We (Ray, Liz, Ron and I) picked Rachael up at the airport tonight after her flight from Miami and went to Dinah’s Family Restaurant, located at 6521 Sepulveda Boulevard. This is a LA googie landmark, along with Pann’s Restaurant, and for those of you who watched The Big Lebowski, this is the diner that is featured in…

Dear Rachael, Tomorrow’s your birthday and since you’ll be traveling all day from Miami, I want to take the chance now to wish you the very best birthday ever.  Here are a few things (in no particular order) that I’ve enjoyed about you over this past quarter of a century together: Your excellent sense of humor…

Ray and I attended the Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday night and also Easter Day Sunday Mass today.  Plus, we had our kids (minus Rachael who is in Miami) and grandkids over this afternoon for an Easter celebration and meal.  Luna and Nico were running a temperature this morning so they weren’t able to come…

I had the honor to serve with three other acolytes, our deacon and our priest tonight at the Good Friday mass.  One of the other acolytes and I had the job of holding the crucifix while the sacred ministers, the other acolytes, the choir and the congregation came up and kissed the feet of the…

I have just come from serving as subdeacon at the Maundy Thursday mass. This is a deeply symbolic service because our priest washes the feet of twelve parishioners just as Jesus washed the feet of his disciples after the Last Supper.  As subdeacon, I was right next to Father Davies.  I poured warm water from…

Today I went outside and tackled the tidying of our garage again.  This isn’t a real garage as in where the car actually goes, but rather my husband’s favorite repository of countless items that are either needed for his many projects or else wanted because of their cool factor.  There are other things there too…

Today we went with Sarah, Gregorio, Luna, Nico and Rachael to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. (Liz, Ron and Ariel had to work.) This was a celebration of Sarah’s completion of her 9-hour examination for board certification in Family Medicine that she took last Saturday.  She will finish her Family Residency program…

Ray and I got up at 3:15 this morning and headed over to the Rose Bowl with a friend to get in line for the 4 am opening for vendors.  It was dark outside and chilly and on the way we say several Uber drivers letting people off at their homes after long nights of…

When you need a recipe for a special occasion and you want it to be a little healthier without sacrificing the taste, well, here it is.  This is delicious and nutritious and just plain good. This is a favorite dessert around our house. Honey-Sweetened Banana Cream Pie Ingredients 1/2 cup honey 3 tablespoons corn starch 1…

One of my friends asked if I would write my thoughts about happiness and joy. I have undertaken that task and have discovered that I need to break these topics into two separate essays; otherwise, I’m afraid I will not explore them to the level that will feel satisfying to me or to you, my…