Author Archives: Paul

About Paul

Just an old retired guy trying to finish out my last years on this planet. I lost my best friend and wife in early 2020. I was blessed again by reconnecting with Dr. Mary Côté, a long-time friend. Mary and I got married July 28th, 2021, and are enjoying life together and plan to spend the rest of our lives being a blessing to our friends and family.

Happy Birthday Paul, 81 Today!

Posted on Tuesday, December 16, 2025 by Paul

As I grew older and was given more responsibilities, I learned to love the incinerator, especially at Christmas.  Feeding this beast with Christmas boxes and wrapping paper was fun, but the real thrill was cutting off branches from a “dead” … Continue reading →

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Hang It High!

Posted on Monday, December 15, 2025 by Paul

In about 1989, I lived in a home in Los Alamitos that had a vaulted ceiling, perfect for a tall Christmas tree!  So we selected a twelve-foot tree and brought it home.  I laid it in the driveway and hosed … Continue reading →

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A Day Of Almost Rest!

Posted on Sunday, December 14, 2025 by Paul

Contrary to popular opinion, I was NOT the only one to receive Christmas presents.  Dad listened to Mom most of the time, and on Christmas morning, Mom got up to find a LARGE package in the living room addressed to … Continue reading →

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Wake Up, It Is Later Than You Think!

Posted on Saturday, December 13, 2025 by Paul

This memory may not be easy to explain, but here goes.  Rose Bauer lived across the street with her husband, George.  George fixed TVs in his shop and also had a shop at home; I learned a lot about electronics … Continue reading →

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I Know You!

Posted on Friday, December 12, 2025 by Paul

For many years, as a child, I remember that on Christmas Eve, around 8:00 pm, the phone would ring.  Mom always answered the phone and announced that Santa had been spotted by one of the neighbors on our street.  A … Continue reading →

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Call The Fire Department!

Posted on Thursday, December 11, 2025 by Paul

Christmas Memories: Dad was the General Manager of a 13-store dime-store chain called “Ralph’s  5, 10, and 25 Cent Stores”.  Dad and the boss, Ralph David Lebowitz, shared the chain’s buying responsibilities.   They went to wholesalers’ warehouses to make their … Continue reading →

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Ugly With a Capital UGH

Posted on Wednesday, December 10, 2025 by Paul

Christmas Memories: Mom was always artistic and perhaps what todaywe would call “avant-garde”.  It is Christmas time in 1956, and I am ready to come home from school, wait for Dad to get home, and then go out and pick … Continue reading →

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A Long Standing Tradition

Posted on Tuesday, December 9, 2025 by Paul

When I met Sue, I was alone, living in an apartment, and it was fall with Christmas on the way.  I was lonely, and Sue asked me to join her and her mother at Disneyland for Christmas Eve. I accepted, … Continue reading →

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Working At The Dime Store!

Posted on Monday, December 8, 2025 by Paul

Why was the snowman looking through the carrots?  He was picking his nose. The old stores had wooden counters, and the goods were laid on the table, separated by glass, which was in turn held by clips.  Every “bin” had … Continue reading →

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Packard Anyone??

Posted on Sunday, December 7, 2025 by Paul

The Christmas season in the dime store business was always hectic.  I remember many times Dad would come home from work in the “Step Van” that was fully loaded with goods to be delivered to his Van Nuys store!  Dad … Continue reading →

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