Off To Aunt Oppie’s!

Posted on Monday, December 8, 2025 by Paul

Why was the snowman looking through the carrots? He was picking his nose.

Christmas Day

 

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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 and I would hop in that old jalopy and head for the valley via “Cold Water Canyon”.

The canyon itself, in present-day Beverly Hills, adopted the Coldwater name by 1877, presumably owing to an old stream.

Our ride, you asked?  The 1955 Chevy Step Van (part of the Task Force series) was a rugged delivery vehicle, built on a durable forward-control chassis by Chevy and bodied by outside firms, notable for using robust 235 six-cylinder engines or early small-block V8s, offering simple, functional design, and serving as a workhorse for businesses, with unique body panels and a rugged build making it a sought-after classic today for hot-rodding.

It was a “one seater!

The engine compartment was inside the cab, and it offered a 30″ by 30″ hatch to gain access to the engine.  Dad would plop me on the hatch (covered with a small rug so it did not get too hot).  Off we would go!

Dad was an excellent driver, but in those days, Cold Water Canyon was full of hairpin turns, steep inclines, and trees to avoid.  Once we got to the top, we could see the entire valley below.  That’s where the fun began.  The truck was generally overloaded, so Dad had to really manage the braking.  I can still hear him saying, “Hold On!!!” as he zig-zags down the steep decline.

Finally, we would make it to “flat land,” and a few miles further, we would be at the Panorama City store, and unload goodies directly into the store.

After unloading, we departed for home via Cold Water Canyon.  The truck was empty, and it flew like a bird back over the hills into Los Angeles.  We did this adventure every night during December.

In the morning, we just did some chores around the house, but at 10:00, warming bells and “get-dressed” alarm went off, meaning we were at 90 minutes from a mandatory departure from the barn.

Yes, today was the International Packard Car Club’s annual Christmas luncheon.  Mary has been a member for many years, and it is a great time to sit with some “gear-heads” and learn about vintage cars from almost 90 years ago.

We went to Gulliver’s, adjacent to the John Wayne Airport.   The Old English atmosphere and delicious food made it a perfect place for the past several years.

We almost made a long-distance call to the Finches!

The Post Office red painted telephone booths in England primarily to make them easy to spot on busy streets, a color choice consistent with the red used for post boxes by the General Post Office (GPO), which also ran the telephone system, creating a recognizable national look.  The iconic K2 design, by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, was introduced in 1926, solidifying the red color as a beloved British cultural symbol.

Entering the establishment means having to get one’s eyes adjusted to the quaintness of an English pub.   One could almost hear the darts flying across the room and onto their intended targets.

What do you get when you combine a Christmas tree with an iPad?  A pineapple.

She lights up the room!!

Of course, Mary went to the VFR to Santa and pulled out her list of “must-haves”.  Santa nearly fainted since he had no idea where to find an outdoor all-electric heated chicken coop that was Alexa compatible.

Our friend Tim plays Santa every year, and we see him every week at the Santa Ana Elks Lodge!  I did, however, hear him whisper into Mary’s ear, “Do you want a piece of candy, little girl?”

How does Christmas Day end?  With the letter Y!

I should have warned Tim, “Never argue with your doctor.  He has inside information.”

Mary found Santa!

We sat at a corner table with Dianne and Fast Eddie.  Our table was for six, so we looked around and spotted people who were alone and coerced them to sit with us; it’s always a good time to meet a new friend.

A gingerbread man went to the doctor’s complaining of a sore knee.  The doctor asked him.  “Have you tried icing it?”

I declared Victory on this December 7th!

I did well, I had a glass of wine and then went back to a Diet Coke.

Mary and I both wore our Christmas Bonnets, and we could NOT resist showing them to the “car guys”.

We headed home and took a long winter’s nap.  I think we were still recovering from the all-day Saturday adventures.

We had a small dinner in the TV room, and since it was a bit cool, I enjoyed Mary making a big plate of INdian food.  The hot curry was just what the doctor ordered.

It followed us home!

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We Are Off Like A Shot! The Day Is Full!

Posted on Saturday, December 6, 2025 by Paul

I had to work hard for my first bicycle!  I am probably ten years old, so this would be 1954, and I wanted a red two-wheeler.  Well, Dad got me a fantastic bike that I used for years and years.  But getting to it was a problem.

It’s Christmas morning, and I ran to the tree looking for my bike, but alas, no bike.  I went through this year’s activities to see where I was naughty.  Unfortunately, there were many instances of my being maughty.  I chalked up not having a bike under the tree to the long list of indescritions.

I did not cry or pout (Santa would be proud), but I did open the other presents.  But up in the tree was a simple tag without a present.  What is this, torture?   I read the tag attached to what looked like a kite string, which said “FOLLOW ME.”

This was odd, but being a well-behaved child (on Christmas morning), I followed the string.  I will never know whose idea it was, and then Mom and Dad ran the string around the hood, but I will never forget freezing my b00-tocks off following that incredible string.

I had to go through the alley, across the muddy empty lot, down the sidewalk, around May & Brownie’s home, and finally to the front door of my house (look for the red arrows).

Inside the front room, I discovered Mom and Dad had tied the other end of the string to a brand new red 26″ racing bike!  I struck paydirt!

I rode that puppy clear into Jr.  High School, when I discovered two things: 1) girls and 2) bikes were not COOL!

Now is the time to get serious about finishing the decorating.   But first, we did our morning kiss and dance!

We love mornings!

We jumped out of bed, had our morning coffee, and got the decorations to 95% complete before stopping to get ready for today!

First, we are off to South Coast Repertory for “A Christmas Story”.  This visit to South Coast Repertory will be my 30th time seeing the play, and I always look forward to finding minute differences from year to year.

Do you remember last year?  See our website.

See our pictures from 2025

We invited 15 family and friends to join us this year!!

After the play, we got VFR to the Elks Lodge for the Christmas Gala!  Do you remember last year?

This year, we saw several changes in performance.

Ronnie will be DJ’ing, so we know the business will be good for a couple of hours before he changes to “jump up and down, shake, and wiggle” dancing for the younger crowd!

Beware of the DJ!!!

What do you call an old snowman? Water.

We could not pass up three lobby Christmas tree!

All smiles.

What do you call Santa when he takes a break? Santa Pause.

We missed Mike and Bridgette.

We headed home around 9:00 pm, and after a long move all day, we crashed!

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Today Decorating Goes Into High Gear!

Posted on Friday, December 5, 2025 by Paul

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

It is now 1954 on Christmas Eve, and our family is doing the traditional Christmas Eve activity.  First, some background is required.

Mom and Dad were married twenty years before I came along, and during these twenty years, Dad was known for his poker playing and drinking. So I pop up on the scene, and Mom lays down the law! “Paul (Senior), no more gambling or drinking or else!”

Dad is pretty smart; he took option number one…with a small caveat! Once a year, he could “gamble” (if you call playing poker with the neighbors gambling and once a year, he could have a drink!”

Now that the background has been explained, I’m going to the work Christmas Party on Christmas Eve. We would jump in the old ’53 Pontiac and drive the three miles to Dad’s boss’s home in the Cheviot Hills.  Ralph was Jewish, but he hosted the Christmas party every year.

Ralph was a generous man who gave gifts to all his store managers. I was considered a “special” store manager.

We would arrive around 5:00 pm and celebrate until 8:00 pm, at which time we sent home sans one person; Dad stayed and really celebrated. Dad would stay behind and drink his beloved “High Ball”.  A highball is a cocktail made with a spirit and a larger proportion of a carbonated mixer, served over ice in a tall glass.

The drink is simple, consisting of a base liquor like whiskey, gin, or vodka, mixed with a bubbly non-alcoholic beverage such as soda water, tonic, or ginger ale.  The drink was typically served over ice in a tall, straight-sided glass, known specifically as a highball glass.

Dad, like me, enjoys a Bourbon and Seven!

Mom and I would go home, and a few hours later, the phone would ring. It was someone from the party asking if Mom wanted to pick up Dad or if someone should deliver him home.

Dad was a happy drinker; the more he had, the funnier he got.  He would NEVER think of driving in that condition, so Mom knew he was safe.

Several times, Mom would admonish me to stay away from the presents under the tree while she went to get Dad.  She would be gone about twenty minutes, and during that time I shook, rattled, and rolled every present with my name on it…that was quite a task!  OK, I was an only child and spoiled!

The next day, Dad would wake up happy as a clam with zero handover effects. We would celebrate Christmas morning before going off to have Christmas dinner at Aunt Opie’s.

Oh, yes, gambling?  Dad would go down the street to Knute and Hazel’s house on July 4th and play some serious poker.   Penny-Ante poker was his game.  “Penny ante” means minimal stakes or something trivial/petty, derived from putting just one cent (a penny) into the pot before dealing.

We got up at 6:30 am so we could visit with Robin before she flew the coop and headed out to do her weekend chores. We had coffee and discussed the plans for the day.   We also planned out my birthday dinner on the 13th (just three days early).  Robin departed at 8:00 am for a doctor’s appointment.

My wife is on a new diet.  Coconuts and bananas. She hasn’t lost weight, but can she climb a tree?

We were in the TV room when all of a sudden:

Mama was in her kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.
The Hallmark channel was going strong
We awaited the meeting, fight, and falling in love.

When out on the doorstep, there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the lounge chair to see what was the matter.
Away to the front room window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a delivery truck, and 300 tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Amazon!

It was Santa at the front door, disguised as the Amazon delivery man, and his reindeer looked just like a panel truck!?

Early presents for a good little girl???

We worked on the house decorations until noon, then headed to the gym for our bi-weekly beating!   After the gym, we attacked Ralph’s Market, stocking up on Christmas Eve and Christmas supplies.  We never drink hard liquor at home, but when we poured our eggnog, we wanted to “fix it”.  Search high and low, we had no Scotch, Bourbon, or Whiskey in the entire house.  This problem was remedied!

What do you call a kid who doesn’t believe in Santa? A rebel without a Claus.

To save on gas money, we went to the cleaners to drop off my Tommy Bahama Christmas shirts.  After Monday, I will have a stack of Christmas shirts to wear.

As soon as we returned home, we hit the remaining Christmas boxes with a vengeance, and we are now about 80% done.  Mary did a terrific job setting up “Santa’s Village” and arranging the nativity scene.  Tomorrow morning, we will complete the last 20% before our all-day events begin.

We called Colleen, and it was +14 degrees in New Hampshire!

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Busy Busy Busy; I Needs To Retire!!

Posted on Thursday, December 4, 2025 by Paul

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

For the rest of the year, I plan to revisit old Christmas memories (The Ghost of Christmas Past?)  Please laugh and giggle along with me as I navigate my misadventures on the way to adulthood (some people are not sure I have made it yet!).

Christmas Memories:  So it is now 1954, and Dad takes me with him to visit the wholesale toy warehouses from which he bought.  I was (generally) well-behaved, and after walking around the display room, the salesman said, “Go pick out anything you see that you like!”  Wow, in a toy warehouse.  I looked at Dad and said, “Did he say ANYTHING?”  Dad said.  “Yes, he did!”

So I walked around this 30-foot-long table loaded with toys, studying each one very carefully.   Dad said to me, “Hurry up, son, we have other places to visit today!”

OK, I made my decision!  I bent over and pointed to a massive coil of rope under the display table (used by the trucks to tie down their cargo)!

Dad could not believe I chose a rope over a new Red Ryder Wagon, a Davey Crockett Coonskin Cap, a Chemistry set, and other goodies.

NO!  Not Me!  I wanted the rope!  Dad tried his best to talk me out of my selection, but to no avail.  The rope came home with us, and I played with that rope until there was nothing left.  I made elevators that took me to the top of our trees, I made Tarzan swinging vines over LaBalona Creek, I created the world’s first “zip-line” over Comey Avenue, and a thousand other things only the mind of a child could think up!

Dad told that story over and over for years!

SO, THE MORAL TO THE STORY:  If you want to give me a Christmas present, pick up a coil of rope and I will be as happy as a clam!

OK, it is 7:30 am, and we are up and running!  We had our cup of coffee and planned the day, which I thought would be relaxing.  Nope, it’s a typical day for us; running from here to there!

First was the CPAP Technician, who was dropping by for the second time to explain why the CPAP system wasn’t working.  When I entered the hospital, Mary brought my trusty CPAP machine, but the doctors wanted me to have oxygen at the same time.  The respiratory technician at the hospital did something, because since then the machine works fine for 10 minutes, then turns on the afterburners!  It blows so hard my ears pop, and my toupee lifts about 2″ off the top of my head.

It all started several years ago!

After the visit, we headed off for Girls Night Out at the Elks, where we bought tickets for the New Year’s Gala.  We purchased nine tickets for us, the Dudas, the Adams, the Kuhns, and Gail.  We set up for a table of 16; the others will call in their orders.

Just us showing off our musical hats.

We had a super meeting of the minds, even though we had to depart a little early for the doctor’s appointment.  We got New Year’s Eve figured out.

The gang was all here.

The Elks watched over the entrance way.

The Lorateddge was deco.

The staff loved our musical hats and wanted to capture the moment.

The Lodge had a large tree.

From there to the doctor’s office to have him check up on my ablation surgery results.  Duh, if I walked in on my own power, that should be good enough.  We got good news, the old ticker had zero afib, so I am officially off the medication.  In two weeks, we will return to the office and see Dr. Cobb to verify the afib is gon!

I should have worn my hearing aids!

We headed home to decorate the house, and Mary had some last-minute work to do with Robin’s birthday present.

Work work work!

Robin was due in at 4:30 pm, and we decided to go to Yang Ming’s Chinese Restaurant since the food is excellent, the service is superior, and it is only a mile from the house.

We had a wonderful dinner and went home to watch a Christmas movie entitled “Capnip Cafe”.  Going inside, I snapped a quick shot of Jeff’s house to send to him.  Our handyman put up his lights and turned them on at the right time.

Ladies In Waiting?

We crashed around 10:00 pm.

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We Are Having A Mid-Week Crisis!

Posted on Wednesday, December 3, 2025 by Paul

Nope; NOT DONE YET!!!

I envisioned the house decorated for the cleaning folks, but alas, many boxes remain, scattered throughout the home.  Domilita and her staff will be here at noon, and hopefully they can find the floor.

To add to the confusion, Mary has a doctor’s appointment at 10:00 in Irvine, meaning we have to depart around 9:00 am because traffic is unknown.

Did You Know?  Early ornaments were often edible, like apples and nuts, while candles were used for light before Thomas Edison’s assistant, Edward Johnson, developed electric lights in 1882.  Other trivia includes the tradition of the Rockefeller Center tree beginning in 1933, the first artificial trees being made of goose feathers, and the fact that a 7-foot tree needs about 80-170 baubles, depending on desired fullness.

On the way back home, we stopped at Benji’s and had brunch.  While driving home, I had a great thought!

Our cleaning staff was almost done when we took off to Trader Joe’s for Egg Nog and to Staples for a software manual.

We headed in to get one thing and came out with many!

Mary made a great dinner from Thanksgiving leftovers, and we then decided NOT to decorate tonight; tomorrow we will start on the decorations as soon as we get up.

We watched two adventure movies instead.  Charles Bronson was excellent in Mr. Majestyk.  Summary: Vince Majestyk (Charles Bronson) is a Vietnam War veteran trying to keep his watermelon farm afloat when he is approached by a crook (Paul Koslo) who tries to force him into employing an inept band of farmhands.  This incident lands Vince in jail for assault. There, he encounters mobster Frank Renda (Al Lettieri) and instantly makes an enemy when he tries to obstruct the mobster’s escape plans.  Vince must stand up for his farm and his workers in the face of Frank’s efforts to eliminate him.

When the movie was over, so were we!  We skipped down the hallway singing Christmas carols.

We always kiss goodnight, but Mary’s beard tickles.

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Decorating Gets Underway, One Day Late!

Posted on Tuesday, December 2, 2025 by Paul

Mary woke up ready to decorate! hic!

We were up and moving at 7:00 am; Mary fixed coffee to get our hearts started, we worked in the office paying bills and taking pills, and then got dressed for the big move!  Seventeen trips back and forth from the garage to the staging area (commonly known as the Family Room).

Before we started, we looked at last year’s photos to decide if we were up to the chore; we are!

Naughty or Nice? I’m aiming for ‘I tried’.

Oh my, we have our work cut out for us!

“Transportation” means Paul and his handy-dandy two-wheeled hand truck! Below is the result of eight trips from the garage to the family room, where serious unpacking and placement begin. We began on Tuesday, the 2nd, with unpacking the major boxes but between Mary’s watercolor class and medical appointments, we got only about 20% of the unpacking accomplished.

After unpacking these, come another ten containers of goodies.

After working so hard, we are officially accepting Christmas cookie donations.

We did NOT get back home until after dark and decided to watch a movie instead of unpacking.  But first, the artwork had to be inspected!

Mary’s latest watercolor was NOT COMPLETED in the class, so she has some additional work to do, but this will give you an idea of the final result.

Mary plans to make the road/river distinguishable.  I need to get her a #1 brush for her detailed work.

Using the magic framer, I made some minor adjustments.

Mary did pay me a compliment on my decorating efforts!

Hey, I tried!!

We rewatched three episodes of “Hart of Dixie” before switching to an Arnold Schwarzenegger.  The movie was made 39 years ago, so he was pretty young.

Summary: When efforts to prosecute mob boss Luigi Patrovita (Sam Wanamaker) are repeatedly derailed thanks to a mole in the FBI, the only choice is to bring in an outsider — specifically, Mark Kaminsky (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a disgraced agent who leaps at a chance for reinstatement. After FBI chief Shannon (Darren McGavin) gives him his orders, Kaminsky fakes his death and reemerges as an ex-con named Brenner. Undercover and accountable to no one, the former Fed tears up the mob from the inside.

The bad guys lose!

We headed to bed around 10:00 pm, just after I took a shower necessary because of my employment in the “Transportation Department”.

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I Was A Cut Up Two Months Ago

Posted on Monday, December 1, 2025 by Paul

Two months ago, Mary hauled me into the ER.  They examined me and decided I needed to get my blood thickened before an operation would be considered, so with two pounds of sawdust and a bag of cotton ingested, I was ready for the horizontal.

On October seventh, the doctor removed 24″ of small intestines and put me on a path to get to my desired 185 pounds, yeah!!  Not the best way to lose 25 pounds of ugly fat, but at least I didn’t have to exercise.

Today was Monday, which meant it was time to get exercised, poked, prodded, and otherwise made fun of.  Yes, it was the gym.  I worked hard and even got a compliment from my trainer!  She said, “Thanks for not making me blow my soft drink through my nose when I saw you on the leg stretcher machine!”

After the gym workout, we went home, and Mary fixed a delightful breakfast.  A few minutes later, we were off again.  Mary had an appointment with the massage therapist.  I waited in the car for about two hours and got many pages of Clive Cussler’s latest book.

Arriving home, we both emptied the garage refrigerator so it could thaw.  The bottom of the fridge wasn’t cooling, so after some research, I decided to turn the unit off for a couple of days to see if the fans/evaporator were blocked by ice.

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Christmas Season Starts Today!

Posted on Sunday, November 30, 2025 by Paul

We must behave.  Santa is watching

We always begin Christmas with a trip to the Curtiss Theater in Brea to hear the Alley Cats in concert!  Our group laughs and giggles, then heads to a local restaurant.

Visit our website for details. 

We both have our musical hats on, and at he touch of a button we can sound like a chorus.

We arrived in full costume.

Vicky and Jim were already there, camera in hand.

Vicky arranged for everything.

The Alley Cats sounded great!  DooWop (or acapella) is a unique singing style that will live forever,

After the intermission, we went back in time to the 1970s.

The boys dressed up in 1970s costumes.

The boys came out to get audience members to join them on stage!  Bon and Donna were selected.

Bob gives the boys some dance hints!!

After the show, the boys came to greet their followers.  Mary finally met Mondo, one of the founders.  I talked to Mondo for a few minutes, reminding him that I have been following him since 1987.

Mary meets Mondo, the founder of the Alley Cats.

Time to dine at Cedar Creek Inn.   We had a great meal with friends and family!

The gang is all here…

Enjoying life…

May and Donna made their wine selections.

The wine selection was great!

After the show and dinner, we were ready to crash.

We were both tired, so we crashed.

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Happy Birthday James!

Posted on Saturday, November 29, 2025 by Paul

James turned 85, and he invited us to his birthday party at Old Ranch for dinner with family and friends.

With a few open hours, we packed away Thanksgiving, relabeled the boxes correctly, and stored them in the garage until we either see Joe or our gardener, who will put them back up in the attic for another year.

We stopped short of bringing in Christmas, that can wait a day!

We got ready to depart for Seal Beach with an ETA of 5:00 pm; we were right on time!

James made a little speech and then pointed me out, laughing at how he could not keep up with my busy “social calendar”.

I told the story of the time James got 85 after nineteen holes, and we were sitting by the fire.  When Robert came out with the drinks, we pointed to James and said, “85 today”.  Poor old Robert began singing Happy Birthday…. this was fifteen years ago!

Introduction of the family!

We had great seats!

I was losing steam after two hours.

James versus the candle!

James won!

I was pooping out around 8:00 pm so we departed early; our friends understood.  Mary napped om the way home but after three Arnold Palmers, I was awake and ready to take on the world.

An Arnold Palmer drink is a nonalcoholic mix of iced tea and lemonade, named after the legendary golfer. The drink originated when Palmer’s wife, Winnie, made it for him, and a woman at a golf course overheard him ordering it and asked for “an Arnold Palmer drink” for herself. The original proportions were about two-thirds iced tea to one-third lemonade, though variations exist

The parking lot had an eerie look as the ground fog had formed, and with the driving range lighting made for a Halloweenish look!

Ground fog is a type of fog, also known as radiation fog, that forms close to the ground. It is a result of the ground cooling significantly overnight, causing the air immediately above it to cool to its dew point and condense into tiny water droplets. This type of fog typically forms on clear, calm nights, particularly during the fall and winter

The ground fog was thick on our way to the car.

We made it back home in about 17 minutes since there was little traffic.  We were too tired to watch TV, so we talked a while and then hit the sack; I needed my beauty sleep!  Mary met a bunch of people I had known via years of playing gold with James, and like a trooper, she introduced herself and ended up having conversations with almost everyone.   Mary is an amazing person, and I am proud to be with her!

I made a decision; I am NOT the arm candy, she is!

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