Mid Week And We Are Weak!

Posted on Wednesday, April 15, 2026 by Paul

Ice Cream, breakfast of champions!

We needed all the energy we could muster because it’s that dreaded Wednesday, which means we must go to the workout and be torn to shreds by the evil trainer.  I shudder at the thought of having to hear 90 minutes of screams, bleats, gasps, shouts, shrieks, shrills, and other terrifying noises made by those already under the lash!

I have a love-hate relationship with the gym.  Mostly hate.  The trainer started yelling at me early today.   Exercise?  I thought you said extra fries.  I told him, “I’m not out of shape, I’m just in energy-saving mode.”

After peddling the stationary bike for 5.05 miles, I was ready to proceed to the real exercise.   Suddenly, I was on the floor staring at the electric fans, hoping they would not dislodge from their mounts and land on me.    My trainer decided to teach me the twist from the 1960s, and, with untold violence, his massive hands moved over my defenseless little body to the left and then to the right while he sang, “Come on everybody, let’s do the Twist………and it goes like this!”

My body is a temple.  An ancient, slightly crumbling temple that was enduring a terrible 9.0 Earthquake!  I do have a fitness goal: to survive the floor exercises.  Finally, at 9:00 am, I was released under my own recognizance. 

The statue at the check-in/check-out desk was modeled after me AFTER today’s activities.

Oh my!  This selfie really proves that the gymn cracks me up!

After the exercise class ended, I got to a standing position and had my oxygen fix, then we went to Ralph’s Market, which is next door.  We needed a few post-exercise essentials like Acetaminophen (Tylenol), Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), Naproxen (Aleve), Aspirin, Tramadol, Hydrocodone, Oxycodone, and Morphine.    OK, I am exaggerating a tiny bit!

We needed coffee, milk, and a watermelon!  We escaped the market with ONE bag, a new best effort for us!.

From there, we went to Home Depot.  While Mary rested in the car, I picked up six tubs on sale, some plumbing parts, and a few flowers for the front flower bed.  These tubs are made of resin and will not rot.  I have some that are almost 15 years old and still in fine shape!

Two for $19.95, such a deal!!

Back home again, I went VFR to the flower bed and removed the last of the spider plants, I hope!  The flower bed is beginning to look pretty good, and now I am going to ask my gardener to install a fiberglass border around the edges to keep dirt from the flower bed from getting onto the patio.

The soil is now 1/2 clay and 1/2 compost, making the ground soft and easy to dig in and grow new flowers.

At 1:30 pm, Mary comes out the front door, looking as fresh as a daisy, and informs me that our monthly massage is scheduled for 2:00 pm.  I get more warning if we are under nuclear attack by the Russians.  I ran into the shower, washed off all the dirt, and awaited his arrival.  He worked on my lower back for an hour, and I was feeling pretty good.

Sometimes he gets carried away!

Massage therapists really know how to rub people the right way.  When I was done, Mary took to the table, and then our cleaning people came in, wondering what was going on!  I had to make several sarcastic remarks; it’s what I do!

After the therapist departed, I offered to take Mary out to dinner at Roberto’s so Domi and her crew could finish cleaning the house.

While Mary was getting ready, a family came by and visited me.  They were admiring all of our gardening activity and the decorations we keep rotating on the house.  I mentioned our little garden, and they were curious, so I took them into the backyard, where their eyes bugged out upon seeing the veggie garden.  I guess it is impressive.   Mary joined us on the tour!

We are about a month from our first tomato, and the corn is already beginning to tassel!

We drove to Roberto’s, which is two blocks west of the 55 freeway on Katella.  It’s where I get my 43-ounce margarita.  When it was delivered, by two servers, Mary had to make sure it was NOT poisoned and sipped a tiny bit!  I got the “it’s OK” sign!

Mary indicates that it was safe for me to drink!!

We decided to get out of our box and ordered fajitas to share, and I ordered a side of chili verde.

Fajitas Trivia Facts
• The word “ajita” comes from the Spanish word faja, meaning “strip” or “belt,” referring to the cut of meat.
• Original fajitas were made with skirt steak.
• Fajitas are strongly associated with Tex-Mex cuisine, not traditional interior Mexican cuisine.
• The dish became popular in the 1930s among Mexican ranch workers in Texas.
• Ranch workers were often paid partly with less desirable cuts of meat, like skirt steak, which they grilled and sliced.
• The sizzling platter became a restaurant signature much later, helping make fajitas famous.
• Chicken and shrimp fajitas came after the original beef version.

I needed a little more than half of the fajitas, so I also ordered the Chili Verde.  Chili verde is a dish made with meat simmered in a green chile sauce.  “Chile” refers to peppers, and “Verd” means green in Spanish.

It’s commonly made with: Pork, Tomatillos, Green chiles like Anaheim, poblano, or jalapeño, and Onion, garlic, and cilantro.  The sauce gets its green color from the green chiles and tomatillos.

BTW, I checked in this morning, and I was 188 pounds of ripped muscle!  This meal will certainly do damage to that number.

We finished off the entire plate!  The cast-iron pan was making the fajitas steam!

Mary got her camera out to capture the event.  She may have been texting Dianne, as I am about to demonstrate the art of tortilla biting.

I think she texted Dianne.

For years, I taught my kids and grandkids how to bite into flour tortillas artistically.  For years, I taught my kids and grandkids how to eat flour tortillas properly.  The placement of the teeth and the pressure applied while folding the tortilla into quarters create interesting designs and conversation pieces.  They also make doilies, should you need them.

One of my creations still resides in the Louver in Paris!

No, Mary did NOT drink the whole thing, but she did have the last sip again to make sure it was OK for me.

Note:  Most of that liquid is juice; it is probably the equivalent of two margaritas, not four, as it appears.  I was sotially tober when I departed.  I checked, and I was NOT blind, bombed, boozed, boozy, crocked, high, lit (up), loaded, looped, pickled, pixilated, plastered, potted, sloshed, smashed, soused, stinking, stinko, stoned, tight, zonked.  Hic!  Hic!

What can I say??

When we got home, I walked through the garden, making mental notes about what to do tomorrow.  The flowers are coming on strong.

When I returned, Mary was in her jammies and the TV was on.  I changed into my jammies and joined her.  I had my favorite drink in hand, Perrier Water in a wine glass.

We tried to watch TV, but by 8:35 pm, we were both asleep on the recliners!  We headed for bed to get a good night’s sleep!

Posted in Food and Wine, Gardening, Gym | Leave a comment

Are We Having Fun Yet?

Posted on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 by Paul

Oh my!!!  I did NOT ask, “Penny for your thoughts!!”

When we got up, I made coffee so Mary could get to work on her finances.  Her credit card was compromised, so she had to change the numbers on all her accounts.  As she was performing these operations, I heard words that had NOT been spoken since I was in junior high school.

Mary and her computer were in a fist fight, and the computer was winning.  I eventually excused myself as I was afraid desk items would begin flying across the room.

BTW, I totally understand what she is going through, as my card was compromised a year ago, and it took all day to change the darned accounts!

So in reality, Mary was looking at the computer, thinking about pouring water into its innards!  She wore her leopard robe, hoping to scare the computer into behaving, but it did NOT work.

What she was mumbling under her breath would have embarrassed a Marine Drill Sergeant!

Being relatively smart, I slipped out of the office and headed to the front yard to continue my desperate attempt to make the beds more flower-friendly.

While digging out the clay and mixing it with Bumpercrop soil amendment, I ran across an unknown pipe that turned out to be a drain to some part of the house.  I plan to put a small extension on the pipe so I will not lose it again, just in case something needs to be unplugged!  It was a total surprise!

I used two full 80-pound bags of Bumpercrop in this small area, and I put the clay soil into the brown pot and mixed it with the soil amendment.  I used my power auger, and it worked great!!!

Thank goodness for the knee pad; after three hours of working on my hands and knees, it became a lifesaver!

I wondered why the spider plant was doing so well, and after pulling it out, I remembered it was on top of the front yard sprinkler valves!  Since it a) grows too fast and b) we have so much, I will give it a toss tomorrow!

Goodbye, Spider, I knew ye well!

All of a sudden, the front door opened, and there was Mary dressed to kill and giving me a look that, under normal circumstances, would have turned me to stone.  What????  Then she reminded me we have a 1:15 pm appointment with the audiologist in Newport Beach (it was 12:30 pm when she made the announcement).  We go to the audiologist once a year to have our hearing aids calibrated and to have our hearing checked.

I quickly jumped up, ran to the nearest telephone booth, and stripped down to my birthday suit, ready for my shower.  But then I remembered the telephone booth was at the nearby gas station, so running home was not an option… I don’t want ladies pushing their baby strollers to faint at the sight of this amazing body running by!

So, I put my clothes back on and went to the garage, where I used the air compressor to get the big chunks of mud off my gardening outfit.  Then I headed for the shower to wash off the dirt accumulated over the last three hours.

I was ready to go in record time, and we made it with two minutes to spare.

I love deadlines.  I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.

Mary and I go together (everywhere).  She went into the soundproof room first and got the hearing test.  The room reminded me of the TV show, “The $64,000 Question”.

Mary had a slight hearing loss, and then it was my turn.  The poor technician cracked up when I began singing into the little handheld button used to acknowledge hearing during the test.  I thought it was a microphone!  It was OK Joyce knows us well and ignores my antics.

My hearing loss was more substantial at the lower end of the spectrum.  After Joyce cleaned the wax barriers and tuned my hearing aids up, the results were amazing.  Now the problem is I can no longer selectively ignore Mary talking to me; she knows I can hear everything.

It was late afternoon, so we decided to go to the American Legion for dinner.  To our surprise, it was Taco Tuesday, and their regular menu was not available, and the kitchen was closed.  We departed and headed to Verde, where our friend and part-owner works.  We were greeted with a hug!

Great dining and watering hole on Costa Mesa Drive.

We were greeted by their new bartender, Anthony

He did not understand when I ordered a “SURPRISE ME”.

Finally, he decided I was a martini kind of man, and I polished off an excellent one.    The drink was NOT poured or shaken; I was violently accosted!

The other Anthony, our friend and Becky’s friend, greeted us.  We sent Becky a picture and got an immediate reply!   Anthony has the longest arms known to man; his selfies are superb!

Verde is a friendly place to visit and dine!

In a more refined moment…

Anthony looks so exhausted!

All had great fun.  BTW, the salmon dinner was perfect.  Mary totally enjoyed her Snake River Rainbow Trout.  We shared a bottle of chardonnay and regaled Anthony with our recent adventures.

Anthony could always be a photographer!

After arriving home, we popped into the Swim Spa and paddled around like two little ducks.  Mary really quacks me up.

As I was helping Mary to the door after our swimming adventure, I tripped on a hose, and we both landed on the grass.  We have NO idea what was so funny, but we laughed and pointed at each other for a couple of minutes.

NOTE TO SELF:  Wind up the hose after watering the plants!

Posted in Food and Wine, Gardening | Leave a comment

Oh My, Cold And Rain Today!

Posted on Monday, April 13, 2026 by Paul

Life really does go by too fast—now we’re basically speedrunning time.  We wake up Monday, blink, and suddenly it’s Friday afternoon, like, “Welp, there goes the week.”

We have absolutely no clue how we ever survived working jobs, because now we do errands every day—and it somehow takes hours.  Apparently, the grocery store alone requires a full episode and a commercial break.

Being Monday, I found myself hiding in the closet, refusing to come out when Mary called me.   Not even Mary saying  “Come on, Champ, you can do it!” would work.  I knew that within two hours, I would be lying on a hard concrete floor with my “personal trainer” laughing hilariously at my various moaning sounds while I attempted to get back up.   Then, adding insult to injury, I would be placed in a torso being machine with 500-pound weights pulling my little muscles until they creaked.

The only machine I like is the rowing machine because my trainer gets into his/he Viking costume with the helmet having horns and using a whip while yelling “Row, Row, Row my boat… quickly down the stream!!”

This image strikes fear into my heart every time I think about it!

But all is NOT lost, I finally found a machine at the gym that I like: the vending machine.

First class, all the way!!!

Now, on a serious note (yes, I do get serious): Led by Antony Mitchell, with over 30 years of expertise, Peak Performance delivers personalized fitness programs designed to achieve real, lasting results.  We prioritize proper form, safety, and balance, guiding you through tailored workouts in our exclusive, private facility.  The staff is amazing and really cares about you, carefully reviewing and selecting exercises that will help you meet your goals.  Mary and I feel a lot better since we began going there several years ago.  I do not feel like I am in the 80s.  Thank you, Antony and crew!!

Peak Performance’s Fearless Leader, Antony, is an amazing person!

Thank you for adding years to my life and putting a smile on my face!

Today’s goals:

  1. Clean up my desk so I can see the top!
  2. Go to Home Depot to get flowers/acid soil for the front of the yard.
  3. Troubleshoot my security cameras and properly rename them!
  4. Go to the market and get goodies for this week’s meals.
  5. Fall more in love with my amazing wife!

After the gym, we stopped by Home Depot and filled up the “truck” with bags of goodies, including flowers, posts, parts bins, etc.

The Silver Fox does NOT like being called a truck!!

Mary fixed a great breakfast.  I’m glad I don’t have to hunt for my own food.  I have no idea where sandwiches live.

Mary makes the best turkey bacon.

Bottom line: Turkey bacon is not a health food, but it can be a reasonable swap for pork bacon if you pick a brand with lower sodium and saturated fat, which Mary does!  Mary fixed an Egg McMommy, one of her specialties!

After this breakfast, I am ready to work!

So, I get ready to head to the garden, and then Mother Nature decides to give us an unexpected bath.  The skies opened up, and the water came tumbling down.  It is easy to see if you watch the pool!

Raindrops keep falling on my head!

At noon, I came in, cleaned up, and got ready to visit the cardiologist!  I like visiting Dr. Cobb; he is outstanding and quite funny.  He enjoys talking to Dr. Mary since they are in the same profession.  I told him about my chest pains, and he was a little worried, so he scheduled me for another nuclear Heart test in about a week.

A nuclear stress test uses a small amount of radioactive tracer (usually Technetium-99m) and a special camera to create images of blood flow to the heart muscle at rest and during stress.  The test takes roughly 2–4 hours, helps detect blockages, and can be used for patients who cannot exercise.

Nuclear Heart Test Trivia & Fast Facts

How it Works: The radioactive “tracer” allows a SPECT or PET camera to track blood flow, highlighting areas of the heart with reduced blood supply or damaged tissue.

Radiation Dosage: The radiation exposure is very low, generally equivalent to what a person might receive over 2 to 3 years of normal life.

The “Decaf” Rule: Patients must avoid caffeine for 24 hours before the test (including coffee, tea, chocolate, and some sodas), as it can interfere with the results.

No Exercise Needed: If a patient cannot walk on a treadmill, doctors can use medication (such as Lexiscan) to mimic the effects of exercise on the heart.

Duration: While images only take about 15–20 minutes, the entire process takes about 4 hours due to the required waiting periods for the tracer to circulate.

Safety Profile: Serious complications are extremely rare, with fewer than 1 in 10,000 people experiencing them.

What it Shows: Beyond just blockages, the test can show the size of the heart chambers and how well the heart pumps.
Common Names: Other names include a myocardial perfusion scan, nuclear stress test, or SPECT MPI.

On our way home, we stopped at Trader Joe’s for essentials, including a case of wine and three bags of goodies.  I brought them into the house, then went outside and planted two boxes of strawberries with the Hone Depot acid-loving potting mix.

Mary was inside fixing a great dinner and finishing off her supply of Bat Leave we plan to give to our friends.

Bay leaves come from the bay laurel tree (Laurus nobilis), which is grown mainly in Mediterranean climates (parts of southern Europe, including countries like Greece and Italy).  Our laurel tree is doing quite well!

We have at least four jars, which we plan to give to friends who cook.  These leaves will be good for almost 3 years if kept in an airtight container.

My iPhone lit up, and I got a message from my good friend and co-worker George Lee.  He lives over in West L, A, about two miles from where I grew up.  Great guy, and we get together with Robin and share stories.  He is a grandpappy also, so we share pictures.

George was assigned to me from the finance department.  I never found out why they would pair such a nice guy as him with an old reprobate like me.

While waiting for dinner, I decided to see why the plants along the house in the front yard seemed to be having problems growing.  Well, after a little digging, I would say they were planted in solid clay soil.  We are talking icky sticky muck!  Starting tomorrow, and for a little while each day, Mary and I will dig up this “soil” and mix it with bags of soil amendment so the flowers will grow without issue and the plants will thrive.

We want to place the large yellow vine in the corner to “hide” the water pipes, but without proper soil, the plant will not grow well.

Hang on, little guy, mommy and daddy are going to fix your bed!!

Dinner was wonderful, and we retired to the TV Room where we saw “Kindergarten Cop” again.  This memory loss is a great thing because it was like a new movie to us.  We laughed and giggled throughout the show.

We hit the sack at about 9:30 pm after another great day with my bride!

Just one more dance before the Sandman comes.

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Lucky Me!

Posted on Sunday, April 12, 2026 by Paul

Oh, so very true!

Yep, it was “raining” when we got up, so we had our coffee, watched the rain, and planned the day.  I enjoy planning so much that I sometimes forget to do the thing.

As the title says, I was lucky.  When Mary and I got together, she had a Precor Elliptical Cross-Trainer machine, which we moved to the new house.

“Why does the elliptical have handles?  So I can hold on while it reminds me how out of shape I am.

The Precor EFX 556/556i is a commercial-grade total-body elliptical trainer (approx. 80″ L x 30-32″ W x 64-68″ H, 326 lbs) featuring moving handlebars, 20 resistance levels, and a fixed 20°–25° incline ramp.  It includes 6–10 workout programs, SmartRate® heart rate monitoring, and a 350-lb user capacity.

It was a professional unit she bought from someone who was closing his studio.  We used it on occasion, but decided to move it upstairs to be with the stationary bike.  That would enable us to exercise together on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, which are the days we do NOT go to the gym.  When we turned it on, we got an Error-5, key stuck message.

We called PreCor; they said that the model was discontinued and that they had no parts, but they did say what might fix it.  I tried, but to no avail.  So, I got online, and I found a replacement board!

The list price on a REFURBISHED model was $3,995!

The replacement was about $400, and it had a “money-back guarantee,  so I bought it, and it will be here this week.   If it works, we will have some professional movers put it upstairs.  They wanted $300, but that is cheap at half the price.

The day began with us in the nice, warm office, looking at the cold, cold rain.  We called Joe and got an “Amy-Check”.  The plans remain the same; she should be released later on this afternoon.   Charlie had a great prom, BUT Joe was checking on him using the iPhone, and at 3:00 m it showed Charlie being in La Habra???

Joe was getting ready to get in his car and make sure everything was OK, and as he passed Charlie’s bedroom, Charlie was snoring up a storm.  Yes, you guessed it… the iPhone did not update.  When Joe refreshed the page, it showed that Charlie was at home.   We will get a full report later in the day.

We did get a picture,

Yep!  Just like his grandpa (except for the beard).

And he is one handsome dude; he takes after his grandpa!!!

We spent two hours plus in the yard with Mary deadheading her roses,s and I worked in the HeShed and replaced the burner in one of the two spa standup heaters.  If I were about half my age, I could have done it in 5 minutes, but at 81, it took almost 45 minutes because I had to put the entire heater at an angle where I could a) see and b) get my hands inside without twisting my back out of shape.

The rain finally stopped, and I wandered outside looking for problems, and all I found was a rose bush limb lying over due to the weight of the water.  I tied it up, and all is well.

Just us in our gardening uniforms.

The vertical planters are going very well, and we rotate them about 90 degrees every day, making sure everyone gets sun

The rain made everything shine.

The Swiss chard is doing well, and I found a recipe in AllRecipes magazine that features Swiss chard, so tomorrow we will be chowing down on these little fellows.

Tomorrow’s dinner awaits.

Cantaloupes are supposed to be trimmed after six side shoots show up—because apparently that’s when they decide to “commit” to the mission.  The trimming helps the plant get stronger and nudges the blooms into becoming actual fruit instead of, you know, decorative flowers.

Tomorrow I’m putting them on a wire trellis and getting them off the ground—because I refuse to share my cantaloupes with some sneaky varmint who thinks they’re running a produce buffet.

We are about to prune the thornless as they have six branches already!

Looking north reveals an angry sky!  Sure enough, it began to rain again, making today’s total just one inch!

The rain was supposed to be gone at 2:00 pm, but it looks suspicious

Mary trimmed the west wall roses, then returned to the center wall roses to give them a haircut.  The white roses are especially bright this year.

We love our roses.

I removed about 15 small apples as they needed to be thinned out to make the others grow.  The apple tree is coming on strong.

The apples are going berserk.

After coming inside, I offered Mary a deal she could NOT refuse.  I cleaned the vegetable drawers at the bottom of the refrigerator.  It was unknown to us, but “someone” has been using the bottom storage bins for their science projects.  I saw several types of mold/fungus/unknown growths in the veggie bags, and the old mushrooms walked out on their own and jumped hary-kary style into the garbage disposal.  For a moment or two, I seriously thought about trying to make penicillin, but wisely, I avoided that rabbit hole.

After several trips to the trash can and with Mary’s wonderful help, we have a new refrigerator which we will promptly fill!

Mary was cooking, and she asked me to get some carrots and other garden goodies.  When I returned and showed her my findings, she had a strange reaction after she looked at my effort.

 

Mary fixed a sweet potato, which I am learning to love.  We had two breakfast steaks with our dinner and the remaining homemade beans.  We still love cooking at home and being together all the time.

Sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) are not actually potatoes or yams, but rather part of the morning-glory family, originating in Central/South America over 5,000 years ago.  They are nutrient-dense superfoods packed with vitamin A, available in over 400 varieties ranging from purple to orange, and can even be used to make biodegradable plastics.

After dinner, we watched a little TV and crashed at 9:00 pm.  I had a thought, “Whatever you’re doing, always give 100%.  Unless you’re donating blood.”

Posted in Cooking, Just Us, Vegetable Garden, Working Around House | Leave a comment

Do Chores Ever Stop??

Posted on Saturday, April 11, 2026 by Paul

We rested this morning and did not get up until almost 8:00 am.  A quick walk through the front yard revealed that some of the bulbs are breaking ground and will soon be showing themselves to passersby.

The day was nice, but the forecaster said it would rain later… we both doubted that!  The rain finally came, but at 8:30 tomorrow morning.

It is a beautiful day!

The pomegranate tree is doing well.

Pomegranates are ancient, nutrient-dense “superfruits” native to the Middle East, with trees that can live over 200 years.  Each fruit holds hundreds of juicy, edible seeds called arils (up to 1,000+ per fruit) and was historically used in remedies for various health conditions.  Their name means “apple with many seeds”.  Here are more fun facts about pomegranates.  Mythological “Fruit of the Dead”: In Greek mythology, Hades used pomegranate seeds to trick Persephone into returning to the Underworld, a myth explaining the seasons. A “Super Fruit”: Pomegranates are high in vitamins C, K, and A, as well as fiber and antioxidants, which may help prevent serious conditions like heart disease.
Name Origins: The word “pomegranate” is derived from Middle French pomme garnete, meaning “seeded apple”.

The Original Grenade: The word “grenade” is derived from the French word for pomegranate, likely because the first grenades looked like them.

Long-Lasting Treats: Whole pomegranates can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Ancient Symbolism: Pomegranates are mentioned in ancient religious texts and often symbolize fertility, abundance, and life.

Versatile Culinary Use: In addition to eating the arils raw, in many cultures, the juice is used to make syrup (grenadine), salad dressings, and marinades.

The “Forbidden Fruit”?  Some scholars believe the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden was a pomegranate, not an apple.

Staining Power: Pomegranate juice is a strong natural dye, often used to color textiles.
Hardy Growth: Pomegranate trees thrive in hot, dry climates and can grow between 10 and 15 feet tall.

We are going to have pomegranates soon!

When I next used my iPhone/camera, I got a “what happened three years ago message.  It was just us sitting on the patio in our backyard.

Three years ago, we were relaxing.

Around 2:00 ppm, we started The Silver Fox and ran to the very end of the 55 Freeway just before going over the bridge to Balboa Island.  Turing right into the Hoag parking lot, we made our way to the third floor to visit Miss Amy.  She was in high spirits, even though she was missing Charlie and his new girlfriend at the Senior Prom.

We visited with her for about an hour or so before going to the American Legion Newport Beach Post.

Did You Know?  The American Legion was founded in Paris in 1919 by U.S. Expeditionary Force members following World War I, with its official name and charter established shortly after in St. Louis.  Built on four pillars—Veterans Affairs, National Security, Americanism, and Children & Youth—it remains a prominent veterans organization.

Key American Legion Facts & Trivia:

Largest Post, Post 347 in Lady Lake, Florida, with over 6,700 members, is recognized as the largest in the world.

Origin: The organization was founded in March 1919 in Paris, France, by members of the American Expeditionary Forces.

Mission Pillars: The four key pillars are Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation, National Security, Americanism, and Children & Youth.

Motto: The official motto is “Veterans Strengthening America”.
Leadership: The National Commander is elected annually to serve as the chief executive officer.

Social Activity: Many local posts, such as Post 186, host weekly trivia nights to foster community engagement.

The American Legion is just a mile from the hospital, and we waved at Amy.

The Legion is located on the island next to the water at 17th Street.  They have their own private parking lot, and Mary has a pass that gives us access.

The weather was OK but in the very low 70s so we sat inside!

They serve a great meal, and we enjoy visiting with people while watching the boats come and go from the harbor.  Today, Mary met a lady from Germany, and they jabbered in German for quite a while.  Both of the ladies enjoyed practicing their language skills.  The lady escaped communist Germany just before the wall went down.

The American Legion Menu is pretty good!

I had the best view in the house.

That’s my girl!

They have daily specials in the bar, but today we settled for a glass of water and a glass of chardonnay.

Interesting drinks!

After an amazing lunch and meeting new friends, we exited the hall and went to visit The Silver Fox, who, by the way, was expecting a drink for being so patient.  Still, car, drinks are for adults.   I whispered to The Fox, “Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker”.

Just us!

We headed home, which was easy.  On top of that, we drove north for 25 minutes, and we arrived home in time to walk the front yard and see the new leaves emerging from their bulbs.

We tried to watch TV, but I don’t even remember what we tried; I was out like a light.  I woke up around 2:00 am and went to bed.  Mary said she was so tired that she didn’t want to wake me up.

We will rest for tomorrow will be rainy giving us time to fo in-house chores!

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Sitting All Day Is Hard Work!

Posted on Friday, April 10, 2026 by Paul

The nasty alarm went off at 5:00 am, reminding us we needd ot be in Newport Beach at 7:30 am to meet with Amy & Joe at the neuro-ophthalmologist.   We all arrived on time and after a quick coffee at the Strawberry Cafe located on the ground floor of this yall building, the ladies headed upstairs with Joe in tow.

It was fun to be with the “kids,” but we wish it were for a happier reason.

Recently, I ran across a picture of us five years ago having dinner in Fullerton!

It was 6:45 am, an hour that should strictly be reserved for deep REM sleep and dream-induced marathons, but there was The Silver Fox, nosing his way out of the garage like a shiny, mid-life crisis on wheels.

He headed down Jamboree toward Newport Center, gripped by the quiet intensity of a man who was 100% certain he’d left the garage door open, but was 1,000% too committed to his morning latte run to turn back and check.

We parked and walked to the Strawberry Cafe for more coffee.  Joe and Amy rolled in immediately after us.

The appointment went OK, but the doctor told us to go to the ER immediately.  The local ER is at Hoag Hospital.

Hoag Hospital Newport Beach is a top-ranked, nonprofit hospital founded in 1952, recognized as the #1 hospital in Orange County.  Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian is a nonprofit, faith-based hospital founded in 1952 with historical ties to the Presbyterian Church.  However, it operated under an affiliation with Providence/St. Joseph, Hoag became an independent organization again in 2022, while retaining its name and its founding Presbyterian association.

We went VFR to Hoag and got him checked in.  While she was getting the MRI and other tests, Joe and I went to the cafeteria, where we got lunch and ordered lunch for the girls.  I ran across an ugly monkey while eating and captured his photo.

It’s hard to explain his behavior, but Joe is his father’s son!!

Amy got admitted and will be there for several days, taking a large dose of steroids to hopefully calm the situation.  Steroids (most often corticosteroids like prednisone, dexamethasone, and sometimes anabolic steroids) are used to reduce inflammation and/or suppress the immune system.

From her room on the 3rd floor, we could see the Newport Elks lodge (underneath the American flag).

Room with a view!

ASmy was finally placed in a nice, private room on the third floor, overlooking Newport Harbor.  We stayed with her for a bit, with Mary making sure all the paperwork (test results) was for the doctors to see.

We were a tad hungry and certainly tired, so we stopped at the Elks and had a light dinner around 8:30 pm.  A cup of soup and a bowl of chili, we were good to go.  Go home, that is!

While getting ready for bed, Mary spotted today’s T-shirt and had to get a picture of it

So true!

We fell asleep immediately.  Good night, all!

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Busy Day Ahead

Posted on Thursday, April 9, 2026 by Paul

I will do the first part Ms. Boop suggests and have a grateful heart.  As for an open mind, that will require some serious work!!

We were up at 6:30 am since we are going to Whittier to see Amy’s eye doctor.  I told Mary that will stay in the car with my baby and a pillow, and catch up on my beauty sleep.

55, 91, and 57 get ready to receive The Silver Fox, terror of the freeways!  Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?

Last week, Mary drove to the Elks, and a police officer driving down the freeway looked over and spotted Mary knitting while balancing the steering wheel with her knees.

He pulls alongside Mary and angrily shouts, “Pull over!”  Of course, being quick, Mary shouts back, “No, it’s a scarf.”

I was going to let Mary drive, but then I remembered last time!

But I digress; we made it to Whittier, a 30+ minute drive, with minutes to spare.  When Mary got out of the car and headed to the appointment, she said to me, “If I’m not back in sixty minutes, just wait longer.”

Happy birthday, Joe.  He is 385 in “dog years”.

Just before leaving for the Elks, I ran across an old picture from the 1970s of Colleen and Joe meeting two real astronauts (I am cut in half on the right side of the picture).

They met and talked to two of the Shuttle Astronauts who were visiting my lab in Downey!

Gordon Fullerton  (October 11, 1936 – August 21, 2013) was a United States Air Force colonel, a USAF and NASA astronaut, and a research pilot at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, California.  His assignments included a variety of flight research and support activities, piloting NASA’s B-52 launch aircraft, the Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), and other multi-engine and high-performance aircraft.

Fullerton logged more than 380 hours in spaceflight and was a NASA astronaut from September 1969 until November 1986, when he joined the research pilot office at Dryden.  In July 1988, he completed a 30-year career with the U.S. Air Force and retired as a colonel.  He continued in his position of NASA research pilot as a civilian.  Fullerton, his wife, and their two children lived in Lancaster, California.

Fred Haise, currently 92,  is one of the 24 Apollo astronauts to reach the Moon, having served as Lunar Module pilot on Apollo 13.  He was to have been the sixth person to walk on the Moon, but the Apollo 13 landing was aborted en route.  Haise flew five Space Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests in 1977.  He retired from NASA in 1979.  He is the last surviving crew member of Apollo 13 and the last surviving Apollo astronaut who flew to the Moon without landing.

After several years, Joe and Colleen thanked me in their own way!

Oh, oh, more astronauts for you two characters!

OK, we went to Whittier thinking the traffic would be terrible and were surprised to make it there in about 25 minutes, arriving early.  We needed more coffee, so we stopped at McDonald’s and enjoyed an Egg McMuffin and a cup of hot coffee.

A perfect breakfast BEFORE going to the doctor.

When we arrived and parked, we did not see Amy’s car, so we called Joe and found out the appointment was for 2:15 pm, NOT 9:15 am.

We apparently wrote down the wrong time, so it was back in the car, heading to Orange.  The traffic was not too bad.  We did three errands before arriving home, so the time was not wasted.

Now it was 11:00 am, and it was time to head to the Elks for our weekly “Girls Night Out” celebration.

We visited with George, Iris, and Will before heading back to Whittier.

Off we go again to Whittier, and this time we took the 55 to the 5 and got off at Beach.  The traffic wasn’t bad!  Mary and Amy went to see the doctor, and Mary was armed to the teeth.  About an hour later, Mary returned to the car, and we followed Amy home to one more doctor’s office, where we picked up some test results.

We all talked for a while and Joe go the digital info ready to go to Newport tomorrow morning where we have a 7:30 am appointment with Dr. Dr. Madhu Agarwal who Mary taught years ago and is a prominent neuro-ophthalmologist in Newport Beach, CA, specializing in diseases of the eyelid, eye muscles, and optic nerve, located at 400 Newport Center Dr, Suite 605.

A neuro-ophthalmologist or neuro-optometrist is the appropriate eye doctor with specialized training for issues linking the brain and eyes, such as optic nerve disorders, unexplained vision loss, or double vision.  They specialize in treating eye problems caused by neurological conditions like stroke, brain tumors, or Multiple Sclerosis.

Arriving back home, we had a quick dinner and hit the sack around 9:00 pm.  It’s going to be a busy day tomorrow.

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A No Pain Day? What’s With This?

Posted on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 by Paul

No alarms were set, and when I woke up, rolled over, and peered at the wall clock, it indicated 8:30 am.  Immediately panicking, I ran to the office to put on my tracksuit, thinking I was late for the workout.  Then I remembered: Mary canceled today’s pain session so she could rest before our trip to Azua to see Megan compete in Gymnastics and Tumbling.

So, I replanned my day and decided to clean up my side of the office, including mopping up all the tears from writing checks to the State of California and the US Government for our 2025 taxes.  Then I remember my seven rules of life.

So we stayed around the house until it was time to go to Mary’s doctor’s appointment so that she could get a reading on her knee.   Even though the doctor is in Irvine, we chose a right after lunch appointment and made it there in 18-20 minutes.

The doctor’s office is quite nice, and she has many geodes throughout it.  Geodes are dull, unassuming, and often lightweight rocks that hide stunning crystal interiors, formed over thousands or millions of years.  Born from volcanic lava bubbles or groundwater, these “earthlike” stones can contain quartz, amethyst, or even trapped, ancient water (enhydros).  They are found globally, with major deposits in the US Midwest and Brazil.

After the appointment, Mary suggested another shot of Jewish penicillin, so we headed to Benjie’s for the third time this week.  I warned Mary not to order fries as they can be dangerous, but she did anyway.  I told her so!!

After that bit of excitement, we went home and did some minor chores.  We had to leave in just a few minutes to go to Azusa Pacific College in Azusa to see Megan do her gymnastics.  Mary came out of her room, saying she was ready to leave, but I reminded her that we would be sitting on HARD bleachers.

After a quick change, we hit the road for the hour fight with traffic.  We arrived just as the meet opened and got good seats three tiers up in the stands.  We stay with Diane (Megan’s Mom) and Mary’s son (Geoff).

Megan was in several of the “mandatory” sets, and I finally got a good picture of number 43, or is it 34?

Upside down?

We departed right after the meeting ended, but took a quick picture of Mary, Megan, and her mother, Diane.

By the time we got home, unpacked, and crashed, it was 10:00 pm.  We need to be on the road to Whittier at 7:45 am to see a doctor over on Whittier Blvd, and we know the traffic will be horrible.

NOTE: I am trying to resist the urge to stay up until midnight to call my son Joe, who turns 55 tomorrow.  Oh my, how time flies!!  Phooey, I sent him the following image at 12:15 am!

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Toosday Has Shown Itself And We Are Ready!

Posted on Tuesday, April 7, 2026 by Paul

We have to be at the Tustin Seniors Center at 8:15 am to get in line to sign up for the watercolor painting class.  I always wondered who “WE” was, and now I know.  Mary signs up, and I provide transportation services and probably breakfast on the way home.    This morning, since I was driving and she was in the backseat, Mary suggested I wear my chauffeur’s getup!

NOTE: Mary told me it was a chauffeur’s outfit, but to me, it looked a lot like a Chippendales outfit.  (Remember them in the 1980s?)

Just in case you wondered, the picture is NOT of me!

I did have to make the long trip into the kitchen and get her nibs the morning: honey-laced coffee with milk, a peeled banana (I was allowed to keep the peel), and the pièce de résistance, an 11 fluid-ounce French Vanilla 30-gram protein Max Ensure.  It was my lucky day, I got a thank-you and no beating for being 21 seconds late!!

After my quick shower provided by Mary using a water hose while I ran to the garden and back, I slithered into my jeans.  I must watch my diet better.  If my jeans could talk, they’d plead for mercy.

7:50 am and we are off like a rocket to the Tustin Seniors Center to sign ary up for another watercolor painting class.  She was in and out in about twenty minutes.  Smiling as she returned to the car (waiting for me to open the back door),  Mary said she had an idea about her next painting.  She described it, and I thought it to be a bird-brained idea!

In keeping with my efforts to return Mary to “normal” using all the modern medical techniques at my disposal, I again took her to Benjies for a fresh helping of Jewish penicillin, otherwise known as chicken noodle soup.

She felt better after downing four bowls of soup (today I had them remove the feathers first)!!

Upon arriving back home, Mary took an extended nap because tomorrow, we plan to go to Megan’s Gym Meet in Azusa, so Mary wants to feel 99%.  She watched some shoot-em-ups and worked on her needlepoint masterpieces.

Working on Christmas presents already!

At 12:30 pm, we headed to the doctor’s office to see my pulmonologist, and he confirmed I need to go back on the CPAP machine as I stop breathing about 23 times an hour.   I have no problem wearing the machine and stopped only after the operations late last year.  I thought that, after losing all the weight, I might not need it anymore.  I am remaining below 190 pounds.

The doctor asked if I had any problems with the sleep study, and I said no!  He wrote a prescription, and a clinical technician will set up later this week!

Yeah, right!!

I did mention to the doctor that I broke my leg in two places.  He told me to quit going to those places.  Our doctor is very accommodating!

When I told him I couldn’t afford an operation, he offered to touch up my X-rays with Photoshop!

We returned home, and Mary went back to resting, and I slaved in the backyard painting the bullnose bricks along the berry garden.  I also rearranged the HeShed and tossed out a lot of junk (which I will probably need next week, so that will mean a trip to Home Depot).

The grinder, shop vacuum, and drill press are now in the HeShed, making it easier to get in and out of the cars.

At least I can walk inside the HeShed now!

The garden is growing by leaps and bounds.  Tomorrow we will be trimming the bottom branches off the tomato plants, and I will finish sealing the last two vegetable beds.

Buried beneath the plants are a selection of strawberries and a lot of spinach!

We had a nice dinner of beans and tamales before going to the TV room, where Mary continued her rest (read: back to sleep almost immediately).

Our painters finished the front of the house with a bright white paint to allow the colored under-eave lights to reflect the true colors more clearly.  It looked pretty good.

Mother’s Day colors are red, white, purple, and pink, and they dart around the outside of the house until midnight every night.

The Mother’s Day banner gets an assortment of lights shining on it, making it stand out as cars drive by the house.

By 10:00 pm, we were in bed.  Mary canceled our gym visit tomorrow so she could rest and get better before the trip to Azusa tomorrow evening.

Right before I got into bed, I heard God sneeze.  I didn’t know what to say.

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Back To Work And The Dreaded Gym!

Posted on Monday, April 6, 2026 by Paul

Yes, we got our tax returns, and we have a lot to return.  Oh my!  we make $1.00 and have to give the government(s) back $0.37… that’s just not right!

Being the dutiful husband, I was up by 7:00 am, in the kitchen, making a cup of joe for m’lady and bringing it to her.

It is now 7:45 am, and I am beginning to shake with the thought that in 45 minutes I must get into the car and travel 1.1 miles to the dreaded gym.  At this location,d for 90 minutes,s I will be subjected to acrobatics, calisthenics, gymnastics, isometrics, physical jerks, stretching, tumbling, workouts, and various forms of yoga.  In the end, I will have recovered, having lost 0.001 pounds and gained acknowledgment of seventeen more muscles than I ever knew I had!  Oh my!

This is me attempting to get to the car after the “workout,” which consisted, amongst other things, of a “Post Back Squat”!

Mary was feeling down, perhaps with the start of a cold, so she suggested some Jewish Penicillin (often called chicken noodle soup) for breakfast from Benjies!  Bravo, great ideas.  Off we went to 17th Street and the 55 Freeway.

Mary had her penicillin but augmented it with some Irish Coffee.  We were quite surprised when the coffee came with a bunny!

I swear I heard it hiccup!

Now, I have two bunnies at the table!

Surrounded by bunnies!

Upon arriving at home, Mary took a nap, and I headed to the yard for additional work.  Amazon delivered a starting capacitor I needed for my “busted” air compressor, and after a 10-minute install and wiring, it was off and running, just like new.  Now I have compressed air in the back yard for my tools.

The rest of the afternoon, I puttered around in the HeShe’d, trying to get it better organized, and I also planted some flower seeds and worked a bit on our step-exercise machine.  It is out of date and has no replacement parts, but I am going to try to get it going again before we move it upstairs.

Mary found some pizza in the fridge, and I took over from there and prepared a gourmet dinner of pizza, grapes, sliced pizza, and wine.

After dinner, we tried to watch a Bruce Willis movie, but it was so full of foul language that I went back to the exercise room and tried to fix the control panel again.

Before plunging into the exercise machine innerds, I walked outside to see the progress on the front of the house.  When I looked up, there it was, a magnificent contrail left from a missile launch at Venenbury Space Base.

Taken from the front yard!

In the backyard, one could see the entire contrail as it drifted southwest!

Amazing what air currents can do to the contrails!

We crashed around 10:00 pm, but then I got up and finished off the Easter 2026 Webpage. 

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