Has Arrived!

Posted on Thursday, August 22, 2024 by Paul

We went picking yesterday and retrieved these baby eggplants.

Baby eggplants will be dinner tonight!

Mary planted lettuce, and I modified the sprinkler system to cover this garden area better.

Working way!

The Shishito Peppers are doing quite well, so we’ll have to invite Bob Duda over for a Pierogi and Pepper night!

Shishito Peppers are sweet and delicious when eaten raw. Blistering the outside of the pepper helps to accentuate its sweet flavor.

We have peppers

After being cooked for a few minutes, they are delicious to eat.

Yummy!

At 11:30 am, we headed for the Elks Lodge. The freeway was almost stopped, and there were red flashing lights everywhere.  Oh my!

Oops

A truck loaded with thousands of copies of Roget’s Thesaurus crashed on our way to the Elks, losing its entire load.  Witnesses were stunned, startled, aghast, taken aback, stupefied, confused, shocked, rattled, paralyzed, dazed, bewildered, mixed up, surprised, awed, dumbfounded, nonplussed, flabbergasted, astounded, amazed, confounded, astonished, overwhelmed, horrified, numbed, speechless, and perplexed.

We finally got to the Elks for Girl’s Night Out and ordered wine, which we needed after the freeway incident. All of a sudden, we heard a buzzing sound, and here came a Kamikaze Fly showing the Japanese War Flag. He dived right into the wine, head first, splashing wine all over the table.

Protein in our wine.

Mary and I played a fishy game at lunch. We were like seafood traders, swapping salmon for swordfish like it was a high-stakes fish market. Who knew lunch could be so fishily fun?

Swordfish at the Elks.

We visited Mr. Elk as we departed.

The Elks is in the center (in case you wondered)

No whistling at my legs!

We said goodbye before heading home.

We decided to stop for a glass of wine at Bejies, a NY-style deli known for its famed corned beef and pastrami sandwiches and 1960s-era decor. During our recent cruise, I discovered a gimlet, so I ordered one, and Mary tried it. The results were interesting.

The gimlet is a classic cocktail recipe similar to a martini but made with lime juice and a splash of simple syrup rather than vermouth. Traditionally served straight up, the gimlet is also refreshing on the rocks—there’s no right or wrong way to drink it!

Mary does not like my Gimlet.

Mary tried the pink iced tea and found it more suitable for her taste buds!

She does like her iced tea.

We departed Benjies and went home to rest after a big meal!  A little later, we almost returned to the scene of the crime; we went to the nursery across the street to buy a gift for a friend and to look through their delightful assortment of veggies and flowers.

We got home, and it was still hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk, so we called Jeff, our neighbor, to see if he wanted to come chill. Jeff had wisely decided to stay indoors with the air conditioning on full blast. Meanwhile, we thought, “Why not take a dip in the swimming hole?” We were having a blast splashing around like a couple of kids on a hot summer day. After a while, we noticed our skin starting to resemble prunes, so we hightailed it out of there and plopped ourselves down by the fireplace. Who says you need snow to enjoy a good fire?

We watched some TV and finally declared victory over the day and crashed!

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Hump Day Has Arrived!

Posted on Wednesday, August 21, 2024 by Paul

 

Did You Know? In North America, Wednesday is sometimes called “hump day” because it’s the middle of the work week, or the “hump.” The term has been used since at least the 1950s, and it’s often used to lighten the mood of the work week. For example, coworkers might say “Happy Hump Day” to acknowledge that work can be a drag, but they’re almost done for the week. The phrase can also express a sense of accomplishment since Wednesday is the day after completing three work days.

We started back to the gym today after nearly four weeks of absence!  Well, I must say I did not miss the crushing of bones and the pulling of tendons. It’s good to be back!  After the workout, I noticed my ability to gracefully slide into the driver’s seat of The Silver Fox was markedly improved – there is no need for a shoe horn or buttering up the seat anymore!

We are getting good at this gym stuff!

We had some plans, but Dianne called and asked if we would go to the hospital, make sure David eats lunch, and watch him while she takes care of the paperwork to get him transferred to UCI.  We were more that pleased to help!

David was alert and ready for lunch!

When we departed the hospital around 2:30 p.m., my iPhone burped and said, “I know what you were doing eight years ago!”  This was worrisome, so I pushed the button and got two pictures from the Trump Beer and Wine Festival and the Trump golf course.

Eight years ago, beautiful Amy and the beast (our son Joe) were tasting beer and wine!

We visited the event with the Zs and the kids and had a great day on the course, tasting all sorts of wine and beer.

Amy is a sweetheart!!

We returned home just in time to take a short nap of forty winks before the cleaning crew arrived. Mary went first, and I had to wake her up as her snoring was scaring Scout; he thought he was being chased by a buzzsaw!

After the crew started, we returned to Tustin and went to the Laguna Nursery. They have a lovely gift shop, and we were looking for some goodies for Donna’s birthday!

Laguna is a small nursery but packed with surprises!

We were initially planning to brave the wilds of the restaurant world, but we both needed more motivation and, let’s be honest, meals at home are always better. So, we decided to retreat to our fortress of solitude (also known as Casa Valencia) and rustle up some steak, applesauce, and a mini salad. Oh, and let’s not forget the vino! Dinner was ready faster than it takes for a pizza to arrive, and we realized we’re basically culinary superheroes. Move over, Gordon Ramsay!

The pan-seared steak was excellent!

It was so hot that we knew Jeff would be inside, so we called and said we would visit him at about 7:30 p.m. We walked the garden quickly and had to give some of our plants a little hose to dirt resuscitation as the 100-degree heat got to them!

In just a few more days of, this heat and relief will come (we hope).

We walked over  at 7:30 pm and met him at the door and we all decided it had cooled enough so we sat outside and solved the problems of the world, again!

We were back in our top-secret hideaway at 8:30 pm! My sweet tooth was causing chaos, so I whipped up my famous “spoonful” dessert!

It’s a complicated recipe: one large spoon of vanilla ice cream, a small handful of frozen blueberries, and a generous two-toot serving of diet out-of-can topping! Mary decided to go rogue and opted for a yogurt bar instead. It’s a good thing she’s not on dessert duty for our covert operation as we would be easily spotted, but the sound of the whipped cream aerosol can sounds.

It was time to swim and I joined MAry since mt wounds were healed up.

Splish-Splash, she was taking a bath!

After a dip in the pool, which was 90 degrees, we were ready to witness the heroic antics of the Seal Team as they took down the bad guys once again!

At 11:00 p.m., I closed up the house, turned on the whole house fan, made the beds ready, and watered the dog. Then, with the skill of a Ginsu knife expert on the Home Shopping Network, I approached the sleeping bear and woke her up—oh my!

Like a zombie, Mary marched down the hallway, turning right on one leg, and plopped into bed.  Thirteen microseconds later, I heard the buzz-saw go on and knew she was in for a good night’s sleep!

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Happy Tuesday!

Posted on Tuesday, August 20, 2024 by Paul

Damn, I got into trouble again with the neighbors!

It was 8:00 am, and I popped out of bed, dressed, and ran to the garden. I worked diligently until 11:00 am when Old Sol got too hot to handle! I turned into a roasted vegetable out there!

We planted and then mulched (which was needed as it was 97 degrees outside today!)  Once the plants were in the ground, we carefully put straw mulch around the base of each plant.

The plants are in the ground!

We now have two kinds of Swiss Chard, three onions, kale, cilantro, peanuts, and some squash!

There is still plenty to plant!

We use straw as a mulch since it decomposes and is pretty cheap!

Now, the little roots will stay cool even on a hot day!

We got cleaned up and went to get Dianne, who was looking for a skilled nursing facility locally. I drove, as it was easier for them. They could discuss their findings.  Dianne is an excellent navigator.

We found an excellent facility right out of the box, so we decided lunch was in order. So we went to Benjies New York Deli! 

I ordered a “Benjies Special,” and it was a meal for two! I took my other half of the special home to Jeff!

It was humungous!

Benjies has been around since 1967 and is still family-owned. Restaurant founder Stan Weinstein was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1921. He was raised during the Depression era in a brownstone apartment on Avenue K in Brooklyn. He graduated from Boys High and went on to college as a pre-med student. His education was interrupted by World War II, where he served in the army. While serving in the military, he met the love of his life, Eleanor Finegold, and they were married in 1946. Weinstein’s dream was to open his own business, and in the 1950s, he purchased Richies Drive-In in Garden Grove, CA, complete with roller skating carhops! Stan quickly outgrew Richies, and a new full-service family dining restaurant would be built on the site. Cookies Family Restaurant flourished, but Stan’s dream of owning a New York delicatessen had not been fulfilled.  In 1967 along with two partners, Stan purchased Squires Coffee Shop on Tustin Avenue in Santa Ana. The restaurant was remodeled and opened as Benjies on October 8, 1967 where it exists today!

Upon returning home, our attention was drawn to taking a nap. (I remember Mary saying, “I never take naps!”  Those days are gone.  After 1000 days of retirement, she has become a napologist!

We woke up around 5:00 p.m. and tested the outside temperature, which was still in the 90s. That means no porch tonight! We did not have dinner, as the trip to Benjies did us both in—we were in a food coma!

We didn’t eben male our evening calls to Colleen and Robin!

We headed to the office and worked until 9 pm with Mary, getting our social plans in order for the upcoming four months.  We are already planning for Christmas and have our tickets for several events.

We did not go into the pool tonight, but it was calling us!

I worked on updating the website with the latest Starlighters Dance and finished off our trip to the Caribbean with the kids.

We even added a new header for the Daily Diary!

Halloween, here we come!

After a long day of hard work, we finally plopped down at the breakfast table to watch some Seal Team. By 11:00 pm, we were proudly declaring victory over our Netflix queue and triumphantly marched off to bed! Who knew binge-watching could be so tiring?”

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The Weak Has Started!

Posted on Monday, August 19, 2024 by Paul

No kidding!!

We were up at 5:00 am and getting ready for the trek to Paul’s dermatologist. After a thorough exam (with Mary’s help), Paul left the office with thirty-eight bandages and a significant loss of blood! Or was it thirty-seven bandages and a considerable amount of band-aids? Either way, Paul’s dermatologist visit became a dress rehearsal for a major medical play!

Tomorrow, we will get the report on the findings.

We stumbled out of the doctor’s office at the ungodly hour of 7:00 am, and then, like sleep-deprived geniuses, we had a stroke of stunning brilliance—we phoned Vicky and subjected her to breakfast with us!

The call was placed, and fifteen minutes later, we met at Hof’s Hut in Seal Beach!

Girl talk… I have no idea!  I was sent to the bathroom twice!

We met the new waitress, Rosie,  who brought us our meal!  She did a great job!

Hoffs’ Hut in Seal Beach, California, uses Rosie the Robot to deliver food to the table.

Mary and I shared breakfast as we attempted to watch our weight.  Note: The hashbrowns and ham are Paul’s!

Yummy!!!

We had an excellent breakfast and talked about Starlighters, family, and friends!  Vicky is truly amazing and such a creative person!  She brings sunlight into the darkness!

Vicky, Paul and Mary!

We brought Jeff a small peach pie, which he dearly enjoyed!

After breakfast, we made our way to H&H Nursery in Lakewood, our surefire way to plant the seeds of happiness! We pushed around the cart and harvested a trunk full of treasures to sow in our garden of dreams!

Push push!

We got everything in the trunk, and the remaining plants went into the back seat!  It took me three wheelbarrow loads to place everything in the backyard.

What you may not see is three 100-pound bags of potting soil in the bottom of the trunk. It takes three bags every year per vegetable bed (of which we have five), so we have another twelve bags to get and distribute in the garden!

Stop! My tummy is full!

Mary’s wheelbarrow was loaded three times, and the contents were placed in the garden area in the south-40 for planting as soon as it cools down tomorrow morning. Those trips put 2/5ths of a mile on the odometer!

Poor Precious, her tummy is too small to go to the nursery!

We messed in the garden for an hour before it got too hot to work!   It was hot all day.  (It is 8:42 pm right now and 81 degrees outside).

Another week of heat is coming our way!

Mary picked leaves from our Bay plant and slow-dried them in the oven; we placed the dried leaves in a Mason jar. In addition to cooking, Bay has been cultivated since ancient times; its leaves constituted the wreaths of laurel that crowned victorious athletes in ancient Greece.

Great! When I work hard in the garden, I was expecting Mary to crown my head with a bay leaf wreath. What do I get now? I suspect she will glue the Mason jar to my head!

They were amazing.

I went to the market to get some apples and returned with $250 worth of goodies, much to the chagrin of my beautiful bride! I got two beautiful breakfast steaks, and at dinner time, we decided to share one; it was perfect! Two ears of corn somehow jumped into my basket, so they were part of dinner also!

At 2:00 p.m., Ray from the acrylic gate company dropped by. We ordered our gate for the side yard, and he gave us some suggestions for the front yard! I learned what a pergola is! It is a shade that stands on its own and is NOT connected to the house!

We watched a horrible movie called “Bone Tomahawk.” Bone Tomahawk is an unusual Western with some gruesome parts. The brutal, gory violence includes slicing, digging into wounds, severed limbs and body parts, shooting with guns and arrows, dead bodies, and other grisly things.

6:00 pm and time for dinner!  The steak that jumped into my grocery cart suddenly became dinner!

We had steak, corn on the cob (courtesy of Paul’s trip to get apples at the store), and salad from the garden for dinner!

We were supposed to go to  Jeff’s but he called and said it was way too hot to sit on the porch!  We stuck our heads outside and he was right!

We decided to swim but I had to sit this one out because of all the cuts he made on me this morning.  Last night, I almost turned my swimming pool into a hot tub without realizing it!

Apparently, I accidentally ordered my pool heater to go into overtime, aiming for a toasty 114 degrees. I think my pool was about to turn into a giant cup of tea. Crisis averted as I managed to hit the reset button just in time. Now my pool is back to a refreshing 88 degrees, perfect for a dip without feeling like a human teabag!

Splish-Splash, she was taking a bath long about a Monday night!

Tonight was a Super Blue Moon! A supermoon is uncommon, and a blue moon is even rarer. But with the full moon tonight, both these events are happening at the same time. In a phenomenon known as a “super blue moon,” Earth’s natural satellite will appear both bigger and brighter than usual.  This will not happen again until 2064!

The three of us enjoyed the moon this evening (three? Scout, Mary, and Paul!)

Scout walked around the pool many times looking for those pesky elephants but to no avail!  He has already befriended all the local lizards and the lizards have formed a Scout Fan Club!

“Do not worry, Mom and Dad, I will find them and keep them away!”

We sat by the fire for a while before deciding to retire for the night.  Tomorrow, the God willing and the creek don’t rise, we will attack the garden at 6:00 am well before Old Sol casts his shining light on us!

Good night all!

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HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MARY!!! 1000 DAYS!

Posted on Sunday, August 18, 2024 by Paul

Home every day, pestering her husband for the last 1,000 days!

Just before Thanksgiving two years ago, Dr. Mary pulled the switch, and she, like me, was worried about money, being bored to death, and all the other things that might happen when one stops doing what you have been doing for your entire life!

She pulled the switch, and now she wonders how we can slow down and smell the grass!  Money is no issue and are certainly not borde.  Our difficulty is getting time to fit in everything we want to do in the time we have remaining!

We dance, we travel, we work in the garden, we have adventures with our dear friends, we keep the house running—we are like a pair of Energizer Bunnies.

We are on the go!

Today, we worked in the garden and cleaned up the HeShed so we could walk inside. We were so busy that we did not hear Joe and the boys come by and take away the patio umbrella on the front patio!

It has a new home!

We jumped into the pool and paddled around like a pair of ducks for a good hour.  That really quacks me up!

Off she goes!

Mary fixed an excellent breakfast of bacon and eggs with grapefruit.  We continued doing inside things, including laundry and feeding Scout, the Wonder Dog.

We worked in the office, and Becky called Mom, and they chatted for 30 minutes.

We had an Iced Latte courtesy of the neighbors’ girls, and then we hosed down the front patio to remove the dirt from the old umbrella. We rearranged the table and chairs, and now we have more room!

The cooking bug bit Mary and now her kitchen looks like a science lab experiment gone wrong, with applesauce everywhere and kale chips flying through the air!  Yummy!!

Oh dear, it was time to take dinner to Dianne, so we got cleaned up and headed to In-N-Out. Mary popped in and out of the hospital, and we were happy that Dianne was taking care of herself. She is lovely, and I know what taking care of our loved ones is like; you must take care of yourself!  We brought her a six-pack!

We got home around 6:40 pm and called to see if our reservations were still good at Chez Smith, the local watering hole.  Indeed, the patio was open for business, so Mary and I filled our plastic wine glasses and sashayed over to sit a spell with Jed around the cement pond!

We visited for an hour, sharing those things that never really happened! You know what they say: ” The First liar doesn’t stand a chance!”

We checked with Jeff, and the Porch Lite is lit!

We stumbled back home around 8:30 pm and, like moths to a flame, made a beeline for the pool. We paddled, chatted, chuckled, and turned into human raisins before we realized it was time to bail out!

What do retirees do upon extracting themselves from a pool at 10:00 p.m.? We sat by the fire, warmed our feet, and continued telling stories and sharing. In my case, I hope that the thong does not shrink because it could be challenging to explain my body having a soprano voice.

The soprano voice is a classical singing voice with the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano’s range is typically from middle C (261 Hz) to “high A” (880 Hz) in choral music, or to “soprano C” (1046 Hz) or higher in operatic music. The name “soprano” comes from the Italian word sopra, which means “above”. Sopranos are known for their effortless ability to sing high notes and bright, sparkling timbre.

I was sitting by the fire after a “midnight” swim!

We sat for another hour and then realized we better hit the hay because we have to be up at the crack of dawn, 5:00 am, to make it to the doctor’s appointment at 6:30 am in Los Alamitos! Who schedules appointments for the crack of dawn anyway? I’ll call it a zombie check-up because that’s what I’ll look like at that hour!

Two feet, one fire, what a retiree is like!

We completed Mary’s 1000th-day anniversary, deciding she did the right thing. We also placed an order for a time shoehorn to see if that will assist us in cramming 30 hours of activity into a 24-hour day!

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A Night At The Elks!

Posted on Saturday, August 17, 2024 by Paul

Indeed it was! We made forts, tanks, houses, and other things from a few cardboard boxes.

We managed to drag ourselves out of bed at the crack of dawn and stumbled upon Robin, who was doing their best to avoid the camera.  After some much-needed coffee, we hatched a plan for the day and tried to act like responsible adults. Keyword: tried.

I was sitting by the fire.

Guys, guess what? I was looking at my calendar, and it hit me that there are only 129 days left until Christmas. So, everyone, start being good because Santa’s eyes are on you! Let’s hope he has a sense of humor too.

Eek! Christmas is coming! It’s eleven weeks until Halloween!

Mary fixed a light brunch, and then we went into the pool for an hour. Then we decided to visit David in the hospital, which is just a few miles away.

David was doing a little better, and he was shaven!  He did not need my razor after all.

I was still hungry, so I suggested to Mary that we hit El Torito on 17th Street for a “lite” appetizer—something small to tide us over until 6:00 p.m. when we have a date with some fancy dinner at the Elks. You know, we have to keep the appetite in check, you know?

We started with some out-of-this-world appetizers and washed them down with a margarita! To top it off, we shared a mini burrito that was so tiny it made me wonder if it was on a diet!

We went back home and got all dolled up for tonight’s fancy schmancy soiree! Mary diligently pressed Jim’s shirt, and then we headed off to the Elks Lodge. It’s going to be a blast!

Jim’s new shirt!

Oh my!  This was the small prime rib!  The large one was humungous!!

Dinner was delightful!!

We had eight feet left on the dance floor tonight, but we all managed to keep grooving until 9:30 p.m. Ronnie, the DJ played our kind of music for at least an hour and a half. We were so bad at dancing that even the disco ball started to look embarrassed!

We were sitting and talking!

Our group talks and talks and talks and share our memories.  Tonight we discussed old TV shows!

We stopped by Aces, but there was a party going on, and it was so noisy that we did a 180 and went VFR to home.

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We Are Off And Running!

Posted on Friday, August 16, 2024 by Paul

No rest for the weary!  We were up and moving at 6:00 am with Mary inside the hot tub scrubbing it down (we emptied it last night).  I put the quarterly UV protection fluid on the cover (which, BTW, has worked well)  as the cover is seven years old and does not show any deterioration.

We got all the water out using a pump, a scoop, and a bucket!

Cleaning the Swim Spa!

Inside, Mary works her magic and makes the sides sparkle again. Meanwhile, I attempted to change the spa water filters and ended up getting drenched in the process. It turns out water filters have a sense of humor too!

Mary is busy at work!

Mary was singing, “Rub a dub dub, Mary’s in the tub“.

So, Joe called today with this brilliant idea. I sent him some pictures of the umbrella, and he went ahead and posted a “come and get it” on a social platform. I’m pretty sure he thinks he’s the next Picasso or something. I mean, with a bit of paint, it’d sure make a snazzy umbrella – if only we needed an umbrella and not a patio cover!

We are attempting to give it away.

We planned on going to the fair, but a phone call came in, and Dianne needed help!  David’s situation was deteriorating.

I had to cancel my dentist appointment because I needed to accompany Mary to Dianne’s place first. After that, the three of us went to the hospital together. We ended up staying there until around 3:00 pm before finally heading back home.

Robin decided she had enough of our backyard zoo and escaped before the animals launched a full-scale rebellion. But only after she snapped a picture to prove to the authorities that we were running a legitimate exotic animal sanctuary in our backyard.

Robin spots the bird in our backyard.

Due to the two-person limit in the hospital room, I found myself hanging out in the parking lot where I made a life-changing discovery – a new addition to the hospital grounds. It turns out, many veterans visit this hospital, and to my surprise, there was a movement to pay tribute to ‘Hanoi Jane.’ Who knew parking lots could be so eventful?”  How appropriate!  I made a deposit but I did not autograph it!

In the hospital parking lot.

When we got back home, we immediately dialed Robin with the genius plan to hit the fair tonight! It was perfect timing—it was definitely cooler than earlier. Robin showed up at 5:00 p.m., and off we went to the fair, speeding there as if our ice cream was melting in the car.

I saw the lights and heard the siren, oh dear!

We got a ticket on the way to the fair (not really).

We made it to the fair by 6:00 p.m., and Mary, like a little kid, kept yelling, “I wanna turkey leg, can I have a turkey leg? Please, please, please!!”

So, to avoid her total meltdown, we found the first turkey leg store and immediately stopped. The leg was $23.24, and I was, therefore, happy we were not getting an octo-turkey!

We went VFR to the Turkey Leg facility.

Robin was beginning her diet and shared her chicken skewer with me. I loved the onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes.

While Mary started woofing down the turkey leg, I went for wine! Standing in line 25 yards away, I could hear the mashing of teeth and the tearing sounds of flesh being ripped from the bone and munching, reminiscent of a 1920s washing machine.

Robin got the chicken skewer.

Upon my return, she tempted me with the remnants of the once 20-pound turkey leg!

She holds it over my head!

I offered her a glass of wine, but alas, her arms and hands were locked in the gnawing position, and her teeth looked like a windup chattering teeth toy! It was frightening. Mothers with little kids were moving away from our table!

Oh dear!

When she was done, only a white bone and some tendons remained, and she put those in her purse for a snack on the way home.  If the police stopped us and they saw her purse, we would have been hauled away for cannibalism!

Oh my, a live cannibal.

My view of the fair revealed that I needed a chicken kebab and some jalapeno poppers. I went to get my dinner and did not fear losing Mary in the crowd; I just needed to carefully listen to Mary, it was the sound of a lioness tearing apart a zebra in the great Serengeti outback.

How good was the turkey leg you ask?

We had choices.

Bones were flying, and cartilage spilled onto the paper plate, but as she approached the end of this evening of terror, her eyes returned to their normal color, and the red flashing color faded away!

The poor vendors looked over at her and began to put out “WERE CLOSED” signs, fearing she would go grazing again and empty their shelves of everything turkey.

Almost gone with only bone remaining!

Success! We tore her away from her meal and headed to the shirt shop! I got two, Bob D and Jim got special shirts, and Mary found a ladies’ patriotic shirt to match mine; it was a successful visit.

More shirts come home with us.

We began heading to the Orange Gate, where we parked our car. One of the rides started spewing snow, so we held each other and began to sing Christmas carols (in the 76-degree heat). Mary’s voice was beautiful, but a security officer asked me to leave.

I almost asked him to look into Mary’s purse and witness what remained of the turkey, but I thought better and kept quiet.

It’s snowing

Goodbye, Fair, see you in a year!

See you next year!

As we walked out, I saw a bunch of turkeys running the other direction and they were mumbling, “It’s her, she finished off a leg in 13.4 seconds!  Run for your life!”

“Run, save yourself; she is approaching!”

I tried to count how many people were still attending the fair at 9:00 pm, but I lost count after reaching “a gazillion.”

View from the parking lot.

We decided to stop at Aces and play some Johnny Cash on the e_jukebox.  The owner was in, and he visited us!  We danced and enjoyed a glass of wine before going home.   Mary wanted to stop by Ralph’s to see if they have some turkey legs!

Hello Aces, let’s dance.

We had a fantastic time, and when we stumbled back home, we set the firepit ablaze, sipped on some questionable wine, and attempted to solve all the world’s problems again! We might have come up with some groundbreaking solutions, or it could have just been the fumes from the firepit getting to us.

Off to bed and Mary went sound to sleep but I hear her murmuring 1,2,3,4,etc.  She was dreaming of turkey legs jumping over the bed!

Oh my!!

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