Paul & Mary's Daily Diary | Our little space on the World Wide Web since 1996 where we share..

The Week BeEgins… Again!

Posted on Monday, May 11, 2026 by Paul

It’s bring and early with a prediction of 84 degrees!

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We were up at O-dark-thirty, bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and ready to spend a wonderful day together. We had no plans until 6:00 pm, so the day was open to work together in the yard, a task we both enjoy.

Mary received lots of calls, messages, and cards, which made her very happy—and kept her phone buzzing like it was trying to launch into orbit.

I had planned to have a special surprise waiting for her this morning, but Amazon failed me. Apparently, “two-day shipping” now means “whenever we feel emotionally ready.” Her surprise won’t arrive until Wednesday!

Mary mentioned to me she wanted to re-read “Little Women” but she had to give her book away back in the 90s when she moved into a small home. So, I went online immediately and ordered a beautiful unabridged 150th Anniversary Edition with 200 original illustrations and a Foreword by Alice L. George entitled ‘Why Little Women Endures 150 Years Later.’ Alas, Amazon notified me they had to delay shipment until Wednesday!

After our caffeine fix, we hit up Home Depot for garden gadgets, then swung by the market to snag some “real” champagne for the kids when they arrive this afternoon—because nothing says “party” like pretending we’re fancy.

While at Home Depot, we ran into Mr. Strawberry, a young man who sells strawberries by the flat. This year, his price was $25/flat—five dollars more than last year—yet they looked so good, we couldn’t resist.

Not only did they look good, but they were also delicious!

On the way home, we dropped off baskets of strawberries to Geri and then to Fred, our neighbors, because there was no way we could eat them all before they went bad—unless we wanted to turn into strawberries ourselves.

The doorbell rang, and Mary’s friend Bonnie* sent her flowers and a chocolate bar. Thank you, Bonnie—the flowers are beautiful. As for the chocolate bar, Mary has hidden it from me, which I can only assume means it was very expensive and needs protection.

*Bonnie is Mary’s college roommate’s daughter.

Dr. Mary enjoyed her gifts from Bonnie!

Bob and Robin spent the morning with the Dudas in Whittier and planned to visit us around 4:00 pm to enjoy champagne before heading to dinner at Renata’s Italian Restaurant at the Orange Traffic Circle.

Robin and Bob brought flowers, a card, and a near lantern! When they showed up, we were on the bat phone with Colleen, followed by a quick bat phone call to Pete (Lisa was on her way home from work, so we missed her).

Mary got an amazing frog that lights up and displays patterns all around; it was a lantern, which I am sure will be used often!

Then it was off to Renata’s, where we arrived at 5:58 pm—precisely on time, because apparently we are now the kind of people who respect clocks. Bob and Donna were already there, bravely leading the charge with a glass of vino in hand, proving once again that punctuality is important, but priorities are sacred.

Ready to chow down!

Donna and Bob brought Mary a ceramic “frog planter” already stuffed with plants from Donna’s garden. This will be a beautiful addition to our patio.

Wine is poured, and stories are swapped. Having Mother’s Day with these people is a long-standing tradition that we totally look forward to and enjoy!

We sat and giggled for hours, enjoying a delightful dinner and sharing the latest gossip!

Bob and I thought it was a Christmas celebration with our red-and-green shirts!

Hey, at least we wore shirts!

We had a wonderful dinner, and it was dark when we left for home, which is only four miles away, straight up Chapman to the mountain and a left turn at Cannon. Bob drove as the Silver Fox was still airing out after carrying bags of fertilizer and soil home from Home Depot. I’ll bet Lexus didn’t know they built pickup sedans!

When the kids departed for home, we went VFR to bed. No TV, and we did not pass “Go” nor did we collect $200. We were tired from this day’s work and just crashed.

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Satruday Was A Work Day!

Posted on Sunday, May 10, 2026 by Paul

We examined Mary’s Book of Knowledge and determined that we had nothing scheduled except work around the house, mostly in the backyard. We began with a trip to our favorite store, Home Depot, where we loaded up on new storage boxes for our two potting stations in the back yard, and then we got three new Mandevilla plants. They are red, white, and pink and will grow fast, covering the patio supports.

Mandevilla is a fast-growing tropical vine known for its glossy foliage and trumpet-shaped flowers, often called “Rocktrumpet”. Named after British diplomat Henry Mandeville, these sun-loving plants can reach 20 feet, thrive in warm climates (USDA Zones 10–11), and are highly attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies.

They belong to the Apocynaceae family (which includes oleander and periwinkle) and are often called rocktrumpets.

We unloaded The Silver Fox, who was deeply offended at being treated like a pickup truck and made sure we knew it. Then we hauled everything to the backyard like two contestants on a home-improvement survival show.

We worked from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm with no breaks—unless you count the very important one-hour emergency lunch intervention when son Joe and his bride Amy came over bearing food. Naturally, all productivity stopped immediately.

We gathered around the patio table, ate, laughed, giggled, and caught up on the latest family and friend gossip—because no hard day of labor is complete without poké and vegetable sushi and a full news briefing.

Key Poké Trivia Facts Origin: It originated from Hawaiian fishermen seasoning raw, cut-off fish bits as a snack, often using seaweed (limu), soy sauce, and sea salt.

The “Fish” Types: The most traditional fish used are Ahi (yellowfin/bigeye tuna) and Aku (skipjack tuna).

Modern Twist: While traditionally just raw fish and seasonings, modern bowls frequently include toppings like sesame oil, sweet Maui onions, and avocado.

The Name: While commonly thought of as a 2010s trend, it has been a staple in Hawaii for centuries, with the name formally used for the dish since the 1960s.

Not Sushi: It is distinct from Japanese sashimi because the fish is marinated and cubed rather than sliced thin.

The rest of the day was a mix of working and relaxing. We stayed outside until dusk, sipping on wine and enjoying the backyard. We watched a little TV and then hit the sack at 10:00 pm.

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I Woke Up!

Posted on Friday, May 8, 2026 by Paul

After yesterday’s procedure, I was very happy to wake up and return to my regularly scheduled programming: one normal cup of coffee and pretending I’m a fully functioning adult.

Robin, meanwhile, was already wide awake in the kitchen, operating at full travel-agent mode and planning our trip to New Hampshire this fall. This will be our third trip, so at this point, we’re basically seasonal residents with commitment issues.

And this time, Robin is coming with us because she wants to visit Colleen and see all the kids and grandkids. In other words, she heard there would be family, foliage, and possibly snacks, and immediately signed up.

After being in the OR, I thought a lot about being young again! I can remember being lost in the woods in Culver City on the backlots of MGM Studios!

Mid-morning, we set out on what began as a simple mission: alterations, lunch, dry cleaning, and home. Naturally, this turned into a full-scale suburban expedition.
First, we got some clothes altered because apparently, fabric has opinions.

Then we stopped at Benjie’s for a quick lunch, which is what adults call “fueling up for more errands.” After that, we dropped clothes at the cleaners, where they will hopefully return looking more responsible than when we left them.

Eventually, we escaped back home and spent the afternoon on the patio, admiring the flowers and garden like two people pretending they weren’t exhausted from accomplishing six small tasks.

At 6:30 pm, we headed to the Tustin Seniors Center to see Mary’s artwork, which the art contest sponsors had posted on the wall.

After returning home for the last time today, we finished off “Little Women” and watched part of another movie while devouring Benjie’s leftovers.

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OUCH! No Food, No Drink? Impossible!

Posted on Thursday, May 7, 2026 by Paul

I give thanks every day for my life with Dr. Mary; my “problems” are minuscule!

It’s NOT a great day when you wake up and cannot have coffee! Not even a scone, a donut, or anything else. I am fasting, which means looking at food and drink with deep emotional attachment but without any physical contact.

Fasting before a surgical operation is mainly to reduce the risk of aspiration.
When you’re under anesthesia or heavy sedation, your normal protective reflexes—like coughing, swallowing, and keeping stomach contents down—are reduced. If there is food or liquid in your stomach, you could vomit or regurgitate it and accidentally breathe it into your lungs. This can cause serious complications, such as aspiration pneumonia, airway blockage, or lung injury. Fasting also helps:

• Reduce nausea and vomiting after anesthesia
• Make anesthesia safer and easier to manage
• Lower the chance of needing emergency airway interventions

Typical instructions often include no solid food for several hours before surgery, while some clear liquids may be allowed up to a shorter time beforehand—but the exact rules vary depending on the procedure, your health, and the type of anesthesia.

We worked in the office until 9:00 am, then got ready to go to the hospital.

I drove, knowing full well that Mary would be driving home!

Off we went at 11:15 am and arrived at 11:45 am, because apparently we were running a highly efficient medical shuttle service that day. As we pulled into the parking lot, there was Robin—right on cue—ready to be Mary’s loyal sidekick, emotional support human, and all-day entertainment committee.

Within minutes, I was whisked into Pre-Op by the transportation officer, where I immediately began my important work: relentlessly teasing the nurse.

As we skidded down the hallway, I made automobile sounds and honked my horn at everything coming my way. When she asked my name, she did not believe it was Clem Kadiddlehopper! She may have thought she was there to prepare me for surgery, but surprise—she had unknowingly enrolled in my masterclass.

I am ready to go into the OR!

Then it was off to the OR, where I was technically “awake” the entire time—though I use that term loosely, since I was operating at about 12% battery and had no Wi-Fi.

I even chatted with the doctor while he examined me using the catheter, because apparently, I decided this was the perfect time for casual conversation. Nothing says “small talk” quite like discussing your insides while someone is actively navigating them.

The procedure lasted about 30 minutes, and then I was moved to post-op recovery, where I enjoyed a luxurious 6-hour stay in what I can only describe as a very exclusive medical waiting room with terrible amenities.

Finally, around 7:30 pm, they decided I had behaved well enough to be released back into society.

I closed my eyes when the procedure began and saw an angel in the room watching over me! I am a lucky man!

Keeping me from misbehaving — only an Angel can do that!

This procedure required entrance through the groin, and that entry point tends to leak after the operation. The nursing staff checked in the groin many times and after a while I needed to put a sign up stating “Groin Peeks, 25¢”, I would have made a fortune.

After a while, I asked people walking by if they wanted to see my groin. Mary put a stop to that activity, saying that when I offered a “groin peek” to a cafeteria worker, janitor, and another patient, that was too much!

Six hours flat on my back, only being disturbed by “peeping Toms”.

I had other thoughts also!

For hours, Robin and Mary were by my side in recovery; I never felt so loved and cared for. I think I’m spoiled!

We made it home and watched “Little Women”, the 2019 version. We made it until 11:00 pm, and then our eyes began to close. Time to go to bed! Off we went, and we slept until almost 7:30 am!

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Wednesday Has Raised It’s Head!

Posted on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 by Paul

Let’s start this day with a smile and some humor to share the good vibes with you all!

We began by levitating ourselves up from the nice, cozy bed and into an upright position, generally in front of the sink, where we wash the sleep from our eyes and are ready to face each other. I ALWAYS have to comb what’s left of my hair, or I look like the pointy-haired Boss in the cartoon series.

I must admit, the Boss has more hair than I!

Then I looked at the wall clock, which had date/time/weather displayed, and it hit me, it hit him, it is workout day. My body began to shake uncontrollably, and I realized I had put on three workout suits, one on top of the other. Perhaps it was an unconscious way of protecting my body from the anticipated beatings at Peak Performance.

Who will I draw today as my trainer? Could it be “Sweat Lord,” “Sir Reps-a-Lot,” or maybe “The Protein Prophet Only a trip to the facility will tell. Today, I shall not cry or whimper, but I may bawl, blubber, boohoo, break down, burst into tears, cry, dissolve in tears, groan, howl, moan, scream, shed tears, snivel, sob, weep, whine, yammer, yawp, or perhaps even yowl.

We cruise along at 50 mph, leaving everybody else in the dust!

We left the gym and began our errands. First, we headed to John Wayne Airport to pick up our suitcase, which was being repaired. We then headed back to Orange to have a dress repaired and to have lunch at Darya. Alas, the tailor was gone, and Darya didn’t open for another half-hour.

We decided Benjie’s was the place to go because, apparently, we make excellent life choices when hungry. We had the 1/2 sandwich and soup/salad combo, which was just the right amount of “responsible adult” for lunch. Naturally, we washed it down with a glass of wine, because hydration is important.

I heroically refrained from ordering my usual root beer float, as I must preserve my girlish figure—or at least maintain the illusion that I’m trying.

The CVS to pick up some meds, including nitroglycerin for me!

Finally, we made it home and headed to the back yard, where I had a glimpse of happiness (other than seeing my beautiful wife), which was Mr. Red and friends cheering me on.

I headed to the backyard to finish off the HeShed, and with Mary’s help, we finished around 3:00 pm. Our son Joe will be pleased (and surprised). The Salvation Army will be happy with the results!

I received a message from Joe saying, “Well dang, I can see the floor.”

Late in the afternoon, Mary made us dinner using some of the remaining pastrami from lunch. She is an expert sandwich maker and enjoys going into the garden to pick some of the ingredients!

The word “sandwich” is commonly linked to John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, who supposedly wanted meat between bread so he could eat without stopping his card game.

Mary needs to open a chain of restaurants like Subway!

For dessert, Mary made cherry Jello and added a mess of Polish sour cherries. The dessert was outstanding, but we had to watch out for the occasional cherry pit.

Here are some Polish sour cherry trivia facts:

• Poland is one of Europe’s major producers of sour cherries, especially varieties used for juices, preserves, desserts, and spirits.
• In Polish, sour cherries are called “wi’nie”, while sweet cherries are “czere’nie.”
• Sour cherries are a key ingredient in wi’niówka, a traditional Polish cherry liqueur made by steeping cherries in alcohol with sugar.
• Polish sour cherries are often used in kompot, a homemade fruit drink served warm or cold.
• They are popular in classic Polish baking, especially in cakes, yeast pastries, pierogi, and pierogi fillings.
• Sour cherries are prized because their tart flavor holds up well when cooked, unlike many sweeter fruits that can become bland.
• Many Polish households traditionally preserve sour cherries as jam, syrup, juice, or fruit in alcohol for winter.
• Cherry soup, or zupa’wi’Niwka, is a traditional sweet Polish fruit soup, sometimes served with noodles or cream.
• Sour cherries are commonly paired with poppy seed, chocolate, vanilla, and cream in Polish desserts.
• In folk medicine, cherry juice and syrup were sometimes used as a comforting remedy for colds or fever, thanks to their tart, refreshing quality.

Yummy!

We finished off the series “Lost in Space.” We were hoping it would continue, but the series was planned as a trilogy, only three seasons!

We decided it was time to hit the sack after watching “Splash” from 1984!

Good night, all!

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Another Busy Day!

Posted on Tuesday, May 5, 2026 by Paul

Chef Paul at work!

I was up at o’dark thirty and decided to work on the HeShed even before m’lady rose to greet the day! I have made great progress since we decided to give Vicky 150 feet of unopened outdoor LED string lights that had been stored in the shed for years! I also decided to remove all the pots that we have been saving, as our yard is already full enough. We plan to transport them to Miss Vicky so she can add them to her collection! The HeShed is starting to look pretty good now.

Almost clean… Another hour is needed to sort through the small cans/liquids!

Today is that day when tequila and beer reign supreme! It’s Cinco De Mayo, this is the most celebrated non-holiday ever! American beer companies did help popularize the “holiday” in the United States, especially in the late 20th century. In the 1980s and 1990s, American beer, tequila, and restaurant companies heavily marketed Cinco de Mayo as a festive “Mexican” celebration, which made it much bigger commercially in the U.S.

So the short version is: Started by history, amplified by marketing.

Mary decided we should celebrate Sinko-Da-Mayo!

This year, we did NOT revert to our holiday garb; we stayed in our work clothes until it was time to go to Mary’s art class!

Our “normal” Cinco de Mayo outfits!

All was going according to plan until the phone rang, and it was the doctor’s office! They scheduled the angiogram/angioplasty for Thursday at noon (no Elks this week), but also wanted a pre-operation EKG, blood test, and chest x-ray today.

SO, at noon, we went our separate ways. Mary went to class, and I went to St. Joseph’s Medical Center to get poked and prodded by OC’s finest!

I passed the test with flying colors and got home about 20 minutes after Mary had arrived. We had planned to see Vicky today, so we called and suggested we have dinner together. All we had to say was “Fish Company,” and we could hear Vicky’s car start up!

Before we started over, Mary showed me her pictures, mounted on the wall, for the art contest coming up later this week.

Mary presented me with her rendition of “Picasso Dines On Donuts” or “Picasso Joins The Police Force”:

Don’t ask, don’t tell (p.s. Mary added the coffee cup)

Here are some funny/witty quotes commonly attributed to Pablo Picasso:

• “It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.”
• “Art is the elimination of the unnecessary.”
• “Everything you can imagine is real.”
• “The chief enemy of creativity is good sense.”
• “Computers are useless. They can only give you answers.”
• “Bad artists copy. Good artists steal.”
• “I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.”
• “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”
• “Painting is just another way of keeping a diary.”
• “Ah, good taste! What a dreadful thing! Taste is the enemy of creativeness.”

Mary is the Captain of Our Ship, so on the way to Vicky’s, she decided we would stay home this weekend and skip Phoenix because of the operation scheduled for Thursday. We were looking forward to visiting Becky and Dan, as well as the Thedens, over Mother’s Day Weekend.

I was, along with Mary, very disappointed, but during the phone call with Becky, she invited us again to see her after the medical condition calms down.

Aye-Aye, My Captain!!

We bid for a game called Route66Opoly and could NOT wait to have it for Vicky. When we got to Rossmooor, she had already procured a booth and was waiting for us. We gave her the game (she and her family love board games), and she went berserk, opening the box and looking at the board and all the pieces. We are happy to see her so happy!

Someone is a happy girl!

We left the Fish Company, went to see the finished patio at Vicky’s, and unloaded all the lights and other goodies we had brought for her. We visited for a while, and I got a chance to rest up after four margaritas (hey, it is Cinco de Mayo after all).

We departed Vicky’s at dusk and arrived home 20 miles later. Into our jammies and then to the TV room, we watched Lost In Space until 11:00 am (some of us did!) before going to bed.

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Posted on Monday, May 4, 2026 by Paul

Yah, right! Today we are off to the “place of no return”! The dreaded Peak Performance workout center, where the trainers take personal delight in torturing their victims. Last week, as we walked out, a movie studio sound truck was in the parking lot, getting ready to record the earsplitting cacophony from the workout center for their next horror movie.

They even had special microphones to capture the low-frequency sounds of bones being crushed and limbs being torn from the victim’s bodies.

After the beating, we went to Home Depot to get some planting mix, some flowers, and two pepper plants. Mary and I spent some time researching the flowers and how to plant them after getting home.

From Home Depot, we dropped by Ralph’s for a “fly-by,” meaning eggs, milk, and butter. From there,e we went home to have a brunch before hitting the garden again.

The weatherman said it would probably rain today, and we assumed it was our fault for getting the windows washed — because everyone knows freshly cleaned windows are basically a rain dance.

The clouds looked dark and dramatic, as if they were about to ruin our good decisions, but apparently, the moisture stayed upstairs. Not a single drop fell. Just a full day of weather threats and emotional manipulation.

Looking North from our garage.

Of course, we had to look West also, and the clouds looked heavy with moisture, but they stayed afloat. Clouds can weigh a lot — even though they float.

A typical cumulus cloud can weigh around 1 million pounds — about 500 tons. That’s because clouds are made of countless tiny water droplets spread out over a huge volume of air. The droplets are so small and dispersed that the cloud can remain suspended, even though the water as a whole is very heavy.

There was a fair breeze, and that made for a 65-degree day, perfect for working.

The flags were flapping in the breeze and looked great against the blue patches of sky that passed by.

The flapping sound was quite loud.

The sunlight really made the garden look pretty good!

The Spring flowers are doing well, and we can see more seedlings emerging each day!

Our new avocado tree is really doing well, and we are hoping they do not get picked before it is ready; we have a lot of kids walking by on their way to school.

The tree is loaded.

We worked in the backyard for a couple of hours, but we had to cut it short as it got cold and very windy! So, we went inside, hung up the keys, and got ready to watch TV.

Mary crashed quickly, but I managed to see two episodes of Lost In Space before retiring at 10:00 pm.

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We Are Glad WGND Was Yesterday, The High Today Is Only 69!

Posted on Sunday, May 3, 2026 by Paul

Mary was suspiciously quiet this morning!

We were up and had coffee by 8:00 am, then recounted yesterday’s activities. Mary reviewed the pictures to make sure they were not overexposed (if you catch my drift)!

I forgot to mention that in college, I had a job waiting tables in a local nudist colony! I was the only one who could deliver a dozen donuts and two cups of coffee at one time!

Today, the plan is to do chores around the house, including water-blasting the HeShed and SheShed. I am limited in what I can do until the next medical procedure, so I plan to make a list of the difficult items and pass them off to my handypersons, Joe, Charlie, and Alex.

While the grandkids are “visiting,” I plan to tell them about how it used to be! Do you remember?

I was the remote control for many years!!

We worked for several hours doing tasks we had put off for various reasons. Power washing the storage sheds, also known as the HeShed and the SheShed, spiffed them up, and while we were at it, we washed their windows and cleaned out the rain gutters!

We plan to paint them this summer (the grandkids will do the work). The HeShed will be a baby-blue paint job while the SheShed will get a baby-pink coating; that way, we can tell them apart!

Mary planted sweet potatoes, and I worked on the drip lines, making sure everybody was getting their fair share of H20. Mary polished the outdoor roll-around and bar, and I replaced some worn chair covers.

Mary and I work together VERY WELL and enjoy each other’s company all day long.

The garden is coming on strong; everything is producing!

Around 4:30 pm, we stopped and got cleaned up as the kids, Robin and Bob, were coming over to go to Dyria Persian Restaurant with us. We had a great time trying new drinks. Robin and Bob shared a Dyria #2, which was more than two people could eat.

Persian food is the traditional cuisine of Iran. It’s known for fragrant rice, slow-cooked stews, grilled meats, fresh herbs, nuts, dried fruits, and spices such as saffron, turmeric, cinnamon, and cardamom.

Common Persian dishes include:

• Chelo kebab — grilled meat served with fluffy saffron rice
• Ghormeh sabzi — herb stew with beans and meat
• Fesenjan — rich walnut and pomegranate stew, often with chicken
• Tahdig — crispy golden rice from the bottom of the pot
• Zereshk polo — rice with barberries, often served with chicken
• Ash reshteh — thick herb, bean, and noodle soup

Persian food is usually flavorful but not very spicy-hot. It often balances sweet, sour, savory, and aromatic flavors.

The Darya #2 is Filet mignon Shish Kabob, Chicken Shish Kabob, and one skewer of Beef Koobideh, served with white rice, garden salad, and a grilled tomato.

Oh My! A meal fit for royalty!!!

I ordered the filet mignon shish kabab and gave Mary my salad. I also ordered a vegetable shish kabab, which I really enjoyed. When Mary spotted the filet mignon, it was all over! We took enough food home to feed us dinner tomorrow!

We really enjoy each other’s company, with teasing being a major part of the fun!

The Persian dish with yellow rice and sour cherries is called Albaloo Polo. This traditional dish is a fragrant mixture of steamed basmati rice, pitted sour cherries, and saffron, often topped with toasted almonds or pistachios.

Yummy!!!

Bob drove us home, and as soon as we walked in, the Batphone rang.
It was Kayla and Nick calling from Texas — exactly as planned, because apparently we now schedule our gossip drops like covert operations.

We all talked for 45 minutes, catching up on every breaking development, shocking update, and “you didn’t hear this from me” headline.

Fox News wishes it had our sources.

After working all day, Mary and I decided it was time for bed… but first, we somehow ended up spending 45 minutes in the new “Library” watching Lost in Space.

I brought in throw blankets from the living room, we set the TV timer, and fully committed to “just one episode.”

When the TV shut off, we made it from the chairs to bed in 14 seconds flat.

NASA called, apparently, that’s the fastest re-entry from “Lost in Space” ever recorded.

Good night, y’all!

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Yeah Yeah, It’s The “First Saturday In May”!

Posted on Saturday, May 2, 2026 by Paul

What is the significance of the first Saturday in May, you ask? It’s Worldwide Naked Gardening Day, yes, it is a real thing!!

World Naked Gardening Day (WNGD) is an annual, international event held on the first Saturday of May that encourages people to garden in their “birthday suit”. Mary’s and my birthday suits have collected 155 candles between us. It promotes body positivity, self-acceptance, and a deeper, more natural connection to the environment, allowing gardeners to experience the sun and soil directly.

NOTE: That’s exactly what I am going to tell the cops should they show up!

We had to wait until the outside temperature got into the 70s before joining the fun!

Finally, we managed to sneak outside and snap a few photos! I went first, just in case the veggies were so startled they’d drop their fruit out of pure panic.

I did mention to Mary, DO NOT HARVEST ANYTHING BUT GREEN CUCUMBERS!

This activity reminds me of the 1960s, when I was a Flower Child! Mary mentioned that we DO NOT NEED TO BUY A SCARCROW now. It was an interesting observation!

Thinking to myself: “Life’s too short for tight clothes.”

The flowers were magnificent! I strutted my stuff, dropping a few petals along the way.

Some people are rooted in tradition. I’m rooted in absurdity.

Short, I hope there are no bees inside!

Then Mary, today’s photographer, came out into the vegetable garden looking for some tall tomatoes. Our approach to gardening is rather minimal, in every sense.

I buzzed right over!

Using the telephoto lenses has its advantages.

I explained the proper use of grape leaves, and Mary acted like the mystery of the century had been solved. Note to self: plant grapes later in the year so the leaves will be smaller!

Out came the camera, and I found a grape leaf, which seemed to do the trick.

Speaking about “tricks,” I posed for another picture, which amazed Mary because she couldn’t figure out what was holding the hat up, since it obviously wasn’t my arms.

How is this accomplished? Ask me when you see me!

On the way inside, Mary stopped to pick some flowers for the kitchen.

We had to cease the exploits because our window washer, John Maldonado, was coming to clean all the windows, which were needed after the painting activities. John has been doing our windows for over 20 years, and he is OUTSTANDING. We didn’t want him falling off the roof after spotting the animals in their wild habitat.

The windows around the house are now spotless!

After the window washer departed, Robin popped over for a visit. Robin stayed while the Spectrum technician was troubleshooting the network. He replaced the modem, and after some rebooting, we are now back to 400 Mbps download speed instead of 2.5 Mbps.

Robin and Bob are joining us tomorrow for an early dinner at Darya in Orange. We enjoy this restaurant especially early in the afternoon, when it is quiet, and we have time to dine, enjoy a glass of wine, and tell stories about things that never happened!

Filet Mignon Shish Kabob

We got ready and again headed to The Hyatt Regency Hotel in Newport Beach for the awards dinner with the Packards Club of SoCal.

Dianne and Fast Eddie joined us for another rollicking evening of fun!

Dianne saved us a place at her table along with Fast Eddie and several folks we have grown to know over the years!

It was a fun evening, and my favorite Packard model won several prizes.

That vehicle is on my bucket list, so do NOT be surprised if I roll up into your driveway driving one of their amazing cars.
A 1955 Packard Caribbean convertible is a rare collector car so that prices can vary widely based on condition, originality, and documentation.

Rough price range

• Project / rough driver: about $40,000–$80,000
• Good driver / presentable: about $90,000–$150,000
• Excellent / fully restored: about $150,000–$250,000+

What affects the price most

• Originality: original engine, trim, and interior can add value
• Rust and body condition: These cars are expensive to restore
• Quality of restoration: concours-level work can push prices up a lot
• Rarity and provenance: history, ownership records, awards, or famous previous owners
• Mechanical condition: drivability matters, especially for a car this old

Important note

A 1955 Caribbean is not a cheap restoration candidate. Even a “bargain” car can need six figures in parts and labor to bring it to top condition.