Wednesday Has Arrived And We Are Ready!

Posted on Wednesday, November 20, 2024 by Paul

The alarm went off at 7:00 am, and we popped out of bed and headed to the showers to get ready for the gym workout.  With help from the Silver Fox landing in the parking lot, we arrived with rubber-created smoke trailing us.  We mounted the stationary bikes and went down the mechanical road. Next week, I am going to add a little rubber horn to my handlebars to warn people entering the gym to watch out. That way, I won’t have to scream at them to get out of the way.

Honk Honk!

After a workout that left our muscles screaming louder than a toddler denying nap time, we decided to reward ourselves at The Original Pancake House in Orange on Chapman. Because nothing says, “I’ve just tortured myself at the gym,” like a stack of pancakes that could double as frisbees. We walked in, hoping for a miracle cure for our sore muscles, and if that didn’t work, at least a side of bacon to lift our spirits!

We split a ridiculously gigantic vegetarian omelet almost the size of a 55-gallon drum! At that point, it should have come with a side of construction equipment and a warning label: “Caution: May cause extreme egg-splosion!” Seriously, I half expected it to have its own zip code!

Yummy, and we took a third of it home with us.

We divided the omelet into thirds: one for Mary, one for Paul, and one for tomorrow morning’s breakfast!

How do you make an omelet laugh? Tell it a yolk!

The omlete was humungus!

When we arrived home after picking up some meds from the local CVS, we visited the garden and made a list of things to do. We also checked to see if anything needed to be covered up, as there is a 50% chance of rain in the next few days!

I came inside and spent another 45 minutes working on the Starlighters Dance Club website, recreating the fun of the evening on the club website.

He sits right by the kitchen window; I call him a “Peeping Tom.”

Mary did some minor trimming, trying to beat the rain this week. She figured they’d audition for a role in a jungle movie if she didn’t trim the bushes. Meanwhile, she couldn’t help but think that if plants could talk, they’d beg her for a haircut instead of drooping in the rain.

Mary is busy trimming the hanging plants.

The cleaning staff arrived at about 1:30 p.m., and we hurried upstairs to “The Loft.”  Mary required me to show her my green card and passport before I could go up the stairs.

I challenged her with a photo of many trees on either side of a country road in the fall. Without hesitation, she got out her lightbox and traced the picture; it was challenging to recreate. She is tenacious.

She is busy in The Loft tracing an image.

This was a challenge! It’s like trying to convince a cat to take a bath—it’s messy, a little dramatic, and definitely involves a lot of fur!

Her tracing activity helped!

About halfway through, it was taking shape.  At 4:45 p.m., it got dark, so I got some light to assist her. The light has several shades, including 6000 Kelvin pure daylight!

It was now dinner time!  We had two beautiful steaks!

There are indeed beauties.

Add a little salt and pepper and some added flavors, and let them sit!

My Oh My, steak for dinner!

Listen to the beautiful music!

After dinner, Mary had a revelation: we were in dire need of additional nourishment. What was she thinking? A salad? No! Cinnamon rolls! Because nothing says “I’m a responsible adult” quite like polishing off a meal with a sugar bomb. Who needs vitamins when you can have dough smothered in frosting? We might as well have been training for the Olympic event of “Cinnamon Roll Consumption.” I could practically hear the theme music as she launched into the kitchen, Olympic dreams in her eyes and powdered sugar clouds following her. It’s time to roll our way into dessert greatness!

Dessert is on the way!

We called Jeff and he was ready to receive.  We used our key to enter his house so he did not have to get up!

We took cinnamon rolls over to Jeff this evening.

After dinner, we examined the latest artwork, and Mary decided to make some slight changes.

The picture is 95% complete.

I decided it was time to be framed!!

Time to be framed!!

We hit the sack early as I have to be at the doctor’s office at 6:00 am for testing before the procedure next week!

Posted in Art, Just Us | Leave a comment

Twosday Has Arrived

Posted on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 by Paul

It is indeed Fall!

When we returned home from the gym yesterday, we noticed that the trees’ leaves were beginning to turn orange and yellow.  We can also tell because nighttime temperatures are in the high 40s and early 50s.

Soon, all the leaves will be gone (and probably blown into our yard).

We were up early this morning, and my allergies are starting to taper off. I’m so relieved!

We have a busy day planned. First, we have an appointment at 11:00 am with our insurance agent to change my health insurance plan. After that, we plan to work around the house and cook.

We talked to Colleen, who shared a funny story. Mary and I arranged to have the local baker make cupcakes and a cake to order for Cassie’s 30th surprise birthday party. Colleen decided it would be funny to have a slightly plastered Barbie Doll on the cake (she is also 30).   Everyone is looking at the cakes/cupcakes as they are perfectly done!

Surrounded

Looking closely at Barbie, you will notice she has icing all over her from being a bit tipsy.  She fell over into thje cake at least three times!  So Colleen backs the cake yop against the wall and leans Barbie back to avoid further tip-overs.

Plastered!

Sarah;s actions will go down in family history

So, the party gets underway, and Sarah leans against the wall and notices the Barbie has fallen over.  Thinking she caused it, Sarah discreetly takes Barbie to the ladies’ room and carefully washes off ALL THE ICING!    Colleen heard the scrubber-dub-dub and water running in the guest bathroom.  Colleen watched what was going on and cracked up!  Colleen and Sarah are now bonded at the hip!!  This will go down in family history to be repeated at all holiday events!

I dropped Mary off at her art class and picked her up at 3:00 pm with her latest art in hand, She is doing amazing well for her sixth attempt!!

The Finch is enjoying the snow but is finding no worms.

After getting home, we made ready for dinner.   We had some fried chicken aong with tamale pie (courtesy of obin and it was goooooood).  We had a glass of vino and then retired to the TV room where we watched two mushy movies.

Finally Mary said, “Enought of the mushy stuff, I need some blood and guts!”  I selected Clint Eastwood in :Grand Torino” and that worked,  I stayed up and Mary went to sleep about 76% of the way through it.

Summary: Retired auto worker and Korean War vet Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) fills emptiness in his life with beer and home repair, despising the many Asian, Latino and black families in his neighborhood. Walt becomes a reluctant hero when he stands up to the gangbangers who tried to force an Asian teen to steal Walt’s treasured car. An unlikely friendship develops between Walt and the teen, as he learns he has more in common with his neighbors than he thought.

We hit the sack at 11:00 pm.  Good night all!

 

 

Posted in Cooking, Just Us, Movies | Leave a comment

We Week Begin Again! I Have Celebrated 4,170 Of Them So Far!

Posted on Monday, November 18, 2024 by Paul

Don’t worry, little fella; we called Marie Calendar for our turkey!

Our new electronic picture frame is working well. As we got up and went into the kitchen for coffee, we were alerted to new pictures sent overnight.   We looked, and it was pictures from Cassie’s 30th Birthday “surprise party.”

Jon (Background), Jacquie, and Cassie

We couldn’t attend Cassie’s 30th birthday surprise party, but we sent a cake and cupcakes from the local bakery in Dover.

We started our day with a 90-minute workout at the gym. Afterwards, we walked next door to Ralph’s to pick up some supplies, including two bagels that we took home.

We talked about last night’s party and got a picture from a friend.  The lady in the center is Iris, who will be 98 years old on New Year’s Eve!  She is holding a photo of herself from the 1940s!

Iris was a glamour girl the year I was born!

The dance was really a lot of fun!

We danced the night away!

We puttered around the house the rest of the day, and I spent most of the time blowing my nose. I wouldn’t say I like allergies.

Mary began cooking around 4:00 pm. She got out the frozen drumsticks, and we put them in the new Air Dryer after she coated them with a special elixir.   They were so good that I dropped the camera and gobbled them down.

We talked to Robin, who got her new Air Fryer, and she was excited to hear about Mary’s recipes.

I am so happy that Colleen, Robin, and Mary are close!

While dining, we watched Clink Eastwood in Thunderbolt and Lightfoot.  Summary:  Thunderbolt and Lightfoot is a 1974 American crime comedy film written and directed by Michael Cimino and starring Clint Eastwood, Jeff Bridges, George Kennedy, and Geoffrey Lewis. The film follows John “Thunderbolt” Doherty, a disguised preacher who is almost assassinated before being unintentionally rescued by a young car thief named “Lightfoot,” who partners with him in a series of thefts. It is soon discovered that “Thunderbolt” is a fugitive bank robber being hunted by his former gang.

Filmed in various locations in Montana, it was produced by Eastwood’s production company, Malpaso Productions, and released through United Artists. The film grossed $25 million at the box office on a budget of between $2.2 million and $4 million and was positively received by critics.

We went to the TV romm (aka Living Room) and watched movies.  Bell, Book, and Candles was great to see again!  Summary: In the late 1950s, Gillian Holroyd (Kim Novak) is a modern-day witch living in New York City’s Greenwich Village. When she encounters charming publisher Shepherd Henderson (James Stewart), she decides to make him hers by casting a love spell. Gillian takes added pleasure in doing so because Henderson is engaged to her old college rival (Janice Rule). However, Gillian finds herself actually falling for Shepherd, which poses a problem: She will lose her powers if she falls in love.

Funny and romantic, it’s what we like!

We crashed around 11:00pm.

Posted in Cooking, Family, Gym | Comments Off on We Week Begin Again! I Have Celebrated 4,170 Of Them So Far!

Busy Sunday! Birthdays And Dancing!

Posted on Sunday, November 17, 2024 by Paul

Sunday was relaxing, and we took every advantage of it!  We got ready to go to Seasons 52 with Bob, Robin, and Nick to celebrate Bob’s 59th birthday!   Robin and Nick came first, and we drove them to the luncheon.

Bob’s birthday is the same as Mitch’s. I wish Mitch were still around; we miss him so much!

We celebrated Bob and Mitch’s Fiftieth Birthday on 11/15/2015—we have done this for years, but this year was special because we celebrated 100 years!

We found our special table at Season 52, and it felt like we were dining in the VIP section of a culinary club! The meal was so fantastic that we seriously considered proposing to our waiter. Who needs a ring when you’ve got perfectly prepared trout and a dessert that could make a grown man weep? At one point, I thought I heard our mashed potatoes whispering sweet nothings.

If only our table could take us home at the end of the night—talk about a table with benefits!  Their Rainbow Trout is legendary!  We popped a bottle of wine and giggled and laughed for an hour!

Lunch was perfect!

We departed around 2:30 p.m. and arrived home at 3:00 p.m. Roobin returned with us to get her car and assist Mary with some party arrangements we had coming up.

Now, another transformation from business casual to formal: We are going to the Elks with the Starlighters to dance to “The Glamorous 1930s and 1940s.”  Nine Carat Gold will do the honors.

Join us at the dance on our website.

Visiting friends, we haven’t seen in almost 20 hours!

We danced and danced and visited and danced some more.

I am enjoying the company! We are glamorous, too!

This evening, she got to wear her mink!

It is fun to “dress up”!

My allergies were so bad this evening that we had to leave early. On the way home, we stopped at Aces for a drink. Finally, we arrived home around 10:00 p.m. and crashed immediately.

Posted in Dancing, Dining Out, Elks, Family, Friends | Comments Off on Busy Sunday! Birthdays And Dancing!

Sylmar Here We Come

Posted on Saturday, November 16, 2024 by Paul

At 5:00 am, our Alexa went wild, saying we had to get up and move.  I threw a pillow at it, but she kept squealing!  We gave up and assumed the vertical position.

We prepped for a full day like we were training for the Olympics and then picked up Dianne at 6:40 am. I was so tired that I almost forgot how to drive and thought Mary would guide the sleigh this morning.

We made it.

We rode to Sylmar in a friend’s 1951 Packard, which was interesting; it reminded me of the old days when I drove with my parents.  That sucker is a beast!

The Packard 200 was an automobile model produced by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan between 1951 and 1952. Models in the 200 designations represented the least expensive Packard model range, on the firm’s shortest wheelbase, and least powerful 288 cu in (4.7 L) 8-cylinder in-line engine. It replaced the Packard One-Twenty and the Packard One-Ten and was renamed the Packard Clipper for the 1953 model year.

It floated down the freeway!

We saw the Rolls Royce collection first, and they were beautiful! MAry of course found a green Rolls Phantom IV.

Mary Rolls found her Rolls.

Most of the Rolls were black and a seemed like 30 feet long.  I was surprised they sold for about $6000 in 1962, or three times the price of my first car, a 1962 Chevy Impala SyperSport.

I love the old cars.

In the old movies, all the cars were black but that is because the film was shot in black and white.

Not all cars in the past were black; the cameras were black and white.

This car would have looked like this:

I was still classy in black and white!

Al Riley, a sales director n for Whitman Publishing, was a friend of my parents, and he always drove a new Packard. BTW, Al and I went to Hawaii for a week in 1955 as had to sell books and had an entire suite set up for the displays.  I slept with the books.

Whitman Publishing is an American book publisher that started as a subsidiary of the Western Printing & Lithographing Company of Racine, Wisconsin. In about 1915, Western began printing and binding a line of juvenile books for the Hamming-Whitman Publishing Company of Chicago. A few years later, Hamming-Whitman went bankrupt. Western took over the company, found success selling its inventory of low-cost juvenile books, and formed the Whitman Publishing Company.

Paul’s dream car, a 1955 Packard Caribbean Convertible

Old cars were indeed bright.  From 1914-1926, there were only Black Ford Model T’s. The 1920s saw the first use of color to reflect personal taste. The economic boom of the period (the “Roaring Twenties”) following World War I increased the demand for automobiles.

You could order any color your little heart desired.

Overlooking the showroom, the marble floors shone with the reflection of the chandeliers.

All smiles!

The showroom was a sight to behold.

A typical 1920s/1930s showroom.

We walked up the stairs into the music room, a formal dining room where the Nethercutts would host dinner parties.  The kitchen in the next room is almost 3,000 square feet.

Dinner ready?

After listening to the fantastic music boxes, we ate lunch at a local Mexican restaurant and enjoyed an excellent meal.  Mary spotted the wings, and I could not resist!

Indeed an angel!

We had a two hour ride home as the traffic, even on a Sunday, was heavy!  We dropped off Dianne and went straight to Campus Jax to see Matt Mauser.

After the show we went VFR to home and crashed.

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Sylmar Here We Come

Oh My, We Are Going To Be Busy!

Posted on Friday, November 15, 2024 by Paul

This morning, we reviewed our calendar packed with activities for the next six weeks. Sometimes, there is a 30-minute window between event #1 and event #2, which gives us time to breathe.

I often think of Aunt Opal’s little house in Paramount as Thanksgiving approaches. This image is from 1949, 75 years ago, and we are getting ready to celebrate.  Claudia and I are probably napping, giving our parents some well-deserved peace.

Uncle Jimmy, Paul Sr., Mom, Opal, Claude, Edith, and Cousin Kat.

We worked in the yard for a while, and I attacked the berries, trimming them back to no more than three feet in height.  After an hour, I still had a lot of cutting to do!  But done correctly, more and more berries will appear over the years,

I made a huge mess!

Scout assumes the position to watch the entire yard from his perch!

Scout supervises.

I was tired and had enough of the berries pricking my poor hands!

It is getting dark, and it is not quite 5:00 pm.

We still have some summer veggies in the garden, so Mary picked the mild peppers and sauteed them for a delectable side dish!  She had her hoodie on from going outside and harvesting.

Into the pan, they go!

They were cooked to perfection, so delicious that even the dishes were trying to sneak a bite! They disappeared faster than socks in a dryer!

Mary picked a batch of peppers.

It’s getting cold outside these days, so we lit the fireplace, which adds a romantic touch to the house and provides heat!

We had a lovely romantic fire going.

I set the table and cooked two beautiful filet mignons.  I topped the steak with peppers, and we dove in headfirst. Eating at home is worth the effort!

Dine to dine!

We had a wonderful dinner. We cleaned up and headed to bed at 8:00 pm because the alarm will sound tomorrow at 5:00 am, and we are off to Sylmar for a tour of the Nethercutt Museum!

Posted in Cooking, Vegetable Garden, Working Around House | Comments Off on Oh My, We Are Going To Be Busy!

Today Was Blah!

Posted on Thursday, November 14, 2024 by Paul

Coffee, the heart starter!

The day started quietly for us.  The three of us wandered into the kitchen, and two of us had coffee; Scout had a beer.

Scout likes a stiff drink before going to the hair salon. At the age of 14 or 98, in dog years, we must go in and make sure he does not ask for a mohawk haircut. One never knows with Scout.

From the groomer, we went to the Elks for Girls Night Out; next summer, this tradition will be five years old!   Sydney joined us and had a story to tell.  This morning, she went to grab her coffee from the microwave, and the cup was so hot she burnt her fingers.  The proper thing to do is put ice on the ouch, but if you are going somewhere, a bag of frozen peas works better, hence the peas!

OUCH!!

We got the latest Christmas flyer and made reservations already!

It starts right after the Christmas Play at South Coast Repertory!

Sydney and her dad followed us home, and they went there first, as we had to pick up Scout at the groomers. Sydney is a long-time friend and was our real estate agent for our multi-transactions in May 2021.

He actually smiles!

Sydney is also our property manager for our rental units. She is transitioning to an “online portal,” meaning it will be easy to access our information or another pain-in-the-ass online computer program that will drive us insane; time will tell. She got Mary all set up on Mary’s computer before heading west to Seal Beach, where she lives.

Home in 18 minutes!

We visited Jeff, had a glass of wine with him, listened to the MiraLargo Election Gala, and applauded what Trump has already done.  We also looked at the map and know where in the US we will NOT vacation because of the looney birds that live there (we may make an exception for New Hampshire as we know our family leans in the right direction).

After visiting Jeff, we called Robin and Greg on the Batphone and talked briefly before bed at 8:30 p.m.!

Posted in Elks, Friends | Comments Off on Today Was Blah!

Posted on Wednesday, November 13, 2024 by Paul

We were up and at them by 7:00 am, fueled by the promise of our gym session at 8:15 am! By 8:30 am, we were on our cycles, cruising down the freeway like the stars of a high-stakes action movie—complete with dramatic music and maybe a few pigeons trying to sabotage our epic ride. Just picture it: us, tearing down the middle of the 405 like it’s our personal racetrack, dodging traffic cones and daydreaming about “the ultimate abs.” Let’s hope nobody calls the cops because, apparently, my dream of being a professional cyclist isn’t recognized by the California DMV!

Mary wasn’t feeling too spry this morning, and after just ten minutes of cycling, I glanced over to check on her—only to find her sleeping away! Apparently, she thought we were on an “exercise and nap” combo program. So, we quickly canceled the rest of our session. Who needs a workout when there’s a bagel store nearby? I took her for her favorite bagels and a café latte. Because, let’s be honest, coffee is basically a sport, right?

When she returned home, she crashed and burned within seconds. I puttered around the house. Our cleaning staff showed up at about 2:30 p.m., and we got ready to go to the Silver Trumpet tonight, followed by seeing Joan at the South Coast Repertory Theater.

We had dinner at the Silver Trumpet, a very upscale restaurant!

Dianne, Dru, Mary and I enjoyed a leisurely dinner.

After dinner, we walked to the theater to see Joan.  It was a good “long block” which was good both ways since we had to sit 105 minutes without a break!

Joan Rivers (born June 8, 1933, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.—died September 4, 2014, New York, New York) was an American entertainer who launched her career in show business in the 1960s as a raspy-voiced, no-holds-barred nightclub and television comic. She was primarily known for skewering herself and celebrities.

We were called n the carpet!

Poor Paul, surrounded by a bevy of beauties!

Someone always had their eyes closed even with several pictures being taken!

At the theater, we stood on the red rug.

On the red carpet with Joan.  The play had some of her best lines in it and I had to belly-laugh at some of them.

Her years as a struggling performer in the coffeehouses of Greenwich Village gave Rivers the experience she needed, and her big break finally came along in 1965: A booking on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ignited her career, as she was an instant hit.

I remember watching her and cracking up!!

She passed at 81 as a result of surgical complications otherwise I am sure she would still be going today!  “Can we talk?”

Two more hams got into the act.

The play was excellent, and the actors did a fantastic job.

Comedian. Trailblazer. Force of nature. Joan Rivers made and remade her career through triumph and tragedy, from Greenwich Village nightclubs to “The Tonight Show” to Hollywood’s red carpets. This is the story of a pioneer and a mom—who were one and the same. Get up close and personal with the famously edgy, fearless, and loving legend in this hilarious and heartbreaking account of an American icon.

The stage setting was simple but effective

We will miss her comedy!

One of a kind indeed!

We dropped Dianne off at her home and then took Dru to our place, where her car awaited the short drive to her house.

Posted in Food and Wine, Friends, Theater | Comments Off on

We Keep Celebrating

Posted on Tuesday, November 12, 2024 by Paul

The day started brilliantly with a steaming cup of coffee because we’d be sad zombies without it. We then dove into our computers, battling the inbox like it was a rogue robot trying to take over the world. Deleting old emails felt like a digital spring cleaning, but instead of dust bunnies, we found ancient messages from that distant cousin who only talks to us when she needs a favor.

After a while, Mary declared she needed a break from our thrilling email escapades and headed to “The Loft.” I half-expected her to start a new career as a professional YouTube commenter. But nope! Instead, she lost herself in the magical world of watercolor painting tutorials and lightboxes. Who knew that watching someone else paint could be so riveting? She might just come back using “abstract expressionism” as her new catchphrase, proving once and for all that watching art is the new doing art!

At 11:00 p.m., we got ready to go to her painting class. While she was there, I cleaned up the car and did some chores around the house. Her class got out early, but I did not have my phone on me because I was afraid it would fall out of my pocket while doing the chores. Mary had to wait almost an hour for me to get there.

We were dressed and ready to go to the Elks for another Veterans Day celebration. You know you’re ready when you wonder if the medals on your uniform could double as pie plates for the dessert table! Why honor veterans without a little added weight from the food? As we pulled up, I half expected a marching band to greet us.  I heard the sounds, but it was just the sound of Bob trying to find a parking spot—talk about an epic battle!

Hey Captain, whazz up?

We had an excellent table courtesy of Bill Capps. It was so good that I half expected it to start serving us dinner and telling jokes! Who knew tables could be so generous? Next time, I’m asking Bill if he can reserve us a chair that doubles as a personal massage therapist!

Bill reserved us a table.

We devoured our food as soon as we arrived because, honestly, our stomachs were so loud they could have won a karaoke contest! I think I even heard one of them singing!

The head Elk came to visit our table.

Meeting and greeting.

Tonight, we had several members of the Sheriff’s department. I bought the guys a round of “pine floats” and a bunch of lottery tickets.

We feel pretty safe right here!  The guys gave Mary an OC Sheriff’s Department Honor Guard  Challenge Coin and a patch.

The event started with the ladies presenting a tribute to the veterans in the audience.  It was well done and well received.

The ladies did a beautiful tribute to our armed forces.

Vick and Jim joined us this evening, and she always brightens the day.

Vicky and Jim brightened up the evening.

She did not know this, but Mary and I sent her a book.  After she reads it, she can tell me how to use mine!

Now, we will find out how these things are supposed to work!

We had a great time all evening with banter at 103%!

Just us.

It’s disgusting that  Bob can still fit into his uniform after fifty years while  I can’t fit into my pants, which I ordered last week!

US Army, YEAH!!!

Jeeze!  We are going to call him “High Pockets.”  He was in the drum and bagpipe corps, making it easy to see where they were.  Basketball anyone?

Our girls are short.

He played the drums and did it well!!

On a lark, I bought $100 worth of raffle tickets (the proceeds went to a good cause), and our table won four of the six prizes offered. Nope, it was NOT fixed.  Mary was first and got a “challenge coin”!

A challenge coin is a small coin or medallion bearing an organization’s insignia or emblem and carried by its members. Traditionally, they were given to prove membership when asked and to enhance morale. Service members and law enforcement personnel also collect them. Historically, unit commanders presented challenge coins in recognition of exceptional achievement by a unit member. They could also be exchanged in recognition of visits to an organization.

Donna won a prize.

You can see the Army and Navy get along—mostly because they’re united in one common goal: ensuring the Air Force doesn’t steal the booze.    Bob won the prize but donated it to Bill.  Or, as Bill tells the story, “hic.”

Bill won a prize which he held close to his heart!

Just what us old guys need, a box of tookies! Perfect for fueling our late-night debates on who’s the best superhero—spoiler alert: it’s definitely the one with the best snacks. Now all Jim needs is his reading glasses and a nap, and he will be ready to solve the world’s problems… assuming he can stay awake long enough!

Jim won a prize that might not even make it home!

Part of Bill’s family joined us this evening.  We had met Sarah before, but not her husband, who gets a hero’s badge for driving from downtown LA to Santa Ana in the traffic rush! Sarah was most delightful and took all the teasing very well!

Bill, with granddaughter Sarah and her husband

Donna and Mary had a great time.

Mary also won a prize.

Vicky and Jim enjoyed the show!

We headed home around 9:00 pm and promptly hit the sack.  We had a full day!

Posted in Elks, Food and Wine, Friends, Fun, Holidays | Comments Off on We Keep Celebrating

…And Another Week Begins!

Posted on Monday, November 11, 2024 by Paul

Special thanks to Captain Mary A Côté, USA

We got a Frameo from Jacquie (our grand-daughter) with a picture of a varmint she found in her backyard,

We have proof Fall is here; our great-grandson Chunk is playing in the leaves!

FYI: This website was established Tuesday 26th of December 1995 and is 28 years, 10 months and 16 days old today!

We were moving at 6:50 am and raced to see who got to the coffee machine first.  Guess who won?  It was Scout, but he had an ulterior motive. He passed it right by, leaving it cold, and headed to the back door, doing just under 85 miles per hour.  The last we saw of him was his tail wagging in the air and him sailing through the grass toward the vegetable garden.

Mary will go on as usual.

Today, I plan to limit myself to floor and drinking exercises because of the report I got last week about the old ticker.

I will watch all the activities going on!

After mentioning my “condition” to my trainer,  we worked on mobility instead of cardio, so I was OK.  After the workout, we went next door to the Subway shop and got vegetarian sandwiches.

The Veggie Delite is one of Subway’s Fresh Fit subs. It is made on 9-grain wheat bread and includes several vegetables from their fresh vegetable container. It has only 200 calories!

Some say the Veggie Patty is one of Subway’s healthiest items because it contains mushrooms, onions, carrots, black olives, and bell peppers.

After returning home, we got ready for our bi-weekly massage which really felt pretty good after the gym, ha ha.  Then Mary wanted to work in the yard trimming some flowers and planting others.  I pulled out some fruits that were gone bye bye and watered the last of the berries that have new fruits on them.

Mid-afternoon we called Pete to wish him Happy Vetran’s Day and we also called Colleen to say the same to Mark!

In Iraq for the third time (His HumVee had bullet holes in the back!)

Since it was Veterans Day, we decided to go to the American Legion on Balboa Island and participate in their BBQ celebration.  We were a day late and a dollar short; the BBQ was over when we got there although we could have had some leftover rubber chicken.  We had a glass of vino and then got to work deciding what to do for dinner and how to celebrate for Dr. Captain Mary!

I called Bill Capps to see if he would like to go to dinner but he said, “This was the first night he was alone and he wanted to savor the moment!”  We understood but we did make plans to go the Elks Tuesday and celebrate with him.

The an idea popped into my head; let’s go to Patty’s Place, our favorite.  It was 4:30 pm and although it was a holiday, the freeways would be a disaster.

We got married there and celebrate anniversaries there every year.

We took PCH from Balboa to Seal Beach and we made it in less than 30 minutes.  GPS said 17.1 miles and 29 minutes.  GPS was right on!

…and we got to see the sunset!!

We arrived at Patty’s at 4:59 pm which was perfect because on the way, we called Sydney and asked her and her dad, also a Veteran, to join us at Patty’s.  We planned to meet them at 5:00 pm.

We listened to the news and saw “the map” while driving northwest along the coast.  A sea of red from sea to shining sea!

Maybe it’s the sea water and high elevations that make the liberals crazy!

Our favorite bartender was serving tonight so we got to visit with Jake and several other employees we knew.  Patty’s had their famous swordfish this evening so I was delighted.  Mary did the rack of lamb.  The meal was, as expected, fantastic.

The girls have a good visit.

The rack of lamb was especially good this evening; a lot of it made it’s way home for tomorrows brunch!

An average lamb rack weighs about 2 pounds. Lamb rib chops are cut from a rack of lamb. There are 8 chops per rack, with 1 rib bone per chop.

Hal was in excellent spirits this evening as he just turned 95 last week!

The four of us kibitzed all evening long!

Hal heard the word “flash” and started to demonstrate his procedure.  We got him stopped before and permanent damage was done to his reputation!

Hal, it is winter time outside!

We headed home to Orange which was due East 22.1 miles taking us a mere 26 minutes!

The Silver Fox flew home on automatic.

We stopped at Jeff’s because we brought him dessert from Patty’s place.  We said hello to Scout and the promptly hit the sack.  I thought it would be good to watch some Laurel and Hardy in bed before going to sleep.  Well, I lasted less than three scenes before I was sawing logs.

We had a good day!

 

Posted in Dining Out, Friends, Gym, Working Around House | 2 Comments