Time For “Girls Night Out!”

Posted on Thursday, February 12, 2026 by Paul

Just us!  Another day in paradise!

We have no idea what happened, but we didn’t get up until almost 8:15 am.  Apparently, “lounging around reading and watching TV” is an extreme sport—and we absolutely crushed it.

We enjoyed our morning coffee with Colleen, who demonstrated the new bedding organization system she created for us.  It’s an incredible idea, thanks to Amazon!  Now, we don’t have to pull out the bedding to see where everything belongs.

The things you learn from your kids are amazing!

This morning, Mary and I have dentist appointments at 11:30 am, so Colleen is going to the Elks Lodge to start lunch with the gang.  We will “ketchup” as soon as we can.  Our friends are eager to visit with Colleen, as she has made a hit with them!

Colleen had another hilarious new idea for the backyard, which she shared with us.  We briefly considered it—roughly 30 milliseconds—but quickly decided it was a total non-starter!

No hammer or nails required!

Before we left, Mary sent me a Facebook Reel.  I’m deeply offended by the implications… even though, annoyingly, they’re probably accurate.

We hit the road for the dentist at 10:45, thinking we might be able to get in a little early.  Nope!  They were right on schedule.  To save time, I asked the hygienist to check and clean every other tooth, but no luck!

“Open wide, my dear… NOT that wide, I just lost the hammer and crowbar!!”

We were driving to the Elks from the dentist’s office when Mary received an unexpected text message.  It was from our neighbor Jeff’s daughter.  Jeff’s lung condition had suddenly worsened, and he passed away last night.  His sudden departure hit both of us hard as he was such a nice man, a wonderful neighbor, and a good friend.  Jeff and I had so much in common that it was uncanny.

We remembered the party that we helped host for him with his family and friends.

Jeff Smith (1945-2026) RIP!

We rolled into the Elks a casual 40 minutes late—because punctuality is a myth—but George and Bill were still there like absolute legends, hanging around to greet us.  Sydney, too, was probably placing bets on whether we’d show up at all.  Colleen had already arrived and was regaling them with stories of days gone by!

Surrounded!

On the way out, we told Colleen about “The Challenge Coin,” so she laid one on Ronnie!

Ronnie owes ME a drink!!

I decided we should play cards—but the second I got the deck out… I passed out.  Turns out Ican’tt handle a full house!

Ronnie said he was DJ’ing the TikiRoom Dinner tonight, so naturally we showed up to provide moral support (and unsolicited song requests).  After getting home, we squeezed in a power nap, then headed back to the Elks Lodge to meet up with Sydney, Dianne, and the Capps—fully recharged and ready to pretend we stay up late and party during the week.

The sunset put on quite a show this evening!

The Silver Fox gave us quite a view as we headed toward the freeway!

Colleen got a great shot from the freeway ramp as we approached the lodge.

It felt like we should be wearing grass skirts and going to a luau (oh, we are sort of!)

We re-arrived and are ready for a delicious dinner, drinks, dancing, and other frivolity!

Dr. Capps and I were surrounded by beautiful ladies… which was great, because someone had to make us look good.

So, we ordered dinner and got to dancin’ up a storm.  Mary’s back seems to be almost normal!

We had an amazing, astonishing, astounding, fabulous, fantastic, fantastical, incredible, marvelous, miraculous, phenomenal, prodigious, stupendous, unbelievable, and wondrous evening with friends.  Stories were told, and some were even believed!

Dianne was gettin’ it on!!!

Colleen would never talk a movie once the subject waved her off!  But remember, she is like her dad.  Here is Sydney demonstrating how NOT to use a Tiki Hoop!

I signed in Sydney as “Honey” this evening!

By “getting late for us old folks,” I mean it was pushing 8:30 pm—practically midnight in our time zone.  So we gathered up our things and made for the exit.  Meanwhile, Sneaky Colleen had already pulled a full valet move: she’d slipped out, brought the car around to the front door, and had it waiting—warm, ready, and making us look way more sto-piss-ta-kated than we actually are.

Note: We invited Robin to join us, but she wasn’t feeling well, so she clocked out from work early and left us to wing it without our “Robin” in the group.

Posted in Dancing, Dining Out, Elks, Family, Friends | Leave a comment

Mid-Week, Nada!

Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2026 by Paul

I studied all night long so I would pass the test!!

We were up and moving early because I had a blood test scheduled at 10:00 am and a carotid artery ultrasound at 11:00 am.  Even though I practiced for the blood test, it is always an experience.

We drove about six miles to the 1010 Building and waited until 11:15 am to get the carotid ultrasound.

Robert Hooke (1635-1703) was an English scientist, natural philosopher, and architect who first noted that sound waves could be used to study the inside of the body.  In 1794, Italian physiologist Lazzaro Spallanzani studied how bats navigate in the dark.  This understanding became the basis for modern ultrasound physics.  John J. Wild (1914-2009) is credited as being the Father of Medical Ultrasound.  He is best known for using ultrasound to diagnose cancer.  More…

We decided to half the leftovers for lunch and went home to reheat last night’s dinner from Darya’s.  The meal was perfect and kept us out of the refrigerator the rest of the day!

Collen was gone when she took the van to pick up Joe and the crew, and they drove to the desert for a CIF Soccer Playoff game.

The day was dreary, so I did some work on the garage before coming inside and reading my current Clive Cussler adventure.  Mary joined me in the TV/Living room, where we both read until 8:30 pm.  It was nice to get over four hours of reading time, and I was really getting into The Corporation’s current adventure about the golden Buddha and the island of Macau.  In my mind, I was part of the team!  I could NOT put down the Paperwhite!

Mary and I share the same library (as we like to read the same things).

We have at least four Paperwhites between us, and since they keep track of where you are, we can keep one in the bedroom and the other as a traveler.  Mine is red, and Mary’s is pink!  We love its capabilities, especially its built-in dictionary.

With the touch of a finger, a dictionary and a thesaurus are available.

Amazon Kindle is a series of e-readers designed and marketed by Amazon.  Amazon Kindle devices enable users to browse, buy, download, and read e-books, newspapers, magazines, Audible audiobooks, and other digital media via wireless networking to the Kindle Store.  The hardware platform, developed by Amazon’s subsidiary Lab126, began as a single device in 2007.  Currently, it comprises a range of devices, including e-readers with E Ink electronic paper displays and Kindle applications on all major computing platforms.  All Kindle devices integrate with Windows and macOS file systems and Kindle Store content, and as of March 2018, the store had over six million e-books available in the United States.

At 8:30 pm, we turned on the boob tube and continued watching “Suits,” where Louis becomes a named partner.  Mary and I agreed that if we had to work with Louis, we would have thrown him out the 38th-floor window!

Finally, around 10:30-ish, we shut off the TV, turned out the lights, and headed for bed.  As I fell asleep, I was thinking about growing up in the 1950s; they were amazing times!

Absolutely nothing happened all day—so naturally, we were exhausted.

Posted in Doctor, Family, Just Us, Working Around House | Leave a comment

It’s Painting Day! Today We Got Our First “Toofer”!

Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2026 by Paul

It’s always time to dance!

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

We met up with Colleen in the kitchen around 7:00 am American time.  Colleen is still three hours ahead of us.  We had a cup of coffee and three bananas.   After yesterday’s meal, none of us were hungry, so my plan to do a breakfast steak and omelets was put on the back burner, no pun intended!

By 9:00 am, Mary headed off to the showers, and Colleen fired up The Silver Fox like she was launching a top-secret operation.  Mission: hit the local Dunkin’ Donuts and return with lattes… plus my highly specific, extremely urgent special request: one glazed donut.

No pressure or anything—just the fate of my morning happiness riding on a single ring of sugar.

While scrolling through Quora, I came across a very interesting picture that revealed something I did NOT know.   In one of my favorite movies of all time, the “old geezer” on the left (who played a sick old man who jumped off his deathbed to watch the big fight) was, in reality, John Ford’s brother (Ford is on the right and directed the movie).

I turn to this movie at least once a year and have for the past forty years!

While everyone was busy, I finished off yesterday’s daily diary and began a new entry for today.

Mary’s back is finally starting to behave like a normal spine again, so we reviewed her treatment plan: pills, alcohol, massages, and acupuncture.  After careful scientific debate, we still can’t agree which one worked best—mostly because the alcohol made the meeting notes illegible.

Apparently, it really works!

Before Mary departed for the painting class, Colleen received a call from her daughter, who said there was some turmoil at home.

Colleen fixed the problem and, once again, showed she is a great mommy!!

Our neighbor picked up Mary, so Colleen and I headed for Home Depot.  We walked around and filled the basket with necessities of life, including two new brooms (guaranteed to hold 135 pounds, in case Mary wants to go flying in October).

As soon as Colleen and I got home, it was time to retrieve Mary and her new artwork.  Today, we goto a toofer!  So, what exactly is a “toofer”?  The first image was actually two challenges set by the instructor today!

So, if one does digital surgery on the image, we get two separate works of art suitable for The Louvre in Paris (arrangements are being made as we type).

Time for a cupcake, complete with hearts.

Cupcakes originated in the late 18th century and were initially called “number cakes” or “1234 cakes” due to their simple, ratio-based ingredients.  The term “cupcake” first appeared in 1828, referring either to baking in individual cups or measuring ingredients by the cup.  They became popular in the 1920s, with Hostess introducing the first commercial version in 1919.

Then we have the Valentine’s Day Byrd.  Its name is “Arrow”!  Using my amazing translation skills (I speak fluent bird!), I demand a piece of the cupcake, or else he will do a bombing run right across the top of the cake.

This little fellow is a real birdbrain!!

We went VFR home because it looked like rain was coming anytime, and we needed to get the van ready for tomorrow’s pilgrimage to South America, with Joe as the chauffeur.

Robin called, and her ETA was 4:30 pm, so we got ready to receive her and run!  We were off to Dayra’s for dinner.  Mary was ready to eat!

“Hurry up!  Let’s eat!!”

At 4:45 pm, Robin arrived, and at 4:46 pm, we took off for Dayra’s!

Persian food is a delicate, aromatic, and ancient cuisine defined by the heavy use of saffron, pomegranate, dried limes, and rose water, typically pairing savory meats with fruits and nuts.  It balances flavors, rarely uses hot spices, and is deeply influenced by the Silk Road, with rice-based dishes like chelow as staples.

Key Trivia and Fun Facts:

World Leaders: Iran produces roughly half of the world’s saffron and is the largest producer of pistachios.

Ancient Treats: Ancient Persians invented the first known form of ice cream around 400 BCE, often serving it with rosewater and vermicelli.

The National Dish: Chelow Kabab (grilled meat served over rice) is considered the national dish, often served with sumac, grilled tomatoes, and raw egg.

Rice Culture: Persian rice is considered an art form, with the ultimate goal of creating a perfect, golden, crispy bottom layer called tahdig.

Hot/Cold Balance: Based on ancient Zoroastrian traditions, food is classified as “hot” or “cold” (regardless of temperature) to balance the body’s metabolism.

Utensils: A spoon is the primary utensil, as knives are rarely needed because the meat is tender.

First Meal in Space: Ghormeh Sabzi, a popular herb stew, was the first Iranian dish eaten in space.

The Scent of Tradition: Rose water is not just for dessert; it is often used in main savory dishes.

Key Herb: Golpar (dried Persian hogweed) is a uniquely Persian spice often used on pomegranates and broad beans.

Famous Soups: Ash reshteh is a thick herb and noodle soup made with kashk (a fermented, salty whey) and served during Nowruz.

Fruit and Meat: A staple of Persian cuisine is pairing savory meats with fruit, such as lamb or chicken with a pomegranate and walnut sauce (fesenjan).

The restaurant is located about 1.7 miles from home and is quite nice.

In we go for a real treat!

We had a great seat!

Surrounded by a bevy of beauties!

When I got home, I marched straight to the kitchen to make homemade white bread.  It was my first loaf in about five years, so I wasn’t so much “baking” as I was re-learning the ritual and going on an archaeological dig for my own tools.  Somewhere between the flour and the yeast, I found a whisk, three measuring cups, and a strong suspicion that my rolling pin has been living a double life.

The bread turned out pretty good, considering the time lapse since I last made it!

We watched Suits until 11:30 pm and then crashed.

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The Weak Begins But We will Be Strong After The Gym Visit

Posted on Monday, February 9, 2026 by Paul

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Colleen was up because she is still three hours ahead.  Colleen wanted to go to Dunkin’ Donuts for her caffeine fix, so, being rather brilliant, I sent Colleen in The Silver Fox with instructions to get lattes for Mary and me.  Now, the car will be warm when we go to the gym!

Me: “How heavy is it?” Trainer: “Light?” The ball: built like a small refrigerator with anger issues.

We’re ready for the rack!  Bring it on, Peak Performance—we can handle it (without crying).OK, maybe just a light misting when we hear our tendons pop like bubble wrap and the coaches casually yeet* a 100-pound medicine ball at us, instantly compressing our lungs into the size of a small green pea.

* “Yeet” is slang that means to throw something, often with wild, energetic abandon, forcefully.

After an hour of torture, we headed home hat in hand and defeat on our faces.  We went to the office, where I found my email inbox was full, so I quickly went through the mailbox, keeping only the emails I wanted to read.  Of course, when Thomas Sewell sends out a message, I read it twice because he is so smart.  He defines the government under liberals quite well!

I love this man!  He is very wise and a great American!!

Back home, we put Mary in her La-Z-Boy and said, “Sit, Stay!”  She was expecting her masseuse at 11:00 am.  Colleen and I went joyriding, doing necessary errands.  We dropped off the wheelchair, thus making room in the car for cases of wine!   Next on the assul list was Trader Joe’s, where we arranged for four cases of “Three-Buck’Chuck” to be placedin the trunk of the car along with several other necessities of life.

We had to make a “quick stop” at Ralph’s for our favorite variety of milk… and somehow that turned into a full-blown mission for milk plus “a few” additional goodies (you know, essentials… like snacks and other snacks).

Colleen and I had a great time shopping—then it got serious: we started planning how to sneak our treasures into the house without Mary noticing.

When we got home, we were acting like we’d robbed a bank:

• “You take the milk.  I’ll distract her with normal conversation.”
• “If she hears the bags, abort.  ABORT””
• “Worst case, we claim Ralph’s employees accidentally put the treats in our cart.”

All this over groceries… like we’re not two adults doing a snack heist in broad daylight.

But first, we needed to do an In-An-Out flyby!  I practiced Mary’s order twice before I blurted it out to the young man taking orders: “Cheeseburger protein style, no onions, light spread, extra pickles, trim the lettuce, etc.”  He ran out of room to write the order.  Colleen and I did cheeseburgers and fries.

The poor order-taker did not know what hit him!

Upon our arrival, a strange man was leaving the house via the front door as we pulled into the garage.  I ceased to worry when I remembered the masseuse was scheduled to depart around noon!  We had a great lunch and made sure we sent photos of our In-N-Out tip to Mark!

Then the magic began.  I stepped up to the stove, raised my baton, and began to cook to the tune of Disney’s Fantasia!  I donned my Sorcerer’s hat, waved the baton, and ordered the broom to assist me!

Browning the 1″ cube of meat was my starting point, and then allowing the meat to simmer for an hour in Paul’s Secret Beef Stock while I prepared the veggies.

After an hour, the veggies were ready to go into the mix.

Carrots, small potatoes, and celery were ready!

One additional hour of simmering with the veggies, and we were ready for dinner.  I decided toast was in order, plus some sliced peaches, topped off by a glass of our finest wine (Three-Buck-Check)!   Dinner was served!

The meal was actually quite good!  I think Colleen was amazed to see “pops” conducting the kitchen and coming up with something edible (other than a TV dinner from the microwave!)

We sat down, I lit the candles on the table, and lowered the lights (so they could NOT see what they were eating).  A quick look in the kitchen revealed that my cooking skills were improving, as there was no mess.  Then it dawned on me: Colleen was my wingman, performing cleanup behind me, as I do for Mary!  We all had a good laugh and an excellent meal!

Cleanup was easy because before I knew what was happening, Collen had the table and kitchen spotless!  Then came the first yawn!  Colleen is still running on East Coast time, so it was 9:30 pm and her bedtime.  Off she went down the hallway, candle and bell book in hand, to settle in for a long winter’s nap!

Mary and I went to the Living/TV Room and watched five episodes of “Suits” ending at Season 3, Episode 9.  While Mary got ready for bed, I checked my email and found a picture of Vicky and Jim, who decided to take a walk on the beach by the Seal Beach pier.  It was a sunny day, but they did not realize how cold the water was.

It was a sunny day in California, and you can almost see Catalina in the background!

I buzzed through my email and ran across a great video about the place where I grew up.   I lived three long blocks from the Helms Bakery on Venice Blvd and walked by there every day while going to High School!  This video brought back memories.  It is 2 minutes and 20 seconds long.  Enjoy!

Nostalgia hit me, and even today, sixty-five years later, I can smell the bakery in action when I see the images!

Good night,t all!

 

Posted in Cooking, Family, Gardening, Gym, Working Around House | Leave a comment

We Are Getting A New Arrival!!

Posted on Sunday, February 8, 2026 by Paul

Mary keeps saying, “EVERY DAY is wife day!”

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

The sun was not even up when I hit the floor this morning.  Knowing her nibbs would be sleeping for a while, I prepared myself a cup of joe and readied the daily diary for another entry!  I noticed that I am getting good at tippy-toeing around the how so as not to wake the sleeping lioness.

“Her nibs” (and “his nibs”) is an informal, often sarcastic, and sometimes affectionate British slang term for a woman in authority or someone who acts in a self-important, superior, or demanding manner.  It is used like a title of honor, such as “Her Majesty” or “Her Highness,” to mock or lightly tease someone for their perceived high station or arrogance.

We worked in the office until 9:00 am, then started preparing to receive Miss Colleen.    Our daughter is a grandmother, making us great-grandparents.

While Mary took her shower and got ready for the airport run, I fertilized and de-weeded the roses, then watered them using the Hydrawise system (i.e., I control all watering from my iPhone).

Thank you, Hydrawise, for making my life easier!

As I was working, I kept remembering my grandmother, who was moving into an assisted living facility, and we had visited her many years ago (she would have been 141 years old this year).

We wanted to make sure she was being well cared for, so we had dinner with her at the facility.  We said goodbye and planned to visit again the next day! 

The next morning, the nurses bathed her, fed her a tasty breakfast, and set her in a chair at a window overlooking a lovely flower garden.

She seemed okay, but after a while, she slowly started to tilt sideways in her chair.  Two attentive nurses immediately rushed up to catch her and straighten her up.

Again, she seemed okay, but after a while, she slowly started to tilt over to her other side.  The nurses rushed back and once more brought her back upright.

This “tilt & adjust” activity apparently went on all morning.  Later that day, we went to revisit her to see how Grandma was adjusting to her new home.

“So, Gramm, how is it here?  Are they treating you all right?”

“It’s pretty nice,” she replied.  “Except they won’t let me fart.”

As I walked in the patio door to get ready to go to the airport, I noticed that, in the middle of winter, we have strawberries in our rotary pots.  Several of the “pots” on the rotary were filled with strawberries, and I assume it was the unfettered view of the sun and the warmth of the patio that allowed these puppies to grow.

Yummy!!

At 11:20 am, we launched in The Silver Fox for John Wayne Airport because Colleen was scheduled to land at 11:45—meaning we had precisely 25 minutes to feel confident, then immediately panic.

Halfway there, I noticed we were low on fuel.  Not “maybe we should stop soon” low—more like “the dashboard is starting to clear its throat” low.  But the timing was chef’s kiss: we cruised past the arrival gates like we totally meant to, dipped out onto McArthur Blvd, and found a Standard station.

A quick splash of dinosaur juice later, the Silver Fox was topped off and feeling young again.  We headed back to the airport—only half a mile away—and, like magic (or airport sorcery), Colleen appeared right on cue.

We will be seeing a lot of Joe and Colleen in the next week!

We picked up Colleen, then we were off to Benjie’s for brunch.  We all had half-pastrami sandwiches and either a cup of soup or a salad.  Colleen and I could NOT resist ourselves and went for the rootbeer float.

Root beer floats were invented in August 1893 by Frank J. Wisner in Cripple Creek, Colorado, who was inspired by the snowy peaks of Cow Mountain.  Originally named the “Black Cow,” this classic treat combined vanilla ice cream with root beer.  National Root Beer Float Day is celebrated annually on August 6.

After arriving home, Mary was, if my magic, transported to the La-Z-Boy to rest her back.  At the same time, Colleen and I walked the garden and ended up sitting on the far patio listening to Johnny Cash and catching up on the latest family gossip!

It was beginning to get cool, so we went inside.  Colleen headed to her room to unpack, and that was the last we saw of her.  We are sure she was pooped out after spending the day flying and getting up at o’dark-thirty to drive to Boston.

Mary and I watched TV together, except when I went outside to catch the Turning Point Halftime Show.  4.5 million others, and I watched the show on YouTube, and it was very good, certainly better than listening to the screeching of the roasted bunny screaming in Spanish to the music made by eight cats in a large trash can.

We crashed after finishing off The American President and then watching four episodes of “Suits”.

As I turned off the TV, I looked over at Sleeping Beauty!

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Saturday Is a Work Day! No, Really!!

Posted on Saturday, February 7, 2026 by Paul

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Just us!  Robin, Mary, and I had our morning coffee and chatted for a while before getting to work.  Mary and Robin headed to the office so Mary could get her 1099s downloaded with Robin’s help.  I headed to the garden and worked for the next six hours transplanting strawberries, moving blueberries to the west wall, fixing the drip system, and straightening up the vineyard.

Mary and Robin made an observation.

By the end of the day, I had placed the tomato cages, sorted by size, in the beds.  All we need now is plants and mulch!

Sorted by size???

There was some Swiss chard remaining in the big garden, so I transplanted it into the small gardens as it looked healthy!

I am getting hungry already!

The strawberries are all transplanted and lined up, each with its own drip line running to it!  The blossoms are forming, so we should begin seeing strawberries in about a month!

This display made Mary a happy girl!  Now, if they don’t produce, I will sneak to the market every few days, buy a basket of strawberries, and bring them in the house like a cat bringing a mouse to its owner.

Yummy!!!

I felt like I was behind bars.  The old labels remaining from last year were removed from the cages, and I straightened them where needed.  They await the tomato plants!

The support is ready to go into action!

We harvest oranges all summer long thanks to Jim and Doris!  Their tree goes wild, and we help tame it every day!

Orange juice is packed with Vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants like hesperidin, which boost immunity and heart health; a single glass often exceeds daily Vitamin C needs.  Interestingly, the color “orange” was named after the fruit, and the juice is so popular it’s a classic breakfast staple, though its sugar content means moderation is key.  Oranges float because of air pockets in their peel, but the fruit itself sinks.

The tree is loaded, and I make sure it is properly fertilized!

Trimming the plants in the rotary pots turned into a surprise treasure hunt: strawberries are in there, blushing and almost ready to snack on.

And the herb garden just hit the terrible twos—so this year it’s getting the gardening equivalent of a cozy blanket and a stern talking-to: serious mulch.

Turn, turn, turn!  That’s an excellent name for a song!

Robin headed for the hills around 11:00 am, and Mary assumed her post in the Living/TV Room—remote in one hand, HSC (Home Shopping Channel) on the TV, and bargaining instincts running at 100%.

She was on standby for Benny, our vintage-clothes wheeler-dealer, to roll in and work his magic.  When he arrived, Mary unloaded her stash of old costumes and vintage dresses like it was a one-woman estate sale.  Verdict: successful mission—Mary was thrilled with the haul, and Benny left looking like he’d just raided a very stylish time machine.

Speaking about “vintage”, I love the 1955 Caddy (although I love the ’55 Packard Caribbean better).

1957 Cadillac ElDorado Convertible.

Benny, Mary, and Benny’s whole crew rolled in to visit Farmer John (me) right as I was out positioning tomato cages for the 28th.  Perfect timing—nothing says “welcome” like watching a grown adult wrestle metal circles in the dirt.

By the time I was done, I looked like PigPen from the comics: not so much “farmer” as “mobile dust exhibit,” with a personal weather system following me around the yard.  The need for a warm shower was not too distant.

We sat back and watched TV for a while.  I finished off “The American President”, a movie I could see over and over.  When the movie was over at 10:00 pm, we headed to bed.  It has been a long day!  Mary mostly checked for light leaks!  I made sure her embroidery equipment was stowed away safely.

Embroidery is an ancient art form dating back to at least 3000 BC, with roots in China and the Near East, often used historically to signify high social status. Derived from the Latin embroidere (“to adorn with needlework”), it has evolved from hand-stitching to machine embroidery, which was invented in the 1800s.

Before crashing, I checked my messages, and we got a Vicky-Gram which said, “This is a big giant ship, I think 16 floors, and there’s all kinds of things to do on it, so let’s see how much we can get done.  I’m going shopping tomorrow, thank you.  We will be in Key West.”

We told her the big ships will be fine, and her seasickness will not occur.  YEAH!

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Friday Has Arrived And We Are Busy As Usual!

Posted on Friday, February 6, 2026 by Paul

We put our heads together (so we might add up to being a half-wit) before the day really gets started!

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

It’s Friday, and we have zero plans for the day.  Mary knocked out the bills online in the office, and I went to the kitchen and fixed a magnificent breakfast—so magnificent the smoke alarm stood up and applauded.  What did we have, you might ask?

  • Steak
  • Eggs over easy
  • Pear halves
  • Yogurt
  • Protein drink
  • English muffins, and
  • Fresh-squeezed orange juice.

After breakfast, it was almost 10:00 am, so Mary hit the showers, and I cleaned up the kitchen while listening to good music thanks to Alexa.  It’s only 26 seconds long, but it will bring back memories!

After Mary came back from her shower, she claimed the TV/living room and entered full “do not disturb unless the house is on fire” mode.  Mary’s embrodery needles sounded like a set of chattering teeth!

Meanwhile, I went outside to perform my heroic duties: patrolling the watering systems to make sure they were all functioning and not secretly plotting against the yard.

It got a little cool, so I absolutely did not fix the rose water drip system—because apparently my dedication to horticulture ends at “requires a jacket”- But don’t worry: the rose watering sprinklers have been notified.  Tomorrow, they get replaced and adjusted.

In the late afternoon, I went to Jeff’s house (our neighbor who is now in an assisted care facility) and picked two bags of citrus, oranges, and grapefruit (pomelos).  I also went inside and got his copy of QST so I can change the mailing address.

Pomelos (often spelled pommelo or pummelo) are the largest citrus fruit and are the natural ancestor to grapefruit, offering a sweeter, milder, and less bitter flavor profile. While they share a similar look and tart-sweet taste with grapefruit, pomelos feature a much thicker rind, a distinctive, often teardrop shape, and segments that are less juicy

With Jeff’s approval,  peeked into the fridge and realized I’ll probably have to do some last-minute cleaning right before the trash guys show up next Friday morning.  There was milk dated in Roman numerals—at that point, it’s not “expired”; it’s an archaeological find—time to toss it.

Robin came by around 5:00 pm and joined us for dinner.  We went to Yang-Ming and had a super dinner.  I decided to go off the rails and order a dish I had never tried before: Kung Pao Three Flavors.  The selection turned out to be a great find!

The meal was indeed spicy and was loaded with shrimp, beef, and chicken!

  •  (yáng): “sun,” “sunny,” “positive (yang),” “south side (of a mountain).”
  • (míng): “bright,” “clear,” “to understand.”

So Yang-Ming literally means “sun-bright” or “bright as the sun,” and by extension “bright/clear” (often suggesting clarity of mind or illumination).

Returning home, we watched the movie about Medgar Evers and then The American President.

The primary movie about civil rights leader Medgar Evers is the 1996 courtroom drama Ghosts of Mississippi, directed by Rob Reiner. The film focuses on his widow, Myrlie Evers (Whoopi Goldberg), and prosecutor Bobby DeLaughter (Alec Baldwin) fighting to convict Byron De La Beckwith (James Woods) for the 1963 assassination, decades after two initial trials ended in mistrials.

The American President is my all-time favorite (too bad the president had to be a Democrat, but other than that, great film).

Around 10:30 pm, before going to bed, I watched a few YouTube videos about cooking steak!  I am now ready for some serious meals!!

At 10:30 pm, the three of us crashed!

Tomorrow, we will be getting ready for Colleen’s arrival.  Her post on Facebook reminded us!

Colleen, with her four grandbabies, is teaching them well!!!

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It’s That Day!!

Posted on Thursday, February 5, 2026 by Paul

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

I planned to sneak Mary away for a rendezvous at the Elks at noon, although she said she prefers I use the front door!  So we had our coffee instead, and then we traveled in The Silver Fox to the Lodge via CVS and the dry cleaners.

At Girls’ Night Out, we were mysteriously joined by George, Ed & Betty, Bob Z, and Bill & Sandee—because nothing says “girls’ night” like a full roster of the honorary members.

We all had a great time playing a spirited round of “Who Can Tease Whom the Most,” also known as “Gotcha: The Olympics.”

From the lodge, we went to see my pulmonologist, and that went well.   The doctor is scheduling me for another sleep test to see if my weight loss negates the need for a CPAP machine.

At 3:30, we escaped the doctor’s office and headed to Mary’s old workplace to wrangle some new glasses.  Mary already has the lenses—now we need the elusive Glasses Lady, who apparently only appears when Mercury is in retrograde, and you don’t need her.

Now we are in Huntington Beach, and I suggested we call Charlotte, my golf girlfriend, and see if she wanted to meet at the club for a glass of the bubbly.  Within minutes, we received a positive reply, then turned north onto the 22 Freeway and headed to Old Ranch.

We exchanged the latest gossip and enjoyed catching up on everything.

We had a wonderful time sharing with Charlotte.

Charlotte is a fantastic golfer, and sometimes people think she has a little help from outside sources.  Charlotte can be such a little devil!

“What a piece of candy, little boy?” (She scares me!!)

On the way home, it started getting dark, and Mary suggested a nightcap, so we stopped at Rockwell’s for the classic “classy” combo: one corn dog, split like a fine cheese plate, and a glass of wine to keep it sophisticated.

The bar itself was nice, but it was loud enough to qualify as a minor weather event, so we bailed and made it home around 7:30.  It’d been a long day.  We watched two episodes of Suits—because nothing says “winding down” like aggressive legal banter—then promptly headed for bed.

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Windy Is As Windy Does!

Posted on Wednesday, February 4, 2026 by Paul

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Midweek activities began early today.  The wind last night was horrible, but it had some benefits: the house stayed “warm,” and I did NOT freeze when I got up at 6:30 am.   The wind chimes were going all night long, and two of our outdoor umbrellas went face down across the pool!

Mary and I sat at the breakfast room table and had our coffee, and I reminded her that I was going to the gym at 8:00 am.  Mary panicked because she had NOT canceled out, so she felt the need to go.  We finally left the house at 8:50 am, just in time to meet our trainer.  No stationary bike this morning.  Since I had ten minutes before the formal session began, I ran over to the bagel store and got bagels to take home.

When we finally stumbled back home—after our trainers had tossed us around like rag dolls in a washing machine—Mary made a beeline for her favorite La-Z-Boy and got to work on her needlework.

And just like that, the front room entered its natural state: “Mary’s in craft mode.” Thread here, fabric there, tiny tools everywhere—like a wholesome tornado blew through

While Mary worked away getting ready to see her doctor, I cleaned the house because the cleaners were coming.  Just as I finished and was ready to rest, Mary reminded me that I was taking her to her doctor for another acupuncture treatment for he back.  Quick, like a bunny, I changed out of my French Maid costume (Mary always wants to be dressed in character) and looked for my chauffeur’s gear.

Mary was hanging around, watching me in action, attempting to get ready to find my chauffeur’s outfit.  When it was not readily available, I was in all-over jeans and a shirt.

Off we went down the 55 to Irvine in a cloud of dust and a hearty “Ho Ho Silver, Away!”

Just hanging around.

Dr. Tong is never late—like, not even “doctor-late.” Mary got called back so fast I barely had time to pretend I wasn’t nervous.

I can’t tell you exactly how fast the treatment was, though, because I stuffed cotton in my ears to block out any “motivational screaming.” Also, Dr. Tong’s waiting room has this dangerously comfortable couch, which I personally inspected for safety… and then accidentally took a nap on.

On the way home, I had the brilliant idea of going to Renata’s for a mid-afternoon lunch/dinner.  We also called Bob Zaitz to join us, since he lives so close.  The three of us had a delightful meal and caught up on all the latest Sarlighter’s rumors.

Awaiting the arrival of her veal picatta.

Bob and Mary had incredible willpower; I failed miserably in that department.  I ordered a spumoni dessert, which Bob and I shared!

Spumoni is a molded Italian frozen dessert originating from Naples, traditionally featuring three distinct layers of gelato—cherry, pistachio, and chocolate or vanilla—interspersed with candied fruits and nuts.  It is sliced, not scooped, and was introduced to the US in the late 1800s, influencing the popular three-flavor Neapolitan ice cream.

Bob and I shared the dessert.

We departed for home, and when we arrived, Domilita and crew were slaving away.  Mary went to the La-Z-Boy, and I headed outside to check the garden and make plans for “The Great Planting” that is coming up.  Tomorrow I will organize the tomato cages and perhaps even set them in the ground ahead of time.

We are ready to plant!

After a day’s work, I went inside, and Mary had changed into her “a gentle reminder” outfit.  That translates into “please make me a spot of tea,” so I did.    We watched “Suits” until 11:00 pm and headed to the sack.

I opened the window to the back yard so I could turn on the whole house fan, and it was still!  No wind!

Yes, she is!

Mother Nature is at it again.  Today it was 87 degrees, and tomorrow, the weather is changing!

The temperature will drop almost ten degrees overnight, and there’s a chance of rain!

We both had our Kindle Lites working, and we read for another hour before the Sandman came to visit.

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Get Out The Paint!

Posted on Tuesday, February 3, 2026 by Paul

Sing it, Louie!

This morning, I woke up quietly and tried to be sneaky so Mary could keep sleeping.  I tiptoed out of the bedroom around 6:30 am and turned off the heat.  Instead, I went to the TV room, grabbed a fuzzy blanket, and wrapped myself up like a burrito.  I even turned off the iPhone’s ringer just in case I got an incoming call!

Since I had some time, I watched several YouTube meatball recipes, so I’m basically a certified meatball technician now.  Tomorrow I’ll be attempting my first field mission: meatballs with angel hair pasta—because nothing says “confidence” like pairing my cooking debut with noodles that can overcook if you blink.

We had our coffee and an energy bar before Mary had to get ready for her painting class.  Our neighbor will pick Mary up about noon, and I will go fetch her at 3:00 pm so we can get prepared to depart for the Seagerstrom Theater to see “The Notebook”.

On the way to get Mary, I stopped at DMES Medical Supplies  (which turns out to be just down the street on Chapman) and rented a full wheelchair because I knew the walker would NOT work this evening, because it was too far to walk from the restaurant to the theater, the pavement was rough and there were curbs, and it would be a slow process with a lot of unnecessary bumping around.  Poppy to the rescue!

This store was adjacent to the Armed Forces Recruiting Center, where Mark (Colleen’s wonderful husband) was stationed after they got married.

I got to the class around 2:30 pm, just in case Mary’s back was giving her fits.  What Mary did NOT KNOW is that I stopped by and rented a wheelchair because I was worried about her attempting to walk from the Silver Trumpet to the Theater and back using the walker.

Arriving at the Senior Center, I walked in and immediately found a room full of ladies enthusiastically splatter-painting as if it were an Olympic event.

Mary must’ve been doing PR again, because several of them greeted me with, “How are you doing?”—apparently, my hospitalizations are now community bulletin-board news.
Mary, on the other hand, was clearly feeling great… because her painting was actually really good.

We came home, freshened up, and headed to dinner at The Silver Trumpet adjacent to Seagerstrom Center for the Performing Arts.

When we arrived at the restaurant, and I started to get out of the car, I feigned stupidity (an easy task for me!) and told Mary, “I forgot the walker… I must have left it in the garage while I was refilling the vehicle’s drinking water supply.”

Mary’s expression was priceless—she frowned, pushed herself up out of her seat, built up a full head of steam, and marched toward the back of the car like she was about to file a formal complaint with the universe.

I popped the trunk and wrestled the wheelchair out like it was a tangled-up metal octopus. Mary just stood there cycling through every “A” word in the dictionary—amazed, astonished, astounded, awed, and startled.

And then… I finally got the big smile.

I tried to get one with flames painted on the side, but alas, all they had was basic black.

Dinner was fantastic—and it’s always more fun when Jim and Vicky show up to raise the class level (and the volume) of the whole evening!  Mary and I had Lamb lollipops, which are individual lamb chops—usually rib chops—that are trimmed and “French-cut” so the bone is clean and acts like a handle, kind of like a lollipop stick.

Mary popped into the wheelchair, and we were off for a stroll to the Theater.  Vicky took over and rolled Mary all the way to the seats because the bill was a little late getting to the table.  Jim and I tried to catch up, but we had difficulty seeing through the dust, dirt, and burnt rubber left hanging in the air behind the girls.  Remember, Vicky was driving!!

“The Notebook” is a stage adaptation of the novel (and later film) about Noah and Allie, two young people who fall in love in the 1940s despite differences in class and family pressure pulling them apart.

The play typically frames their relationship across time: you see their romance begin, fracture, and later rekindle, alongside an older couple where one partner is living with memory loss/dementia.

The “notebook” is the written story of their life together—read aloud to help her remember—so the plot moves between passionate young love and the later-life reality of holding on to that love as memories fade.  Themes include enduring love, choice vs. circumstance, aging, caregiving, and what it means to keep someone’s story alive.

Well, Mary and I could not get into the story, primarily because of the sound.  There was a lot of yelling, fast talking, and multiple people talking at once.  We left at halftime.  Vicky loved the performance as she had seen the movie several times.

We were home by 9:30 pm and headed to bed.

Posted in Dining Out, Food and Wine, Friends, Painting, Theater | Comments Off on Get Out The Paint!