Out And About!

Posted on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 by Paul

Today was again fairly busy!   Before getting ready to go, Mary finished off her latest puzzle!

Only a few more to go!

Of course it would be doggies!!

We were off and running at 10:00 am, and we picked up Dianne for her post-op checkup at UCI in Irvine.  On the way, we stopped at a private house where the ladies deposited their favorite dolls to get “restrung”

To restring a baby doll means replacing or repairing the elastic cords inside the doll that hold its body parts together.

Many older dolls, especially collectible composition, hard plastic, or bisque dolls, have:

A head
Two arms
Two legs

These parts are connected to the torso with strong elastic cord.  Over time, the elastic stretches, dries out, or breaks, causing the doll’s limbs to become loose or fall off.

When someone restrings a doll, they:

Remove the old elastic.
Thread new elastic cord through the head, arms, legs, and torso.
Pull the elastic to the proper tension.
Tie it securely so the doll can sit, stand, and pose correctly again.

Think of it as giving the doll a new “skeleton” made of elastic.  Once restrung, the doll’s limbs stay firmly attached and move properly rather than dangle loosely.

Collectors often restring antique dolls because it:

Restores the doll’s original poseability.
Prevents limbs from falling off.
Increases the doll’s display quality and, in many cases, its value.

We had some time, so we went to The Pancake House and introduced her to the five-pound omelet!  None of us could finish our meal, so we boxed up the remains and headed home to put them away.  For Dianne, we packed hers in one of our waterproof bags and filled it with solid chunks of “ice” to keep it cool while we continued today’s adventure.

We were dressed in our chauffeur’s uniforms!

The limo ride was about 25 minutes from breakfast, and I turned on the meter and let it run!

Dianne had a 1:30 pm appointment for the checkup,p and she was right on time.  The doctor was impressed that Dianne brought her own private eye surgeon along!

After the exam, which she passed with flying colors, we took Dianne home, and we, in turn, went home.

As we drove up, we realized Domi and crew were already inside working away, so we went in, said hello, and had dinner at Rogrigo’s Mexican Restaurant!

We thought we would stop only at the bar, but… we saw friends already dining, so we went to the dining room.

Mary did a quick change into her Mexican dinner outfit.

Who is this strange lady?

Larry and Sandy Collier, old friends and members of Starlighters, were at an adjacent table, so we had a long conversation with them

Larry, as it turns out, is also a quick-change artist!

After three jokes, I needed a drink!

  • Why did the taco go to therapy?
    Because it was falling apart.
  • What do you call cheese that isn’t yours?
    Nacho cheese.
  • Why don’t burritos ever get cold?
    Because they’re always wrapped up.

The four of us had a party!

I would NOT be left out of the quick change activity!

Yes, my friends, I downed the famous house drink called “Adios Muchachos”, a 48-ounce margarita!

Before we departed, Sandy and Mary talked about the upcoming dance.

Long-time friends!

When we got home, it was starting to get dark, so we jumped in the pool and floated around for an hour before going to the TV room.  We watched the third remake of “Inherit the Wind,” which starred Jack Lemmon, George C. Scott, and Beau Bridges.

Inherit the Wind is based on the famous 1925 Scopes “Monkey” Trial in Dayton, Tennessee, where a high school teacher was prosecuted for teaching Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution.  However, it is a dramatized adaptation that alters names and fictionalizes details to make a broader point about freedom of speech.

We began another film called Phenomenon (1996), a romantic fantasy drama.  The Sandman interrupted us about halfway through.  It was about George Malley (played by John Travolta), an ordinary auto mechanic.  On his 37th birthday, he sees a mysterious bright light in the sky and collapses.  Afterward, he suddenly develops extraordinary intelligence, learns at an incredible rate, and even gains telekinetic abilities.

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Tuesday Was A Relaxing Day

Posted on Tuesday, July 14, 2026 by Paul

My Tu-Tu is large; I call it a Three-Three

In the morning, we just did chores around the house, and most of them were inside since it was 90 degrees outside.  Summer has finally arrived!

We got ready to go to Harry Potter at the Segerstrom Theater and departed at 4:30 pm for a 5:00 dinner reservation at the Silver Trumpet.  Dinner was outstanding, and AJ joined us this time (AJ sits next to us at the theater).

We met up with Robin and Bob at the Silver Trumpet.

We changed into our “go-to-the-theater costumes” before heading for the play!

One tap of the wand and the wine glass refills itself!

After dinner, it was a short broom ride to the theater (maybe 2000 feet).  After a rough landing, we went inside and enjoyed THREE HOURS of magic with song and dance, including dancing ghosts!

Summary:  When Harry Potter’s headstrong son Albus befriends the son of his fiercest rival, Draco Malfoy, it sparks an unbelievable new journey for them all—with the power to change the past and future forever.  Prepare for a mind-blowing race through time, spectacular spells, and an epic battle, all brought to life with the most astonishing theatrical magic ever seen on stage.

Beware, we have our magic wands, and they are loaded!!

By the time we got home, it was 11:20 pm, and we went VFR to the bedroom and crashed!!

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Calling Doctor Mary! Calling Doctor Mary!

Posted on Monday, July 13, 2026 by Paul

Today we are on a mission.  Dianne, Mary’s sister by another mother, went in for eye surgery, and we took her.   The surgery took place at the UCI medical facility on the UC Irvine campus.  We picked up Dianne at 8:30 am and arrived about 30 minutes later.  The ladies wanted to be a little early, so we arrived two hours ahead of schedule.

I used the extra time to read a software instruction manual that I should have read three years ago.  The manual was so large that I had it printed in two sections, every 170 pages!

Dianne was called into the surgery area at 11:30 am and was out for about 45 minutes.  She was getting cataract surgery.

Cataract surgery is a common procedure to remove a cloudy natural lens from the eye and replace it with a clear artificial lens called an intraocular lens, or IOL.

In summary:

  • Preparation: The eye is numbed with drops or local anesthesia, and the patient is usually awake but relaxed.
  • Small incision: The surgeon makes a tiny cut in the eye.
  • Lens removal: The cloudy cataract lens is broken up, often using ultrasound, and gently removed.
  • Lens implant: A clear artificial lens is inserted to restore vision.
  • Recovery: The incision often heals on its own without stitches.  Patients use eye drops and avoid rubbing the eye or heavy activity for a short time.

The surgery usually takes about 10–30 minutes, is often done as an outpatient procedure, and most people notice improved vision within a few days, though full healing can take several weeks.

Mary went into the pre-op area with Dianne, and the doctor turned out to be one of Mary’s students from when Mary was teaching eye surgery at UCI.

She was well taken care of!!

Dianne was ready to go to lunch, so we went VFR to Benjie’s, where the girls had Jewish penicillin (chicken soup) while I indulged in a pastrami burger.

While we were dining, we received a note from Vicky, who said she was at her motorcycle club meeting and forwarded her picture.

Lookout, Hell’s Angels, here comes Vicky!

We dropped off Dianne at her home and then went to our home to rest up but after a while, Mary called Dianne and informed her we were returning with dinner.  Mary brought her spaghetti squash dish, and on the way to Dianne’s, we stopped to get garlic bread and some other necessities of life.

The three of us had a super meal and continued visiting until about 7:00 pm when we returned home.  We watched the new Karate Kid and finally hit the sack at 11:00 pm.

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Another FULL Day Of Activities!

Posted on Sunday, July 12, 2026 by Paul

Today was like any other day, except we were on the go from the time we woke up until midnight.

Robin and Bob gave me their planned Father’s Day gift, which was NOT available until this week.  A Disneyland Rose is a colorful floribunda rose variety named in honor of Disneyland.

It’s known for its bright, changing colors—usually a blend of orange, pink, apricot, and coral, often with yellow tones.  The flowers grow in clusters and have a mild to moderate fragrance.

Key traits:

• Type: Floribunda rose
• Colors: Orange, pink, apricot, coral, yellow blends
• Blooming: Repeat bloomer through the growing season
• Size: Usually about 3–4 feet tall
• Use: Garden beds, borders, containers, and landscape planting
• Named for: Disneyland Resort

It’s popular because it has a cheerful, “sunset-like” look that fits the Disney theme well.

The rose comes with one stipulation: you must purchase it well ahead of time, AND you must pick it up at Roger’s Gardens in Corona del Mar, a twenty-minute ride from our home straight down the 55/73 freeway.

That means we’re dining at The Farmhouse, so we made reservations about two months ago.  The kids came by our house at 10:30 am, met the new addition, and then we were off.

We had a five-minute wait!

While we were waiting, the kids had a little drinkie-poo before being seated at the table, and here is the result!

Kids will be kids!

We had the perfect table overlooking the surrounding gardens — very elegant, very scenic, very “please don’t let me spill anything.”

Dinner was an eclectic culinary adventure: Bob bravely tackled the pizza, I made the bold and completely dinner-appropriate decision to order French Toast, Robin went healthy with a salad and their special white bean soup, and Mary went mysterious with the special of the day — because apparently she enjoys living on the edge.

Perfect spot to begin a perfect day!

Each of the centerpieces on every table came right from the garden, and today they featured the hummingbird favorites.  We could not guess what they were, but they were fragrant and pretty.

The display did make a lot of noise; we must tell Charlotte about this event at Roger’s.

When I ordered French Toast, I pictured the usual: two humble slices of bread taking a quick egg bath and hitting the frying pan.

Little did I know I was about to receive French Toast: The Broadway Musical.

Out came four stacked cinnamon rolls, absolutely drenched in a rich, sweet sauce, dressed up with peaches, strawberries, and sliced almonds like they were headed to a gala.  Then, as if that wasn’t dramatic enough, freshly made whipped cream was placed on top like the crown jewel.

Wow.  This wasn’t breakfast — it was dessert wearing a breakfast disguise.

Mary shared her selection with me, and I begrudgingly shared my French Toast with her.

Tummies full, we walked the gardens before picking up the rose.  Both Robin and Mary stuffed our cart with “must-haves”.  We spotted several butterflies as we traversed the garden.

Here are some fun monarch butterfly trivia facts:

• Monarchs migrate thousands of miles — some travel up to 3,000 miles from Canada and the U.S. to central Mexico.

• They use the Sun as a compass and can adjust for time of day using an internal biological clock.

• Only one generation makes the full migration south in fall; their descendants make the return trip north in stages.

• Monarch caterpillars eat only milkweed, which makes them toxic to many predators.

• Their bright orange-and-black wings are a warning sign that they taste bad or may be poisonous.

• A monarch’s wings flap about 5 to 12 times per second.

• Most adult monarchs live only 2 to 6 weeks, but the migratory generation can live up to 8 months.

• Monarchs cluster together in huge groups on trees in Mexico to stay warm during winter.

• They can fly as high as 10,000 feet in the air.

• The scientific name for the monarch butterfly is Danaus plexippus.

The gardens are loaded with bright colors, making for a delightful stroll.

Can you imagine seeing one of these pass by your window on your next airplane flight?

Bright reds were everywhere.

A painter’s palette!

On the other end of the spectrum, the blues are amazing.  The hydrangeas were putting on a show.  Most hydrangeas prefer morning Sun and afternoon shade.

Bob wanted one but needs to study his yard for this plant.

Finally, we get to the reason for our visit: the Disneyland Rose.  The kids got three, one for me, one for Bob’s Mom, and one for themselves.

It looked happy, just like Disneyland.

We headed for home and rolled in around 3:00 pm—just enough time to squeeze in a one-hour “power nap,” also known at our age as a critical system reboot before the next mission.

And what was this next activity, you might ask?  Were we training for a marathon?  Taking up skydiving?  Joining a secret society?

Nope.  Even better.

Dinner, followed by a trip to the Pacific Amphitheater—capacity 8,500 people—to see the one and only Willie Nelson. Willie, here we come! Please start on time; some of us already used our nap window.

We met up with Vicky and Jim at a fantastic Italian restaurant called Filomena’s, right next to the OC Fairgrounds.  The food was amazing—so good that for a brief moment, we considered skipping the concert and just asking Willie to sing to us at the table over dessert.

“OK, I am ready for this evening!”

Vicky casually mentioned that she made it from La Mirada to the OC Fair in under 15 minutes.

Naturally, I did the math — and suddenly Jim’s ghost-white face and death grip on his chair made perfect sense.

According to my calculations, Vicky — also known as Vicky Vroom, Bella Burnout, and Penny Pitstop — averaged approximately 93.23 miles per hour.

Jim then said that on the way to the restaurant, he remembered seeing many brown picket fences fly by.

That’s when I gently reminded him:

“Jim… those weren’t picket fences.  Those were telephone poles.”

And that’s when he started shaking all over again.

Oh My!!

Mary, being a bit of a leadfoot, also offered to ride shotgun with Vicky on our next adventure.  Jim and I will “follow them” in a small airplane!

Mary has her country music listening juice ready!

We got to the show at 8:15 pm.  Jim and Vicky rode with us since we knew parking would be a mess.  The Pacific Amphitheater at the OC Fair & Event Center seats about 8,500 people.

In general, the show was excellent, and it was truly special to see Willie perform at 94.  It reminded me a bit of seeing Frank Sinatra late in his career at the Santa Monica Auditorium, when he needed some help from a teleprompter and his voice wasn’t quite as strong as it once had been.

Willie seemed to get out of breath at times, and the backup singer helped support the performance, but that’s completely understandable given his age.  Honestly, I would have been just as happy to hear recordings of his songs while he shared the stories and memories behind them.  Overall, it was a meaningful experience, and he did remarkably well for being 94.

We had great seats!

On the way out after the performance, I suddenly wasn’t feeling so great.  I was hot, sweaty, a little queasy, and dizzy—which is usually my body’s way of saying, “We are no longer accepting new adventures at this time.”

I’m pretty sure I was having a reaction to all the “weed” being smoked around us.  Apparently, I can’t even attend a Willie Nelson concert without accidentally becoming part of the experience.

A medical person spotted me struggling and came over, which was both comforting and slightly embarrassing.  After a bit of fussing—and my dramatic attempt to look brave while clearly not looking brave—I agreed to a wheelchair ride to the car.

Twenty minutes in the air conditioning and I was back to normal.  So, in the end, I didn’t get high… but I did get chauffeured to the car.

We drove Vicky and Jim to their car and then headed home, arriving a little after 11:00 pm!  This was a long day.  We were still rocking out to Willie when we hit the sack!

Grace wondered where we had been; she probably smelled the weed!

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We Worked And Then We Played!

Posted on Saturday, July 11, 2026 by Paul

We made a very ambitious plan yesterday: get up, get dressed, and conquer the garden.  And somehow, against all odds, we actually followed the plan.  We marched outside like professional landscapers and came back as sweaty, dirt-covered garden warriors.  Final score: one 90-gallon trash can stuffed with trimmings, seven old tomato plants evicted, and two humans questioning every life choice that led to this level of productivity.

We ended up with a box of tomatoes, including a few LARGE green tomatoes, which we will turn into fried green tomatoes.

Tomorrow, we are going to Roger’s Gardens to get a “Disney Rose” and have lunch at the Farmhouse with Bob and Robin.  While we are there, we will get seven tomato plants to replace the ones we removed today.

We eventually went out to the patio, and Mary planted the violets Donna had given her on the 4th of July!

Here are some fun violet trivia facts:

• Violets are edible — both the flowers and leaves of many violet species can be eaten, often used in salads, teas, syrups, and candied decorations.

• They symbolize modesty and faithfulness in the language of flowers.

• Napoleon Bonaparte loved violets so much that he was nicknamed “Corporal Violet” by some supporters.

• Violets can “self-pollinate” using hidden, closed flowers called cleistogamous flowers that never fully open.

• The scent of violets seems to disappear and return because a compound called ionone temporarily numbs your smell receptors.

• Ancient Greeks associated violets with love and fertility, and they used them in perfumes and medicines.

• Violet is the state flower of several U.S. states, including Illinois, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin.

While Mary rested, I put away the folding chairs and worked on the drip lines, making sure all the plants could get their drinks!

By 3:30, we were getting ready for tonight’s forage into Elkdom!  But first, we strolled through the garden, admiring that all the dead leaves were gone, the onions and garlic had finally been planted, and the green beans were reaching for the sky!

The green beans grow a foot every day!  We will be swimming in beans in another two weeks!

Tonight’s Elks event was a welcome-new-members night and a tribute to a 51-year member of the lodge who just became a nationwide Elk officer.

That’s Paul on the left!

We finally got to the Elks around 5:45 pm, where we met up with our new German friends, Hans and Hannah!

We met them Thursday night at the Elks!

Mary and they talked German for a good hour, which they all enjoyed.

They seem like nice people, and we enjoy their friendship!

We had a lot of fun!

We met up with Bill Capps and his wife, along with Will and Iris, and Gail Petersen.  We had a table right up front and had a wonderful meal.  Mary and I ordered one steak and one chicken, then shared and compared them.

Mary and Bill greeting each other before dinner

Sandy and Bill sat next to us, and we chatted all evening long!

Good friends are a good thing!

Bill and Sandy are fun to be with!

The life of the party!

Gail joined us this evening, and we had a good time visiting with her since we haven’t talked in a month!

Gail and tonight’s entertainer could have been mistaken for a duo act; they were both in blue outfits!

We left around 9:00 pm and decided to swing by the Tartan Room for a nightcap.  One glass of wine later, we were fully nightcapped and ready to make the long three-mile expedition home.

We had planned to do a little dancing, but the place was packed tighter than a suitcase before vacation.  So instead of tearing up the dance floor, we ended up sitting in the dining room, bravely dancing only in spirit—and possibly with our eyebrows.

By the time we got home and after visiting with Grace, we crashed!

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Friday Has Arrived!

Posted on Friday, July 10, 2026 by Paul

At exactly 6:00 am, we launched ourselves out of bed with all the speed and grace of two antique refrigerators being pushed downhill.  Our knees held a committee meeting before approving the first step.  Every joint announced its presence with a pop, crack, or mysterious click that sounded suspiciously like breakfast cereal.

I declared, “I’m moving!” Mary replied, “No, dear, you’re making noise.  Moving comes later.”

The coffee maker fired up like mission control.  We stared at it with the devotion of explorers spotting fresh water.  Before the first sip, conversation was limited to grunts, eyebrow raises, and an occasional “Did you hear that?” Nobody ever knew whether we meant the house settling or one of our hips.

By 6:20, we had checked the weather, discussed seventeen doctor’s appointments that belonged to other people, and complained about youngsters sleeping until noon.

Feeling energetic, I attempted ten jumping jacks.  I completed three enthusiastic arm waves before deciding he had already “captured the spirit of exercise.”

At 7:00 am., we proudly announced we had conquered the morning.  The dishwasher was running, the coffee was gone, and absolutely nothing important had been accomplished.

It was, we agreed, another wildly successful Friday.

We waited until a decent hour, 10:00 am, to call our accountant and the insurance people.  After that, Mary made a beautiful brunch which we gobbled down in a matter of minutes.

Around 1:00 pm, we decided to go out to the patio and set up the yard decorations so they could be repainted.

Our rain gauge was almost white after five years in the Sun!

Doctor Mary used her acrylics to repaint the statues.  We have several others that also need attention!

They looked brand new after Mary’s careful painting effort.

Around 4:00 pm, we headed inside to prepare dinner.

I cooked the spaghetti squash, took the innards from one half, and put them into a bowl.

Mary decided tonight was the night she would become a culinary legend.  She brought a spaghetti squash from the HeShed, patted it like a prize melon, and announced, “Tonight, we dine fancy.”

The squash, however, had other plans.  It rolled off the counter, bounced into the floor, and came to rest under the table.   Mary rinsed it, glared at it, and asked me to microwave it anyway.

While it cooked, she warmed up her famous spaghetti sauce: tomatoes, garlic, basil, and “just a tiny pinch” of chili flakes, which somehow became half the jar.  The sauce bubbled like a volcano with attitude.

When Mary scraped the squash into noodles, she felt victorious.  She poured on the sauce and called me to dinner.   I took one bite, blinked, and whispered, “I can hear colors.”

Mary tasted it, coughed, and declared, “It’s rustic.”

Nobody knew what that meant, but we drank three glasses of milk and kept eating, because honestly, it was delicious.  By dessert, we were sweating, laughing, and calling it “Mary’s Fire Squash.”

Mary smiled proudly.  Next Friday, she planned soup. 

Chef Boy-R-Dee, eat your heart out!  In addition to the main course, Mary made a new caprese salad, provided cherries and grapes to munch on, and we polished off a glass of vino!

An amazing dinner is served!

Post dinner, we went into the hot tub and soaked for a while.  We tried calling Diane Porter since it was Sue’s birthday, but they must have been out and about.

We ended up watching Von Ryan’s Express.  Von Ryan’s Express (1965) is a classic WWII adventure film starring Frank Sinatra as U.S. Colonel Joseph L. Ryan.  Shot down in Italy, he takes command of Allied POWs.  The men hijack a German freight train and race through occupied territory to Switzerland while evading intense Nazi pursuit.

Mary loves these old WWII movies because she speaks German fluently; she gets more out of them than I do.  She does translate the critical parts.

We finally crashed at 10:30 pm.

Today was Sue’s 75th birthday and Colleen wrote a loving note on her Facebook account:

Happy Heavenly 75th Birthday to my bonus mom. ?

Not a day goes by that I don’t miss you. I never realized just how much I would depend on your wisdom, your love, and your gentle guidance. Looking back, I know I didn’t always make things easy on you as a teenager, yet you loved me anyway—with grace, patience, and an open heart.

Whenever I was in the middle of a recipe and realized I didn’t have an ingredient, you were the one I called. Somehow, you always knew exactly what I could substitute, and you patiently walked me through it. When life became overwhelming and I needed advice, encouragement, or direction, you were always there with a listening ear, a loving heart, and words of wisdom. Those conversations are treasures I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.

Even though my heart still aches from missing you, I find comfort in God’s promises. What a beautiful celebration Heaven must be having today as you celebrate your 75th birthday in the arms of Jesus.

Thank you for loving me as your own. One day, because of God’s amazing grace and His promise of eternal life, we will see each other again. Until then, I’ll cherish every memory, trust in His perfect plan, and thank Him for the incredible blessing of having you in my life.

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Time To Visit The Elks! TWICE!

Posted on Thursday, July 9, 2026 by Paul

We were up and moving at 6:00 am, which is nothing short of a miracle considering we didn’t crawl into bed until 1:00 a.m. Apparently, our bodies are still operating under the “force of habit” program, even though our brains filed a formal complaint.

We spent the morning working in the yard—putting chair covers back on, picking oranges and veggies for our Elks family, and tackling a few odds and ends.  Basically, we were tired, productive, and only mildly confused about why we were awake.

We departed for the Elks in the brand new super spiffy Silver Fox!  He was scrubbed spotless by our car cleaner, and everything was just like new, except us!

Just before we departed, a quick walk through the garden revealed that the artichokes had gone to flower.  Artichokes are not vegetables; they are the immature flower buds of a large thistle in the sunflower family.  If left unharvested, these buds open into massive, striking purple or blue blossoms that can grow up to six inches in diameter.

Before the 16th century, women in Europe were not allowed to eat artichokes because they were widely considered to have aphrodisiac properties.

We arrived at the Elks, and for some reason, it was busy.  There were seven of us today.  George was not present, so we made a call.

On the way home, the car got very quiet, so I looked over as we pulled into the garage, and there was Sleeping Beauty!  Noises were emanating from this lady that would frighten a Tyrannosaurus Rex!  The windows were rattling, and the vibrations sent my dark glasses, which I placed on the dashboard, skidding towards the windshield.

After a few pokes and prods, Mary woke up and went inside for a short nap!

While Mary was asleep, I went to visit our new family member.  Grace came to me, and we had a great conversation.  Grace was anxious to see what was behind door number one, so we plan to let her into the rest of the house on Saturday to explore.  We will make sure all the doors are closed, or we could lose her in the house.

On the prowl!

We spent the rest of the afternoon working in the office, and then we ran across a notice from the Lodge,

After knowing Ronnie was playing, we headed to the Elks again around 5:15 pm and enjoyed a lite dinner.  Mary had an artichoke, and I settled for about half a pepperoni flatbread.

Ronnie plays music especially for us.  We did waltzes, two steps, foxtrots, and good old-fashioned swing.

Someone likes artichokes!

We dined and danced until around 8:30 pm and then headed home!  The menu was quite interesting.

Yummy

We danced so much that Mary ended up with a blister on her toe and a note never to wear those red shoes again!  After getting home, we decided to stay out of the water tonight.

Since we stayed up past midnight last night, we headed to the bedroom to catch up on some well-deserved sleep!

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Time For The Mid-Week Rumble!

Posted on Wednesday, July 8, 2026 by Paul

Our little buddies Snap, Krackle, and Pop joined us this morning for our twice-a-week journey into the thrilling world of physical exercise.  Who needs a radio when your knees, hips, and back are already providing surround sound?  Mary and I make sweet sounds together!

The trainer asked, “Can you touch your toes?” I said, “I can touch them; I just need two business days.”

Mary said he crushed her workout today.  Turns out he sat on her water bottle.

We did our five-mile bike ride and then went on to the floor exercises, followed by the torture machines.  I gave that stationary bike a run for its money!!

Mary was up for the challenge!  I heard her moan and groan a few times, and of course, when I walked by her, I assisted in counting (usually by starting back at one again!).

BEFORE!

After 90 minutes of exercise, we definitely do not leave in the same condition we arrived!

One look at her and I’m thinking my best option is to toss her and her clothes straight into the washing machine, hit “heavy duty,” add extra detergent, and hope they both come out recognizable.

AFTER!

Mary’s fitness tracker said she did 5,000 steps.  Most of them were looking for where she parked the car.

I do not know how fast I was going because the needle on the speedometer flew off and hit the wayy!

After a CVS flyby, we headed home for a great lunch!  Fresh salad from the garden, weiners, and sauerkraut!

Caprese salad is a simple, fresh Italian salad featuring sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and sweet basil, seasoned with salt, pepper, and extra-virgin olive oil, often finished with a balsamic glaze drizzle.  The key is using high-quality, ripe ingredients, traditionally arranged in alternating layers of tomato and mozzarella, with fresh basil leaves tucked in between.

After that, Mary worked in the house, and I continued in the garage after making our reservations for this Christmas’s annual trip to see Scrooge!  This will be my 29th year of attending the play!

Twenty of us will continue to visit the play!

We had visitors this afternoon.  First came our car washer who did all three cars for us.  Precious (Mary’s car) got a good bath, and she was put away with her cover in place.

She almost has 13,000 miles on her now!

The Grey Ghost got a real rub-down, and when finished, he gleamed, and when done, he was parked in our next-door neighbor’s driveway.

Mary decided to take the tricycle down the block to visit Geri and deliver a few newspapers we had for her.  I had fixed the rear brakes a few days earlier and even tested them, so naturally I assumed everything was fine.
I went back to working in the garage, glancing down the street every few minutes to make sure Mary was okay.

Then I heard it.

A low rumble.

The ground started shaking.

For a second, I thought, Earthquake!

But no.

It was Mary.

Coming in hot.

Rocket Girl was heading home at full throttle, tires smoking, hair flying, and probably setting a new land-speed record for a three-wheeled vehicle with a newspaper delivery option.

Grace gets her first ride on the trike!

After her trip, she headed for the kitchen, and with my assistance, we whipped up a batch of zoodles.  Zoodles are zucchini noodles — thin strips of zucchini cut to look like spaghetti or noodles.  They’re often used as a low-carb, gluten-free alternative to pasta.  You can eat them raw, sauté them briefly, or add them to sauces like marinara, pesto, or Alfredo.  They’re called “oodles” because they combine zucchini and noodles.

Mary whipped up her magic spaghetti sauce, and once it hit the zoodles, dinner officially turned into a low-carb wizard spell.  I’m not saying we levitated, but there were definitely suspiciously happy noises coming from the table.

After our enchanted noodle feast, we headed to the pool, where we floated around for an hour like elegant manatees with excellent life choices.  Then we wandered back inside, fully relaxed and only slightly pruney.

It was a beautiful evening, the temperature was perfect, and nobody had to be rescued from a zucchini-induced food coma.

We went to the TV/Living Room and watched TV.  It was 12:30 am when we finally called it an evening.

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Checkup Time!

Posted on Tuesday, July 7, 2026 by Paul

Another typical day, we are off to the races!

Oh boy, we set the alarm for 6:00 am because apparently my eyeballs require a two-hour commute and an early-morning wake-up call.  We had to be in Newport Beach by 8:00 am for my semi-annual eye checkup, so we rolled out of the house at 7:10 and obediently followed the GPS like it was leading us to buried treasure—or at least clearer vision.

We arrived about 20 minutes early, which was perfect timing for coffee, because nothing says “medical appointment” like showing up over-caffeinated and slightly confused.

And, of course, we brought two boxes of fresh veggies from our garden, because when you go to the eye doctor, it’s always good to arrive with produce.  You never know when someone might say, “Your vision looks great—also, are those zucchini?”

I was poked, examined, dilated, and imaged for about an hour, and the diagnosis was, “You are doing excellent for an old fart!”  It was a good thing that I studied for the eye test last night!

While driving home, I remembered what had happened this morning and why Mary seemed distant from me!

Note to self: You do not have to tell the truth ALL THE TIME!

On the way home, we stopped at the Original Pancake House for breakfast!  We shared a veggie omelet, and I added a hunk of ham.  We could not finish the omelet (which is about 1400 calories according to the menu), so we brought it home, meaning tomorrow we will finish it off.

When this delivered to our table, Mary went into hiding!

We spent the rest of the day working around the house in our usual highly organized division of labor: Mary handled the civilized indoor work, while I tackled the workshop—also known as “the place where tools go to hide.”

And believe it or not, I made it almost presentable!  I can actually see the top of the workbench now, and all the tools are put away, which is either a miracle or a sign I should buy a lottery ticket.

I even fixed the brakes on Mary’s tricycle, so she can now stop safely instead of relying on bushes, walls, or sheer panic.

On top of that, I repaired six of the outdoor solar-powered lights in the backyard.  So now, not only is the workshop less dangerous, but the yard is once again beautifully illuminated for raccoons, possums, and any neighbors wondering whyI’mm outside celebrating light bulbs.

Then it happened: Tina came to visit, and she brought a new friend.  We have a new family member!  Grace came to stay!  We went through her stuff with Tina (the previous owner’s housekeeper) and moved everything into the guest bedroom.  We thought it best to confine her to one room for a while until she gets used to the smells and sounds of the new quarters.

Mary fixed a wonderful dinner and, using my calorie counter, she made it a little more than 300 calories!   We watched TV until 7:00 pm, then headed to the pool for 90 minutes of luxuriating in the 90-plus-degree water.

It became 10:00 pm, and we crashed!

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Summer May Be Getting Here!

Posted on Tuesday, July 7, 2026 by Paul

We were up at O-Dark-Thirty because I had an appointment with the eye doctor for a six-month checkup.  We had our coffee, jumped in the shower, and then departed for Irvine at 7:15 am.  Thanks to Highway 241, we arrived at Dr. Kline’s office after about 20 minutes.

SR 241 is the highest highway in Orange County and offers scenic views of both the Santa Ana Mountains and the cities below, passing through 12 cities and regions along its length.

It’s hard to believe that we have open country so close to home!

We decided to have breakfast at The Original Pancake House on the way home which turned out to be perfect for us.  Theor omletes are gigantic so we shared a veggie omlete and ended up taking about 1/3rd of it home.

It was hot today so MAry stayed inside and worked around the house and I stayed in the garage and cleaned up the workb bench so I have some room to work!

We have solar lights in all of the pots in the backyard and severala we no longer working so I took them to the garage, replaced the batteries, cleaned off the solar cells, and briught them back to liofe!

 

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