![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/wp-content\/dailydiary\/uploads\/2023\/12\/image-christmas-10.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
“I hate it when 6 am comes at 6:00 am!\u00a0 Mary had a gym appointment early in the morning, and I promised to drive her.\u00a0 It’s dark and cold outside at 5:45 am.\u00a0 And let’s say it’s not exactly warm enough to be called a tropical paradise!”<\/p>\n
I arrived home after driving 1.1 miles from the gym and then went to work in my office.\u00a0 At 8:15 am, I got a call from Mary asking me to pick her up.\u00a0 We stopped by the Grove Coffee Shop to grab a latte instead of going to Dunkin’ Donuts, as we wanted to support local small businesses.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/wp-content\/dailydiary\/uploads\/2023\/12\/2023-12-08-001.jpg\")
The locals still go to the Grove even though Dunkin is next door.<\/p><\/div>\n
Upon arriving home, Mary quickly freshened up, and we proceeded to Los Alamitos to visit Doctor Rucker.\u00a0 Before seeing Doctor Rucker, we stopped at Imperial Jewelers to request an appraisal of some of Mary’s jewelry.\u00a0 This was to ensure that our insurance paperwork was up-to-date.<\/p>\n
I got a prescription for additional cough medicine in case my cough returns.\u00a0 My PSA result was zero, and my blood pressure was 130\/75.\u00a0 I’m feeling great except for the weight I gained during the holidays.<\/p>\n
We were getting hungry, and Mary suggested we go to the club since we have a monthly minimum to pay anyway.\u00a0 It was an excellent idea.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/wp-content\/dailydiary\/uploads\/2023\/12\/2023-12-08-002.jpg\")
The horse was decorated for Christmas.<\/p><\/div>\n
We called Vicky to see if she wanted to join us, but she was busy working on her house.\u00a0 We sent the OR menu and told her to make a selection as we were coming over after lunch to inspect her progress.<\/p>\n
We brought her and Jim both the Clubhouse Sandwich, which they appreciated.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/wp-content\/dailydiary\/uploads\/2023\/12\/2023-12-08-003.jpg\")
There were plenty of choices!<\/p><\/div>\n
It was a beautiful day, and we sat at the huge window overlooking the course.\u00a0 We will start playing golf again right after the first of the year.\u00a0 We need the exercise.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/wp-content\/dailydiary\/uploads\/2023\/12\/2023-12-08-004.jpg\")
A perfect California Day!<\/p><\/div>\n
Jerry knows us now, so he and Mary always chat a bit before we head out to the next stop!<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/wp-content\/dailydiary\/uploads\/2023\/12\/2023-12-08-005.jpg\")
Jerry is very friendly.<\/p><\/div>\n
We stopped at the Old Ranch Christmas tree for a snapshot of us in our errands-duds!<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/wp-content\/dailydiary\/uploads\/2023\/12\/2023-12-08-006.jpg\")
We have one more stop to make!<\/p><\/div>\n
We traveled north on the 605 after leaving Old Ranch.\u00a0 Then we took the 91 West and stopped at H&H Nursery, our favorite nursery.\u00a0 They had plenty of winter vegetables available, so we took the opportunity to pick some.\u00a0 We bought amendment, peat moss, and six flats of veggies, which filled up the van.\u00a0 It looks like we’ll be busy over the next few days.<\/p>\n
You know what they say, “Give a man a fish he eats for a day.\u00a0 Teach a woman to garden, and the whole neighborhood gets zucchini.”<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/wp-content\/dailydiary\/uploads\/2023\/12\/pix-451.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Will Rogers said back in the 1930s, \u201cWhat this country needs is dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds.\u201d<\/p>\n
We left everything in the van as we were in a hurry to depart for the Elks.\u00a0 Chuck Osly is entertaining this evening, so we have a lot of Christmas music and a fair amount of dancing.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/wp-content\/dailydiary\/uploads\/2023\/12\/2023-12-08-011.jpg\")
Chuck and his musicians make for a beautiful musical evening.<\/p><\/div>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/wp-content\/dailydiary\/uploads\/2023\/12\/pix-450.jpg\")
The car goes on automatic when we say “Elks.”<\/p><\/div>\n
We ate too late, so we just had the dinner salad, which, at the Elks, is enormous.\u00a0 We had some wine and visited with Bob & Donna, Iris & Wil, and Marsha & Leon.<\/p>\n
I sat next to this beautiful lady, and we talked for hours!<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/wp-content\/dailydiary\/uploads\/2023\/12\/2023-12-08-008.jpg\")
She is a fantastic person!<\/p><\/div>\n
At the end of the night, Edgar, the restaurant manager, took photos of us in our Christmas outfits!\u00a0 The balloons were at the entrance to the ballroom, which had an event underway!<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/wp-content\/dailydiary\/uploads\/2023\/12\/2023-12-08-009.jpg\")
I resisted the urge to pop one of the balloons.<\/p><\/div>\n
Mary thought my jacket was a little subdued.\u00a0 I might have to consider putting light in the coat to make it more visible.\u00a0 Santa asked me to ride on the back of Dasher this year just in case Rudolph could not make the team.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/wp-content\/dailydiary\/uploads\/2023\/12\/2023-12-08-010.jpg\")
I did get a lot of comments about the coat!!<\/p><\/div>\n
We stopped at Aces on the way home and met some new locals while having a nightcap.\u00a0 We made it home by 10:00 pm and were asleep at 10:15 pm.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/wp-content\/dailydiary\/uploads\/2023\/12\/image-christmas-2.png\")
Another fantastic day we were together going through life!<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
“I hate it when 6 am comes at 6:00 am!\u00a0 Mary had a gym appointment early in the morning, and I promised to drive her.\u00a0 It’s dark and cold outside at 5:45 am.\u00a0 And let’s say it’s not exactly warm … Continue reading