Wednesday Is Right On Schedule!

Posted on Wednesday, June 17, 2026 by Paul

We are getting ready to do battle at the gym!

Another day of bone-crunching and muscle-stretching at Peak Performance!
The Ninja outfits have been washed, refreshed, and redeployed after Monday’s mission.
We’re suited up, ready to strike, and plotting our next sneak attack on aches, pains, and unsuspecting tight muscles!

With a snap of Dr. Mary’s finger, we were zapped into our Ninja attire.

We returned home this morning to clean the house because our house cleaners are coming today.  Yes, you read that correctly.  We pay professionals to clean, then frantically clean before they arrive.   It’s one of life’s great mysteries, right up there with missing socks and airline boarding procedures.

By noon, our pre-cleaning duties were complete, and we headed to CVS first, then for gas, and then off to lunch with the girls from Mary’s painting class.  While the ladies gather, I will assume my sacred responsibilities: tending the bar, guarding the flock, and maintaining order among the hens.

Red Robin, prepare yourself.  The caravan is on its way!

Wow, did I man the bar or what?  Buffalo wings, a large jalapeño burger topped off with a chocolate pretzel shake!  BURP!!  I ordered all my favorites because my guardian angel, Mary, could not see me!

Yummy (I hope my cardiologist does not see this!)

Then came the burger!  Decisions, decisions, the Red Robin menu is to die for, literally.  I selected the Jalapeño Heatwave Burder served with your choice of side.  In case Mary showed up, I ordered coleslaw and skipped the fries.

If you’ve checked the weather report today, you’ll see a heatwave is expected in your region – a Jalapeño Heatwave.  A very creative, inventive creation at Red Robin was a delicious combination of spicy and savory flavors.

The Jalapeño Heatwave Burger starts with a hot, juicy beef patty, piled high with melty pepper-jack cheese, fresh-grilled jalapeños, and caramelized onions.   Next, they slather on freshly smashed avocado and zesty green chili aioli before topping off this fiery creation with crispy fried jalapeño.  This is one heatwave I didn’t mind being in the middle of!

Oh my!  It comes with two quarts of ice cream; one to eat and one to sit on!

I could NOT resist the shake.  I ate the pretzels first!

Double yummy!!

This needs a close-up!!

Over the teeth and through the gums, lookout tonsils here it comes!

Yeah, yeah, the gang’s all here!  This group is part of Mary’s watercolor class, and we are celebrating the instructor’s birthday.  Lorry is 94 years old.

Everyone headed for the Reb Robin restaurant in  The District at Tustin Legacy in Orange County.  Here’s some trivia:

  1.  Location: The District is in Tustin, near the Irvine border.
  2.  Full name: It’s commonly called The District, but its full name is The District at Tustin Legacy.
  3.  Military history: The area was once part of the former Marine Corps Air Station Tustin.
  4.  Famous blimp hangars: The nearby giant wooden hangars were built during World War II and are among the largest wooden structures of their kind.
  5.  Shopping center style: The District is an open-air lifestyle center, not a traditional enclosed mall.
  6.  Major stores: It has included big names like Costco, Target, Whole Foods Market, Lowe’s, TJ Maxx/HomeGoods, and AMC Theatres.
  7.  Entertainment: The AMC Tustin 14 theater is one of its main entertainment anchors.
  8. Tustin Legacy: The larger surrounding redevelopment area is called Tustin Legacy, created from former military land.
  9. Food destination: The District is known for its wide range of restaurants, quick-service spots, and dessert places.

Rubba Dub Dub, where is the grub???

Mary, neighbor Geri, and Lorry are ready to celebrate!!

Did I hear the words, “Clothes Optional”?

There are a ton of presents to open!

Bring on the balloons!

Then came the cake, which was loaded with ooey-gooey frosting!  Due to Fire Department regulations, the number of candles was limited!

The fire starter went to work under careful supervision.

Do not play with fire, especially after drinking three glasses of ice water!

The cake was a masterpiece, and it tasted like heaven!

We hardly wait until 95!!

But first, the candles must be blown out!

The tradition of blowing out birthday candles most likely comes from a mix of ancient customs, especially from ancient Greece and later German birthday traditions.

• Ancient Greece: People offered round cakes to Artemis, the goddess of the moon. They placed candles on the cakes so they glowed like the moon, and the smoke was believed to carry prayers or wishes up to the gods.

• Germany, 1700s: A more recognizable birthday-candle tradition appears in Kinderfeste, birthday celebrations for children. Candles were placed on a cake, often one for each year of life, sometimes with an extra candle for good luck or the “light of life.”

• Making a wish: The idea of silently making a wish before blowing out the candles likely comes from older beliefs that candle smoke could carry wishes, prayers, or intentions into the spiritual realm.

So, blowing out birthday candles probably evolved from religious offerings, symbolic light, and wish-making customs over time.

She is going to huff and puff!

Go girl!

She did it so hard that two candles fell off the cake and landed on a table nearby.

We departed around 2:45 pm and headed home for Mary’s necessary post-lunch nap and my entrance into the world of vegetable gardening!

Mary is ready for a nap!!

Mary took her nap when we got home, and I marched out to the garden like a man with a plan and absolutely no regard for his lower back.

I yanked out the remaining corn stalks, cleaned up the melon patch, evicted the old mulch, and started planting like I was on a reality show called So You Think You Can Farm?

About an hour later, Mary emerged from her nap refreshed and ready to help, while I was already covered in dirt, sweat, and regret.  The two of us worked until sundown, at which point the garden looked much better, and we looked like we had lost a wrestling match with Mother Nature.

The remaining cantaloupes and watermelons can now be seen and are off the ground, so those nasty little bugs can’t get to them.

We harvested several melons and placed the spaghetti squash in the He Shed.

We decided to plant some more corn, and this time we may have to fertilize them manually, since it is a 5-by-3 row, which may not be enough to ensure pollination!

An ear of corn gets fertilized through wind pollination.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Tassels make pollen?.  The tassel at the top of the corn plant produces pollen, which contains the male reproductive cells.
  2. Silks are the female parts.  Each strand of silk on an ear of corn is connected to one potential kernel on the cob.
  3. Pollen lands on the silks.  Wind blows pollen from the tassels onto the sticky silks.
  4. Pollen travels down the sil..  Once a pollen grain lands on a silk, it grows a tube down the silk to the ovule at the base.
  5. A kernel forms?.  If fertilization succeeds, that ovule becomes a corn kernel.

So, one silk = one kernel.  If some silks don’t receive pollen, the ear will have missing or undeveloped kernels.

We entered the house just as the sun set in the west!  We passed on dinner since we had a large lunch at the birthday party.

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Time To WORK In The Veggie Garden!

Posted on Tuesday, June 16, 2026 by Paul

Papa got help today!

We got up, checked the weather, and decided 8:00 am was the right time to return to the garden, continue planting the new veggies, and remove the ones past their prime.

We enjoyed our coffee and fought the battle of the computers until 8:00 am, and then we were like the seven dwarfs, “Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It’s Off To Work We Go…”

We tore into the garden like a pair of heavy machines, sending old plants into the trash and talking to the newbies to make sure they were welcome.

What a mess!!!

We planted:

    • Peas
    • Beans
    • Zucchini (two different kinds)
    • Tomatoes
    • String Beans
    • Bell Peppers
    • Onions
    • Cucumbers

At 10:30 am, Mary ceased work and headed indoors to get ready for today’s painting class.  On her orders, I continued working for two more hours.  I assisted Mary, who was bringing a large pile of small tomatoes and several branches of basil, which go wild in our yard.

When Mary departed for class, I came inside and began some of my “Honey-Do” list items, such as replacing the light bulbs (LED) in her bathroom, putting her works of art on the wall leading to The Loft, and other such stuff.

Mary returned smiling, so I wondered what was up.  She told me that she brought me a watermelon, which sounded perfect for such a warm day.  She showed me her watermelon, oh dear.  My taste buds went into overdrive!

I almost put the painting into the refrigerator; it looked so real!

I ventured back into the garden around 4:00 pm for what I thought would be a brave 30-minute expedition.   Mary stayed on the patio and shucked about twenty ears of corn.  Mary, however, quickly assessed the situation—”too hot, too humid, and this one is clearly overestimating himself”—and promptly herded me back into the house like a wayward goat.

Speaking of goat, she also directed me to the shower and laid out this evening’s jammies!  She took my T-shirt and jeans and threatened to burn them!

She takes care of me… and apparently also manages my outdoor privileges.

While Mary was making dinner, I un-cobbed the corn, creating over twelve cups of ready-to-freeze kernels, which will become our all-time favorite corn chowder in the coming weeks!

A wonderful meal was ready, including beans, a cucumber salad, and the red Jello with Polish cherries.

We watched TV until bedtime around 10:00 pm.  Mary was pooped out and decided to test for light leaks in her eyes.  While she was testing, I went to the office and piddled with the computer.

Screenshot

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The Day Begins With Pain!

Posted on Monday, June 15, 2026 by Paul

I should have listened to my body.

Yes, today is Monday, and after a heroic weekend of working hard, playing harder, and making questionable snack-based decisions, we realized our bodies had officially filed a complaint.

So we did what any responsible adults would do: we suited up in our finest black ninja costumes and attempted to infiltrate the gym like two highly trained fitness assassins.

The mission was simple: sneak into the fitness center, create a diversion to distract the trainers, and get ourselves twisted, stretched, and reassembled back into human shape before anyone noticed we were walking like folding chairs.

Unfortunately, our stealth mode lasted about eight seconds—mostly because one of us made knee-cracking sounds loud enough to trigger the motion sensors.  Still, we pressed on.

While the trainers looked the other way, we slipped inside with the grace of panthers… very tired panthers… possibly panthers with lower back issues.

Operation: Monday Recovery was officially underway.

A ninja’s worst enemy?  Squeaky floors.

It worked; we were on the stationary bikes before they knew what was happening.  We are merrily peddling away, and then comes the long arm of the trainers!  We were found, probably because we forgot to take off the ninja costumes.  Better luck next time.

By 10:00 am, we were done, well done!  We went to the Post Office and mailed the IRS some information they needed, as it turns out, they LOST our 2024 returns.  According to our accountant, the IRS lost a load of information recently we happened to be in that group!

We went to Ralph’s next door to get large quantities of goodies according to Alexa’s shopping list.

On the way home, Mary suggested we go to H&H after unloading the car since this week is “doctor-free”.  We quickly put away the groceries and off we went, calling Vicky to ask her to join us for lunch at the Fish House.

They did not last long

The Fat Bastards are known for:

Large size — much bigger than a typical oyster.
Deep, cup-shaped shells that hold lots of flavorful liquor.
A strong, briny (salty, like the ocean) taste with a slightly sweet finish.
Plump, meaty texture, making them popular with oyster enthusiasts.

The name “Fat Bastard” is simply a playful reference to their impressive size.  They are essentially an oversized version of the farm’s popular Shigoku oysters.

We departed the First House for H&H Nursery, where we filled up our card and headed home.

The cart was filled to overflowing!!

We made it back to the house by 3:00 pm, but it was too hot to unload our goodies, so they stayed in the car for a while.  During that time, Chef Mary went to town making beans with meat.  She also made Jello for me using sour Polish cherries.

These beans are NOT just ordinary beans, no no no!  The beans came from our garden and were dried by the Sun.  We then shelled them a week later, placing them into glass Ball jars where they would normally last for years.

Beans, beans, the musical fruit!

After an evening of soaking in water, Mary plopped them into a pot, added water, and two hours later, under medium heat, we had beans.  Mary added the browned ground round, and we had a meal fit for royalty!

Around 6:00, pm I moved the newly acquired veggies to the veggie garden.  It took two loads with the large wheelbarrow!  I place the plants in their new homes.  Before going inside, I pulled out the pole beans, clearing the area for their replacements.

We didn’t have dinner since we had lunch!  We were watching The Green Berets with John Wayne while working in the kitchen.  Later on, we found ourselves in the TV/Living Room, enjoying a movie about a girl who joins the Secret Service and saves the President.  It was called Air Force One Down.

We were rooting for the young Secret Service agent the entire time!

The movie follows a young, rookie Secret Service agent who gets assigned to her very first mission aboard Air Force One.  When terrorists hijack the aircraft to derail a global energy deal, she must use her training to protect the President, survive a crash, and stop the hijackers.

It was soon 11:00 pm, and time to crash!

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A Day WITHOUT Any Entries In The Calendar!

Posted on Sunday, June 14, 2026 by Paul

A Rose for a Rose!

At 5:00 am, the old peepers went into overdrive, and I had to get up!  Mary followed suit in about an hour, and we talked about last night’s amazing adventure to Jojo’s!

We found fun right around the corner!

After our coffee, I jumped in the Silver Fox and went to Home Depot to get some tomatoes and peppers to replace the ones that are all used up.  Two bags of planter mix also jumped into the cart.  We are ready to rock and roll in the garden!

Mary met me in the garage as I pulled in, and the expression on her face meant we were going to go to breakfast!  She suggested the Bagel Store, and I totally agreed with that; their cheese and jalapeño bagels are super!  After munching on the bagels and sipping on our lattes, we headed home!

Dining Al fresco at the local bagel store before we go to work!

Mary thought she would do some easy work in the garden, but I fooled her.  I pointed to the corn and said, “Let’s get busy!”  It was then I learned what “Let’s” means!   It means you do your thing, and I will do mine!

SO Mary picked and trimmed, looking in my direction only to see if I had fallen over yet!

I had 64 corn stalks to dig up and turn the soil underneath.   Then, I had to plant six new tomato plants along the sides of the large garden.

Mary, the smart one, went inside after about an hour, as it was approaching 11:00 am and getting hot.  Besides, she still needs to get rid of that pesky cold!

I worked from 10:00 am until 2:45 pm, almost five hours.  Mary came out again around 2:00 pm and ordered me to stop!  With the help of Dr. Mary, we filled one 100-gallon trash can to overflowing.

We tore out 64 corn stalks!

Even though it was very warm, I kept feeling a draft, and only the next morning, when I looked at today’s pictures, did I discover the reason why.

I was feeling a breeze coming from somewhere!

At 3 pm, we were cooked, and it was time to clean up and wait for our guest, who would drop by around 4:00 pm.

WHO said old??

We spent the rest of the day watching TV, and on occasion, I would return to the office to work on a section of the website called Paul’s Memory Book… It’s a work in progress!   It is just me attempting to remember growing up and going through life.  No one will care about it, but perhaps some of the kids might find it interesting, unless they have something more interesting to do, like removing the cuticles from their fingernails.

We finally crashed around 10:00 pm.

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Hello Saturday!

Posted on Saturday, June 13, 2026 by Paul

It’s going to be a good day!!!

Mary stayed in bed for a while after I got up at 6:00 am.  I fixed coffee and worked on my website for a while before offering to fix her breakfast, steak, and eggs!

My website is getting a facelift in some places, like my memory book.  I had a picture of Culver City Main Street circa 1952, and I asked AI to fix it up.  The Desilu Studios are at the end of the street.

Here’s some trivia about Culver City, California:

• The Heart of Screenland: Culver City has long been associated with movie and TV production, earning this nickname.

• MGM history: The old MGM Studios lot was in Culver City.  Many classics were filmed there, including parts of The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind.

Main Street in Culver City was only two blocks long, and it was closed for some shopping days!

The use of AI is quite amazing!  Can you spot the error it made?  I didn’t, but Dr. Mary spotted it immediately!

W. T. Grant, the American variety-store chain, went out of business in 1976.

While wandering the internet unsupervised, I discovered multiple ways to add cream to eggs — and this morning, in a bold act of breakfast rebellion, I even invited mushrooms to the party.

Yummy!

The table is set, and food will arrive in 10 seconds or less.

The table was initially set inside, but then we moved to the patio!

We needed fluids, and what better to have than champagne?   Champagne doesn’t ask silly questions.  Champagne understands.

Mr. Champagne went along with us.

After breakfast, I was asked to “deadhead” the roses, so I galloped out to the backyard dressed in my gardening outfit and, using the pruners, I lopped off the heads of the wilted roses.

The neighbor looked over the fence and asked me, ” Why doesn’t Mary ever iron your gardening outfit?”   I, for the first time in a long time, was at a loss for words!  After seeing the picture, the outfit does need some serious ironing!!  I quickly hid behind some roses when I saw Mary with the camera!

I was sent to the flowers again as Mary was not up to trimming them today!  She caught me!

After a short nap, we got ready to go to Jojo’s Hideaway in Tustin to meet Vicky and Jim and see a show featuring Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley!  Jojo’s is in the back of the 17th Street Grille.

We were greeted with southern hospitality!  Snappy the Alligator got the first victim!

A hungry alligator greeted us.

Vicky, being the always helpful person, helped feed the Alligator!

Vicky was NOT afraid.

Again, attempting to be helpful, Vicky checked his teeth for decay, hoping the Alligator would NOT snap!

The Alligator was scared to death.

We were seated right in front of the band and immediately assumed we’d need sign language by dessert.  Vicky marched over to the manager, who assured us we had PRIME SEATS because the speakers were on the ceiling, aimed back at the audience and away from us.

And amazingly, he was right—the sound level was perfect.  So instead of losing our hearing, we just sat there feeling smug and acoustically superior.

Mary was feeling better.

We had dinner before things got underway, and I was very pleasantly surprised.  My shrimp pasta was absolutely amazing.  Mary marveled at the salmon.  Jim and Vicky also enjoyed their food.  Mary and I killed off a bottle of their finest Chardonnay, which significantly improved our singing skills!

Johnny came out first, bringing along Sue and Sue.   We all knew his songs and enjoyed every word.  His band consisted of three guitars, a drummer, and a piano man!  The entire performance was just fantastic!

Johnny came first!

At the break, we managed to eat a few scoops of ice cream before Elvis entered the building

Elvis joined the fun!

Elvis moved through the audience with ease, stopped at our table, looked at the ladies, and whipped out two scarves, which they put on instantly.

We were all bee-bopping to the music.

Having good friends makes all the little bumps along life’s road tolerable!   I have known these two ladies for almost seventy years!

Sometimes we sang along.

Someone is never going to take this scarf off.  I volunteered to make it into a swimsuit, but my idea was turned down!

Elvis came by and flirted with Mary, giving her a scarf!

The entire building was shaking as people sang along and waved their hands.  I took off my shirt and threw it onto the stage, but management returned it almost immediately.

I knew he was flirting!!

We all had a wonderful time bringing back memories of when music was music!

The gang of four!

The clock was about to strike 10:00 pm when we departed, but alas, NO GIRLS.  Silly me!  Vicky is here, meaning she is accompanying the performers to a photoshoot and is with Mary.

Oh dear!

After half an hour, Vicky let go of Elvis, and they came outside to join us for the trip home.  Both Vicky and Mary had stars in their eyes, and they were clutching their scarves.

We departed just before 10:00 pm and headed home which was an eight minute trip!

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Us Versus The IRS

Posted on Saturday, June 13, 2026 by Paul

It was an OK morning as Mary was still feeling poorly!   Off to the office we went with the plan to finalize the IRS stuff and go to the post office to mail this year’s paperwork.

Since we were going to be near our workout place, we pulled a mess of corn fresh from the plants and took it to the gym for the staff.

We talked to our accountant before we departed and suggested we drive down to his office to see him to avoid mail/email delays!  So we got into The Silver Fox, and off we went to the post office, the gym, the accountant, and finally CVS to collect this week’s meds.  It was a wild ride, and since it was warm, I put the top down!

Getting Mary in the car was easy!

Running errands was easy, except for the accountant.  He had prepared two packages of information for us to send to the IRS.  Apparently, the IRS lost all of our 2024 tax records; therefore, they wanted us to file the returns, give them the money AGAIN, and charge us a penalty for being late!

We fooled them; between our accountant and us, we had all the records and receipts, including the registered mail receipts showing they received everything.

We were home by 1:00 pm, and Mary went to her “sick happy place” in the TV room and worked on her Christmas presents while I fixed lunch.

We spent the rest of the day at home watching TV, working in the office, and hoping Mary recovers.

I fixed dinner, and Mary was feeling good enough to rise from the couch and came to assist me in the kitchen, washing the dishes.   I think she is feeling better!

We watched the end of “Resident Alien,” and at 10:00 pm, we were in bed.

 

 

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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.

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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!

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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 | Comments Off on Tuesday, Back To Normal, Off To The Doctor!

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 | Comments Off on Oh No, Alone At Peak Performance!