Today, it rained and rained and rained. We stayed inside and worked in the office and are about caught up! Mary made the last of the arrangements for the Ireland Adventure while we worked on the Panama Canal Adventure the previous week.
Mid-afternoon, I checked the rain gauge, and we got a tad over five inches of rain in the past two days. I hooked up the portable sump pump and took another two inches out of the pool, just in case.
We binge-watched Royal Pain, and then around 3:00 pm, we met with a roofer to discuss the leak we had in the kitchen.
At 5:00 pm, we got gussied up and headed off to the Segerstrom Performing Arts Center, where we had tickets for The Lion King! We stopped at The Westin South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, for a glass of wine and met up with Kiana! I have known Kiana since 1994, and she served us wine before the play for over thirty years. I was pleased to introduce her to Dr. Mary. It also turns out she is Pam’s dear neighbor, the daughter of Jeff, our neighbor! It is a small world.
For more than 20 years, the North American touring productions of The Lion King have been seen by over 21 million theatergoers. Having already played more than 9,000 performances in over 90 cities across North America, The Lion King now returns to Costa Mesa, CA, at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.
It was an excellent performance!
As we exited, I thought I heard rain, but fortunately, it was the fountain. The sky was clear, and it was an easy drive home.
We had a delightful evening at the theater.
We left Scout inside this evening while we were gone, and when we got home, we were curled up in his bed in our bedroom. I invited him outside to do his thing before we hit the sack for the evening.
The sky was clear, and the stars were bright!
The rain has gone away.
Mary read a book for about thirty minutes, and I worked on the computer until I got sleepy, which was also about thirty minutes; it was a delightful day!
The force of habit made me look at the weather forecast; oh boy, here we go again!
OMG, I went to the She Shed and got three sets of water wings: one for Mary, one for Scout, and one for me.
We were up early, and it was raining, so our planned trip to Victorville would have to wait. It is OK since we have to be home for a UPS delivery. As Mary came into the garage on our way to our torture session, she broke into a cachinnation after seeing me blowing up the rubber rafts instead of backing out the car. I showed her the weather predictions; needless to say, my efforts were redirected by the doctor. We went in the car.
Then, all of a sudden… NOTHING!
We headed home after the workout and proceeded to work around the kitchen. We made Beef bourguignon or bœuf bourguignon, also called beef Burgundy, and bœuf à la Bourguignonne. It is a French beef stew braised in red wine, often red Burgundy, and beef stock, typically flavored with carrots, onions, garlic, and a bouquet garni, and garnished with pearl onions, mushrooms, and bacon.
The two of us made it up in about 30 minutes!
This will feed us for about four days after we deliver some to our neighbor.
It simmered in the crockpot for about six hours on high.
We dined at about 7:00 pm, which is a little late for us, but we wanted to have the results of our efforts for dinner!
Finally, the weatherman was right; we got some rain. We watched TV and then worked in the office until about 10:00 pm, and then we crashed.
Why do dragons often sleep during the day? So they can fight knights.
Posted inJust Us|Comments Off on Monday; Torture Comes Early!
Some people experience seasonal depression in the winter, but I do all the things to bring on hygge* instead.
We did not move from the house today; we mostly worked in the office and watched movies. Mary whipped up some chocolate chip cookies, just what we need!
No more listening/trusting the weather people OR the “newspapers”!
News From Today: LOS ANGELES – A dangerous atmospheric river storm is blasting California with widespread impacts from heavy rains, damaging winds, and potentially life-threatening flash flooding.
Forecasters have highlighted Southern California, including downtown Los Angeles, for a rare “high risk” of flash flooding as the storm has already dumped several inches of rain across the region Sunday with more to come Monday. California Gov. Gavin Newsom even declared a State of Emergency for several counties in Southern California to support storm response and recovery efforts.
The “high risk” is the highest rung on NOAA’s flash flood threat scale and is only issued under the most dire of flooding forecasts. “Life-threatening flash and urban flash flooding possible in the high risk area,” NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center (WPC) said.
We waited all day to see the boats and emergency vehicles go by after the severe flood warnings; we got less than 0.1 inches of rain all day!
We binge-watched “Royal Pain” in the afternoon and then returned to the office at 5:00 pm to continue preparation for the tax man! The office work table is now clear and I can see the top of my desk!
* Hygge = In essence, hygge means creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people. The warm glow of candlelight is hygge. Cozying up with a loved one for a movie – that’s hygge, too.
Mary keeps making fun of me for fussing at the TV!
I got up at 6:00 am and woke Mary up saying, “It’s time for the Sunday Car Show!! Hurry, get ready!” Soon thereafter, receiving a bop on the head, I realized it was Saturday… I was a day early. I slithered back into bed and slept for two more hours. Now I know why they call me “The Eager Beaver!”
Today, we just veggied out and prepared for the arrival of Robin and Bob. Mary made her world-famous turkey sandwiches, and I assisted by taking three inches of water out of the pool in preparation for the predicted deluge we were expecting.
I asked Mary, “Can a turkey jump higher than the Empire State Building?” She was puzzled, so I answered, “Of course! Buildings can’t jump.” I will recover after a few days rest!
The first bite is a bit difficult, but after that, it gets easier.
Mary also thawed out some homemade tomato soup; we were ready to feast this evening while the water levels were rising!
I sat by the TV watching the weather predictions, and in fact, we called the vet to see if we could rent another “Scout” so we could walk onto the Ark two-by-two. I did notice the weatherman was pretty ugly!
Mary made fun of me!
As the forecast grew worse, I put on my thinking cap and came up with a brilliant idea: Let’s practice swimming before the downpour hits.
Plop plop fizz fizz, into the water we went. The “fizz” was from an old AlkaSelzer I had in my swimsuit! I like to throw pieces on the ground at the beach and watch the birds!
We practiced for over an hour and declared ourselves ready for the cloudburst.
Mary loved the idea of nice warm water!
Scout just shakes his head and worries that people will think he is related to us!
Scout thinks we are losing it.
After the swim, I went to the market with two grocery lists: one for us and one for Jeff. I brought back a four-pound chuck, which I plan to cut into one-inch cubes and brown tomorrow, throwing in some onions, potatoes, carrots, and finally some peas. Beef bourguignon is my favorite dish to cook, especially on a cold rainy day!
The kids came over, and we devoured the homemade tomato soup and a mess of turkey sandwiches. Bob even finished his tomato soup! We also took a plate/bowl over to Jeff.
Robin was recovering from some facial surgery, so I did not point the camera in her direction for fear of losing an arm or leg.
We all watched “Wonka” on the 90″ TV in the TV room. Read more about it on Wikipeia
We sat around the kitchen table after the movie and talked for a while. We mentioned we thought we may have a leak in the roof, but after Bob and I went upstairs, we were confused. There is NO evidence of any water above the kitchen island, so we will have to wait until the deluge comes.
Bob helps by checking for a potential leak!
We went into the attic, but alas, there were no signs of water, so we thought perhaps something spilled onto the island.
It’s snowing.
We hit the sack around 10:30 pm and are quite proud as we are on day three alcohol-free; we don’t miss it at all.
If you have to get old, it is sure nice to grow old with a friend!
The weather forecast is for plenty of rain, so we worked around the house. We drained about three inches out of the pool, brought in the trashcans and put them under the roof, moved the open fertilizer bags to a waterproof area, and ensured the chairs were under the patio.
The forecast as of Saturday morning reveals a lot of rain coming in this direction for three days. It’s OK, we need it!
Posted inUncategorized|Comments Off on Pre-Flood Preps Are Underway!
Thanks, Joe Biteme, for making this the most expensive vehicle I use!
Thanks to a combination of inflation, pandemic-related supply-chain disruptions and tariffs on certain foreign imports, food prices have steadily risen since 2020
It is Friday, and that means severe trauma comes to my poor little body as I enter the Peak Performance gym. As soon as I enter the door, the torture experts begin to bid on who will get to “train” me and force painful sounds from this frail old body. Last week, I was put in several positions where the snap, crackle, and pop sounds of my bones drowned out the gym’s background music.
If this keeps up, I will be ready to go back to my 60-hour/week job just to avoid the torture chamber!
Did You Know? 1926: Henry Ford introduced 40-hour work weeks with five working days with no cut in wages after he discovered that 48-hour work weeks yielded only a slight increase in productivity that lasted a short period of time. This discovery inspired other manufacturing companies to adopt the 40-hour work week.
After returning home and letting the body recover, we freshened up and got ready for lunch with Mary’s financial advisors at Rockwell’s. We had a delightful lunch with them, but I did have to sit in a particular chair. Rockwell’s is three doors away from “The Gym (Torture Chamber),” and I was afraid if I saw the facility one more time, I would begin running in the opposite direction, albeit at a pace just slightly slower than a pregnant garden snail.
The four of us returned to our home as the restaurant was too noisy to discuss business.
In Hawaii, the Hawaiian HOAs passed a noise ordinance so strict that one can’t even laugh out loud. All they can do is a low ha.
The advisors gave us their take on next year, matching what Marshall told us but in different words. Mary and I were surprised at how much money we had made this year, so it was time to celebrate!
After she spoke to her financial adviser, she slept like a baby. She woke up every hour and cried.
We took them on a garden tour, and Mary proudly produced a large plastic bag and filled it with fresh goodies from the garden. Mary has known them for years and knows they, like us, enjoy cooking!
It was a beautiful day!
They departed, and we waved goodbye. Now we get to rest a few minutes before we are off to the Elks Ledge to have dinner, listen to Larry Fresch, and dance the night away! Perhaps this might loosen up some of the kinks I got this morning.
Waving goodbye to her Financial Advisors
We checked on our tickets for the upcoming Valentine’s Day celebration. We are good to go!
We have tickets and are ready to go!
Our most excellent friends, Donna and Bob, joined us for the evening. We also had Bill and Mary Capps and Vince and Jan from the dessert.
We all enjoyed our meals. Our prime rib, which we shared, came with a glass of wine, so we forced ourselves to share it. This is a non-alcohol month for us; some call it detox, we call it losing weight!
Donna collected some of the upcoming even brochures/flyers and we discussed them!
We are getting our social calendar coordinated.
We now have the next several events on our calendars and are ready to go through the rest of February and into March.
We are ready to par-tee!
Did you know the calendar factory went out of business because its days were numbered?
Just us!
I had a spare moment between dances and pulled out the old AI software; the background disappeared!
Decluttered!
I could not resist!
I also decluttered!
We danced many dances, and I showed Mary a couple of new steps! I held her tightly so she would not fall over!
This step is the old “Belt Buckle Polisher.”
We departed at about 8:30 pm and headed home. We were both tired and sore! Our trainers found some muscles we had no idea were there. Mary, being a doctor, knew what they were. When she explained, I thought she was talking dirty! I was sure my muscles were connected to my sacrocrackerjack!
I love Amos and Andy! The Kingfish went to the gym, and he thought he had broken his sacrocrackerjack (sacroiliac). The guys were absolutely amazing, and to me, it had NOTHING to do with race; it was just good, clean comedy!
Watch Andy gets a telegram!
Scout and I wandered the backyard so he could do his business, and we could go in for the night!
A beautiful night for a garden stroll!
We checked our messages before turning down the lights and discovered we would be serenaded this evening. Becky sent us a video of her practicing the piano! Miss Beaky is doing well!
Good night, all!
Note to self: Careful with compliments to my bride!
The rain poured most of the morning but we still went to Girls Night Out anyway. Sydney and her dad joined us along with Bill, Bob, and Will. We had a delicious meal and by the time we were done, the rain had stopped for a while.
On our way home we stopped at the cleaners, the UPS Store, and Ralphs Market. After putting everything away, we had dinner and watched a series called “Royal Pains”. Royal Pains is an American comedy-drama television series that ran on the USA Network from 2009 to 2016. The series was based in part on actual concierge medicine practices of independent doctors and companies.
Posted inJust Us|Comments Off on The First Has Arrived!
They say rain is on the way, but the low was 50 degrees this morning, Wednesday, so I expected some clouds. Nope! Just a slight overcast.
We jumped in the shower and got on our exercise uniforms as we went to the gym at 8:30 am for a 30-minute bike ride followed by an hour of pure agony. My trainer loves to use my body as a pretzel-making activity. I now see the bottom of my feet regularly (and not in my mouth as usual!).
Tote that barge, lift that bale!
How can she smile and still be in agony??
She can smile and exercise at the same time!
After leaving the gym, we change out of our sweaty and blood-stained clothes into something more appropriate for a doctor’s office. For fun, I might wear my feathered pink boa.
Before going to the doctor, I checked my email and got a notice from Classmates.com. They had a picture of me in high school back in the dark ages when dinosaurs roamed the forests.
What the hell happened??? I had hair and nary a wrinkle!
The new pulmonologist was a hoot; Doctor Stewart of Orange put of the St. Joseph’s Hospital complex. A pulmonologist is a physician who specializes in the respiratory system. From the windpipe to the lungs, if your complaint involves the lungs or any part of the respiratory system, a pulmonologist is the doctor you want to solve the problem. Pulmonology is a medical field of study within internal medicine.
He confirmed that I likely have chronic bronchitis caused by years of smoking. The current air quality is also contributing to my respiratory issues. He provided me with his phone number in case I needed to contact him. My two doctors got back to me without having to go through the hassle of scheduling an appointment.
Our cleaning crew arrived at 2:30 pm and cleaned the area. We needed lunch, so Mary suggested we dine outside. It was a good idea since it will be cold and rainy next week. We had a fresh salad with our lunch.
Early dinner on the patio!
Scout was quite interested in our lunch, so he persisted in sticking his big nose right in our armpits while we ate.
Scout spies dinner!
We locked ourselves in the office, and I got the tax documents ready and paid the bills. I hate tax season just thinking about all that money being wasted by our government.
Throw out the illegals, stop giving money to foreign nations, stop finding the crazy California choo-choo train, put the “homeless” to work, or put them in tents in the desert to rehab them… do not throw it down the toilet like you are doing today!! As a taxpayer, I am getting sick of the waste!
We went to Jeff’s and brought him some dinner, and on the way back, we spotted some beautiful flowers!
Our neighbor’s flowers are quite pretty!
We returned just after the sun had gone down, and it was cold. We changed into our jammies, sat at the breakfast table, and watched a movie before crashing. I swear, Television is chewing gum for the eyes.
Do I remember the clotheslines? Indeed I do? If they were twirlers like above, we rode them all afternoon. If they were T-shaped with taunt lines between them, they were perfect for tents. We lived outside, getting dirty and occasionally needing mecurachriome treatments on our elbows and knees. Our imaginations went wild. We had to work to get gratified by building forts, stringing rope into trees, etc.
Today, kids have those stupid iPhones, and their ability to imagine is going into the toilet. Instant gratification. Phooey! Moms and Dads should limit phone time like my Mom and Dad limited TV time! We all would be better off.
Enough!
We woke up early, and I finished the Daily Diary and had Mary do a final check on the Hawaiian website.
Click the image and join the fun!
We had a small breakfast, and I offered Mary some candy, which led to our friends getting involved. These little guys nailed it!
We departed for the doctor’s office at noon for a 12:45 pm appointment. Mary was in and out in about thirty minutes. Before we left, we worked in the kitchen and prepared stuffed peppers from the yard. We still love to cook together. I prep; MAru does the magic!!
On the way home, I mentioned that we bought turkey meat a few days ago and should have “Turkey A La Mary,” my favorite sandwich.
Mary went to the garden to get some lettuce for the sandwiches. She also found tomatoes. Add some grey upon mustard and turkey to good bread, and we are off to the races.
She found what she was looking for!
On the way out, Mary suggested we show the snapdragons by turning the barrel about 180 degrees.
The dragons are coming along just fine.
Look carefully, and you will see a pea pod forming. This will be one of 800 that will pop out in the next few months!
When small, they are great to eat right off the bush!
We will indeed have broccoli tomorrow night—the heads are forming nicely.
Mary made three great turkey sandwiches, and we took one over to Jeff. Mary called Jeff ahead of time and warned him of my impending arrival. Jeff hates it when I show up unexpectedly, and he is wearing his frilly housecoat and pink househoes.
Jeff, being a pretty funny guy, met me at the door with the greeting. “Hi there, Turkey Guy!” Turkey Guy? I gobbled myself all the way home.
I decided to join Mary for a stroll in the garden even though I was wearing my cooking costume, and I let my hair down a bit. I make a great hippy!
Dang, I love that hair, doo!
We watched a true-life movie about Ben Carlson, who was President Trump’s Surgeon General. What an incredible story; more kids should watch this and apply mom’s rules!
We chatted with Robin for a while around 7:00 pm and decided to hit the sack early as tomorrow we have to go to the gym at 8:30 am, and I have a 12:30 pm appointment with a new doctor to see if we can’t figure out this bronchitis thing I have been suffering with for the past few months.
Did You Know? The song was written by the songwriting duo Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman (both passed on in 1991) and commissioned by Laurie Records, initially intended for the doo-wop singing group The Mystics. Laurie Records, however, gave the song to Dion & The Belmonts instead to record, and Pomus and Shuman then quickly wrote another song, “Hushabye,” for the Mystics. Dion initially thought the song sounded “wimpy” but then realized the sound the song had when the Belmonts started singing “ooh-wah” at the start of the song.
My my, what a day ahead. We will be running all day to the gym at 9:00 pm and then two doctor’s appointments;
We are also finalizing our trip to Ireland in May, so we have been on the phone with Ireland many times arranging flights and ground transportation.
The workout this morning was beautiful. I spent 20 minutes on the stationary bike and used various torture machines for the next hour. I thought about Valentine’s Day a lot while working out.
Great way to start the day!
We visited Dr. Bill, a podiatrist and a long-time friend, to treat Paul’s ingrown toenail. Within just a few minutes, Dr. Bill provided relief. Paul could walk again without whimpering!
We found ourselves three minutes from the Newport/Balboa American Legion, so we decided to have lunch by the bay! The last time we were there, the food was excellent, and the company was even better! Paul spotted a “Sugar Cookie Martini” on the menu, available only through January. He decided to have one, as January will end before we return!
Last day to have one!
It was a terrific drink and smooth as a bowl of cream. One martini is all right. Two are too many, and three are not enough.
I could not be passed up.
While sitting and waiting for our lunch to arrive, I received a text from our beloved daughter-in-law. She dressed up as a 100-year-old to educate children at school today. Her beauty made it hard to believe she could look 100, so we assumed she dressed up as a 70-year-old.
Amy, we love the pearls!
Living with a Liles causes premature aging.
We also looked up the weather in New Hampshire, where our youngest lives, and it said by 5:00 am, it would be 9 degrees!
Colleen is freezing her tushy off.
Lunch arrived, and we woofed it down. Mary’s Turkey Club looked fantastic, and the fries were done to perfection!
Turkey Club is outstanding.
The steak sandwich was perfectly done, but we will split one or the other next time. We have to keep the calories down to a dull roar.
The open-faced steak sandwich was excellent.
The day was spectacular, with the temperature at 79 degrees and a slight breeze. I watched the pelicans soar about our heads and dive into the bay to retrieve their lunch!
Did You Know? Pelicans are the only species to dive into the water from 9 m (30 ft) above to capture prey. After catching the prey and a lot of water, they tip their bill downward to drain the water before swallowing the fish.
The beak of a pelican is the longest of any bird. Specifically, the Australian Pelican is the world record holder. The male of this species has a bill up to almost 20 inches long, about 50 cm.
It was an exceptional day!
We were casual today as we had just come from the gym and the foot doctor.
Just us!
After lunch, we went to Mary’s doctor for an acupuncture treatment to alleviate her hip pain.
We got home at 4:00 pm and headed to the backyard to finish the rose pruning and readying the herb garden for winter planting.
The pea plants are thriving and starting to bloom. The purple blossoms of the peas have a gentle, slightly sweet taste that adds the freshness of peas to your dishes. The texture of these flowers is crunchy, and they look stunning on your plate, elevating the beauty and color of your culinary creations. Mary, who loves to cook, will have beautiful salads and other items to apply these blossoms!
We will be loaded with fresh peas within a few weeks, and they will keep producing for two months.
Soon, we will have peas for dinner.
Paul got bit by a Blood Rose! The roses are difficult to prune as they can easily take a hunk out of your skin. The older one gets, the easier the thorns can cause a gash.
Did You Know? Interestingly, rose thorns are not thorns. “Thorn” describes a plant with branches modified for physical defense. Because the pointy projections of a rose bush are modified epidermal cells (similar to human skin cells), roses do not have thorns; they have prickles.
Paul meets a “Blood Rose”.
We finished up just as the sun was about to set. We headed to the Swim Spa and spent an hour soaking in the lovely 95-degree water. The water soothes the old muscles and gets us ready for bed.
I was working in the garden.
Mary always helps in the yard!
We watched “Sixteen Candles” with Molly Ringwald. Mary had not seen the movie, so we laughed and giggled through the whole thing. It was 10:45 pm when the lights went out, and the Sandman came to visit.
Posted inJust Us|Comments Off on Only 331 Days Until Christmas!
The weather forecast is for plenty of rain, so we worked around the house. We drained about three inches out of the pool, brought in the trashcans and put them under the roof, moved the open fertilizer bags to a waterproof area, and ensured the chairs were under the patio.
