Sunday, Do I Get A Day Of Rest? Nooooooooo!

Posted on Sunday, February 2, 2025 by Paul

The morning has arrived, and we are ready to go!

The coffee helps us get started!  I was up at 5:30 am, while Sleeping Beauty stayed in bed until 8:30 am.   She got up with a little bit of assistance from the old man!

I wish I were brave enough to do that, but she runs faster than I do!!

Mary wandered into the kitchen and sat down to watch her “Doggy Reels” on Facebook while I slaved away, making her English Muffin toast and a second cup of coffee! I am considering joining the Food Service Union to get double time during the non-standard hours.    Then Mary explained that being married to her, there are NO non-standard hours!  Every waking second is hers, and the pay rate is slightly south of 45 cents an hour!

We talked to Colleen on the batphone for about forty minutes, exchanging action items: she arranged for Jon and Sarah to get to our home, and in turn, we sent her a batch of “fish cooking bags.”  It seems like a deal!

Mary stayed up until noon and then went horizontal again so her back would not get bad!

To make it easy on myself, I fixed her a bowl of beans and a bowl of beef stew for a late lunch. She was delighted with both, so I did not have to cook dinner. Yeah!

In the evening, Mary watched TV, and I decorated the house for Valentine’s Day, did the last of today’s dishes, and planned for tomorrow’s feast!

We are hoping she is 80% recovered tomorrow because I have to go to the dentist at 11:00 am to have some stitches removed, and I do not want to worry about her getting around.

Tomorrow, I am driving again; I hope I remember how!

BTW, George Ennis, our good friend and participant in Girls Night Out,  is doing well after his Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR).  Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a type of heart valve surgery. It’s done to replace a narrowed aortic valve, a condition called aortic valve stenosis. A doctor inserts a flexible tube called a catheter into a blood vessel and guides it into the heart. A replacement valve made of cow or pig tissue goes through the tube to the specific area in the heart. A balloon on the catheter tip inflates to press the new valve into place. Some valves are self-expanding.

You go George!!!

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The Weekend And February Has Arrived!

Posted on Saturday, February 1, 2025 by Paul

It is only 327 days until Christmas!  The year is moving along!

I got a note from my cousin Claudia, who said her husband Doug has been having some medical issues. He is back home now and doing well, but it is hard to think that only 74 years ago, Claudia and I had our pictures taken that day my Dad departed for Hawaii on the Hawaiian Pilot, a freighter owned by Matson Lines!

Did You Know? The Hawaiian Pilot was built in 1944 and first went into service as the USS Burleigh. After the war ended, it was acquired and refitted by the Matson Navigation Company and mainly traveled the Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Hawaii routes. The cargo consisted of everyday consumer goods of all kinds and agrarian products primarily bound for the West Coast of the USA. The vessel had a cruising speed of 16.5 knots and a total cargo capacity of 12,500 tonnes.

Dang Claudia, we don’t look the same these days! Little did we know what the future would bring!

8:30 am, and I heard noises emanating from the master bedroom; yes, it was Mary, alive and walking!  I jumped up instantly at her command and ran to the coffee machine, making her coffee with 1 1/4 teaspoons of honey, 6 1/8th oz of cold milk, and a straw, which had to be precisely 3/8th inch inside diameter!

When I delivered it, I hoped all the measurements were correct because I hate being beaten with her handy, dandy rubber hose (a diameter that does NOT leave marks)!

I spent the remainder of the day in the office or the kitchen, ensuring Mary stayed put and didn’t overdo it.  It was like wrestling a bear!

Around 6:00 pm, it was decided dinnertime had arrived, so I threw on two nice filet mignon steaks, prepared two artichokes, and baked some dinner rolls.  We had a feast!  Soon, I was back in the kitchen doing cleanup duty.  It looked like someone had been cooking for an army!

It was time for my new breathing treatment using the nebulizer.

Did You Know? A nebulizer is a medical device that turns liquid medications into a fine mist that can be inhaled through a mouthpiece or mask. It delivers medications directly to the lungs, particularly for individuals with respiratory conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cystic fibrosis.
Nebulizers use compressed air, ultrasonic vibrations, or a mesh to break down the liquid medication into tiny particles that can be easily inhaled. This allows the medication to reach the lower airways more effectively than traditional inhalers, which can sometimes deposit medication in the mouth or throat.

Robon Visits The Falkland Islands

We arrived in Port Stanley, Falkland Islands/Islas Malvinas at 8AM. As I expected it was going to be cold, but not to a point where I knew I would be as cold as I was the morning we rounded Cape Horn! I brought winter clothing but I knew I wasn’t going to be warm enough, even with all my layers of clothing, I needed something thicker to stay out in the cold, so I bought a nautical sweatshirt from the ship store to add to my layers.

Once we arrived, Maggie and I were assigned to a mini-van that was going to us to Bluff Cove Lagoon/Rookery about 30 minutes out from the port. We could see from the van there were many different bird species and a lot of penguin’s! We had a very humbling encounter with King, Gentoo, and Magellanic penguins along with an assortment of other birds. Not sure what types, but one reminded me of the seagull in the Little Mermaid Movie, Scuttle. There was another flock of birds, that may have been ruddy-headed geese that moved together in a flock walking past a group of Gentoo penguins that suddenly started to communicate amongst themselves or were all belting out a yell at the geese walking by to stay away! The sound a penguin makes is a cross between a dolphin and a seagull (to my ears anyway). Being able to observe the penguins in their natural habitat, gathering in groups, swimming in and out of the lagoon, some poking each other, others burrowing into the sand or into their little homes they built into the sand, was amazing. There were small flag markers near the shoreline and at the bluff where we go up to/not cross which were very close to wear the penguins were gathered. They paid us no attention but from time to time one of them would look in our direction to acknowledge we were there and then would go on about the business at hand… grooming, swimming, and laying around on the sand. Maggie again, took incredible pictures and video… one of which she set to a piece of music from The Sound of Music, “Goodbye, Farewell” as they waddled their way to the lagoon and dove in for a swim. Really, did I just see that? kept playing in my head.

The Falkland Islands is a British ruled territory, therefore it came as a great surprise that tea service would be provided after our time observing the penguins. It was just what was needed after being outside in the cold. We walked in to a small and unquie tea room, that had art work on the walls, British flags along the edge of the ceiling and strangely enough a framed photo of Zelensky, which was the same day we found out later in the evening about the “encounter” with him at the White House. Back to the tea room, there was also a wood burning stove in the middle of room that provided heat to the little tea house. I call it a tea house but it really was more like a long storage unit, separated into individual 50×50 rooms, one being a tourist center, the next being the tea room, the last being a gift shop. Hattie, an elderly, British woman, owned the tea house and the gift shop and she had made all the delicious assorted tea cookies, breads, loafs, etc. I was sure to thank her after picking up a few items from the gift store.

Back on the ship, it was Orange Party night, celebrating the Netherlands. Our cabin stewards had left a dutch treat on our beds to kick off the evening – Stroopwafel!. Bob and I ate a lot of these when were in Holland/Amsterdam. After clipped in my orange feather/hair decor, we got a couple of seats at the bar, and enjoyed the festivities. We met a nice english couple that we joined in a game of trivia to kick off the Orange Party. We lost, but it was fun to test our memories and to see if knew a few brain teasers. To kick-off the dance portion of the party, our line dance teachers called up the dancers to start it off with the Electric Slide (to the original Electric Slide song). Maggie opted not to join but I DID! it was a lot of fun. We hung out for a couple of cocktails and people watching… after about an hour we headed to our cabin to crash after a long and cold day.

Love to All,
Robin

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The End Of The Week And She Remains Weak!

Posted on Friday, January 31, 2025 by Paul

Well, Sleeping Beauty is doing just that!  So I went to the kitchen, made myself a Cup ó Joe, and returned to the office to play on the computer.   Working on the computer does two things for me: 1) it keeps the grey matter occupied, so there is no time for dementia, and 2) it builds on my rather large vocabulary of nasty words!

While I have been “alone” for the last week, I have had much time to consider how fortunate I am! God has given me a beautiful family with Robin, Joe, Michele, and Colleen, as well as amazing nine grandbabies (the oldest is 35!)  and six great-grandbabies (thank you, Colleen!).

We could not ask for a nicer family.  There is Jeanette, but there must be a black cloud in everyone’s life.

I have had two extraordinary loves in my life.  Sue was a fantastic partner and best friend for over thirty years.  Her loss was devastating, but unbeknownst to me, God had a plan!

Little did I know that God would allow me to join with the fantastic Dr. Mary, who I adore with all my heart.  She is the cat’s meow!  Every day with her by my side is a notch in my life belt, and I plan to make it a large belt!  She has brought happiness into the family and is a bright light in this sometimes dark world.

In addition, my parents’ teachings have paid off in that at the ripe old age of 80; I have financial security, a partner in life who I enjoy sharing everything with, a fantastic house that Mary has transformed into a warm and loving home, and a group of friends we love dearly.

As Dad always said, “Do unto others as you want to be done upon!”  Mom always said, “You have two choices for dinner: Take It or Leave It.”

 

I got Scout out of the master bedroom without a sound but carrying his doggie treats in my teeth and crawling on my hands and knees backward is something I do not recommend you do on a daily basis. Once in the hallway, we was off like a shot; his potty needs was waiting in the yard!

She didn’t even move!

I observed his majesty basking in the lovely warm sun a few minutes later. I wanted to borrow his fur coat because it was cold in the house, and I did not want to turn on the furnace for fear of awakening the grouchy bear.

NOTE: At 2:30 am this morning, she woke up and was in pain.  She could NOT go to sleep, so she went into the TV room and got on the couch (being in the TV room always makes us go to sleep).  I covered her up, and then I sat next to her.  She settled down and went to sleep; I laid there freezing my patootie off as I did not want to cover myself and chance wake her up.

For two hours, I shivered and shook, making the couch look and sound like a vibrating bed. (Maybe that’s why she could sleep.)

Finally, at 4:30 am, with my feet as blue as the ocean water, I got up to seek warmth–she also arose, without pain, and followed me back to bed.  She has been comatose ever since.   After putting them on Mary’s heating pad for a half-hour, my feet finally warmed up.

Another Sleeping Beauty (at least according to him!)

It was a beautiful day, which reminded me I must replace the cover on the gazebo.  Thanks to Amazon, I ordered two replacements, which will arrive tomorrow.

It was a fantastic day, albeit cold!

Back inside, I stirred the stew and decided to put it in separate containers after Mary got up!  Some go into the frig, some in the freezer, and some go across the street.

We can hardly wait for lunch!

We were supposed to have lunch with a recent retiree, but Mary couldn’t sit up very long, so it was a no-go.

Robin decided to come over at 11:30, and indeed she did, BUT I was helping Mary in the shower, and Robin could not get anyone to answer the door. The van was gone (Joe has been using it), so she thought we were gone!

I served Salmon fillets with roasted asparagus, a fruit cocktail, and freshly baked dinner rolls for lunch. It was pretty good!

At 5:30 pm, I took a container of beef stew to Jeff so he would not have to cook dinner!  As I  visited him, I recanted the Inaugural Ball visit with the Republican Committee of Long Beach at The Grand.  We had a ball, celebrating all night long!  I ran across a Google Photos prepared series of photos taken that evening.

Celebrating!

This afternoon, I watched the White House Press Briefing, and it was like another world from the past four years.  Instead of a mop-headed moron reading from a large book of pre-prepared talking points, we had a young, very well-prepared person giving and taking with the press off the top of her head!  No more long delays or “non-answers”; this lady, Karoline Leavitt,  is a rock star!!

I spent the rest of the evening planning tomorrow’s menu and working on the website, getting ready for St. Patrick’s Day and Valentine’s Day.

At 8:30, I did my daily 30-minute breathing exercise with the new meds; so far, so good!

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Thursday Has Arrived!

Posted on Thursday, January 30, 2025 by Paul

Speedy is a relative term!  It’s been since Tuesday a week ago that Mary has been down and out, but she is a trooper, never complaining unless it’s about a) the food service, b) me NOT wearing the French Maid’s outfit, or c) the food service!

This morning, she did not wake until past 10:00 am.  I put a mirror on her nose to make sure she was breathing!

To keep her from waking up, I had to go into the master bedroom, scoop up Luigi, and carry him outside so he would not whimper when Mother Nature called. That puppy is heavy—I think it’s all the spaghetti he has been eating!

When she finally woke up, I attempted to talk to her, but I got this response!

So, I ran to the kitchen and got her a chocolate as fast as my wobbly old legs could move!  I threw it in the door, awaiting the rustling of paper and foil and the eventual purring that comes with chocolate!

Mary has taken several “pain-related” pills, so I decided to go to the pharmacy and make her life simple!

Mary went back to sleep until 10:00 am and then walked to the patio door and called for me; she wanted to place her breakfast order!

I was in the garden on the phone, trying to be very quiet!  I fixed her breakfast per her instructions.  I needed a thermometer to get the toast at precisely 114 degrees. The banana had to be at 65.5 degrees exactly. Her orange juice had to be picked fresh so I am, an old man, climbing onto an 80′ rickety old termite infested wooden ladder leaning over into my neighbor’s yard picking his oranges making sure they were ripe and ready. Now, breakfast can be served!

When I returned to pick up the dishes, seeing me caused her to say, “Hello you SOB!”  Dang I must have missed a seed in her orange juice!  I asked what was wrong and she said, “Nothing Sweetie”.  I am now officially confused.  So I asked why she called me an SOB.  She laughed and said, “SOB means SPECIALIST ON BREAKFAST, I was saying thank you!”

In the afternoon, I got busy making beef stew, which went into the crock pot around 3:00 pm and needs at least eight hours, meaning I will be up late tonight checking on it!  Below I am browning the meat, it look amazing!

Two pounds of Choice beef cooks down pretty fast!

I went to Dr. Mary’s room and asked her a question, and she responded, “You’re SOL!”  I was taken aback after everything I had been doing, so I wondered why she had responded in such a mean manner.  She said, “Mean, what do you mean??”  I said, “SOL is not nice,” and she replied that she was saying hello.  She told me SOL means Short Order Liles, a new term of endearment!

At 3:00, I took Scout to his hairdresser’s appointment. He will be challenging to live with tonight!!  He prances around, waiting for us to make lovely comments.

At 5:00 pm, I took a pot of beans over to Jeffs, who responded a few minutes later, “Loved the chili!”.

The beans make a meal in and of themselves!!

The rest of the evening, Mary watched TV, and I worked on my computer and read the latest news.  I had to get my mind off the senate hearings that happened today.  The liberals were just wound up like an eight-day clock, and old Pencil Neck Schiff made a fool out of himself…a naturally occurring event!

A stunning new poll this week found that a mere 31% of Americans have a favorable view of the Democratic Party, with a whopping 57% viewing it negatively, and if you want to know why, look no further than the shameful antics of lefty senators in this month’s confirmation hearings.

The house smelled great, and the beef stew was about to be finished. The “keep warm” light was on when I checked, so I left it on until morning.

I felt pretty good when cooking, especially for my bride who usually does the cooking!

While making it, I recalled my mother-in-law’s words: cooking is NOT a precise science.  Put in what is generally in the recipe, but you can add, subtract, and modify at will.   I did that today because Rita said, “Go ahead, add onion soup mix and forget the cornstarch; you can use Wondra instead.”

If this concoction tastes half as good as it smells, we might have the world’s next gourmet dish—or a new way to set the fire alarm!

Many meals are ready to go now!!

I told Mary I missed her in the kitchen because after I made something, I looked back and saw that the kitchen looked like a tornado had hit it!  Where is my Sous Chef??

We crashed around 10:00 pm!

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Mid Week And Mary Is Still Recovering!

Posted on Wednesday, January 29, 2025 by Paul

I stealthily escaped from the clutches of my cozy bed at 7:30 am, trying not to wake up the blankets that were clearly plotting to keep me hostage. I tiptoed to the office like a ninja on a mission, ready to face the day—armed with caffeine and a questionable amount of optimism!

I plan to get a recipe for scalloped potatoes, one of Mary’s favorites. While she is down and out, I have been attempting to feed her with minimal poisoning; so far, so good! Today, we are having hamburgers with chili and onions (sometimes called chili size), and this evening, I plan to have chicken with scalloped potatoes. I may have to get out my chef’s hat.

Yummy for the tummy!!

At 1:00 pm, I decided to go to the market and get supplies so MAry could eat.  Without Mary there to control me, I racked up $500 in groceries, and it took an hour to put everything away!

Oh my!!! It took five trips to bring everything inside!

After many trips, I finally got everything inside. I had about an hour to unpack it and move it to a storage area.

I got my exercise in!!

As I was putting things away, the doorbell rang. It was Dianne who had brought her version of Jewish penicillin. Dianne worked hard to find the ingredients, getting up early to collect them from the neighbor’s trees. She also brought focaccia bread! The soup and pasta looked amazing!

The dough was flattened on stone slabs and often cooked under hot ashes. In fact, the Latin name is panis focacius, or hearth bread. In Italy, focaccia might be referred to as classica or pizza Genovese, and is considered an iconic food of Liguria, particularly associated with Genoa, Liguria’s capital.

Oh Dear!!

Dianne and Mary visited for quite a while while I finished the “stuffing” of our kitchen.  Every available space is now bulging with food! Bring on a rainstorm; we can eat for a month!

After Dianne left, I warmed the soup, added her pasta, and finished the focaccia bread. I then delivered Dr. Mary’s meal along with some sliced pears and, of course, her “Two Buck Chuck.”  I did not wear my required French Maid outfit because I wanted her meal to be warm, and it takes me time to put on the outfit!!

Dang! My tushie gets cold!

Mary and I talked about our upcoming trip and I reminded Mary that she had to practice her penmanship!

After dinner, I prepared a meal for Luigi! I made him the fanciest dish I could think of: five-star spaghetti from a to-go box! But let’s be honest: My cooking skills are more “one-star in a food fight.”

So, I put the pasta in his bowl and added a sauce that could double as a science experiment.

Luigi took one bite, and his eyes looked like he’d just seen a ghost—it turns out my secret ingredient was way too much ‘whoops’ and not enough ‘whoo-hoo!’ I Can’t wait to hear his review on Yelp!

He got back at me, getting up twice before midnight and wanting “outside water.”

We hit the sack at 10:00 p.m., and it was lights out.  Mary is feeling better, so all I have to do now is keep her from doing too much!

 

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More Time Needed For Recovery!

Posted on Tuesday, January 28, 2025 by Paul

It is now 7:33 am, and Mary has yet to move; even the dog is comatose this morning.  I was in the office working away on the Daily Diary when Alexa sent me an announcement, “Papa, please come and help me get up!”  I scooted from the office to the master bedroom faster than a speeding bullet.

I asked Mary how she felt and got the following reply.

With great restraint, I withheld my typically funny comments because I know it is not fun to laugh (or sneeze) when your back is out.

Mary’s report states, “It is getting better!”  My challenge is to keep her down and not moving, a task suitable for Superman!

Immediately, I went to the kitchen and began marinating a large New York steak, which I will share for breakfast.  I also marinated mushrooms to add to the breakfast, either on the steak or eggs!

I whipped up a gourmet lunch for Dr. Mary that was so delightful that even the taste buds were doing a happy dance! However, the kitchen? Let’s say it looked like a tornado had taken a cooking class. I half-expected to find a missing sock in the mushrooms!

I considered using a fire hose to do the cleanup!!

This does not look too bad until you turn 90 degrees and see the rest of the mess!

Our cleaning staff were just here yesterday!

The sink was a mess, and the cutting area was awash in kitchen towels!  Mary did NOT see this, but she wondered why I had been gone for so long!

Oh My!!!

Mary called her friend, a chiropractor, but he did not have the results from yesterday’s x-ray. We went to his office, and he was pretty sure that she had a muscle-related issue and not any broken ribs. We hope to validate that tomorrow when a radiologist reads the x-ray.

We went to the office, and she got a minor adjustment.

OUCH!!!

We went directly home, and Mary returned to her horizontal position.

I made an easy dinner for her: hard-boiled egg, cottage cheese, and tomatoes.

Mary watched TV while I worked in the officeI made a BIG pot of bean soup (after yesterday’s mess, in which I burned a pot of beans).  I dumped in two pounds of chicken so it is full of protein.  I made two bown at 1:30 pm, one for Mary and one for me!  It was terrific!!!

By 10:30 pm, we were out like lights!

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Monday Has Arrived

Posted on Monday, January 27, 2025 by Paul

My eyes finally popped open at 7:30 am—like a can of soda that’s been shaken too much—unusually late for me. Then it hit me: Scout had been up and down all night, turning our house into a midnight racetrack. Honestly, I’m surprised there weren’t tiny “Caution: Dog Under Construction” signs everywhere!

I tippy-toed out of bed and was successful in not waking my patient. I half expected Mary to yell, “Nurse Ratchet, where is my orange juice?!”

We made our “coordination calls” by 8:00 am.  We gave our Segerstrom performance tickets to Vicky and Jim, and we confirmed we would NOT be at the gym. Mary called a friend who is a chiropractor, and he is sending in a prescription for an x-ray and will call a walk-in x-ray facility near the Spectrum for us to check Mary’s condition.

We made a pit stop at Taco Mesa on the way home, and let me tell you, that place is like a treasure chest of flavor! I snagged two hard-shelled tacos for myself—crunchy, delicious, and basically a party for my taste buds. Mary got a burrito the size of a small child. This thing could double as a weapon in a food fight! It was such a winning lunch that I almost thought about getting my food a trophy. It turns out the real victory was the nap I needed afterward!

The cleaning crew showed up at 3:40 pm, and Mary moved to the TV Room (Living Room) and sat in one of the theater chairs.  I worked in the garage and set up Mary’s old PC on the workbench (I might as well use it for something!).

Dinner time came, and I headed to the freezer and found a Vicky-provided enchilada and discovered some lamb vindaloo from Trader Joe’s.  A few minutes later, with the help of a can of small oranges, we had dinner. We dined in the patient’s hospital room while we watched “Northern Territories.” I

Summary: There’s money to be made in the fur trade in the 1700s, which is why Declan Harp is trying to get a piece of it. The outlaw trapper is leading a campaign to breach the Hudson’s Bay Company’s monopoly on fur in Canada. Lord Benton, on the other hand, is bent on restoring the company’s stranglehold on fur and is on a mission to stamp out Harp, who turns to an old ally when bounty hunters close in on him. Harp eventually devises an elaborate scheme to plunder Hudson’s Bay and set a trap for Benton.

I have already planned tomorrows lunch!

We crashed about 9:30 pm!

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Rainy Day; Good Time To Recover!

Posted on Sunday, January 26, 2025 by Paul

Mary is still recovering and it is probably a broken rib.  In most cases, a fractured rib will heal on its own in about six weeks. Doctors no longer prescribe compression wraps for rib fractures, because they can restrict breathing, leading to pneumonia, or even a partial lung collapse. Pain management is important, especially in the first few days after an injury.

We have two new rules in the house: 1) whenever we get up in the middle of the night, the lights come on, and 2) we charge the Scouts lighting system one hour before bedtime so it will glow all night long!!

We spent the day doing very little!  Mary was horizontal most of the day, working on thank-you notes and other tasks requiring low energy.    I spent time cleaning up my website in the office and straightening things up!

I fixed a nice breakfast of egg bites (from scratch) and a dinner of beans,  peaches, and freshly baked bread!

We watched TV and finally crashed around 9:00 pm!

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The Rain Is Coming!

Posted on Saturday, January 25, 2025 by Paul

Mary’s back is still very sore after tripping over Scout two days ago and hitting the wall on the way to the ladies room in the dark.  She no longer laughs at me as I shuffle my feet across the floor like a 100-year-old man in the middle of the night.  When Mother Nature calls and I have to get up in the dark,  I move slowly, and my toes are trained to feel dog fur.  When Scout is felt, I immediately slam on the brakes and cease forward motion!

Scout heard us talking about his ability to make us fall and how we said we might consider firing him as our baby!  A few minutes later, I got an email from Scout using his new email address: SCOUT@YOU-GOTTA-LOVE-ME.COM.

The message contained a short video reminder about how amazing he is.  After some consideration, we decided to keep Scout, BUT we are going to put lights on him at night so we can tell where he is and in what position.

The navigation lights will be as defined below. We have to remember to plug him in for an hour before bedtime!

Red: Located on his left side
Green: Located on his right side
White: Located on the tail
Flashing Blue: Located on his head

Mary stayed in the bedroom all day, sorted jewelry, wrote thank you notes, and watched movies… things that did not require her to move.   I worked in the office and went to the Villa Park shopping center to notify our gym people that we would not go on Monday.  While there, I went to Ralph’s Market and got some goodies!!

One of the goodies was Jeff’s favorite ice cream, Tillamook Original Vanilla. When I first looked, it was not there, but I did a second look. After getting down on my hands and knees, I spotted two cartons way in the back of the freezer compartment, and I dug them out with the help of a long-necked wine bottle!

We cleaned up around 4:00 p.m., as we had a birthday party to attend. Fortunately, it was across the street at Jeff’s home.

We had a wonderful dinner with Jeff’s family, a neighbor, and a couple we had met before.  Pam did a fantastic job recreating Jeff’s favorite meal, including a chocolate cake to die for!

Everyone says the same thing about me!

Cakey-Pie time!  The fire department said we could not have 80 candles due to the danger of fire.

Happy Birthday, Jeff; he is now officially older than dirt!

Jeff turned 80, but you would never know it; he does not look like a day over 95.  Jeff is a good friend and fantastic neighbor.

Keep the flame away from the oxygen!!  I asked myself if this might become a flame-thrower situation.

We had dessert, and it was terrific: a family-secret recipe! I can’t tell you what was in it, but let’s just say it involved chocolate, a questionable amount of whipped cream, and a dash of “if you tell anyone, I have duct tape and a shovel and you might end up in the family garden!”

Jef and I remember these!

At 10:00 p.m., we wandered back across the street as the sky began to drizzle moisture on our heads. To our amazement, Scout was in our bedroom, sound asleep!

I got Mary into bed, but her back was killing her!  She took her pain meds and we could hear the rain coming down when we turned out the lights—we had dodged a bullet!

Bring on the rain, PLEASE!!! I’ve got a whole collection of umbrellas just waiting for their moment to shine… or should I say, ‘splash!’ Plus, my plants are starting to think I’ve abandoned them, and I don’t want them filing for custody!

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Fridays Comes From Norse Goddess Of Love, Marriage, And Fertility

Posted on Friday, January 24, 2025 by Paul

We worked around the house, with Mary going through her jewelry boxes. I put away the generator and cleaned up the garage/workbench! Things are looking pretty good. Our landscaper rainproofed the backyard, as we are expecting on Saturday!

Our car wash feller arrived, and we now have two brand-new cars. They look showroom-new, so it will surely rain this weekend! Precious has already gone undercover; she does not want to risk a leak in the garage or splatter when the Silver Fox pulls in!

Next week, we are going to Old Ranch and go back to golf, but mention that we will play once a week, only in the late afternoons, and probably only nine holes, so make us a deal!

We plan to make an offer they cannot refuse!

Mary went through her many jewelry drawers for the rest of the afternoon. I worked in the garage, putting away power cables, restoring the generator to its proper place, topping off the jerry cans of gasoline, and putting tools in their correct locations. I am almost able to find anything now!

My Pulmonologist   (Pulmonology, pneumology, or pneumonology) is a medical specialty that deals with respiratory tract diseases. It is also known as respirology, respiratory medicine, or chest medicine in some countries and areas. Pulmonology is considered a branch of internal medicine related to intensive care medicine. Pulmonology often involves managing patients who need life support and mechanical ventilation.)  he came through with flying colors. Since he was a study founder, he got the insurance company to fund my new meds, hopefully keeping me from having bronchitis again.

The prescription costs $100,000/year without insurance, but I paid less than $100!!! YEAH!!! If it works, I will have no more bronchitis.

The cars are back inside where they belong, as the generator and cables are put away!  I even filled his tummy with gasoline when I went out for lunch (we decided to keep working, so In-N-Out was needed) to avoid having to stop and fix lunch!

The Silver Fox was happy to be inside where it was warm (and next to Precious)

Precious was NOT wearing her fur as it was NOT that cold today for tonight.  I can hardly wait for her to honk, which means, “Daddy, get out of bed and bring me my fur!”

Precious was shivering under her covers!

I have three projects underway to make it spotless. Project 1: Put up some pictures on the wall; Project 2: Replace the LED recessed light in the hallway; and Project 3: Go to the locksmith, open the gun safe, and transfer the 45s and ammo to the new gun safe so we can get to it quickly! (The old gun safe lost its keys, and its battery died!)

The workbench was looking pretty good!

Across from the main workbench are the air compressor, drill press, and many more tools!

The took boxes are now labeled and stuffed to the gills!

All my hand power tools are 18V Makitas, so I wanted to have a supply of batteries.  I have about 15 power tools, from saber saws to small air compressors, 3/4″ impact drills, rotary saws, and many more.  I am equipped to fix anything; all I need is time!

I finally got four more 18V Makita rechargeable batteries; no worrying if I have enough now!

We got ready for dinner at Vittorio’s Italian Bistro, Bill Capps’s favorite hangout. After losing Mary a few months back, he wanted some adult company this evening, so we went to show support for a great guy!!

Great food and atmosphere!! Our favorite piano player was here this evening, tickling the ivories!

I ordered the spaghetti and meatballs because Scout wanted them, and I had to comply.  Mary had the Veal Piccata.  Two other couples, people we had previously met, came along this evening, and they showed up even though Bill warned them I would be present!

My favorite dish!!!

I put some spaghetti on his food, and he gobbles it instantly.

Scout will be dining on this for several days! Little does he know I took one meatball before we packaged it up!

We stopped at Aces on the way home and had a glass of wine.

Someone was sleepy on the way home!

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