This Blog Is Now 29 Years Old!! Happy Winter!

Posted on Saturday, December 21, 2024 by Paul

Writing the Daily Diary is how we remember our past activities!

Winter begins in Earth’s northern hemisphere at 1:20 a.m., PST, on December 21.  The December/winter solstice occurs when the Sun reaches its minimum declination (-23.5 degrees). This is when the northern hemisphere of Earth is tilted as far away from the Sun as possible during the year.  Mary loves it when I talk dirty!!

Mary asked me why I spend thirty minutes a day on the Daily Diary, but now she knows after asking questions like, “Who was here last Christmas Eve?” or “Who joined us at Easter two years ago?” etc.

As of this morning, we had 5,825 entries dating back to 1995! Mary and I have become esemplastic. She reads every post and provides me with suggestions. Being so bright, she often improves the content and ensures it is “G-rated.”

We are still ready for the season and now it is officially here!

We had no plans today (oh my!!) so we decided to go to Macy’s in Cerritos to get a unique dress for Dr. Mary. But first, we needed to eat, so we selected Old Ranch, which was perfect. We had a Hot Toddy and dined on Mexican food, which gave us the energy to go shopping!

Mary strolled over to visit Lampson, the club’s mascot who hangs out in the entranceway like he owns the place! If you’re going to be a quirky-looking lamp, you might as well be the best-dressed fixture on the block! When Mary arrived, she joked, “Lampson, are you still just shining your light on the competition?” He flickered in response, probably trying to come up with a witty comeback that was just, well… a bit dim!

Breakfast at the club!

We fought the traffic to get into the shopping center; oh my, what a mess. We are glad we were healthy as we parked in the “South 40” and walked to the store. We went upstairs, where the dressy dresses were found, and searched for the item she saw earlier in the week at Macy’s in Newport (they did not have the right size).

It was a beautiful forest green, and when she came out of the dressing room to show me, I tried to go back inside with her!  I kept my wits and stayed outside.

It reminded me of the song Frosty The Snowman…

There must have been some magic in
That beautiful silk dress she found
For when she placed it on her herself
She began to dance around

We left for home around 1:00 p.m. and received a Christmas Eve update from Robin: the Pierogi lamp is now green! We have supplies for all our visitors.

On Christmas Eve, we will have the Dudas (Bob, Robin, and Nick), Connor (our grandson), Dianne and Fast Eddie, Bob and Donna Z, Jan Mongell, Dr. Hermann, and, hopefully, Jeff Smith.

Since Jan Mongel is so close, we will pick her up just before 5:00 pm!

Jan and Donna enjoying the holidays at Casa Valencia!

Master Chef Bob Duda will create his masterpiece pierogies, accompanied by special sausages (made from Aardvark and Duck-Billed Platypie, the plural for platypus), salad, and other goodies to make the evening memorable!

We will have Feuerzangenbowle (“Fire Tongs Punch”) going all evening!

Getting ready for Christmas Eve

We arrived home just before 2:30 p.m., and it was nap time. It took us less than half a second to fall asleep!

After getting up, we walked in the garden, and the iPhone rattled awake with an incoming from our Grandson, Conner!  He is a good and polite young man (28 years old).  He found a video of Papa chasing his pet dinosaur.

We watched Christmas movies the rest of the day, including “Christmas in Tennessee” and “Christmas In Mississippi.”

By 9:00 p.m., after Mary had prepared some homemade turkey soup, we decided to crash. Scout the Wonderdog did NOT want to go tinkle, so I fully expected him to wake me up later. He did, and at 11:15 p.m., he and I took a walk in the backyard.

The snowmen were having a party in the back yard!

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Festival Of Lights, Here We Come

Posted on Friday, December 20, 2024 by Paul

That’s a long way down!

I was up, but Mary took a long winter’s nap, not getting vertical until 8:00 am.  The roosters had their cup of coffee and were off to work.   I was pounding the keys to get the birthday website into shape (Joe provided 100 pictures of the event).

Robin called and told us Nick had to work, so we had an open ticket. We asked Dru to join us, and she could make it!  She’s always a pleasant addition to any event—like confetti in a vacuum cleaner or a cat at a dog show! You can’t help but smile, even if it’s slightly chaotic!

By 11:30, we started getting ready, with Mama in the shower belting out Christmas carols like she was auditioning for a Broadway musical—complete with her shampoo bottle as a microphone! Honestly, I half expected the neighbors to call in a noise complaint for excessive holiday spirit!

Poor Scout, he howled the entire time!

Meanwhile, I was getting my clothes ready for the adventure. Since it would be 45 degrees in the evening, I went to get my ever-so-warm black leather jacket!

We went by and picked up Dru. Then, we headed to Corona, arriving at Robin’s at 2:30 p.m.! We shared a glass of Eggnog in a Moose Mug and visited Robin’s Christmas trees.

From “Christmas Vacation,” an Uncle Eddie special!

Robin, Bob, and Nick go all out at Christmas decorated from stem to stern!

The Living Room family tree.

Walk would be proud of Robin’s Family!

The Den Disney tree.

From there, we headed to Riverside, where Bob drove the sleigh and the mighty eight reindeers.  We landed just at the end of the day.

We meandered around like lost tourists for an hour, popping into every shop we could find—at one point, I almost bought a rubber chicken, thinking it was a pet! Finally, we decided to go to dinner, but only after figuring out how to leave the “shop till you drop” trend behind us. Who knew shopping could be more exhausting than running a marathon?  The shops specialized in “junk” or, as Robin, Dru, and Mary would say, “Little Treasures”.

Bob and Robin led the parade.

Bob kept his hands to himself.

The stores were full of antiques (which is French for junk).

Shopping

Bob wanted to touch Santa, but we kept him away.

What your hands there, big boy!!

We found a large tree with huge silverized glass balls, and the reflection was perfect for a selfie.

The Christmas ball reflection came in handy!

The Inn had their famous dolls on display around the whole periphery!  Santa waved us in!

Santa welcomed us to the Inn.

We could NOT pass this shop up! It was filled with unique items and charming decorations you couldn’t find anywhere else. The atmosphere was inviting, and every corner of the store held a delightful surprise. We browsed through quirky knick-knacks and handmade crafts, letting our excitement guide us from one treasure to the next. It felt like stepping into a winter wonderland, and we could not resist picking up a little something to take home as a memory of our adventure!  Most of us put them back down and escaped without junk being brought home!

One more store.

We dined at Dwayne’s inside the Inn.  I went for the special steak, and I must say it was perfect!

Wagu Beef was their specialty!

Dru had a good time. She knew Bob and Robin from previous get-togethers and appreciated their humor.

Ladies!

Bob added a load of giggles to the table as the evening progressed.

We had a wonderful dinner filled with wine and spirits.

We were put in the corner for apparent reasons!

Just us!

We walked for a few minutes after dinner and decided to go home.

Liles To Tower, need clearance to land at home!

From there, we headed home via Robin’s house.  It was an easy drive and the fog was just starting to settle.

http://lilesnet.com/Christmas/Christmas2024/2024-12-20-riverside/index.htm

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Sad Day For Us: Colleen Departs For New Hampshire!

Posted on Thursday, December 19, 2024 by Paul

As the saying goes, “All good things must come to an end!”  Colleen’s green card expired, and she had to return to reality: a fantastic husband, three kids, and four grandkids!

Before she took off, Colleen graced us with her presence at the Elks during Girls Night Out, where Iris decided to channel her inner ninja and attacked a dozen oysters. One moment, they were on the plate, and the next—poof!—they vanished faster than my willpower in front of a chocolate cake!

Someone likes their oysters.

We ordered a second dozen, and Iris took six home. I quickly devoured the remaining sea boogers, and of course, I sent a picture to my See Booger Partner, Vicky!

Delicious.

We took a group photo and had Sydney, Dad, Robin, and Nick join us today! The table was a hot spot for slings and arrows—great fun!

We are all here and awaiting Santa.

I told Nick how we “old folks” enjoyed his visits with us and that I was always the youngest in the crowd since Mom and Dad waited until they were married twenty years to have me.

Nick joined us this afternoon.

As we exited the Elks, we saw a menorah at the entrance.

A Hanukkah menorah, or hanukkiah, is a nine-branched candelabrum lit during the eight-day Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Eight of the nine branches hold lights (candles or oil lamps) that symbolize the eight nights of the holiday; on each night, one more light is lit than the previous night until all eight branches are ignited on the final night. The ninth branch holds a candle, called the shamash (“helper” or “servant”), which is used to light the other eight.

We miss Marsha Brander!

There was a Hanukkah Bush in the other corner (a saying my father used to use).

The Elks tree is up and ready to greet guests!

Mary and Seymour the Elk look good together.  Mary is the one with the red wrap!

Watch out, elks, she is dangerous!

We returned home and dropped off Colleen. She planned to take an Uber from our home to the airport, as we needed to be at the Legion before 4:00 p.m. to get a place to park!

We paid two dollars and had a place to park directly in front of the Legion.  Luck was with us this evening.

We got to park right out front.

We walked around inside to see the decorations before going to the bar area, where we enjoyed a glass of Chardonnay.

Mary found herself daydreaming about the man in the shiny nylon uniform. Every time he walked by, she felt a flutter in her stomach, as if she were a little girl again. His confidence and charm were hard to ignore; they practically sparkled like the fabric he wore.

Note To Self:  Get a nylon outfit!!

We walked around the facility.

Beep! Beep! An incoming photo. Emerson and Chuck had their picture taken and sent to Frameo and message devices.

Incoming… Emmerson and Chunk are all decorated!

We met Captain Dan, an old friend of Mary’s, and walked onto his boat, which was less than a stone’s throw from the Legion! We had wine and a comfortable seat, and the show continued!

The water was calm!

The water was so calm it looked like someone had spilled a giant bottle of baby oil in the bay. Just as I was about to comment on it, the boats started lining up, and there was the Grinch right up front—of course, he would show up to steal some holiday thunder! Looks like it was going to be a wild night!

The boats started early.

Captain Dan and Mary enjoyed the parade.

Mary and Captain Dan

The camera is never as good as the human eye but we got an eyeful for sure!

We saw them go around twice.

The sailboats take advantage of their masts to string lights all the way to the top! This one boat, in particular, had an incredible display—every inch was covered in colorful lights, twinkling like stars against the night sky. It was such a festive sight! The crew must have put in so much effort to make it stand out. I couldn’t help but smile at the creativity; it added to the magic of the evening as we anticipated the parade of boats to begin. It was shaping up to be a spectacular night!

This is what a mast is supposed to do!

The official American Legion Greeter was at her best, waving to everyone and offering them a drink! Her cheerful energy set the tone for the night, making everyone feel welcomed and ready to celebrate.

Mary waived at all the boats!

Several boats had spotlights flashing around and in the distance we could see 300 drones doing Christmas display in the sky!

A water train???

After a fun-filled evening, we were ready to go home! The night had been a whirlwind of laughter and good company, but as the excitement began to wind down, it was clear we were all feeling a bit tired. We gathered our things, shared a few last laughs, and made our way toward the exit, feeling grateful for the wonderful memories we had created with Captain Dan. It was the perfect end to a festive outing!

Time to go home.

We drove right home and then got a call!  Colleen’s Uber driver did NOT show so she panicked and went next door to the Tong’s where they offered her a ride to the airport.  It is wonderful to have such amazing neighbors.

Santa’s magic got her home!

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Mid-Week And Fueled Up To Start Again!

Posted on Wednesday, December 18, 2024 by Paul

We got some encouragement!

Waking up came as a surprise.  I faced the BIG RED ALARM CLOCK, and it stated, in no uncertain terms, “Get off your fat butt and go to the gym!”   Fat butt??  I am looking for the refund button on the Amazon screen! I want a clock that is accurate, but NOT that accurate!

We went to the gym, where I was stretched and pulled into shape. Round is a shape, correct?

I do it in all positions, sweat that is!

From the gym, we returned home and picked up Colleen to go to Benji’s for brunch!  We stuffed ourselves, and to add insult to injury, I had a root beer float!  I’ll show that personal trainer who is really the boss.

Did You Know? Also known as a “black cow” or “brown cow,” the root beer float is traditionally made with vanilla ice cream and root beer, but it can also be made with other ice cream flavors. Frank J. Wisner, owner of Colorado’s Cripple Creek Brewing, is credited with creating the first root beer float on August 19, 1893. A soft drink with a similar flavor, birch beer, may also be used instead of root beer.

The chain A&W Restaurants is well known in the United States and Canada for its root beer floats. The definition of a black cow varies by region. For instance, in some localities, a “root beer float” has strictly vanilla ice cream; a float made with root beer and chocolate ice cream is a “chocolate cow” or a “brown cow.” Sometimes, a “black cow” or a “brown cow” is made with cola instead of root beer.

We attempted to sneak in Colleen as an “Under 12,” but she did no quality!

We did a VFR from Benji’s to the South Coast Plaza Shopping Center, where we just walked around and saw the sights.  It’s easy to put on a couple of miles as the shopping center is so big!  THe step-counter on the iPhone said we did 5,100 steps!

Did You Know? California is the largest shopping center on the United States West Coast. Its pre-COVID sales of over $1.5 billion annually were the highest in the Country.
.
Its 275 retailers represent the highest concentration of design fashion retail in the U.S., with the second highest sales volume in California at $800 per square foot ($8,600/m2)—second only to Westfield Valley Fair in San Jose-Santa Clara, at $809 per square foot ($8,710/m2). The national average is $411 per square foot ($4,420/m2). The mall is anchored by three Macy’s stores, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, and Saks Fifth Avenue. South Coast Plaza is the largest shopping mall in California and the 4th largest in the United States.

It was a fantastic display!

The Christmas display was HIGH, two stories tall!!  We walked all the way around it! It was at least three stories tall inside the shopping mall.  South Coast Plaza has 2.8 million square feet of retail and dining space, including department stores Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s, Macy’s Men’s, and Macy’s Home.

Just us drooling at the wares on sale!

We pale with respect to this fantastic display! It is probably sixty feet from top to bottom with small inset villages and action figures/transportation hidden everywhere.

We are enjoying life and each other!

The individual Christmas scenes are excellent in their own right!

The Choo-Choo is a bit precarious, but it stayed in the tracks ten times while we were there!  The crane was raising and lowering materials for the city below.

Ten thousand feet above sea level and still chugging along!

Behind the mountain is a magical place where Santa comes to hide from the children, but it seems they find him every year!  We were planning to sit on his lap but a) we do not need anything except each other and b) he saw us and got up and ran away!

It looks as if it has just snowed!

We walked around the center for an hour, passing the massive tree at the west end of the facility. It is over two stories tall, and its top is incorporated into the stained glass cupola above it.

Decorating this beast has got to be a work of love!

We stopped at a tree made of little plants.  Colleen told us to show our best sides, so we did!  She got exactly what she asked for!  The plants were poinsettias, and had to be 150 or more in each tree!

This IS our best side!

OK, we will turn around!  Protect the camera lens; it is delicate!

Dressed for the season!

The mall is decorated everywhere, especially under the high ceilings around the escalators.

Indeed, a mind-boggling sight! How did they do this?

We returned to the car via the main floor,   We stopped and  took a picture of the top of the earlier decoration.  In it, we can see Santa and his sleigh beginning their magical journey around the world.

It must take them days to put this display together!

We returned home around 3:00 p.m. and rested for the next adventure: a Christmas party at the home of one of the members of  Mary’s professional groups.  There, we met our insurance man, a financial lady, and several others, including Sydney and her father.

We were proud to have our daughter along for the trip!  We met up with Sydney and her father at the party and celebrated with a glass of vino!

We stayed about an hour, met new people, and finally headed for home via Aces.  Tonight was Karaoke Night, so we stayed for a quick glass of wine and headed home; it was much too noisy!

I caught up on my Naughty & Nice List! Which one are YOU on??

When we got home it was time to check for light leaks in our eye lids (i.e. we crashed)!

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Time To Unlax!!

Posted on Wednesday, December 18, 2024 by Paul

This past few days were a zinger. My mind was still moving, but the old body had to yell, “Hey, wait for me to catch up!”

We hardly moved from the house, just doing some needed chores and watching TV.  There are days like that! You know, the kind where even your coffee needs a coffee and your to-do list looks more like a novel? It’s like the universe decided to throw a “let’s see how much chaos they can handle” party, and guess what? You’re the main event!

Colleen was out and about with her brother and she caught up with us late in the day.

We crashed at about 8:30 pm, which was very early for us.

No kidding!!!

 

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I Really Be Eighty Today!

Posted on Monday, December 16, 2024 by Paul

My fantastic wife makes Christmas very special; she is the Christmas Angel.

Today, I am eighty years old, and let me tell you, I feel not a day over ninety!!

We went to the torture chamber and got bent and twisted in many unnatural positions; near the end, I felt like Gumby! When my trainer says to do twenty reps, I begin counting by fives!

The entire gym had to sing Happy Birthday, so I was glad it was a small gym, and the voices did NOT carry across the parking lot or to the Villa Park Police Station next door.  After the exercise, I was glad to be standing upright!

The gym physical instructors are a friendly group of [people who enjoy seeing pain and suffering.

Mary had a doctor’s appointment in Los Alamitos, so we jumped in The Silver Fox, our trusty steed, and zoomed up the 22.  The Fox thought he was practicing for Christmas Eve, and he was passing everyone like they were standing still.  It turns out they were; we passed a car lot!

My iPhone battery was on life support and I forgot the cord (our iPhones have different plugs, what a pain!).  We stopped at Staples, jumped out, and bought new cords for the car.  Arriving at the doctor’s office, I stayed in the car and brought the iPhone back to life.

We called Miss Vicky and tempted her with oysters at The Fish Company; it worked, and she joined us.  The three of us carried on for an hour having rainbow trout, which is fantastic.  Rainbow trout are known for their striking colors and patterns, which vary depending on their age, environment, and spawning conditions. They have small black spots and a reddish band on either side of their bodies.  

The oysters you ask?  Well, I reached for one of the twelve they brought us and got a ruler across my knuckles from Miss Vicky and a resounding, “Do Not Touch, Mine Mine Mine!!”  I quickly withdrew my hand for fear of losing it!

We were afraid to ask!!

Departing The Fish Company

From the Fish Company, we went home and watched Christmas Movies.

I muddled through two Christmas movies before throwing in the towel!  What else can you do?

My cough returned, so I loading up on Hot Toddy’s interspersed with wine.  By 8:00 pm, I was done for the day, and we went to bed.  OMG, my eightieth birthday  (I am as old as dirt!), and I am in bed at 8:00 pm; what has this world come to?

As I was drifting off, I relived the past several years and give thanks to my amazing family and wonderful friends who celebrated with me yesterday!  Thanks again to Vicky, Robin, and Bob and the many others for putting on such a super shindig yesterday!

I also salute my amazing, astonishing, astounding, beguiling, bewildering, conspicuous, cool, divine, egregious, enigmatic, exceptional, exquisite, extraordinary, fabulous, fantastic, fascinating, formidable, gilt-edged, glorious, golden, groovy, heavenly partner in life who makes every day worth getting up and yelling, “Look out world, here we come!!!”

I go to bed thinking of her and wake up thinking of her; it’s a wonderful way to go through life!

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I B 80

Posted on Sunday, December 15, 2024 by Paul

Today, we celebrate even though tomorrow is officially my birthday (at 4:03 in the afternoon, eighty years ago!) We were all getting ready to leave for Old Ranch around 10:oo am, and the party started at 11:00 am.  The party began three days ago in my beady little brain.

When we arrived, it was a beehive of activity, with Robin and Vicky cheering on the troops!

I DO NOT feel a day over 90!

Everyone was right on time, and the party started a little early.   As we entered the area, images from five years ago were present, and people were remembered!

Pictures from the 75th

Across from the entrance was the essential party starter, but most of our friends do not drink… they guzzle!  The bar did a fantastic job dispensing Coca-Cola, iced tea, and water bottles.  I kept them busy with Hot Toddy’s to kill off the cough.

Did You Know? A hot toddy is a mixed drink that’s typically made with:
Hot water
Liquor, such as whiskey, bourbon, Irish whiskey, Scotch, brandy, or dark rum
Honey or sugar
Lemon juice or lemon slice
Spices such as cinnamon or cloves

Paul’s favorite spot.

Then we had “Calorie Central,” where just walking by and gazing will cause you to gain five pounds!

Yummy!!

Dianne brought a standup of my TV girlfriend from her museum.  Cassandra Gay Peterson is an American actress best known for portraying the horror hostess character Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. Peterson gained fame on Los Angeles television station KHJ-TV in her stage persona as Elvira, hosting Elvira’s Movie Macabre, a weekly B movie presentation.

I brought my girlfriend!

Vicky sponsored a skit, and our dance group sang a song to me. It was heartwarming and hilarious!  I laughed so hard that I found a need to visit the gentlemen’s lounge soon after the singing ceased.

The skit was sufficient to require handkerchiefs!

The photographers went crazy with Jor snapping pictures all afternoon!

The photographers snapped about 2000 pictures.

Then the games began! What Vicky can do with plastic cups and balloons should go down in history! Everyone participated in some game or other!

Party games began!

Teams of three had to hold a fragile Christmas ornament between their legs and walk several feet to deposit it in a plastic cup.  Mike showed us how not to do it, and  Mary was speedy!

Do NOT drop the ornament, or Santa will not visit you!

Michele had it down pat and scampered to the depository without a hitch!

Go Michele Go!!!

We learned a new golf position to use right after driving your ball into the trees!

Is it a new golf swing stance?

Our live music did not make it because he had bronchitis, so Bob Z and Vicky improvised using an iPhone and an available boombox.    All afternoon, we had perfectly danceable music, as evidenced by Elvira being played!

Dance time!

It was time for my speech, and of course, Bob Z announced that my childhood pet had returned to celebrate me.  I quickly did the math and determined the Tyrannosaurus rex (T. rex) lived on Earth about 66–68 million years ago, during the Late Cretaceous period meaning I must be about 76,000,080 years old or therabouts!

I expected it to be Joe on the inside, but my grandson, Charlie, did the honors!  Mary took him out for a spin!

Charlie plays a mean dinosaur!!

The party continued with an excellent Mexican meal. The theme was “Fiesta,” since it was Christmas, I found a red and green pepper shirt!

Just us!

We departed the facility around 3:30 pm and headed home to watch a Christmas movie and crash!

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Gettin’ Ready!

Posted on Saturday, December 14, 2024 by Paul

Time for coffee

We were up and going fairly early, preparing for Diane and Pat’s visit for tomorrow’s birthday party.

They came into Long Beach at 11:00 am and to Casa Valencia at 12:30 pm, where we spent the rest of the day visiting.

I love hearing about Pat’s continuing adventures working on cars and fixing things around the house. He and I agree that YouTube is a lifesaver!

Brother In Law, Pat!

I found an image from the late 1950s with Sue and the Dad and little sister Dianne in the family home at Christmas!

Sue and Diane were sitting with their father a few years ago.  (Diane is on the right.)

Dianne was such a wonderful person who helped me through my darkest days. Now, she is retired and having fun doing what retirees do: anything she wants!

Retired and enjoying life@! The grandmother of one and about to be the grandmother of two in February!

After arriving, we went to Rockwell’s for lunch and watched “Red One,” the latest goofy Christmas movie!

We then got ready for the Christmas Play.  Dianne and Irene joined us along with Colleen we had a van full of people.    We headed down the freeway and soon discovered Saturday was also a busy time on the freeway.,  We departed at 6:20 pm and arrived at 7:30 pm having to walk in front of everybody before the curtain came up!

Mr and Mrs Santa strike up a deal with a local producer for a Christmas Show!

Travel from New York City via two undercover elves to the Land of Snow to meet the Ice Queen and her court, including Jack Frost and Suzie Snowflake. Then it’s only a short magical sleigh ride to the North Pole to help Santa prepare for a Christmas program that will have you laughing and cheering.

The toys in the toy shop come out to visit the audience.  It was a wild collection of animated wooden toys!

The cast was large!

The time came where Santa invited all the children of tjhe world to join him on stage and with the assistance from his big sister, Lilly, Remy headed to onto stage.

They are off!!

We were remembering that Remy’s daddy, the 250 pound Might Zack, was once in Mrs. Santa’s arms during thiplay about 30+ years ago!  I may have had a little mist on my eyes!

He gets reassurement from his big sister!

He looks so serious!  I should have stood up and yelled “SMILE!”

He made it through without a problem, Lilly by his side.

Santa and his helpers said good night to us and hoped we join them next year!

Good night and tanks for a wonderful evening!

We gathered together at the stage when most people were gone and got the group picture.

Colleen was seeing a man about a horse!

We got together again outside the theater.  The Lind’s were already gone as they have an 8:00 am softball game in the morning.  It was a delightful evening getting together with family!

We love Christmas time!

We headed home and the freeways were wide open!  It was a wonderful uplifting performance making this season even more special!

They did; tune in tomorrow!

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Friday Has Arrived And All Is Well!!

Posted on Friday, December 13, 2024 by Paul

When I think of the season, I think about TV shows I have seen, and Amos N’ Andy 1952 ranks pretty high on my Christmas favorites list—right up there with the time I accidentally set my holiday ham on fire while trying to multitask with gingerbread cookies!

Seriously, though, please take a few minutes to watch it. We need more Americans like Andrew H. Brown. If we had a few more of him, we might be able to sprinkle some joy on this world—preferably without the risk of igniting our Christmas dinner!

We were up early and Colleen was gone! It was unusual for her to be up before everyone else, especially on a chilly December morning. I checked the kitchen, but she wasn’t there either. I could only imagine what she was up to—maybe brewing her favorite holiday coffee or sneaking in a few minutes of quiet time before the days festivities began. I quickly grabbed my sweater and headed outside, hoping to catch her taking in the trash barrels or something?

The world was still waking up, and that magical early morning light was just beginning to sprinkle across the snow. I couldn’t help but smile at the thought of what we might do together today, just like I did when I re watched that holiday show featuring Andrew H. Brown.

Colleen always brings the joy and warmth of the season to life!

We forgot that she was picking up Joe at the Long Beach Airport at 6:00 am, he was flying in from Las Vegas.

Mary and I worked on our respective computers until Colleen showed up and then we went outside and finished decorating the front of the house!  We were short some bunting and re setup  the inflatables that were crunched with the previous windstorm.

Putting on the final touches!

After all the work, someone said “breakfast”.  My mind went to cereal but MAry suggested the three steaks we bought yesterday.  I did my marination thing.

Did You Know? Marinating is the process of soaking foods in a seasoned, often acidic, liquid before cooking. This liquid, called the marinade, can be either acidic (made with ingredients such as vinegar, lemon juice, or wine) or enzymatic (made with ingredients such as pineapple, papaya, yogurt, or ginger), or have a neutral pH. In addition to these ingredients, a marinade often contains oils, herbs, and spices to further flavor the food item.  I have a secret receipe!

Breakfast anyone?

The fragrance wafted through the house and our trusty sidekick, Scout, went wild.  The sweet potato had previously been frozen making it a delicious side dish.

Overall, sweet potatoes are often considered healthier than regular potatoes due to their higher vitamin A content, lower glycemic index, and greater antioxidant properties.

Right off the griddle.

Who doesn’t love a fresh salad straight from the garden? There’s something so satisfying about using ingredients you’ve picked yourself—crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes,  mild red peppers, and maybe even some herbs for added flavor. It brings a whole new level of freshness and taste that you just can’t get from store-bought produce. Plus, it’s a fun way to enjoy the outdoors and get a little exercise in while you’re at it!

We needed a breakfast salad!

After saying Grace, we dug into those steaks with a fervor not seen in years.  It sounded like the sound track from a TV movie where the lion catches his prey!

Our lovely daughter joined us!

After Colleen left to visit her mother and catch the nephews’ soccer games, we turned the house into our own little retreat! We tackled the ongoing battle against dust bunnies, and when we ran out of steam, we indulged in glorious naps that rivaled the Sleeping Beauty! Who knew that a quiet house could feel so luxurious? It was like a mini-vacation—complete with lounge wear and zero responsibilities. I think we might just start a new trend: “Home Alone and Loving It!”

There are still good people in this country!

Colleen got a call from some folks in Long Beach, they had found the contents of her purse.  Obviously the money was gone but the other essentials were still there.  The folks are going to drop it off at the Lakewood Police Station and we will get it tonight or tomorrow.  It is so nice to know there are still some good honest people around.  God Bless Them!!

Colleen was visiting her nephews who are soccer stars.

Our Star!!

Mary and I went to the Packards International Shop Party with Dianne and “Fast Edddie”.  Robert Escalante runs the restoration shop and he had many cars in various stages of repair; some ready to go and some jusy hulks of “what will be”.

The cars were ready to go!

“Fast Eddie” is a funny guy and is claim to fame is restoring motorcycles, mostly the engines of vintage machines.  After dinner, we raided the dessert counter and gave us his opinions on the various selections.  A true dessert taster!

Fast Eddie found the donuts!

The shop was crowded with people.  We almost met the Santa Ana Mayor and the Santa Ana Chief Of Police who attended the event.  They mingled around in the crowd.  There were also some state assemblymen in the local districts sprinkled in for good measure.

The party was full of action.

Dr. Mary went into action when her tookie came back with a broken leg.  I thought surely she would perform leg surgery on it by adding some needed frosting but instead, SHE ATE IT!

Dr. Mary fixed his leg, chomp, and we had a quick amputation

The party was in a car shop, so we knew from previous years it would be cold; we dressed accordingly. As we arrived, the familiar scent of motor oil mingled with the festive aroma of holiday treats.

The atmosphere was lively, filled with laughter and the sound of tools clinking as friends caught up and reminisced about past gatherings. We made our way to the snack table, grabbing chardonnay topped with marshmallows while our favorite holiday tunes played in the background.

It was a great reminder that even in the unlikeliest of places, the spirit of the season could shine through.

Just us!

Until I found out the cost, I was ready to buy the red roadster as it is a wonderful color.  These beauties are getting ready to be picked up by their owners.

Love the restorations.

Dianne and “Fast” Eddie having a great time.  We laughed and giggled all night long.

Dianne and “Fast” Eddie

I caught a quick glimpse of Old Saint Nick over the the corner of the shop working on his sleigh.

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Is This The Twelfth Day OF Christmas???

Posted on Thursday, December 12, 2024 by Paul

I was up at 6:00 am and ran into Colleen making a quick departure.  She was going to Los Alamitos Joint Forces Base to get a new military ID (their office opens at 5:00 am).

As she left, I remembered that my birthday was approaching! I’ve been on this planet for eighty years and do not feel a day older than 90!

Today is Thursday, and that means “Girls’ Night Out.”  Colleen, Mary, and I jumped in The Silver Fox at 11:30 am and headed for the Elks.  We had a wonderful lunch and even got a picture of our illustrious group.

Just the happy group!

After lunch, we went to Roger’s Gardens, only nine minutes away. We also stopped to visit the Elks lobby Christmas tree.

But first, we stopped at the tree, threw in a penny, and made a wish!

Off to Roger’s, we flew in the newly fallen snow!

We walked around for 45 minutes and bought some candles and a patriotic ornament. Everything was decorated to the hilt!

I thought I heard them singing!

After coming home, we watched three Christmas movies and had turkey soup. We crashed at 10:15 p.m. It was a good day! Tonight, we’ll embark on an epic journey… to bed! We meticulously organized our blanket fort and strategized snack placement. Who needs sleep when you have dreams of pizza?

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