It’s Saturday, Lunch At The Farmhouse!

Posted on Saturday, August 29, 2026 by Paul

GM

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

We were up and ready to go early because we had an appointment with the kids at Roger’s Gardens at 11:00 am. The Farmhouse opens at 11:30 am, so we had thirty minutes to walk through this year’s Halloween displays!

It opened yesterday, so we got to see all the shelves full!!!

We go every year. See last year’s visit right here.

Fearless Mary was ready to go inside!

We entered with great fear, for the displays are spooky and the other customers are even spookier! Everywhere we looked, scary things were waiting to be brought to a new home. We will return and spend much more time when Robin is with us!

We spent a good thirty minutes taking it all in. In one corner, they had a display of what happens when you mix dog breeds. For example:

Airedale + Spaniel = Airiel, a dog that brings in good TV reception
Basenji + Schipperke = Baserke, a dog that’s mad about its owner
Bloodhound + Labrador = Blabador, a dog that barks incessantly
Bloodhound + Borzoi = Bloody Bore, a dog that’s not much fun
Bull Terrier + Shitzu = Bullshitz, a gregarious but unreliable breed
Chihuahua + Whippet = Chiapet, order from TV ads; 3 for $19.95
Cocker Spaniel + Rottweiller = Cockrot, the perfect puppy for that philandering ex-husband
Collie + Lhasa Apso = Collapso, a dog that folds up for easy transport
Collie + Malamute = Commute, a dog that travels to work
Deerhound + Terrier = Derriere, a dog that’s true to the end
Great Pyrenees + Dachshund = Pyradachs, a puzzling breed
Irish Water Spaniel + English Springer Spaniel = Irish Springer, a dog fresh and clean as a whistle
Keeshond + Setter = Keester, you can’t get this dog off its duff
Kerry Blue Terrier + Skye Terrier = Blue Skye, a dog for visionaries
Labrador Retriever + Curly Coated Retriever = Lab Coat Retriever, the choice of research scientists
Malamute + Pointer = Moot Point, owned by….oh, well, it doesn’t matter anyway
Maltese + any other breed = Maltese Cross
Newfoundland + Basset Hound = Newfound Asset Hound, a dog for financial advisors
Pekingnese + Lhasa Apso = Peekasso, an abstract dog
Pointer + Setter = Poinsetter, a traditional Christmas pet
Smooth Fox Terrier + Chow Chow = Smooch, a dog who loves to kiss
Spitz + Chow Chow = Spitz-Chow, a dog that throws up a lot
Terrier + Bulldog = Terribull, a dog prone to awful mistakes
Cocker Spaniel + Maltese = Cocktese

We went deeper into the maze and found other things we desperately needed to buy! For example, having an octopus in the office would help with the paperwork! Paperless, they said, when computers came around, phooey! We use more paper now than ever!

For help in the office!!

But then we found a book that may hold many Halloween secrets! We ended up buying a book for Robin titled SCARE-CUTERIE: Horror-Flavored Spreads and Ghoulish Garnishes for Creepy Creative Entertaining by Lori Hutchinson (also known online as Ghoul at Heart).

This book perfectly bridges the gap between food and decor by showing you how to build spooky cheese plates, design show-stopping centerpieces, and mix up funny, eerie “booze” (cocktails).

Yummy!!!

What is inside the book you ask about? Mary and I thumbed through it and found:

Funny & Creepy Booze: Includes highly creative cocktail recipes (your “funny booze”) complete with dramatic garnishes, such as the Lethal Injection Colada and the Evil Eye Chiller.

Halloween Cheese Plates & Spreads: Features over 45 spooky food boards—like the “All-Seeing Antipasto” monster face, the “Grim Reaper Butter & Bones,” and the “All Hallows Cheese Board.”

Edible Centerpieces: It teaches you how to craft theatrical food displays that serve as the centerpiece of your table, including tutorials on prosciutto-wrapped skull structures and buttery skulls.

The time was 11:28 am, and it was time to get in line to enter the Farmhouse. We could tell it was getting to be fall by the color of the trees. Leaves turn yellow or gold in fall because trees stop producing chlorophyll, the green pigment used for photosynthesis.

During spring and summer, chlorophyll is constantly being made, so leaves look green. As days get shorter and temperatures drop, the tree begins preparing for winter. It slows down food production and starts pulling nutrients back from the leaves into the branches, trunk, and roots.

When chlorophyll breaks down and isn’t replaced, the green color fades. That reveals pigments that were already in the leaf all along:

  • Carotenoids create yellow and gold colors.
  • Xanthophylls, a type of carotenoid, are especially responsible for bright yellows.
  • In some trees, anthocyanins are produced in fall and create red or purple colors.

So yellow and gold leaves aren’t really “new” colors appearing—they’re hidden colors being uncovered once the green chlorophyll disappears.

The reds and oranges were magnificent!

Into the restaurant we marched, brave and hungry, and claimed a table guarded by two enormous umbrellas—basically our own private anti-sun force field. Safely shaded from the blazing sky monster, we spent the next hour jabbering away, swapping stories, family updates, and enough gossip to require a small filing cabinet.

I finally got a good picture of Lisa!

We heard more about James’s engineering job, and it sounds quite interesting.

James, the engineer, is funny and gives friendly jabs with a smile!

Hannah kept an eye on her two boys to make sure they were behaving. Owen stole the show!

Owen keeps an eye on Lisa!

Who? Me?

Yes! You!!!

James and Owen were about to make an early escape so Owen could stay on track for his afternoon nap—very responsible, very suspicious. Sadly, that means our cameraman, James, missed the group photo, but we still managed to capture most of the guilty party! After reviewing the official departure schedule, we have unanimously concluded that Owen was not the only one headed for a nap… James was absolutely in on it too.

Fun Fun Fun

We enjoy family, and seeing the girls again was special. Spending time with James and Owen was entertaining, to say the least! We are looking forward to a visit with Diane and Pat, hopefully before the end of the year!

Just us!!

After lunch, we took Hannah and Lisa to their next destinations. We dropped Lisa off at John Wayne Airport for her flight back to San Jose, and we took Hannah to the Bed and Breakfast in Santa Ana. From there, we headed home to await the arrival of Robin.

Dear Hannah and Lisa,

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy lives to come and see us. I can’t tell you how happy we were to see you both (all) again — it truly meant a lot to us.

I felt very special that you made the effort to spend time with ol’ Uncle Paul. It was also wonderful to see Owen and James. Being together again was such a joy, and I’ll remember it fondly.

With love and appreciation,

Unkle Paul and Dr. Mary

When Robin showed up, we went to our favorite Lebanese restaurant and had an amazing meal! We got so busy talking to the owner about our upcoming party that I forgot to take any pictures! We also tried a different version of the tabbouleh. The girls wanted fewer onions, so the owner created a special onion-less batch! Tabbouleh, also transcribed as tabouleh, tabbouli, tabouli, or taboulah, is a Levantine salad of finely chopped parsley, soaked bulgur, tomatoes, mint, and onion, seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and sweet pepper.

Returning home, we watched “9 to 5” with Dolly Parton, and it was amazing how much of the movie we had forgotten! Here’s some fun trivia about 9 to 5:

  • Released in 1980, it starred Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton.
  • It was Dolly Parton’s film debut.
  • Dolly wrote the famous theme song “9 to 5”, which became a huge hit and earned her Academy Award and Grammy nominations.
  • Dolly reportedly wrote the song by clicking her acrylic fingernails together to imitate the sound of a typewriter.
  • Lily Tomlin originally turned down the role of Violet Newstead, but later changed her mind after reading the script again.
  • The movie was partly inspired by real workplace concerns of the era, especially sexism and unfair treatment of office workers.
  • The title comes from the common office workday phrase “nine to five.”
  • Dabney Coleman played the awful boss, Franklin M. Hart Jr., and the role became one of his most famous.
  • The film was a major box-office success and became one of the biggest comedies of the early 1980s.
  • It later inspired a TV series, a stage musical, and ongoing talk over the years of sequels or reunions.
  • Jane Fonda helped develop the project after being inspired by stories from women office workers.
  • The movie’s fantasy revenge sequences were considered especially bold and memorable at the time.

After the movie, we went to the pool, listened to Disneyland’s fireworks, and watched the moon rise in the east! We solved the world’s problem again, as we do most evenings.

By 10:30 pm, we were all prunes and got out to hit the sack! By 11: 30, the house was so quiet you could hear a mouse (if we had any!).

Good Night

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We Are Getting Ready For A Visit!

Posted on Friday, August 28, 2026 by Paul

GM

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

We worked all morning getting the patio ready for our visitors. By noon, we were getting cleaned up as we both looked like walking dirtballs. Hannah and her family are coming along with sister Lisa for a short stay in the Southland! We are anxious to see them!

On a serious note (yes, I do get serious), I felt rather special when I found out the girls mostly came to SoCal to visit “Uncle Paul”. I always had a fond place in my heart for these two and have great memories of Hannah and Jon riding in a battery-powered pink jeep, the girls playing in a plastic castle, the girls watching Uncle Paul make a three-layered birthday cake with enough icing to give a whale diabetes,s not to mention going to Disneyland and other places.

The girls graduated from College and High School in June 2013

Before they arrived, Mary and I went to war with the patio, bravely battling weeds, rogue tomatoes, and mint bushes that had clearly been planning a hostile takeover. We lasted until the temperature hit 95 degrees in the shade, at which point even the patio furniture looked like it wanted to quit.

My arm ended up covered in dirt and scratches from yanking out the tomatoes and mint, so I looked less like a gardener and more like I had lost a fight with a salad. Mary worked her magic on the upright gardens and made them look respectable again.

Then we set up the feeding station for our wayward cat, because apparently we are now running a patio restoration project and a feline soup kitchen.

I worked on the patio!

I was beaten before we went inside and enjoyed a nice, cool shower so I would look presentable when the kids arrived. Mary kept laughing at my face, especially at the eyebrows where I had wiped away the sweat and dirt. Two more swipes and a red rubber nose, I could be in the circus!

Oh My! I’m not old. I’m chronologically gifted.

At 4:00 p.m., the door opened and, to our surprise, a group of overheated people appeared—looking like they had just crossed the Sahara in dress shoes.

When I told them our air conditioner had just broken, they took one step inside, felt the heat, and immediately said, “Bye bye.” Honestly, I’ve never seen people RSVP “no” so quickly after already arriving.

Then the whole mood of the room shifted when Owen—also known as the Whirling Dervish—made his grand entrance. Shy? Not even a little. The moment he spotted the birthday balloon, all heck broke loose.

Boom! Boom! I got a boom!!!!

He attacked that balloon as if it owed him money. Punch after punch, jab after jab—I’m telling you, we may have a future prizefighter on our hands. Either that, or the balloon had said something deeply offensive.

James is teaching Owen early, and Owen approves of the Coors Light! Did he wonder if it could be made with a berry flavor?

Mom supplied Owen with a gourmet berry sampler fresh from Ralph’s Market: blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries—basically the berry Olympics in a bowl.

Then we all sat around the table for about an hour, waiting for the lasagna to heat up, which gave it plenty of time to think about its life choices. During the wait, the girls conducted a full family news investigation, asking about everyone: Colleen, Joe and family, Michele and Theo, Lisa and Peter, Zack and family—no branch of the family tree was left unshaken. We reported everything we knew, everything we thought we knew, and possibly a few things we made sound more confident than they were.

Robin had planned to stop by, but things got complicated with her sister, so she waved us off from afar. She was definitely missed—and so was the lasagna, until it finally decided to become dinner.


We had an Italian dinner with two kinds of lasagna, cucumber salad, coleslaw, and garlic bread. Mary’s Italian ancestry didn’t just show tonight—it burst through the kitchen door yelling “Mangia!”

After dinner, we attacked the cannolis and the birthday cake; it was a hit! We could not get permission from the fire department for 35 candles (it’s considered a fire hazard). I remember when Hannah was born. We were in New Orleans when the alert came through; Diane was in labor. We dropped everything, packed up, and drove to the airport and found the fastest way to Saratoga, California. We flew all night, got there, and met up with Rita (Sue’s Mom), who was already there.

Then it happened: Hannah was born, the church bells rang out (I think it was to warn people), and the geese flew backward to see when they had been! Hannah was here!

At 6:30 p.m., it was officially “Last one to the pool is a rotten egg” time. James and Owen were in first, followed quickly by everyone else except me.

I heroically remained dry on shore, serving as the designated responsible adult, emergency snack coordinator, towel supervisor, and official family photographer. Someone had to document the chaos — and protect the dry clothes.

Aunt Lisa is Owen’s favorite!

Then they were off, but not before we loaded them up with goodies. Anything fattening went with them in order to save us from ourselves! We will see them again tomorrow as we are going to Roger’s Gardens Farmhouse for lunch. Then they were off—but not before we loaded them up with goodies.

Basically, anything remotely fattening was sent home with them as a public service, because we clearly cannot be trusted alone with snacks. It was less “Here, have a treat” and more “Please take this before we do something regrettable.”

We’ll see them again tomorrow when we go to Roger’s Gardens Farmhouse for lunch—because apparently the best way to recover from giving away food is to immediately go out and get more.

Later, we went back in the water around 8:00 p.m. and pitty-pattered around until 9:00 p.m., when the serious business of television called. Tonight there was a full moon, which was fun to watch even though it was hanging low near the horizon—like it was tired too and thinking about calling it a night.

We went back in the water at 8:00 pm and pitter-pattered around until 9:00 pm, when it was time to watch TV. Tonight was a full moon, so that was fun to watch even though it was near the horizon.

The movie is “Finch” (2021), starring Tom Hanks. He plays a man in a post-apocalyptic world who builds a robot to take care of his dog, Goodyear.

At 11:00 p,m we declared victory and crashed. It was a good day!

Good Night

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We Had A Surprise Visitor!

Posted on Thursday, August 27, 2026 by Paul

GM

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

We had a 9:00 am appointment with Amy and her eye doctor, so we had to be up at 6:30 am to get ready and head to Newport Beach. As soon as we arose, we headed to the kitchen to see if the cat trap worked! It did! But unless our cat had radical surgery, had its ears reshaped, and gotten some more teeth, it was not Grace!

It’s a bird! No, it’s a plane! No, it’s a super-possum!!

The little stinker likes cat food, I guess. We, of course, let him go since they take care of a lot of critters. Did you know:

  • Opossums are North America’s only native marsupials.
  • A baby opossum is called a joey, just like a baby kangaroo.
  • They have pouches where their young continue developing after birth.
  • “Playing possum” is real: when extremely scared, they can involuntarily faint and appear dead.
  • They have 50 teeth — more than any other land mammal in North America.
  • Opossums are excellent climbers and have opposable “thumbs” on their back feet.
  • Their tails are prehensile, meaning they can help grip branches, though adults don’t hang by them like cartoons suggest.
  • They are surprisingly resistant to rabies because their body temperature is relatively low.
  • Opossums eat lots of pests, including insects, slugs, snails, and carrion.
  • They’re usually solitary and nocturnal.
  • Despite their rat-like appearance, they’re more closely related to kangaroos than rodents.
  • The Virginia opossum is the species most commonly found in the United States and Canada.

We took a closer look!

Almost face to face!

You shouldn’t harm an opossum because it’s generally a harmless, useful animal, and hurting them can create more problems than it solves.

• They help control pests: Opossums eat insects, slugs, snails, rodents, and carrion.
• They’re not aggressive: If threatened, they usually hiss, freeze, run away, or “play dead” rather than attack.
• Rabies is rare in opossums: Their lower body temperature makes rabies much less common than in many mammals.
• They clean up the environment: By eating dead animals and fallen fruit, they reduce rot and scavenger problems.
• They may be protected by local laws: In many places, harming wildlife can be illegal or require permits.
• It’s safer for you: Trying to hurt or handle one could lead to bites, scratches, or exposure to parasites.
• There are humane options: If one is in your yard, secure trash, bring pet food inside, block access to crawlspaces, and let it move on.

If it’s injured or trapped, contact a local wildlife rehabilitator or animal control.
Most opossums are just passing through and will leave on their own if they don’t find food or shelter.

This required a closer look-see:

Don’t worry, Joey, we will get you out of that trap!!

By 8:00 am, we were heading south to Newport Beach in the Silver Fox, reaching speeds in excess of 35 mph! Mary, of course, ran to the nearest phone booth and changed into her Indy 500 racing costume, so prepare for the trip!

We are off and racing!

We zipped down to Newport in a little under an hour, and Mary met Amry there for the appointment. From there, we returned home because I needed to pick up the laptop and use it at lunchtime at the Elks. Bob had some edits on his Sunday birthday party web pages. We finished the edits in just a few minutes. You can see the site right here!

The Elks Girls’ Night Out lunch was a success. We all departed full of food and joy in our hearts! Bob joined us today and told us about his recent adventure in Europe and his time floating down various rivers.

Mary and I just enjoyed the banter, plus we are taking reservations for Halloween, which is coming up real soon! So far, twelve of us are going!

After Girls’ Night Out, we headed home, where we knew it was going to be cool. We stayed inside and worked in the office; it is our place for laughing! On the way, I told Mary about a time there was a King who was only 12 inches tall. He was a terrible king, but he made a great ruler.

We decided that next week we would come to lunch in costume!

After all, it is the Elks Lodge!!!

Robin dropped by on her way home, and we shared a Lebanese dinner with her. From all of our tasting activities, we had bags of leftovers. Mary and Robin went through the reservations for our next adventure, making sure I had a wheelchair arranged for the trip. Running from gate to gate is no longer an option for this old body! We are headed to the East Coast next month to visit daughter Colleen and her family! Robin is going with us, YEAH!!

After dinner, we all jumped in the pool and floated around for a solid hour, admiring the moon like philosophers and howling at it like unpaid werewolves.

The temperature of the water was 93 degrees, perfect for lollygagging around!

Robin departed at 8:30 pm, and we went to the TV Room and watched a silly comedy called Delta Farce. Three clueless Army reservists are mistakenly dropped into a small Mexican village instead of being deployed to Iraq. They think they are behind enemy lines and try to free the village from bandits.

At 10:00 pm, it was time for bed, so off we went for a good night’s sleep! I told Mary about my trip to the jungle a few years back.

I was walking in the jungle and saw a lizard with its hind legs telling jokes. I turned to a local tribal leader and said, “That lizard is really funny!” The leader replied, “That’s not a lizard. He’s a stand-up chameleon.”

Good Night

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Mid-Week: Detailed Planning Required!

Posted on Wednesday, August 26, 2026 by Paul

GM

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

It’s that time!  We must trudge off to the gym and subject our fragile bodies to sustained abuse! First, we hit the floor, and our legs are stretched,g with several back muscles providing audible feedback in the form of snaps, crackles, and pops! It sounds like someone eating breakfast cereal.

Then, we are asked to get vertical, which is easy for them to say. After some adjustment for the higher altitude and the dizziness goes away, we are faced with some crazy torture devices and are asked to do 15 repetitions. I always count by fives; it helps!

  • Dumbbells – Tiny Pain Handles
  • Treadmill – The Hamster Highway
  • Exercise bike – The Nowhere-Mobile
  • Rowing machine – The Land Canoe
  • Kettlebell – The Angry Teapot
  • Bench press – The Ego Plank
  • Pull-up bar – The Humility Stick
  • Resistance bands – Spicy Stretch Noodles
  • Foam roller – The Scream Log
  • Medicine ball – The Heavy Orb of Regret
  • Squat rack – The Thigh Temple
  • Elliptical – The Confusing Ski Machine
  • Stair climber – The Endless Apartment Walk-Up
  • Battle ropes – Angry Floor Snakes
  • Yoga mat – The Nap Rectangle
  • Leg press – The Quad Crusher
  • Cable machine – The Fancy Pulley Monster
  • Ab wheel – The Regret Wheel
  • Jump rope – The Shin Whipper

BTW, we got voted number one for being so colorful! Our trainers usually wear dark glasses when we arrive!

We are ready to work on it!!

BTW, this will probably be our Halloween outfits for this year!

After the workout, I was thirsty and got to thinking about Coca-Cola when it came in glass bottles, and you would reach into a freezer full of ice and pull out a bottle, snap off the cap, and drink it down

Yes, it did!!!

We popped over to Ralph’s and got some supplies we might need for this weekend, since Hannah and her husband, Patrick, are joining us with their baby. As an added attraction, Lisa is coming along too!

Hannah, Diane, and Lisa (a few years ago!)

The holiday season is almost upon us!

Scarecrows everywhere!
We met up with Hannah, our German friend, at the market!

After Ralph’s visit, we went home to clean the house because… because… because our house cleaners are due in at 1:00 pm! We ran out of toilet paper and are now using lettuce leaves. Today was just the tip of the iceberg, and tomorrow romaines to be seen.

We have driven my Zena’s for years and finally went inside and had an absolutely amazing meal. They have been in business since 1999. Mom and Dad run the kitchen, and their son takes care of everything else. He started there when he was 20 and is not a happy 47-year-old!

Mary took one look at the menu, and she was off and running! Everythingg was good!

Our experience was outstanding! We’re planning to cater a party with several Lebanese friends, so naturally we launched a very serious “research project” — one that required visiting multiple restaurants and bravely eating a heroic amount of delicious food. You’re welcome, science.

As usual, Mary really gets into the things and changes into her Lebanese Dancing Outfit! I darned near passed out!

Okee Dokee!!!

Zena’s was the fifth place we tried, and they absolutely nailed it.

Our waiter, who also happens to be the owner’s son, was fantastic. He explained every dish, made great recommendations, and took care of everything we needed — basically a menu tour guide, cultural ambassador, and food therapist rolled into one.

The meal was excellent, but the tabbouleh deserves its own paragraph, possibly its own fan club. Traditional Lebanese tabbouleh is made with finely chopped parsley, tomatoes, green onions, mint, a little bulgur, lemon juice, and olive oil — but at Zena’s, it appears to also contain magic, because it disappeared in seconds.

I’m not saying there was a fight over the last bite… but let’s say Mary’s and my friendship briefly entered negotiations.

Zena’s is definitely a winner!

The traditional Lebanese Tabbouleh Salad recipe is a healthy vegan Mediterranean appetizer made with bulgur, parsley, mint, and vegetables

After all that food, I went to the paint store to get thinner. It didn’t work.

When we returned home, it was 101 degrees, so we went inside and hibernated the rest of the afternoon! The girls were just about to finish, so Mary and I went into our library and read! Clive Cussler and I are beating the Chinese and Russians at their own game!

At 6:00 pm, I finished my book and joined Mary in the kitchen. We watched Ted Lasso until 7:30 pm, time to jump in the pool!

We enjoyed a glass og vino while watching the Moon become full!

We hit the sack at 10:30 pm as tomorrow is another busy day. Robin is coming over, and we are going to get ready for Hannah, Lisa, and crew!

Good Night

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Tonight, The Theater!

Posted on Tuesday, August 25, 2026 by Paul

GM

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

We had to reschedule this morning because we had an appointment with a GI doctor in Yorba Linda at 9:00 and 9:30 am. We both went in and saw him together. The doctor was really good. Definitely an Indian, but absolutely perfect English and quite funny! He gave us both some advice, and the worst of which was to slow down to one glass of wine a day (I checked, he did say DAY, not HOUR). Poof!

After our visit, we went home. I rode my bike to the liquor store and bought two bottles of wine. Before I left, I had a thought that if I fell off the bike, the bottles would break. So I drank the wine before I biked home. It turned out to be a great decision, because I fell off my bike seven times on the ride back home.

Then we went to the Orange Circle in search of a Lebanese Restaurant. We found it, but the menu was extremely limited, so we decided to walk to the Elks and get a turkey club sandwich and a glass of wine. We will be returning to the Orange Circle for the upcoming celebration.

I sat down for a minute before entering the lodge, and I talked to Mary!

I wasn’t sure what to think!!

The streets were all decorated for the upcoming festival, so we will get to try several types of food and mingle with our neighbors.

Every major country was represented by an overhead banner!

This year’s annual Orange International Street Fair theme is “Rockin’ Around the Roundabout.”

On Friday, 8/30, from 5 p.m. – 10 p.m., Saturday, 8/31, and Sunday, 9/1, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., attendees can enjoy a boisterous atmosphere with a range of entertainment. We are going to join the fun this weekend!

After departing the Orange Elks, we went home and took a short nap, just in time to freshen up and go to the Silver Trumpet for dinner, followed by the Seagerstroms’ Phantom of the Opera.

Now entering its 40th year in London’s West End, Phantom of the Opera is widely considered one of the world’s most beautiful and spectacular musicals. Since 1986, Phantom of the Opera has become a global phenomenon, with productions playing to 160 million people in 217 cities and 52 territories, in 23 languages. Lloyd Webber’s celebrated romantic and soaring score includes “The Music of the Night,” “All I Ask of You,” “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again,” “Masquerade,” and the iconic title song.

Phantom of the Opera tells the story of Christine Daaé, a young soprano whose extraordinary voice enchants a mysterious masked figure known as the Phantom. A brilliant yet tormented musical genius, the Phantom dwells in the depths of the Paris Opera House, casting fear over all who inhabit it.

Drawn to Christine’s sensational talent, The Phantom becomes her mentor, believing she alone can truly bring his music to life, and as he guides her from the shadows, he falls deeply and dangerously in love. When Christine is reunited with her childhood sweetheart, Raoul, now the young patron of the Opera House, she must wrestle with the unpredictable dynamics of a powerful love triangle. The Phantom’s obsession with his new star sets off a dramatic turn of events where devotion, jealousy, and passion collide.

We finally got home at 11:00 pm and crashed!

Good Night

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A Slow Day, No Way!

Posted on Monday, August 24, 2026 by Paul

GM

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

It’s Monday. I woke up, glanced at the calendar, and saw the dreaded words: GYM TIME.

“Oh no,” I thought. “Another day of forcing my poor little fragile body into positions usually only seen in horror movies and IKEA assembly manuals.”

I didn’t even know I was triple-jointed until I saw the bottoms of my feet waving at me from somewhere behind my head. At that point, I wasn’t exercising — I was being folded for storage.

On the bright side, we bicycled over five miles each leaving the smell of burnt rubber behind us!

Why does she always get to wear pink???

From the gym, we went VFR to see Dr. Bill to get my toenails trimmed and an ingrown nail fixed so I can walk again! Dr. Bill is a good friend, so we spent some time jabbering with him and learning about his recent trip to Michigan to see family

From Dr Bill’s office, we went to Bei for lunch. As their website says:

Our name, Bei, is a nod to Beirut, It’s a playful take on the city’s name. Bei Restaurant is a heartfelt celebration of Beirut, born from a deep passion for the city’s rich culture, flavors, and atmosphere. We’re focused on capturing the essence of Beirut’s vibrant culture and spirit in every aspect of our restaurant, while blending tradition with a modern twist.

It was easy to find, and we were today’s first customers of the day. The menu was quite elaborate, and we took the waiter’s suggestions; he spoke perfect English. We tried the Lebanese wine, and it was pretty good!

Lebanese wine?

We ordered the special mixed plate and shared it, adding some other goodies as well. The Bekaa Valley is in eastern Lebanon. It lies between the Mount Lebanon range to the west and the Anti-Lebanon Mountains to the east, near the border with Syria. It’s one of Lebanon’s most important agricultural regions, known for its vineyards, farms, and historic sites like Baalbek.

The wine got Mary’s stamp of approval, so all is well!

We ordered the sample, and the food kept coming and coming! Lebanese food is one of the most popular cuisines in the Middle East. It’s known for being fresh, colorful, flavorful, and often very healthy. It uses lots of olive oil, lemon, garlic, herbs, vegetables, grains, chickpeas, yogurt, and grilled meats.
Some famous Lebanese dishes include:

• Hummus — creamy chickpea dip with tahini, lemon, and garlic
• Tabbouleh — parsley salad with tomatoes, bulgur, lemon, and olive oil
• Fattoush — crunchy salad with toasted pita bread and sumac
• Baba ghanoush — smoky eggplant dip
• Kibbeh — bulgur and minced meat, often shaped into balls or baked
• Shawarma — spiced meat cooked on a rotating spit, served in bread or plates
• Falafel — fried chickpea or fava bean patties
• Manakish — flatbread topped with za’atar, cheese, or meat
• Warak enab — stuffed grape leaves
• Kafta — seasoned ground meat skewers or patties

Lebanese meals often start with mezze, which are small shared plates such as dips, salads, pickles, olives, and bread. Meals are usually social and meant for sharing. For desserts, Lebanon is known for Baklava and Ashta cream desserts

Overall, Lebanese food is a mix of fresh ingredients, bold seasoning, and shared dishes that make meals feel warm and communal.

We enjoyed taking our time and sampling everything. The spicy hummus was outstanding! Our waiter was perfect for us, offering several excellent recommendations, making sure Mary didn’t end up with anything spicy, and I got my spicy fix for the day!

And of course, dessert!

Interesting!

I closed my eyes, and to my surprise, an image of Mary popped into my head!

After lunch, we headed home and stayed inside for the rest of the day, enjoying our air conditioning, which keeps the house at 75 degrees! We fed the lost cat, and sure enough, the darned thing found its way to the patio and ate! I guess she is really an outdoor cat!

We did NOT go to the pool today but opted for some TV movies instead. We gave up the ghost at 11:00 and crashed.

Good Night

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Happy 80th Birthday, Bob!

Posted on Sunday, August 23, 2026 by Paul

GM

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Today we celebrate the birth of our good friend Bob Zaitz, who is turning 80, and that is fortunate because it is also his IQ.  We were supposed to pick up the decorations at his house at 10:00 am, but Bob and Donna, with help from Cyndy and Harper, managed to get everything into his truck and another car, so we got to stay home for a bit and work on the office.

We departed around noon for the lodge to help set up before the party began! We are dressed in our Highway 66 attire, so we will fit right in!!

Then I remembered what Bob always says: “Did you know muffins spelled backward is what you do when you take them out of the oven?”

I had a breakthrough this morning. Alexia kept jabbering at me, and I could not turn her off, so I asked her directly. I was taken aback, and my feelings were hurt by her reply! I may never recover from her rather rude and inappropriate response.

We got ready to go to the party, but we had setup duties to perform, a labor of love. We arrived at 12:15 pm and immediately sought out Donna for our first assignment. We put placemats, programs, and centerpieces on the tables. We volunteered to make sure the backdrops were properly lit. Mary and I, of course, did some wine tasting to make sure it was OK for the other guests!

The invitees arrived right on time, and the party went on all afternoon! You can see all the images on our website.

When the cakes came out, I immediately headed in that direction, my camera in one hand and my index finger poised to test the icing. I hope no one noticed as I poked it a little too hard and made a knuckle imprint on the side of the cake!

Click the cake and go see a lot more photos of the party!!

We had wonderful music provided by Ronnie, our good friend. He knows ballroom dancing well, and he kept everyone busy!

Ronnie is an A#1 go-too guy!!!

The party was a lot of fun with friends, neighbors, family, and work associates all in attendance. Mary gave her watercolor rendition of Bob on the Harley. I am married to an artist!

Our family joined us along with Vicky and Jim!

Donna and Bob performed a short dance set to entertain the group! After the dance was over and they kissed, I was the first to yell. “EWE GET A ROOM”!

We danced, laughed, and carried on until the wee hours, about 6:00 pm! We were pooped, so we came home and went into the soothing hot water of the pool!

We floated and talked for another hour!

Then I saw something move in the bushes! I thought it was a possum, so I called Mary, and it was not a possum; it was Grace! She escaped the house through the rear bathroom door; apparently, the screen door did not close all the way! We tried to catch her, but she had no part in it. I decided we would try the trap for a few days, but after that, Grace has to make her own way through life. Escaping the house was her favorite pastime, according to her previous owners.

We crashed at 11:00 pm, but I was awakened at 1:30 pm when the electricity went off. I checked, and it was the entire neighborhood. An hour later, it came back on, then died again 30 minutes later! Finally, around 3:00 pm, it came on and stayed.

Good Night

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Saturday, Another “Work Day”!

Posted on Saturday, August 22, 2026 by Paul

GM

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

7:30 am, and we are out and about fighting our worst enemies, overgrowth and weeds! The corn was done for this year, but we found an additional nine ears, which we will snack on for the rest of the day and probably tomorrow.

After being on my hands and knees for two hours, I sat in the shade, and Mary cleaned up, filling another 90-gallon barrel to the top! So far this weekend, 240 gallons of vegetable materials have gone to the great compost pile in the sky!

While working away, Mary and I talk a lot about our lives, and we are still getting to know each other. I mentioned a girl from junior high school whom I remembered. I once dated her, but she broke up with me because I only have nine toes. Yes, she was lactose intolerant.

I trimmed the remaining grapes before sweeping up the droppings. I’ve decided to start telling everyone about the benefits of eating dried grapes. It’s all about raisin awareness.

We came inside at 11:00 am and got ready for the next adventure: delivering the table centerpieces to the Santa Ana Elks for tomorrow’s soiree. My jeans were so dirty, they came off before I went inside! A good shake, and most of the ingrained mud came off. The dirt clearly came through the jeans, and it took a good scrubbing to return me to my naturally beautiful condition.

At noon, we got the delivery call. Vicky was going light-speed on the freeway to the Elks Lodge, so we jumped into the Grey Ghost and chugged our way there with a back seat full of decorations! According to my calculations, Vicky made it from Los Alamitos to the lodge in 0.00009677419 seconds, or ninety-six million seven hundred seventy-four thousand one hundred ninety hundred-billionths of a second.

The Grey Ghost’s cargo was precious, so we stayed well under the speed of light. In fact, we were passed by a one-legged man pushing a wheelbarrow!

The van worked out fine!
Looks great!

We had a lovely lunch with Vicky and Jim, swapping stories and laughing — especially when Vicky reminded us about the time she accidentally dropped her coin purse onto the grocery store conveyor belt at checkout.

This would’ve been harmless enough, except Vicky was a Highway Patrol Officer at the time, and her “coin purse” contained less spare change and more .357 cartridges.

The cashier took one look, calmly slid the bullets aside like they were coupons, and then apparently decided consciousness was optional.

We moved the amazing centerpieces from the van into the lodge and placed them in the ladies’ changing room adjacent to the ladies’ powder room for safekeeping.

Jim was quite proud of his work, and he even put a Texaco sticker on the small gas pumps!

The look is marvelous, and the messages on them are magnificent

It took all of us and a cart to get them into the room! We are a team!

Jim looks a little nervous being in the ladies’ room!

After lunch, we headed home with the car registering 94 degrees! One quick pass through the garden, and we came in for a “short” nap that lasted about two hours! In fact, it was so hot I left a glass of water outside, and it began to boil, so I decided to start investing in stocks: beef, vegetables, and chicken. One day, I hope to be a billionaire.

We took a “short” nap, just about two hours. My nap was supposed to be a beauty sleep, but one look in the mirror and I realized it hadn’t worked!

So at 7:00 pm, Mary whipped up a small pizza, and then we headed to the pool. It was almost dusk, and we wanted to see the planter lights go on! Just before going in, I tried our 100W outdoor floodlight to see if it would work for Vicky’s upcoming party. Success! Now I will ask my son Joe to help us install said device.

The water was strangely quiet.

We stay in the water for a good hour watching the moon before it is full; several more days are still required. Mary caught her bugs as I devoured a glass of vino and helped her bugs into her net.

The whole evening, I felt someone or something was watching us. I was sure it was my imagination!

Oh my!!

We went inside and watched “Playdate.” The two actors play complete opposites who meet for a park playdate with their young sons:

The Plot: What is supposed to be a simple afternoon of small talk spirals into chaotic, high-stakes minivan mayhem when ruthless mercenaries start chasing them.

Alan Ritchson plays Jeff, a massive, hyper-prepared stay-at-home dad with a mysterious and violent past.

Kevin James plays Brian, a recently unemployed, completely untactical accountant.

By 11:00 pm, after laughing for two hours, we crashed!

Good Night

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Work First, Play Second!

Posted on Friday, August 21, 2026 by Paul

GM

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

It was one year ago today that we lost Irene, whom we called “Mom.” She was a great lady who will always be remembered!

Our dear friend

It’s 5:30 am, and we are dressed to kill, weeds that is!  We hit the garden so hard that it took two 90-gallon barrels to hold everything. As we approached the planned work area, we spotted a couple of nice, almost ripe pumpkins, just in time for Halloween.

We worked until almost noon, yanking out old plants, giving the finished tomatoes their final farewell, and evicting a few weeds that had clearly overstayed their welcome.

Then I noticed a leak. Sure enough, one of the water spigots had snapped off—most likely because the attached hose decided to test its strength and won. Once it broke, water started pouring into the beds as we’d accidentally installed a garden fountain. I had to quickly improvise a drainage solution so our gardener could fix it before we accidentally turned the vegetable patch into a rice paddy.

Twenty years ago, this would have been a quick, no-brainer repair. But these days, age has gifted me with wisdom, patience, and the firm understanding that bending over for long periods while wrestling with plumbing is now an extreme sport.

The garden looks pretty good now, with only a few hours of work remaining in the corn/melon patch, where the bed is eight feet wide and requires hands-and-knees cultivation!

While I was working, Mary noticed the Sun was hitting my head (probably due to the reflection from my baling spot). She, like a dutiful wife, went into the house to get my gardening hat. When she returned, she had something else on her mind and forgot to give me the hat! After a while, she asked me where the hat was, and I didn’t know, so she began to search. After five minutes, she came to me and gave up. It was then that we noticed she had cleverly put MY hat on top of HER hat; she was wearing two, and I was wearing zero. We had a good laugh!

As the clock ticked toward 2:00 pm and the Sun’s rays were cooking everything, we went inside and began to clean up so we could go to a doctor’s appointment, then out tonight with Vicky and Jim for dinner, and then to the Cerritos Performing Arts Center.

The doctor’s appointment was to retest my carotid arteries to make sure they stayed unblocked, and indeed, they were clear as a bell. On our way to the office on the third floor, Mary stopped at the gift shop (they always have interesting things). Mary was not disappointed! Then it occurred to us that Halloween is right around the corner!

The doctors said I was good to go, and she’ll be in about six months! We headed home to change clothes before going to Cerritos. We drove the Grey Ghost (our van) to pick up ten centerpieces for Bob’s birthday party on Sunday. Jim made amazing centerpieces out of folded paper. Since Bob’s birthday theme is “Highway 66,” Jim reproduced the oldest gas station on Highway 66.

The Ambler’s Texaco Gas Station in Dwight, Illinois, is widely cited as the longest continually operating gas station on Route 66.

It opened in 1933 and operated as a gas station until 1999 — about 66 years of continuous service.

It is also known as the Ambler-Becker Texaco Station or Becker’s Marathon, and today it serves as a restored Route 66 landmark and visitor stop.

There are other very old Route 66 stations, but Soulsby Service Station is often cited as one of the oldest surviving gas stations on Route 66.

Open for business66 years!!!

Off to dinner!

After dinner, we transferred the centerpieces from Jim’s SUV to The Grey Ghost. Yes, we brought the van for his first freeway drive in a long time. Then it was off to the Cerritos Performing Arts Center, a mere 5 miles away!

The Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts opened on January 9, 1993.
As of 2026, it is 33 years old.

Here’s some trivia about The Miracles, the legendary Motown vocal group:

• Originally called The Matadors, they changed their name to The Miracles before signing with Motown.
• Smokey Robinson was the lead singer — The group is often associated with Smokey Robinson, whose smooth tenor voice became their signature sound.
• They were one of Motown’s first major acts — The Miracles helped put Motown Records on the map in the early 1960s.

Vicky always gets great seats,s plus we get to meet the group’s managers as they sit at the soundboard!

Here’s some trivia about The Spinners, the classic soul/R&B vocal group:

• They formed in Detroit — The group started in the 1950s in Ferndale, Michigan, near Detroit.
• They were originally called The Domingoes — They later changed their name to The Spinners, reportedly inspired by car hubcaps.
• They recorded for Motown first — Before their biggest success, The Spinners were signed to Motown Records, though they didn’t get as much attention there as some other Motown acts.
• They became major stars in the 1970s — Hits like “I’ll Be Around,” “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love,” “One of a Kind Love Affair,” and “Mighty Love” made them one of the decade’s top vocal groups.

It was an excellent show, although during the 1970s I was so busy working that I do not remember their fame or their songs, but Mary was be-bopping along with everyone else.

Fun Fun Fun

With friends, it is even more fun!

Yolie, Paul, Mary – Lucy, Jim, and Vicky!

As we sat down at half-time, Evelyn came to visit. She and her husband. Jay sat right behind us and has been our friend for many years!

We got our picture taken outside on the way home.

On the way home, the phone rang — and it was Vicky, official commander of cake logistics.

“We have a new plan!” she announced.

So here it is: Vicky and Jim will pick up the cakes at Katella Deli and transport them safely to the Elks, presumably with a police escort and zero frosting casualties.

Once Vicky departs, I’ll call Bob, and the three of us will head to the Elks to drop off everything — and, of course, conduct the very important follow-up mission: lunch.

Cakes, friends, and a solid plan involving multiple vehicles. Life is good!

Mary and I could not be happier together. Our health is holding up, we have amazing friends, and our social calendar is so packed it looks like a 2-year-old got hold of a crayon and said, “Let me handle scheduling.” We laugh, we giggle, and we come up with the same thoughts every day! It’s amazing!!!

On top of that, the holiday season is upon us! We are already making plans!

Good Night

Posted in Dining Out, Family, Friends, Fun, Theater | Comments Off on Work First, Play Second!

Another Busy Day!

Posted on Thursday, August 20, 2026 by Paul

GM

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

I am still reeling from the phone call yesterday with my college roomie! That was sixty years ago, and he is doing just fine living in Encinitas.

In college, on fraternity row, we had a “Chariot Race.” All the fraternities built their chariots and were to run two blocks down 28th Street. Joe and I had another idea! We rented a REAL chariot from the Ben-Hur movie and trucked it down to the fraternity house. We are talking about a 500-pound vehicle! Our girlfriends decorated it up with flowers, and we entered. Being the “nerds,” everyone laughed at us! They shouted, amongst other things, “No way, José.” Weblissfully ignored their chanting and got this hulking beast to the starting line!

We had eight guys pulling this thing!

The race started; the other fraternities’ rigs were off like rocket ships. Our group started solving this beast, slowly, with Joe Tracy riding in the chariot, yelling directions. Once we got up to speed, nothing could stop us. Joe was wearing a wreath and a rather flimsy toga, which the ladies seemed to like for some reason. His sheets were flapping in the breeze.

The wooden steel-rimmed wheels made an amazing sound, something like a stagecoach coming down the blacktop-paved street!! While the other fraternity’s vehicles (they were made of old bicycles, red wagons, baby strollers, etc.) came apart at the seams, tipping over, losing wheels, crashing into the sidewalk, etc., our trusty behemoth rattled to the finish line, leaving a trail of broken dreams behind us! It took us 200′ to slow the thing down! The “jocks” (aka Sigma Chi) were destroyed by us “nerds”. Brains over brawn wins again!!

A bunch of us took the chariot over to 28th Street Market and got two kegs of beer to celebrate! The chariot became a beer wagon! Oh, the simplicities of life in college.

We had a lot of fun post-college, and I remember Joe coming to my new house to help me put up ham radio antennas and redesign the patio. My son Joe was named after Joe Tracy!

Oh my, what a day!!! We started with the gym, stopped by a garden supply store, dropped off several items at Goodwill, went to the dry cleaners, went to Girls’ Night Out, and then went home via CVS!

At The Elks, we did some serious weekend coordination and set up a plan for cake/table decorations for Saturday. Sunday is Bob’s 80th birthday! He is just a whippersnapper!

Heading out! More work to do for Sunday.

Will and Iris were not here today; Iris was out of sorts. We did have a visitor; Sydney joined us today! Sandee showed up just before we had to leave for the doctor’s appointment.

We departed the Elks around 1:30 pm to make it to the kidney doctor’s office for a report at 2:00 pm. The results were good, as the kidneys are functioning pretty well for an old fart! The outside temperature was 94 degrees with a slight breeze. We stopped by CVS on the way home and then headed to the office.

Back home again, Mary pushed pills for another 45 minutes. At CVS, I saw a coffee can, and it reminded me of when I was young and what we did with all those cans (back when plastic wasn’t popular).

We spent the afternoon in the office taking care of bills and other household duties. We did NOT need dinner as lunch was still doing a good job! At 7:50 pm, we headed to the pool and swam around like a pair of ducks for an hour before going back inside.

We watched a movie entitled “Orphan Train” — a 1979 TV movie— based on the real-life orphan train program, in which children believed to be orphaned or abandoned were sent by train from eastern cities to families in the Midwest and West. In this movie, their Union Army officer/father was believed dead, his children were sent away on an orphan train, and his search to find and reunite with them began.

We began another movie, but at 11:00 pm our eyes began to shut, so we scurried to bed!

Good Night

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