Day Five/Wednesday: The Meet Begins!

Posted on Wednesday, March 25, 2026 by Paul

Today we were lazy!  We walked to the beach and had a White Russian for pre-breakfast before going to the Elks.

We met some folks from Australia, shared stories, and enjoyed a drink with them.

Definitely an amazing breakfast in Hawaii!

We had to eat something for breakfast, so we had the hummus, and it was quite tasty.  The meal held us until 1:30 pm, when we went to the Elks.

Lunch at the Elks

At the Elks, we had a hamburger (Mary), and I feasted on a Caesar Salad loaded with shrimp!  We watched the world go by as we enjoyed each other’s company and the terrific view of the Pacific Ocean.

We wondered where he was sailing to and how long it would take to get there.

We watched the large container ships enter and leave Honolulu harbor.

Honolulu Harbor, originally known as Ke? Awa O Kou, nicknamed “Fair Haven,” was first entered by Westerners in the late 18th century and developed from a small, reef-sheltered basin into Hawaii’s primary commercial port.  It played a key role in the 19th-century sandalwood trade and as a whaling hub.

Mary loaded up her camera with pictures of the “cats” and their magnificently colored sails.  I see her now doing some serious watercoloring.

The “cats” were going back and forth.

It was that time, we needed to be at the gym at 5:45 pm, so we went on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.  In and out back streets, through alleys, over curbs, down the sidewalk, barely missing someone pert chicken, we went at Warp 2.

The University bought an old Catholic School gym, refurbished it, and it looked pretty good, but it was hidden away in the depths of Honolulu.

Meet the team!

The team gets ready!

Hawaii Pacific University (HPU) boasts a highly competitive Acrobatics and Tumbling team, often recognized as a top-ranked program in the country (ranked 12th as of March 2025). Based in Honolulu, the Sharks compete in the NCATA, performing in compulsory, acrobatics, and pyramid heats.

In Hawaii, the Shaka (thumb and baby finger pointing in opposite directions) represents the “aloha spirit,” conveying friendship, understanding, compassion, and solidarity.  It is a quintessential gesture of positivity, frequently used to mean “hang loose,” “right on,” “thank you,” or to say hello and goodbye.  It is officially recognized as Hawaii’s state gesture, symbolizing local culture and respect.

Mega” Meg” Gilliland, a 5’5 base, mid-base, and tumbler from Camarillo, California, joins the Sharks with a decorated background in acrobatics and tumbling.  Training under Jasmine Honors and Sergio Restrepo at Rancho Campana High School, she was part of teams that won 10 Acro & Tumbling National Titles at the Level 3 division between 2022 and 2023.  Known for her versatility and strength across multiple positions, Gilliland continues her athletic career at Hawai’i Pacific while pursuing a degree in mathematics.  She chose HPU for the team’s supportive environment and coaching staff, which she felt would help her grow not just as an athlete but also as an individual.

I was going to clap and whistle, but in Hawaii, whistling at night is believed to summon the HuakaI’I P’  (Night Marchers), the spirits of ancient Hawaiian warriors.  According to local superstition, this action attracts malicious spirits or bad luck, or causes them to follow you home. It is strongly advised to avoid whistling at night, especially near forests.

The performance was dizzying!

At the end of the meeting, things went wild.  The teams did their final, and it was dizzying.

Megan comes to the front of the group, and the team says goodbye to the judges.

Someone is a happy girl.

The team did well, coming within 2.5 points of winning against the #3 team in the league.

Congratulations, Megan, on a fine performance.

Saying hello to the judges.  On August 1, 2014, HPU athletics announced that they had changed their name from the Sea Warriors to the Sharks as part of a fundraising effort.

Mary and I were on national TV!!

The results were pretty close!

We prearranged for the cab to pick us up at 8:30 pm, and we headed to the MaiTai Bar at the hotel for a nightcap!  Tomorrow is the hotel tour followed by the Grand Luau.

Posted in Adventures, Family, Fun, Travel | Comments Off on Day Five/Wednesday: The Meet Begins!

Day Four/Tuesday: Here And There

Posted on Tuesday, March 24, 2026 by Paul

We woke up to this view of Diamond Head.  We planned the day, then got ready to go to… the Elks, our go-to spot for meals.

The beach was almost full at 8:00 am!

We took a cab to the Elks and enjoyed the sunshine and seeing all the flowers in the sunlight for the first time in days.   The Elk who greeted us was in the sunset, surrounded by waves.  The artist was amazing!!

On the right-hand side as you enter the lobby stood Mr. Elk.

Mary was out chasing the chickens, which run wild all over town (except downtown, where they would be crushed within seconds.

Mr. Rooster and his harem!

The day was spectacular, with a temperature of 74 degrees and low tide; we did not have to worry about getting wet when the waves came in.

Since we got there early and nothing was open, Mary wandered to the hotel next door, where we heroically scored two coffees and a cookie for the bargain price of just $30.  At that rate, I assume the cookie is paying for the espresso machine.

We arrived early, sat, and enjoyed the view with our $30 coffee and 1/2 cookie.

As we went inside, we saw a group of folks with Ukelels having a jam session.  We immediately thought of Jim (Vicky) as he is taking lessons!  Their selection of music was tuned to our ears, and we found ourselves toe-tapping and sometimes singing along!

Diet be darned, I went for their burger, and it was really good!  The French fries were done perfectly.

I did NOT need another meal all day.

We went back to the hotel and walked around the garden a bit.  With all the rain, everything was so green and clean.

There was a bazillion shades of green!

At 1:30 pm, we headed to the Aloha Tower, where Hawaii Pacific University is located.  We planned to meet up with Megan, get a quick tour of the facility, and see her dorm room.

We made it right on time!!

The statues surrounding the school were interesting.

I was trying to follow her moves, but I could not keep up!

Right on time, Megan appeared as if by magic.

Grandma Mary and Megan.

The University (part of it anyway) is located beneath the Aloha Tower.

Completed in 1926 and standing 184 feet tall, Aloha Tower was the tallest building on the island for four decades, offering spectacular views of the harbor, with its top floor housing an observatory and lookout station for harbor pilots.  Its lighthouse served as a navigational landmark visible from 15 miles at sea, while its clock was one of the largest in the United States.

The tower stood as a welcoming beacon for visitors when travel to O’ahu was done entirely by sea, the “ALOHA” etched on its walls greeting thousands of ship passengers entering Honolulu Harbor.

Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Aloha Tower was placed under the control of the United States Navy, which restricted public access, shut off its beacon, and painted the once white building camouflage to minimize detection.

As a control center for American military convoys in the Pacific, the facility maintained a high level of security, with Army sentries on patrol until 1947, when the camouflage paint was sandblasted off, and the building returned to civilian control.

The University (part of it) is located just east under the shadow of the tower.

We remembered seeing it on our last cruise to Hawaii!

Megan’s dorm room was quite nice, and she had a room for two all to herself.  Instead of being a math major, perhaps she might consider interior decorating?  Na, just kidding!

Looking good.

Before Hawaii Pacific University (HPU) took over and renovated the facility in the 2010s, the building was the Aloha Tower Marketplace, a waterfront shopping and dining complex.   It served as a commercial center featuring restaurants, retail shops, and tourist attractions before being repurposed into university dormitories and mixed-use educational spaces.

The facility mods made it perfect for a school!

We abandoned poor Megan to the cruel embrace of her textbooks.  We escaped to a Spaghetti Factory conveniently parked next to the school, where we heroically tackled a glass of wine each before wobbling respectably back to the hotel.

We decided NOT to take this mode of transportation back to the hotel.

On our way to see Megan, we spotted the US.  Army Museum, so we decided to stop on the way back to visit it.

The USS Arizona Memorial Museum of Hawaii is a Department of Defense-owned museum housed in Battery Randolph, a former coastal artillery battery, at Fort DeRussy Military Reservation.  The battery was transformed into a museum in 1976.  The Hawai’i Army Museum Society (HAMS) was chartered in the same year with a mission to support the US Army Museum of Hawai’i.

The museum’s collection contains two World War II armor pieces (the US M24 Chaffee and the Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go light tank), an AH-1 Cobra helicopter, and small arms indoors, as well as the battery itself.  The battery’s 14-inch main guns were scrapped after World War II and have since been replaced with two 7-inch naval guns that were previously mounted on the battleship USS New Hampshire.

The Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go Light Tank is located at the US USmy Museum of Hawai’i.
Museum exhibits cover the military history of pre-Imperial Hawaii and the post-annexation history of the USS, including warfare in the Pacifre, including World War II, the Vietnam War, and the Korean War.

The museum also includes a “Gallery of Heroes” honoring recipients of the Medal of Honor and the Distinguished Service Cross (United States) or its equivalents, the Navy Cross and Air Force Cross (United States).

During WWII, it housed two large guns capable of delivering explosives 14 miles away… Unfortunately, the guns on the battleships had a range of 18 miles!

The story goes that the facility was to be demolished, but the contractor gave up after a few days; the wrecking ball kept getting wrecked.  The place was solid reinforced concrete several feet thick.  The government decided to use it for storage and then made it into a museum.

We walked into every room along the corridor, and each room was filled with historical items and stories.

We departed the museum with some newfound knowledge about Hawaii and WWII.  I wanted to take the tank to the hotel because traffic was heavy!  Mary said, “NO!”

CHARGE, FULL SPEED AHEAD.

Back to the hotel with a quick stop at the MaiTai Bar to make selections from their rather amazing cocktails.

This was a …ah…. perhaps…. I forgot, but it was good!!

The view from our table was wonderful, and we decided we might go sailing if we had time.

Colors of the rainbow.

Between drinks, we managed to down a cheese plate, which was our dinner this evening.

Just like The Silver Trumpet back home.

We were full and ready to take on the world!  Ready??

What did the ocean say to the beach in Hawaii?
Nothing, it just waved.

Why are fish so smart in Hawaii?
Because they live in schools!

How do sea turtles communicate with each other?
With shell phones!

Mary picked out my shirt today!

After “dinner,” we wandered onto the beach and watched the sunset.  Now, it was time to go to the room, watch some TV, and crash!

Bye, Mr. Sun, see you tomorrow!

Tomorrow we are going to the Gym Meet and see Megan go through her routines.

Hawaii time-lapse and real-time 4K footage series

Posted in Adventures, Elks, Just Us, Travel | Comments Off on Day Four/Tuesday: Here And There

Day Three/Monday: Exploring

Posted on Monday, March 23, 2026 by Paul

First things first: the taxman’s teleconference.   Mary had some last-minute data she needed to get to the tax man, and by 9:00 am, the call was complete; we do not go to jail!  Yeah!!

Today we need to do some walking around and some beach combing, and get ready for a wild rest of the week!

There was still some rain in the area!

We walked around the hotel area, admiring the trees and landscaping, and we ran into a sea turtle swimming down the walkway.

Yelling “Look, Turtle Soup” was not a good idea.

We immediately thought of Vicky and Jim when we saw the Ukulele store.  We texted Vicky, and she said, “Buy one of each,” and we will take lessons and will perform for the Elks and Starlighters.

It was an amazing collection of instruments!

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a shop that did nails and toes.  Her eye lit up, and I felt a pain in my wallet, but we wandered over to it anyway.   I got to pick her toenail color, which turned out to be pomegranate red.

This is the closest thing to “going in the water” we have done the whole trip!

After the nails were ready for painting, Mary saw the color I had selected in the light and had second thoughts.

Are you sure???”

I sat with her, providing free kibitzing the entire time.

I did NOT charge extra for my company!

We mosied through the huge banyon trees on the property.

The Banyan Tree (Ficus benghalensis) is majestic.  With thick woody trunks, vast canopies, and their signature root system, they’re hard to miss.

Though common in Hawaii, the Banyan tree is native to India.  It was first brought to the Hawaiian Islands in 1873 by missionaries from India.  The trees have become commonplace in Hawaii and are viewed as a prominent feature of the islands.

The Banyan tree, along with its associated flora, has a long history in religion, medicine, and pop culture.

The Banyan Tree (Ficus benghalensis) is majestic.  With thick woody trunks, vast canopies, and their signature root system, they’re hard to miss.

Though common in Hawaii, the Banyan tree is native to India.  It was first brought to the Hawaiian Islands in 1873 by missionaries from India.  The trees have become commonplace in Hawaii and are viewed as a prominent feature of the islands.

The Banyan tree, along with its associated flora, has a long history in religion, medicine, and pop culture.

Baby Banyans were everywhere on the property!

Hunger was starting to hit hard, and on our island, that means one thing: it’s time for the Elks.   So into a cab we went, like two starving celebrities whose only red carpet is the rubber floor mat.

We started with a drink, just enjoying each other’s company and pretending we weren’t mentally gnawing on the coaster.  Mary went for the salad and tomato bisque soup, being all sensible and healthy, while I locked eyes with the sashimi special, which owed me money.

We polished off breakfast in a heartbeat.

We had a wonderful lunch and enjoyed our view of the Pacific Ocean looking south from the Lodge.

There were a lot of people out on their boards.

We returned to the hotel, and I rested on my poor back.  There is an amazing assortment of flowers everywhere.

I told Mary she ought to go exploring while I rest and try to recover.  She took me up on it and off she went.

A traditional Hawaiian boat is called a wa’a (canoe), and the most famous historical double-hulled voyaging canoe is the H’k-e’a.  Other common types include the single-outrigger wa’a kaukahi and the double-hulled wa’a kaulua, traditionally used for fishing, transport, and inter-island voyaging.

Mary spotted a Wa’ a kaulua, which is the general term for a Hawaiian double-hulled voyaging canoe.

Ready for a ride?

The Sun was setting fast, so out came her camera and snapping started.  Everyone on the beach was looking west to see the sunset.

The beach was empty, and the breakwater was full!

Mary found a willing accomplice and got a few pictures as the Sun set in the west.

Looking Good!

My back is still in a lot of pain, so we watched a movie, and I crashed around 9:00 pm.  Tomorrow will be an interesting day, we are going to visit Megan and her dorm at Hawaii Pacific University.

In the 1960s, two small liberal arts colleges were founded by community members recognizing a need for private education in our newly formed state of Hawai’i.  In 1992, a picturesque Windward College merged with a downtown university, uniting the strength of two academically strong institutions.

In 2014, the Oceanic Institute formally merged with the university, bringing additional multi-disciplinary research opportunities to HPU faculty and students.  Aloha Tower Marketplace’s 2015 revitalization included oceanfront dorms and community gathering spaces.

Posted in Dining Out, Fun, Just Us | Comments Off on Day Three/Monday: Exploring

Day Two/Sunday: First Full Day In Paradise!

Posted on Sunday, March 22, 2026 by Paul

Mary enjoyed her morning coffee, but it tasted a lot like wine!

OK, fine, I’ll confess: I finally clawed my way back to consciousness at around 8:00 am… after approximately fourteen hours of coma-level sleep.

We heroically attempted to summon room service like civilized humans, only to discover the tragic truth: there is no room service.  None. Just us, our hunger, and the crushing realization that we might have to put on real clothes and interact with the outside world.

We both got the same idea; we decided to go to the Elks for breakfast.

We checked on Diamond Head, and it was still there.  Diamond Head’s history is as layered and multifaceted as the stratified rock that composes it, serving various pivotal roles throughout the ages.  To ancient Hawaiians, this towering edifice was a crucial navigational landmark, its imposing silhouette guiding voyagers across the vast Pacific. Fast forward to the 20th century, and Diamond Head assumed a new identity as a strategic military lookout and fortification, playing a significant role in the defense of the Hawaiian Islands during periods of international conflict. This transition from a symbol of natural guidance to a bastion of military might encapsulates Diamond Head’s historical significance, highlighting its enduring presence in the changing tides of Hawaiian history.

It looks like a Diamond!

Diamond Head, known to Native Hawaiians as L’ahi (brow of the tuna), is a 300,000-year-old volcanic tuff cone formed by a single explosive eruption.  Originally a navigational landmark, it was named “Diamond Head” by 19th-century British sailors who mistook volcanic calcite crystals for gems.  The U.S. military purchased it in 1904 for strategic coastal defense, building tunnels and bunkers still present today.

Geological Formation: Formed about 300,000 years ago, it is an extinct tuff cone that resulted from magma interacting with ocean water, triggering a massive explosion, says the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Hawaiian Name (L??ahi): Ancient Hawaiians named it for its resemblance to the dorsal fin of a tuna fish, according to the Pacific Historic Parks.

Military Significance (Fort Ruger): In 1904, the U.S. government bought the crater for coastal defense.  In 1908, the hiking trail, tunnels, and fire control station were built to defend Honolulu.

Modern Status: It was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1968 by the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau.

We took a short cab ride from our hotel, well worth the $12.00.

We just made it for breakfast since they were closing early for an Elks formal meeting upstairs.

“Aloha, come on inside!!”

We had a wonderful table close enough to hear the ocean but far enough away from the seawall to avoid getting splashed by the occasional rogue wave.

We ordered quickly and were served within minutes, since the kitchen was about to close.

I went off the rails and had French Toast; it was terrific.  The service was outstanding and the view spectacular.

No laughing at the legs!!

After breakfast, we walked along the perimeter of the Elk’s Lodge and spotted our hotel in the distance.  No wonder it is called the “Pink Lady”.

It’s about three or four miles away!

According to the map, our hotel is 2.5 miles from the Elks Lodge.  The cab fare averaged $15 each way.

If my back were OK, it would be within walking distance of the Lodge. 

The telephoto lens helped us see the details, and in fact, we could see our room.

The hotel is indeed in the middle of Waikiki!

After our meal, we caught a cab back to the hotel.  Mary introduced herself to the welcoming Elks; his name is Igor Elk-a-Seltzer!

We said goodbye to the Elks and went back to the hotel!

Mary went shopping while I relaxed in our room.

The hote staffl is carrying her many other purchases.

We rested the rest of the afternoon, but at 4:00 pm, we got ready to go to the Elks for dinner.  Aim for Diamond Head, and you can’t miss the Lodge!

The Lodge was established in 1901, and they picked a perfect spot.

We had a marvelous dinner and enjoyed the occasional rumble of the ocean hitting the seawall adjacent to our table.

By far the best “fish soup” I have ever had.

We had wonderful seating with a view of the ocean and the surfboarding people.  As the sun began to set, we rotated our seating to avoid staring into the.  bright sky.

Dinner was superb!

We attempted to get home by sunset, but alas, we caught this glimpse out of the door of the cab.  Tomorrow, we will make sure we are in our room by 6:45 pm.  Not too bad a picture, considering it was taken from inside the Tijuana Taxi.

Just like in the postcards!

We crashed a little early and watched some TV.

Posted in Dining Out, Elks, Travel | Comments Off on Day Two/Sunday: First Full Day In Paradise!

Day One/Saturday: We Are On Our Way!

Posted on Saturday, March 21, 2026 by Paul

We were up at 0’dark thirty, loading our suitcases into the car and the two trailers we needed because of Mary’s suitcases and travel trunks.  After loading up, we were off at 4:00 am and promptly were flummoxed by freeway closures.  Three GPSes are going, and finally made it on the 91 east!

It was about 40 minutes to the arrival, and we were going just fine.  We got to the American Airlines gates and went through without a problem, except for the mountain of baggage we had to check in.  Mary overachieved in the clothing department.  After many questions from security, wondering why so much baggage (they were sure we were smuggling drugs, transporting people, or some other illicit activity), we got to the waiting area.

With my bad back, I was going to try to walk it, but decided to take a wheelchair instead. Thank goodness, because LAX is now a full-contact obstacle course.  We had to take three different elevators to reach the boarding area—at that point, I wasn’t sure whether I was catching a flight or unlocking a secret level.

We strutted onto the plane like royalty with absolutely no issues—turns out, booking first class means you board before everyone else and get handed a drink so fast you barely have time to pretend you’re not used to this kind of luxury.

On takeoff, we hit a bump in the runway, and Mary panicked.

“Let me outta here!”

She settled down when I said drinks are on the way!

“You promised a drink!”

We began takeoff, and within 90 seconds, we were winging our way southwest to the Hawaiian Islands.

Using my amazing math skills and elite navigation instincts, I took one look at Catalina Island, snapped a picture, did some quick calculations on my phone, and confidently informed the flight attendant that the captain was right on course.  She actually told him.

Somewhere up front, a highly trained pilot got confirmation from seat 4A with a calculator app that the actions were approved.

We were headed in the correct direction.

A few minutes later, brunch arrived along with our drinks, and all was good!

The meal was pretty good.

The flight was uneventful, and we actually landed 45 minutes early thanks to my navigation skills and Mother Nature!

We waited for our limo, which pulled up right on time, complete with a driver who insisted on carrying our bags to the car.

He was not, however, prepared for the fact that Mary travels with 234 suitcases.  After one look at the mountain of luggage, he calmly called a friend who owns an 18-wheeler.

By the time we left, we had a limo for us and a semi-truck for Mary’s “essentials.”

Upon arrival at the hotel and after unpacking into our three rooms (we were in #1, and Mary’s baggage just fit into rooms #2 and #3), we headed to the MaiTai Bar.

The opening of The Royal Hawaiian on February 1, 1927, ushered in a new era of luxurious resort travel to Hawaii.

The resort was built for $4 million and completed in 18 months.  The six-story, 400-room structure was fashioned in a Spanish-Moorish style, popular during the period and influenced by screen star Rudolph Valentino.

The era of opulence came to an abrupt end on the morning of December 7, 1941, when Japanese planes flew alongside Waikiki Beach on their way to the US fleet berthed at Pearl Harbor. The Navy recreation and morale office leased The Royal Hawaiian, transforming the resort into a relaxation center for Navy personnel.  The resort was restored to its pre-war elegance in 1947.

In the 1950s, many new moderately priced hotels were built in the Waikiki area, including SurfRider and Princess Kaiulani, built by the Matson Company.  As larger and faster planes reduced the flying time from the mainland to Hawaii, fewer and fewer vacationers wanted to spend 4.5 days aboard a Matson ship each way.  Although more than half of all the tourists who came to Hawaii in 1955 stayed in one of Matson’s four hotels, only a fifth came by ship.

The cheese board was perfect!!

All of a sudden, we felt like we were being watched.

Get closer, and you WILL BE LUNCH!!

Megan met us at the MiTai Bar and had lunch with us.

After lunch, we went to the front desk area and made reservations for a Luau, a trip to Arizona, and several other activities.

Great plans are now set in concrete!

My back was staging a full-scale rebellion, so we stayed in the room.  I slept twelve hours straight—amazing what painkillers can do when they’re not busy making you think the bedside lamp is judging you.

At some point in the middle of the night, I apparently grabbed the camera and took a picture out our window.  We’re on the fourth floor, overlooking Waikiki with a perfect view of Diamond Head.

I have zero memory of this.

So now I own a blurry, slightly crooked, medically assisted “art shot” of one of Hawaii’s most famous views.

It was still in the mid-70s, and with the window open, we could hear the waves lapping at the beach!

See you tomorrow!

Posted in Family, Travel | Comments Off on Day One/Saturday: We Are On Our Way!

Packing Day!

Posted on Friday, March 20, 2026 by Paul

In retrospect, I should NOT have had Mary read the book three times!    I observed her packing activities and saw she thought packing for a week was easy: 3 swimsuits, 1 pair of flip-flops, and 47 “just in case” outfits for the hotel lobby you’ll never visit.

My packing strategy is quite simple:  Packing for a week in Hawaii is just deciding how many times I’m willing to re-wear the same pair of shorts and call it “vacation minimalism.”

We both packed workout clothes for Hawaii because we love telling ourselves lies in new locations.

Now all we have to do is fit it all into a Volkswagen bug!

We made it—another Spring!  Nature’s blooming, allergies are attacking, and somehow we’re still here to celebrate together.

Happy Spring, everyone!!

I heard Mary yelling and ran.  We had visitors, DUCKS decided to invade our pool, and we all know what ducks do in the pool.

I yelled so loud at them, they wet their feathers!

There were five of the little suckers enjoying a bath courtesy of Mary, Paul, and the pool man!

Off they flew, and I fear they were NOT happy!

Alas, we had one more funeral to attend—Papa Escolante passed at the ripe old age of 100 (clearly, he was on a long-term plan and actually stuck to it).  With Diane and the “Car Gang,” we went to Mass in Santa Ana and then on to Fairview Cemetery for the burial.  We skipped the group luncheon at the shop—after all that standing, I was getting so sore I was about to request my own folding chair and a priest.

I got to ride in the front seat of Tom’s 1942 Packard.

We went to Benjie’s and camped out at the bar, splitting a glass of wine and a vegetarian omelet.  Since we’re officially “regulars,” our order is basically on autopilot—the only decision left is whether the waiter should nod at us or start cooking the moment we walk in.

From Benjie’s, we went home.  Mary took a short nap, and I went into the backyard to verify that all the sprinkler/drip lines were working, since it will be hot while we are gone.  Robin and Joe will be watching over the place, with Robin staying several evenings.  We are lucky to have a policeman right across the street, and his Orange Sheriff friends often drive by to check on everything.

We also have our Multi-camera security system wired into the neighbor’s house so they can keep an eye on things along with us; you gotta love the Internet.

Robion brought dinner over around 5:00 pm, and we indulged in In-N-Out’s, plus we froze one which we will be taking to Hawaii with us for Mary’s brand daughter.

Before it got too dark, I changed the flag and the outside lighting (using my trusty iPhone and LED lighting system) to an Easter-based theme!

Looks pretty good!!

We watched a movie with Robin about time travel.  It was called “Just Visiting” and came out in 2001.  It was very funny.  The three of us got a real hoot!

As I lay down to go to sleep, I thought to myself,   why is it that I never made “Who’s Who,” but I’m featured in “What’s That?”

By 10:30 pm, we were ready for a quick show and then for about 4 hours of sleep, since we needed to go to LAX for an 8:00 am departure.  By noon Hawaiian time, we will be sitting on the veranda, watching the rain pour down.  The current report says, “Oahu remains under flash flood warning as threat of heavy rain persists.”

Posted in Dining Out, Friends, Just Us, Travel, Working Around House | Comments Off on Packing Day!

It Was A Sad But Beautiful Day!

Posted on Thursday, March 19, 2026 by Paul

Mary is my favorite subject!

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

I woke up SORE with my lower back screaming in agony.  We had to get up early because we were going to Jeff’s “funeral” at the cemetery just three miles down the road.   It was a small group, perhaps 12-14 of his dear friends.  The ceremony was small but nicely done.  Pam read a poem she wrote called “Daddy’s Little Girl,” which made several dry eyes start to rain.

Goodbye, my friend.  I’m grateful for every laugh, every talk, every moment.  Rest in peace.

We did not go to lunch with everybody as we had planned.  My back would NOT want to sit for 90 minutes on the patio at Rockwell’s.  When we returned, we (read MARY) began packing for Saturday’s trip.  I was going to practice for WGND, but that would require me to be upright in the heat!

Honolulu here we come!

We spent the entire afternoon selecting clothes, and Mary ironed 10 shirts/blouses for the trip.  We did see a lot of TV.

With Mary’s assistance, we put together the roll-around clothes rack, which makes it easy to see what we have selected before we begin folding everything.

The portable rack makes packing a lot easier!

We did NOT take many pictures (zero, to be exact).  We crashed early, around 9:00 pm.

Posted in Friends, Working Around House | Comments Off on It Was A Sad But Beautiful Day!

Hump Day Has Arrived! We Are Off And Running!

Posted on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 by Paul

Mary is a good egg!!

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

It is Wednesday, and I tried to hide under the sheets, so Mary would not drag me to the “fitness center”.  Fitness center,r my aching everything!  I was made into a pretzel, lifted weights heavier than Superman could manage, and I pulled two muscles just getting up from the mat after the floor “exercises”.

It was so embarrassing—this new client walked by, pointed at me, and asked her instructor, “Uh… what is that on the floor?” like I was a mysterious stain or something worse.

I reviewed my iPhone camera footage from last night’s soiree and found the video of Mary powering down after her tax adventures.  She was performing at the Tartan Room.

Before going outside into the inferno, we had a light lunch of delicious leftovers from Roberto’s.  I checked, and there was no margarita left over!

We had an appointment with Mary’s doctor, so naturally, I used that “short time” to finish the drip lines and pound in 8-foot-tall steel posts for Mary’s sweet peas—because nothing says quick break like casually installing garden infrastructure.

We ran across a picture of Mary in the 1970s doing some doctoring in Germany.  I used some AI to clean up the image.  Dang, she is still pretty!!!

Physician, heal thyself!!

I used some digital magic, and voila, the old picture is saved.

BTW, we do not need to move the drinking fountain inside; the bidet now works just fine!  Super Handyman to the rescue.  Mary has decided to keep me!  Yeah!!

The doctor’s office visit was traumatic…for me.

I heard blood?  curdling screaming, and genuinely thought someone was being murdered outside, so I called the police.  Minutes later, sirens were wailing, red lights were flashing, and a dozen gendarmes stormed into the office with guns drawn.

Turns out the “victim” was Mary… apparently, her acupuncture treatment was not going as planned.   I made a generous donation to the police officer’s benevolent fund and apologized profusely.

As we got into the car, it was 100 degrees, but due to the solar panels under which we parked, the car was relatively cool!  After arriving home, I watered our remaining potted plants before testing the drinking fountain.  I seldom exaggerate, everyone knows, so I videoed the new drinking fountain in action!

We are going to have a light dinner and a drink at the Tartan Room again, IF they will let Mary back in after yesterday’s unscheduled performance.

They did recant and allowed Mary to enter after she signed a legal document stating she would NOT DANCE.

Upon arriving back home, I attempted to get out of the car, and my shoe and the car had an “incident” which resulted in me going ass over tea kettle, landing on the grass and part of the driveway.  I barely made it into the house, even with the assistance of a neighbor who was out walking his dog.

My back was really hurting, so I lay down in bed immediately.  Good night, all!

Posted in Gym, Just Us, Vegetable Garden, Working Around House | Comments Off on Hump Day Has Arrived! We Are Off And Running!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Posted on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 by Paul

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

St. Patrick’s Day, celebrated on March 17, began as a Christian feast honoring St. Patrick, the 5th-century missionary credited with spreading Christianity in Ireland.  Over time, it grew into a lively celebration of Irish culture worldwide—full of parades, music, dancing, and a lot of green.

The shamrock became its signature symbol (legend says Patrick used it to explain the Holy Trinity), and modern traditions range from wearing green to dyeing rivers, blending history, faith, immigration stories, and party spirit into one Day.  We plan to do it all!

But hold on—your regularly scheduled chaos is being interrupted by an “ALERT” from our dear weatherman: apparently, the atmosphere has filed a formal complaint and is now choosing violence.

So, our plan is to a) have coffee, b) verify we have enough green food coloring to handle today’s meals, c) do a quick trip to Home Depot, and d) finish whatever outside work we need to get done by noon.  Then, and only then, will we venture into the house and begin our chores:

  • Setting up the portable clothes hangar
  • Begin packing for Hawaii
  • Fixing the bidets (Paul)
  • Washing/drying
  • Emptying a wine bottle

We took a quick walk in the backyard before the Home Depot adventures began!  We spotted our first rose of the season and it looked good enough to spread on toast!

The first rose of the season!

I had to make TWO trips to Home Depot because apparently my brain refuses to store information about our plumbing setup.

Not a total loss, though—I came back with more flowers on the second trip, because nothing says “mission accomplished” like accidental landscaping.

While Mary was getting ready for her painting class, I went full handyman and installed the fountain!

Only one tiny issue: when I turn it on, it launches a jet of water about forty feet over the garden and into the neighbor’s yard.  So now I’m headed back to Home Depot to get a flow reducer… unless I engineer one myself and officially turn this into a water feature/neighborhood irrigation system.

We call him “Old Faithful.”

I just returned from HD when Mary was pulling out to leave for her class.  She was still feeling stressed about the taxes, so an afternoon of watercoloring should help relieve it!

When she returned, I was head over heels, fixing/resetting the bidet, and I think I have it working.  If not, I will bring in the high-powered water faucet  (Old Faithful) instead!

The artists did well!

They looked so real, all I fed them twice!  They seemed to enjoy corned beef!

Mary was still in tax-panic even after the painting session, so I decided we ought to go out and celebrate (read: peel her off the ceiling)

The poor computer really took a beating!

I made the mistake of asking Mary to drive, thinking it might take some of the tax burden off her mind.  It may have, but I lost my mind in the process.  She hit the accelerator, and I yelled, “Approaching Warp 2”.

The speedometer needle fell off and flew out the window!

We landed safely at our new favorite hangout.  The Tartan Room, where I guzzled a glass of wine and allowed my fists to unfold to get blood to my knuckles.  That four-mile drive was like “Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride”.

I did not realize there were brown picket fences down Tustin Blvd, but then it dawned on me, I was seeing telephone poles.  Mary was approaching Mach One.

I regain my composure after seven glasses of wine!

After a glass of wine and sharing some appetizers, Mary got back to “normal” (whatever that is?).  We shared some slides, and I gave her the avocado from the shrimp-stuffed avocado.

“I’m OK now… no worries until next year!”

We met a nice couple who took our picture.  We are getting to know the regulars.

We had a great day!  We have a new water feature in the backyard; the bidet now works, but comes in second to the water faucet.  The taxes are complete, and we had our St. Patrick’s Day celebration!  (NO, I did not have seven drinks).

Posted in Just Us, Vegetable Garden, Working Around House | Comments Off on Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Tax/Doctor Day, Oh My!

Posted on Monday, March 16, 2026 by Paul

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

We were up and running early because we were heading in completely different directions.  Mary was off to see the tax accountant (because nothing says “fun morning” like paperwork and panic), and I was taking Bob Z. to the hospital for a minor medical procedure.

Sounds simple… except first we had to play driveway Tetris with the entire fleet, relocate the van to the neighbor’s house like we’re hiding evidence, and get Precious (Mary’s car) prepped to go out—because Precious doesn’t “leave,” Precious requires a full production with wardrobe, negotiations, and a security detail.  It’s very seldom that Mary and I are apart!

Hang on, it’s going to be a rough one!

We rolled into the hospital at 9:01 for a 9:20 appointment, and—brace yourselves—those miracle workers took Bob back right on time.  I know.  I didn’t think hospitals could do that either.

Unfortunately, the head transplant ran a little longer than expected.  Lots of paperwork, I assume.  Anyway, Bob finally comes out… and I’m sad to report the doctors did everything they could, but he still looks the same.  So either the procedure was a total failure, or they accidentally put the original head back on out of habit.

Bob still came out as ugly as when he went in, so the procedure did nothing!

They call this the wireless age, bah humbug!

We met the boss at home, and she was fuming over the tax issues.  We decided on a stiff drink and some spicy Mexican food.

I ordered the 46-ounce Grande Margarita optimized for St. Patrick’s Day!   Bob could not drink today because of the procedure, Mary could not drink enough because of taxes, and I drank anything that passed under my nose.

“Race you to the bottom!”

Bob did sip the drink as the straw passed by his lips!  We all heard the “slurp, gurgle, belch, slurp, asperate, ingurgitate” and other disgusting sounds as the liquid libation transferred up the dual straws.

The drink was big enough to take a swim!

I’ve been teaching my kids, grandkids, and now great-grandkids how to “bite the tortilla” for years—basically passing down a sacred family art form.

And today I finally got to introduce Mary and Bob to tortilla-based artwork… where the canvas is carbs, the brush is your teeth, and one wrong move turns your masterpiece into “oops, I ate the evidence.”

Having sharp teeth is an advantage!

One bitten into and displayed, one has a choice!  Eat it, wear it on your head, or as a mask!

Le Petite Chapeaux on display!

After lunch, we drove home, and Bob continued to his home in his truck.  Bob had fully recovered and was feeling quite good.  We were very happy to repay Bob for the help he gave me when I was laid up in the hospital for two weeks last September.

Mary spent some time online and on the phone getting additional tax information needed for our returns, a job she truly does NOT enjoy!  I headed to the backyard and, while practicing for May 2nd’s WGND, I pounded in the sweet pea stakes, planted and watered 18 lettuce and 6 Swiss chard plants.   Mary joined me after a while and planted her sweet pea flowers, a gardening tradition.

Mary loves these flowers, and for two months, she has been bringing flowers to everyone we visit!

Did you know there are flowering and edible sweet peas?

Sweet pea (the flower: Lathyrus odoratus)

  1. Not a pea you should eat: The common sweet pea is grown for fragrance and looks; its seeds/parts are toxic if eaten in quantity.
  2. Famous for scent: Many modern varieties were bred for bigger blooms, sometimes at the cost of fragrance—older lines can smell stronger.
  3. A climber: It uses tendrils to grab supports and can grow several feet tall.
  4. Cool-weather lover: It thrives in cool spring temperatures; heat shortens flowering.
  5. Name origin: “odoratus” literally means “fragrant.”

“Sweet pea” (the edible vegetable: sugar snap/snow peas)

  1. Snow peas: flat pods, eaten pod-and-all.
  2. Sugar snap peas: plump pods, sweet crunch, also eaten pod-and-all.
  3. Peas are legumes: They help enrich soil through nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

Mary also did some last-minute planting in the front yard.  Tomorrow we will go to Home Depot for a few additional tall flowers, and I will get the pipes/fittings I need to install the drinking fountain!   Yes, we will have a drinking fountain in the garden for those hot summer days.

Since the plumbing comes from the house and it is all buried underground, the water will be cool!!

We worked until it got too hot, then went inside, made a few calls, and headed to the swim spa to relax our muscles.  The outside temperature was still in the 80s even at 8:00 pm.  We sat, talked, and just enjoyed life.  We went inside and changed into our jammies.  Mary watched a movie, and I set up the website to accept the images from our upcoming trip to Hawaii.

We crashed at 11:00 pm!

Posted in Doctor, Friends, Working Around House | Comments Off on Tax/Doctor Day, Oh My!