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I Be Older Than Dirt!

On December 16th, 1944, at 4:03 pm, I was born.  Now, 79 years later, I look forward to reaching 100 with my beautiful bride.

I was born and raised in this tiny 1,200-square-foot home in West Los Angeles.

Even without freeways, it was probably a 16-minute ride to the hospital 80 years ago!

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We worked in the garden this morning.  Mary trimmed the roses and planted the remaining flowers in the upright planters.  I tended to some tasks, including applying mulch to the vegetables and fixing the weather vane.

The Dudas arrived at 3:30 pm, and we went to an English restaurant called “The Five Crowns” in Corona Del Mar.  We would go here for my birthday for many years as my son, Mutch, loved the place.  Since his passing (and COVID), we didn’t go, but tonight brought back memories and the desire to repeat the experience in the future.

A Fixture in Corona Del Mar since 1965.

We are ready to enter and go back in time to Jolly Ol’ England circa 1700!

Christmas is the only time of year you can sit in front of a dead tree eating candy from socks.

She dressed to the occasion!

Bob and Robin had never been to the Five Crowns; it was an experience!

For you math wizards, “What is the first derivative of a cow?  A prime rib.”

First timers!

Their specialty is Prime Rib, and tonight’s 23 oz cut was fantastic.  Mary and the kids opted for smaller portions.

Why is Christmas just like a day in the office? You do all the work, and the fat guy in the suit gets all the credit.

OMG, it was the entire cow!

We had the carolers entertaining this evening, and I asked, “What Child Is This.”  The sounds were incredible.

Dear Santa, this year, please give me a big fat bank account and a slim body.  You mixed those two up last year.

Dinner was terrific, and we finished off with a chocolate souflé.  I do NOT want to see the bathroom scale in the morning.

Christmas is a special time of year when your whole family gathers together in one place to look at their cellphones.

In one word, “Stuffed!”

To continue our tradition, we walked through the gardens at Roger’s Garden, about three miles away.

Mary and Bob led the way; Mary’s lights were helpful in the dark garden.

Inside the Christmas store, decorations were everywhere.  It’s too bad we have no more room for decorations.

Made from bangles, bobbles, and beads… Oh My!

We headed home to have a nightcap and dive into desert #2; Robin and Bob brought a birthday cake when they came over earlier!

I had a great dream!

We talked to Scout for a while before crashing.  He regaled us with stories about how he chased off a gang of elephants who tried to get into the vegetable garden.  He was spellbinding in his descriptions!

About Paul

Just an old retired guy trying to finish out my last years on this planet. I lost my best friend and wife in early 2020. I was blessed again by reconnecting with Dr. Mary Côté, a long-time friend. Mary and I got married July 28th, 2021, and are enjoying life together and plan to spend the rest of our lives being a blessing to our friends and family.
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