{"id":97132,"date":"2026-06-17T11:49:46","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T18:49:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/?p=97132"},"modified":"2026-06-18T10:24:26","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T17:24:26","slug":"wednesday-is-right-on-schedule","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/?p=97132","title":{"rendered":"Wednesday Is Right On Schedule!"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

We are getting ready to do battle at the gym!<\/p><\/div>\n

Another day of bone-crunching and muscle-stretching at Peak Performance!
\nThe Ninja outfits have been washed, refreshed, and redeployed after Monday’s mission.
\nWe’re suited up, ready to strike, and plotting our next sneak attack on aches, pains, and unsuspecting tight muscles!<\/p>\n

\"\"

With a snap of Dr. Mary’s finger, we were zapped into our Ninja attire.<\/p><\/div>\n

We returned home this morning to clean the house because our house cleaners are coming today.\u00a0 Yes, you read that correctly.\u00a0 We pay professionals to clean, then frantically clean before they arrive.\u00a0 \u00a0It’s one of life’s great mysteries, right up there with missing socks and airline boarding procedures.<\/p>\n

By noon, our pre-cleaning duties were complete, and we headed to CVS first, then for gas, and then off to lunch with the girls from Mary’s painting class.\u00a0 While the ladies gather, I will assume my sacred responsibilities: tending the bar, guarding the flock, and maintaining order among the hens.<\/p>\n

Red Robin, prepare yourself.\u00a0 The caravan is on its way!<\/p>\n

Wow, did I man the bar or what?\u00a0 Buffalo wings, a large jalape\u00f1o burger topped off with a chocolate pretzel shake!\u00a0 BURP!!\u00a0 I ordered all my favorites because my guardian angel, Mary, could not see me!<\/p>\n

\"\"

Yummy (I hope my cardiologist does not see this!)<\/p><\/div>\n

Then came the burger!\u00a0 Decisions, decisions, the Red Robin menu is to die for, literally.\u00a0 I selected the Jalape\u00f1o Heatwave Burder served with your choice of side.\u00a0 In case Mary showed up, I ordered coleslaw and skipped the fries.<\/p>\n

If you’ve checked the weather report today, you’ll see a heatwave is expected in your region \u2013 a Jalape\u00f1o Heatwave.\u00a0 A very creative, inventive creation at Red Robin was a delicious combination of spicy and savory flavors.<\/p>\n

The Jalape\u00f1o Heatwave Burger starts with a hot, juicy beef patty, piled high with melty pepper-jack cheese, fresh-grilled jalape\u00f1os, and caramelized onions.\u00a0 \u00a0Next, they slather on freshly smashed avocado and zesty green chili aioli before topping off this fiery creation with crispy fried jalape\u00f1o.\u00a0 This is one heatwave I didn’t mind being in the middle of!<\/p>\n

\"\"

Oh my!\u00a0 It comes with two quarts of ice cream; one to eat and one to sit on!<\/p><\/div>\n

I could NOT resist the shake.\u00a0 I ate the pretzels first!<\/p>\n

\"\"

Double yummy!!<\/p><\/div>\n

This needs a close-up!!<\/p>\n

\"\"

Over the teeth and through the gums, lookout tonsils here it comes!<\/p><\/div>\n

Yeah, yeah, the gang’s all here!\u00a0 This group is part of Mary’s watercolor class, and we are celebrating the instructor’s birthday.\u00a0 Lorry is 94 years old.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Everyone headed for the Reb Robin restaurant in\u00a0 The District at Tustin Legacy in Orange County.\u00a0 Here’s some trivia:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \u00a0Location: The District is in Tustin, near the Irvine border.<\/li>\n
  2. \u00a0Full name: It’s commonly called The District, but its full name is The District at Tustin Legacy.<\/li>\n
  3. \u00a0Military history: The area was once part of the former Marine Corps Air Station Tustin.<\/li>\n
  4. \u00a0Famous blimp hangars: The nearby giant wooden hangars were built during World War II and are among the largest wooden structures of their kind.<\/li>\n
  5. \u00a0Shopping center style: The District is an open-air lifestyle center, not a traditional enclosed mall.<\/li>\n
  6. \u00a0Major stores: It has included big names like Costco, Target, Whole Foods Market, Lowe’s, TJ Maxx\/HomeGoods, and AMC Theatres.<\/li>\n
  7. \u00a0Entertainment: The AMC Tustin 14 theater is one of its main entertainment anchors.<\/li>\n
  8. Tustin Legacy: The larger surrounding redevelopment area is called Tustin Legacy, created from former military land.<\/li>\n
  9. Food destination: The District is known for its wide range of restaurants, quick-service spots, and dessert places.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \"\"

    Rubba Dub Dub, where is the grub???<\/p><\/div>\n

    Mary, neighbor Geri, and Lorry are ready to celebrate!!<\/p>\n

    \"\"

    Did I hear the words, “Clothes Optional”?<\/p><\/div>\n

    \"\"

    There are a ton of presents to open!<\/p><\/div>\n

    Bring on the balloons!<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    Then came the cake, which was loaded with ooey-gooey frosting!\u00a0 Due to Fire Department regulations, the number of candles was limited!<\/p>\n

    The fire starter went to work under careful supervision.<\/p>\n

    \"\"

    Do not play with fire, especially after drinking three glasses of ice water!<\/p><\/div>\n

    The cake was a masterpiece, and it tasted like heaven!<\/p>\n

    \"\"

    We hardly wait until 95!!<\/p><\/div>\n

    But first, the candles must be blown out!<\/p>\n

    The tradition of blowing out birthday candles most likely comes from a mix of ancient customs, especially from ancient Greece and later German birthday traditions.<\/p>\n

    \u2022 Ancient Greece: People offered round cakes to Artemis, the goddess of the moon. They placed candles on the cakes so they glowed like the moon, and the smoke was believed to carry prayers or wishes up to the gods.<\/p>\n

    \u2022 Germany, 1700s: A more recognizable birthday-candle tradition appears in Kinderfeste, birthday celebrations for children. Candles were placed on a cake, often one for each year of life, sometimes with an extra candle for good luck or the \u201clight of life.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u2022 Making a wish: The idea of silently making a wish before blowing out the candles likely comes from older beliefs that candle smoke could carry wishes, prayers, or intentions into the spiritual realm.<\/p>\n

    So, blowing out birthday candles probably evolved from religious offerings, symbolic light, and wish-making customs over time.<\/p>\n

    \"\"

    She is going to huff and puff!<\/p><\/div>\n

    Go girl!<\/p>\n

    \"\"

    She did it so hard that two candles fell off the cake and landed on a table nearby.<\/p><\/div>\n

    We departed around 2:45 pm and headed home for Mary’s necessary post-lunch nap and my entrance into the world of vegetable gardening!<\/p>\n

    \"\"

    Mary is ready for a nap!!<\/p><\/div>\n

    Mary took her nap when we got home, and I marched out to the garden like a man with a plan and absolutely no regard for his lower back.<\/p>\n

    I yanked out the remaining corn stalks, cleaned up the melon patch, evicted the old mulch, and started planting like I was on a reality show called So You Think You Can Farm?<\/p>\n

    About an hour later, Mary emerged from her nap refreshed and ready to help, while I was already covered in dirt, sweat, and regret.\u00a0 The two of us worked until sundown, at which point the garden looked much better, and we looked like we had lost a wrestling match with Mother Nature.<\/p>\n

    The remaining cantaloupes and watermelons can now be seen and are off the ground, so those nasty little bugs can’t get to them.<\/p>\n

    \"\"

    We harvested several melons and placed the spaghetti squash in the He Shed.<\/p><\/div>\n

    We decided to plant some more corn, and this time we may have to fertilize them manually, since it is a 5-by-3 row, which may not be enough to ensure pollination!<\/p>\n

    An ear of corn gets fertilized through wind pollination.<\/p>\n

    Here’s how it works:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Tassels make pollen?.\u00a0 The tassel at the top of the corn plant produces pollen, which contains the male reproductive cells.<\/li>\n
    2. Silks are the female parts.\u00a0 Each strand of silk on an ear of corn is connected to one potential kernel on the cob.<\/li>\n
    3. Pollen lands on the silks.\u00a0 Wind blows pollen from the tassels onto the sticky silks.<\/li>\n
    4. Pollen travels down the sil..\u00a0 Once a pollen grain lands on a silk, it grows a tube down the silk to the ovule at the base.<\/li>\n
    5. A kernel forms?.\u00a0 If fertilization succeeds, that ovule becomes a corn kernel.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      So, one silk = one kernel.\u00a0 If some silks don’t receive pollen, the ear will have missing or undeveloped kernels.<\/p>\n

      \"\"<\/p>\n

      We entered the house just as the sun set in the west!\u00a0 We passed on dinner since we had a large lunch at the birthday party.<\/p>\n

      \"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Another day of bone-crunching and muscle-stretching at Peak Performance! The Ninja outfits have been washed, refreshed, and redeployed after Monday’s mission. We’re suited up, ready to strike, and plotting our next sneak attack on aches, pains, and unsuspecting tight muscles! … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,4,252],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-97132","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-friends","category-fun","category-painting"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97132","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=97132"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97132\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":97168,"href":"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97132\/revisions\/97168"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=97132"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=97132"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/lilesnet.com\/dailydiary\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=97132"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}