It’s A Flase Alarm, I Am In Good Shape For The Shape I Am In!

Posted on Thursday, August 28, 2025 by Paul

I was pleased when Mary found out I was on for a 7:30 am MRI!  I got all ready and studied hard to pass the test.  I was again reminded of what an excellent cook Mary was.

I was told I have Obesity!!

They came to get me in a wheelchair, and that was good, as I was a bit wobbly on my feet.

I’m getting an MRI… to find out whether or not I’m claustrophobic.

Within an hour, the doctor came in and revealed there were zero signs of stroke.  He assessed my face, and besides being borderline revolting, I have some nerve damage that will hopefully correct itself.  Some could be from a very slight stroke, but since Mary knew my face so well, we tossed that assessment out!

After the scan, I was feeling a little lightheaded,

I was looking down and could not see my body!

Colleen went out and got us lunch.  Finally, I could eat something solid, and it was a very hot and spicy pastrami!

We headed home about 3:00 pm, and Dr. Mary was so busy that we took no more pictures.  I was in bed by 7:00 pm and slept well all night (except for the Motjer Nature stops).

NOTE: My family is WONDERFUL.  Colleen, Robin, and Michele were right there to help Mary through the worry window.    Colleen was an overachiever (like usual) as she got a separate car working with Robin, brought meals, and otherwise ratted on me when I did something the doctor did NOT want to do!  Vicky has the prayer chain going in overdrive!

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I Am Off To The Hospital!

Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2025 by Paul

Mary brought in her pet birds to say goodbye!

I take some photos!

4:00 am, and we are getting dressed and planning the attack.  The three of us are going to the hospital, and then Colleen is going to Krispy Creme to get donuts for the medical staff in prep, OR, and recovery.

We arrived at the hospital and were checked in quickly.  Mary assisted me in getting ready, and I was in the OR at 7:30 promptly.

Colleen was in the waiting room with the rest of my haren.  Thank you, Vicky, Collen.  Michele and Robin!

Just before the surgery, I was pestering the nursing staff with my antics!

Cut, slash, stab, chip, and crimp, and two hours later, I was in the recovery room out of light!

I did not hear a thing during the procedure.

I take some photos!

I next remember being in recovery with my mouth tasting like the bottom of a bird cage!  Drymouth on steroids!

I’m getting to be a scar map!!  When do I need tattoos with 3-D markings?

We brought a large bolt and hoped they could install it during the operation, but alas, no bolt was available.

The incision was about 8″ long, but felt like three feet.

Robin joined us when I got back from recovery, and Mary and she noticed I was slurring my words and my mouth was dragging on one side.  Oh dear!   We called the resident doctor, and he was worried that I had some stroke symptoms, not uncommon for this operation.

Robin waited as I was taken to the CT with/ contrast.

The CTI was a false positive, so they needed a more powerful scanner, like an MRI.

I had to stay overnight in the hospital, and Dr. Mary stayed right with me.  I promised not to take a picture of her new hairstyle after sleeping on the couch overnight.

I was a bit worried, but in good spirits!

She found a cartoon that fit me well!

I was so full of water and other liquids that I needed the potty every couple of hours!  Mary finally tied some dental floss on it so she could easily find it.

I only had one minor complaint about the surgery!

I was NOT hungry and went to sleep quite easily.  I was not worried except when they said they might have to go into my pea-brain to retrieve any loose plaque.

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Sunday, A Day OF Rest?

Posted on Tuesday, August 26, 2025 by Paul

We had a visitor!

Working hard!

Success!

We all reflected on a great lady!

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Colleen Is In Town!

Posted on Monday, August 25, 2025 by Paul
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We Worked In The Rain!

Posted on Saturday, August 23, 2025 by Paul

It is T-2 and I am getting ready for the big operation.  WebMD is a good source, but lately, they have warned about overzealous surgical assistants.

We headed for the garden since the temperature was still relatively low.  The weather report warned of thunderstorms, and the weatherman was quite right.  We could hear the thunder all morning long.  It did “rain” a few drops, but not enough to make us go inside.

The clouds were threatening, but passed over us in about an hour.

Scout, the Wonder Dog, came out and then somehow heard the thunder and went back inside where it was dry and safe!

“What are my humons doing out in this weather?”

At almost sixteen years, he looks pretty wise!  Maybe we should have followed him inside!

“You guys are CRAZY”

We had gardening to do; we still have plants to put in the ground.  We planted onions, as we use a lot of them in cooking.

Onions are ancient vegetables, grown for over 5,000 years and revered in Ancient Egypt as symbols of eternal life, with Pharaohs even buried with them.  They belong to the Allium family, which also includes garlic and leeks, and their pungent smell comes from sulfur compounds that irritate the eyes, causing tears.  Historically, onions have been used as medicine, currency, and to build strength for soldiers.  Today, they are a global staple, particularly in Libya, which has the highest per capita onion consumption.

Onions were once used as a form of currency, particularly in the Middle Ages.  I think I will pay my quarterly taxes in onions.

The varmint left evidence, so we applied anti-varmint cages to the newly planted babies, especially the sugar snap peas and green beans.

Chicken wire should do the job!

We finished working in the garden about noon as the clouds cleared out and the Sun began baking everything.

The next step is to electrify the fencing, and I already have the equipment to do so!

One more look at the garden before we go inside.  The eggplant is going wild!

The Japanese eggplant has almost a dozed fuits.

We then passed by the Vicky Special, also known as a Tomatillo or Lantern Plant.  Tomatillos are small, tart “little tomatoes” with a papery husk, known as the Mexican husk tomato.  They are native to Mexico and Central America, and are in the same nightshade family as tomatoes, but are not baby tomatoes.  Tomatillos have a sticky residue on the fruit, which is a harmless natural defense.  They are a staple in Mexican cuisine, especially in salsa verde, and grow best with cross-pollination from other plants.

It looks so healthy this year.

Meanwhile, back on the patio, the vines are blossoming, providing rich color to the area, reminiscent of Mary’s roses.

Bright red is an excellent contrast to its green leaves.

While inside watching TV, Mary got busy in the kitchen.  We took a mess of beans from the dried-out Japanese Yard Log pods we had yet to eat, which had turned brown.

She then made a wonderful salad, found some stuffed bell peppers in the freezer, and had wine for dessert.

After that, we decided to cook our corned beef, which needs potatoes, onions, carrots, and other garden goodies that we picked fresh this morning.

Mama cooked, and we watched western movies!

The corned beef will cook all night long since it started at 7:00 pm.  By 5:00 am, it will be ready, so maybe we will have corned beef for breakfast, perhaps with an egg.

Time to crash!

 

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Hello Friday, We Can See You!!

Posted on Friday, August 22, 2025 by Paul

It’s gonna be another hot one!  We saved water today by frying our eggs on the concrete pavement since it was so hot!

Out in the yard, we worked for several hours.   We pulled some of the older corn and made room for the new veggies.   When the temperature got high enough, we went inside and watched TV.  I worked on Donna and Bob’s vacation pictures until 4:00 pm, when we went to Mary’s PT appointment.

“I am ready to go to work!”

It was too hot to cook, so we stopped at Aces Bar & Grill.   The place was packed with parents of the high school football team that was going to be playing tonight.  We squeezed into the bar, met some lovely people, had some wine, and a light dinner.

Tacos and corn for dinner!

We talked about Irene a lot, remembering all the fun we had together over the years.

Off for a Greek lunch and wine tasting with the Robers and Herb & Irene Greek lunch and wine tasting in Malibu, California, with the Roberts and Herbie & Irene

We visited Jeff for a bit before heading home to watch TV and crash.

We talked a bit about the upcoming operation on the 26th and I assured Mary I would come through with flying colors since I have another fifteen years remaining on my contract!

I am ready and appreciate all the support given to Mary during this time.  Colleen is flying in from New Hampshire, and she will be joined by Vicky, Dianne, Robin, and Michele; I think they are going to have a party!

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Hello Elks Twice!

Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2025 by Paul

We were up early so we could beat the weather.  It was supposed to be in the mid-90s today.  The first thing we did was bring the veggies from the front yard to the garden.  They were watered automatically in the front yard by the sprinkler systems.

Two of the five boxes have found their new home.

We got boxes of new veggies.

If all goes well, they will be in the ground on Friday before the sun hits its peak!

They are in position.

Mary thought I was a little nuts when I designed the garden with the concrete runways between the planters, but now my madness proves to be genius!  We pull and toss the bad/overgrown plants onto that concrete, wait two days, and sweep them up!

Yeah concrete.

Within this bush, there are about ten nice-sized egglants!  Mary will be cooking them up this week!

The eggplants fear for their lives.

We pulled weeds and non-performing watermelons from this area, the future home of new veggies.

When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant.

Our planting area will be used up soon.

As we work in the garden, we make discoveries, like the string beans we didn’t know we had.  Fresh string beans for lunch, perhaps?

We discovered a new batch of beans.

Also hidden away were many more large tomatoes; they are green as they are buried in the leaves and see no sun.  I see Fried Green Tomatoes in the future.

Fried green tomatoes, made from unripe or naturally green heirloom tomatoes, gained popularity after the 1991 movie Fried Green Tomatoes popularized the dish, though it originated earlier, likely in the South.  The phrase refers to either any tomato harvested before it’s ripe or a specific variety that stays green.  The dish is a crispy, savory starter made from a firm tomato, with a tartness or sweetness, depending on the variety.

The large tomatoes are attempting to hide.

You know you’re a gardener when you’re happy to devote three months of your life growing tomatoes to save $1.27.

Heading back towards the house since the temperature was rising and we had to get ready for the Elks, we discovered our four-on-one apple tree is again producing apples!

We have more apples coming.

The Sugar Baby melons will be ripe in the next two weeks!

Sugar Baby watermelons are a popular, compact, heirloom “icebox” variety with dark green rinds and bright red flesh.  Developed in the 1950s by M. Hardin in Oklahoma and introduced by the Woodside Seed Company, they are known for their sweetness, fine-grained texture, and quick growth.  These small melons, typically weighing 8-10 pounds, are ideal for single-family consumption and are recognized by their dull rind, dried tendril, and creamy yellow spot on the ground.

Sugarbaby watermelons will soon be on our plates.

What do you get when you cross a four-leaf clover with poison ivy?
A rash of good luck.

We went to the Elks for lunch and visited with our friends.  When we departed, we went to see Irene!  She was not doing well, and we are afraid we are going to lose her in the next few days.  I didn’t take a picture today, but I want to remember her smiling and being herself.   Her daughter, Maria, needed to get out and see the sunshine, plus do some shopping, so we stayed with Irene.

[FLASH] We got a call from Maria, and Irene passed during the night. We were the last people to see her. 

We headed home around 3:30 pm and avoided the afternoon rush.

We got a call from Bill Capps and were invited to go to the Elks again for prime rib night.  We decided to join Sandee and him, listen to music, and enjoy a nice meal!

I said “medium rare,” but I got a live one.

Sandee and Bill, the newlyweds, were already there when we arrived, doing their favorite thing!  We told them there were children in the room!

GET A ROOM!

We had an excellent visit and managed to laugh and giggle for a couple of hours.

Sandee and Bill are great dining partners.

We wore our new matching wine shirts and got a lot of compliments from the Elks around the room.  We danced two waltzes during the evening.

See the shirts?

We always manage to have fun.

We’re matching!

After heading home, we watched some TV but gave up the ghost at 9:30 pm and went to bed.   Mary thought I was becoming a creature of habit!  I showed her!!

Good night, all!

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Good Bye Grandsons!

Posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2025 by Paul

Mary was up and moving bright and early, for we have a gym class to attend (oh, goody).  Today I get to rest a bit because I’m not allowed to exercise my arms due to the Mohs surgery yesterday!

Mohs surgery is a specialized surgical technique used to remove skin cancer.  It involves removing thin layers of cancerous tissue, one at a time, and examining them under a microscope until all cancerous cells are eliminated.  This method helps ensure complete removal of the cancer while preserving as much healthy tissue as possible.

We came right home, and Mary fixed an excellent lunch of sweet potatoes and Tilapia fish!  Tilapia is native to Africa and the Middle East, and has been a food source for millennia, even appearing in ancient Egyptian art and biblical texts.  It’s known for its mild, sweet flavor and flaky texture, and is one of the most widely farmed fish globally.

Freezing the sweet potato brings out its flavor, and when paired with butter and sour cream, it surpasses the regular potato!  Sweet potatoes are generally considered very healthy.  They are packed with nutrients and offer various health benefits due to their high content of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Sweet potatoes are not potatoes, and are more closely related to the morning glory flower than to the common potato.  They are a root vegetable with a vibrant orange flesh that is packed with nutrients, including beta-carotene, vitamins A, C, and B6, fiber, potassium, and antioxidants.  Sweet potatoes are also versatile, with many ways to prepare them, from roasting and baking to mashing and even using them in desserts.

We had yellow watermelon for dessert!

The cleaning crew arrived around 2:30 pm, and we gathered in the rooms they weren’t cleaning to watch a new series (to us) called Extant.

Halle Berry starred in the science fiction TV series “Extant,” where she plays Molly Woods, an astronaut who returns from a 13-month solo mission in space to discover she is mysteriously pregnant.  The pregnancy is particularly puzzling because she had no human contact during her time away and had previously struggled with infertility.

The series explores the mystery surrounding her pregnancy and its potential alien origins, as well as the broader implications for humanity.  Molly’s family life becomes entangled in a dangerous conspiracy involving influential organizations with secret experiments and hidden agendas.

“Extant” aired for two seasons on CBS between 2014 and 2015.  It has recently been added to Netflix, offering a chance for new audiences to discover the series and experience its unique blend of cosmic mysteries, character drama, and themes of science, survival, and identity.

Robin came by around 4:40 pm, and we headed to North Tustin to Christakis Greek Cuisine to celebrate Theo and Nick leaving their nests and going out into the world.  Theo is off to college, and Nick is going to Texas.

We had a great time celebrating Theo’s trip to college.

We dined inside, where it was cool!

We had a great table and plenty of time to visit each other!

One seat remains, but no one to sit in it!

Theo was happy about the impending move to Northern California.

“UC Davis, here I come!”

As expected, Bob and Robin were a little sad with Nick being a “no show,” but they were gracious enough to come to dinner and see Theo off on his journey anyway.

Great fun with family!

After dinner, we were tired, so we watched a tiny bit of TV before crashing.  Tomorrow is an empty day save for the Elks at noon.

We got a nice note from our waiter via Michele:

“Hi Michelle, this is Mike from Christakes.  I waited on you last night for dinner.  Could you thank Paul for the generous gratuity and let him know he made my night?  What a great sense of humor reminded me of my dad, and it really made me think about him.  I miss him a lot, but Paul Was awesome so I just wanted to see if you can pass that along for me.”

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Time To Be A Cut Up!

Posted on Tuesday, August 19, 2025 by Paul

Getting up at 5:00 am is no longer fun!

We had to be in Long Beach for an 8:00 am appointment with the skin surgeon.  Another outbreak of skin cancer requires it to be removed.  At this rate, I may be down to 190 pounds in a few years!

We now know Dr. Glassberg on a first-name basis, his family, relatives, and his dog!

The procedure was pretty fast, and the result of the Mohrs procedure was positive; he got everything right on the first try!

I save the ouches until after he has put down the scapel!

After the surgery, we went to H&H Nursery and picked up a mess of plants to refresh our little garden.  We can’t do anything today because the doctor has advised us to avoid lifting or using the arm for about three days.  The cancer was located in a slow-healing spot.

We drove home, and Mary unloaded the car while I went inside and got two pieces of Tomato Pie for the Elks Lodge General Manager.   Off to the Elks we went, zooming along in the Silver Fox.

Mary presented the boss with his tomato pie.  He got two pieces, one to eat cold and one to try warmed up!.

We had lunch at the Elks.  Mary did a cup of chili and a small house salad.  I celebrated being under 195 pounds, so I had a hamburger WITH fries!!

Since we had 30 seconds to spare, we dashed out, jumped in the car, and headed for Mary’s painting class in Tustin.  Today, she did lemons!  She must have been thinking of me.

I was ready to squeeze them at first sight!

On the way home, I got to thinking about my real upcoming surgery and was worried that the doctors would do it right.  Messing with the carotid artery is not the easiest thing to do.

After the anesthesia, I will be feeling really high!

We stayed home this evening and watched two movies before hitting the sack.  Getting up at 5:00 am is a challenge!  We were tired!

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How Did Monday Get Here So Fast??

Posted on Monday, August 18, 2025 by Paul

It’s Monday, and that means the gym awaits us!  We did not go last week as Mary had a cold.  Today, we arrive, and they have added two more torture machines.   They looked a lot like a guillotine without the blade!  Jeepers, what will they think of next?

After the torture treatment, we waddled next door to the Ralph’s market for sme milk and returned with 100 dollars worth of groceries; how does this happen?

Being the loving husband, I transported the grocery bags from the car to the kitchen and then changed into my gardening costume.   For gardening, I prefer attire that lets the sun shine where it usually doesn’t.  It serves two purposes: 1) I get that all-over tan look, and 2) it scares the birds away!

Sometimes I remember stuff!

I rode a HOG for a long time!

Mary baked another tomato pie later in the afternoon, and we watched the latest monkey movie entitled “Blah Blah Blah and the Return From the Planet of the Apes!”

At 6:30 pm, we wandered over to Jeff’s to pay a visit and bring him some peach pie we found at Ralphs’ earlier, and of course, some tomato pie.

Just before dark, I checked the high-rise planters, and all the pockets were moist, meaning my ideas about poking the existing holes and clearing away the debris and roots worked perfectly.

Getting watered evenly will make a difference!

We watched TV for a bit, but I crashed early, leaving Mary to her needlepoint.  We have to be up and moving at 5:00 am because we are having a Mose procedure on my arm at 8:00 am in Long Beach!  You can never tell what the freeway traffic will be.

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