Summer in USA 2015

Please forgive my spelling and punctuation; I'm a plumber and not a English major. Just read and have fun. 

You can click on any of the pictures and they become larger.

We had a nice summer in California.  We arrived home after an uneventful trip from Bangkok.

The trip from Thailand to California always messes with our heads; we live Bangkok at around 5:00 PM and arrive in Los Angeles two hours later.  That is after being in the air for about 16 hours.

June 2nd, I am getting old so we did take the cart to change planes in Taipei.

We didn't do much yesterday. We did visit Costco for some groceries and then uncovered most of the furniture.

We did have a slice of combo-pizza. We like Costco pizza and at $1.99 a slice it is one of the things that is cheaper here than in Thailand.

Today it is a visit to Dr. Le, the pain specialist; with the new MRI we had done of my back.

Also, today should be a fun day opening the mail from the last 93 days.

Yea, I just heard that rain is coming to Southern California in the next few days. 

June 7th, What a wonderful wedding of two wonderful people. Best wishes always Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Flores.

It was great to be with friends, also.

June 10th, Feel great this morning. I have no leg pain and only a little back pain. I want to tell you of some friends that helped me, yesterday.

I have been having pain in my back so I went to the pain specialist, Dr. Le in Newport Beach, and had two epidural done at Newport Surgical Center. 

They require a driver so our friend Shiva, who works for Yellow Cab and transported our Mom, gave us a lift both ways. He also discounted the meter from over $75.00 to $50.00 and did not charge us for waiting time.

He also said he would take us to LAX for $85.00 to $95.00 depending on the time of day.

If you need a ride anyplace from or in the Orange County or surrounding areas just call him on his personal number. 

See the picture of his card and tell him you are our friend.

Sorry, no pictures of the Doctor and procedure, this is the USA.

June 13th, What a wonderful way to start the day, cake to celebrate with wonderful people.

 We had a great time with our friends Paul and Cheryl Costley Scaglione at Todai's for a pig out. 

Daeng even got me to go shopping, before dinner of course.  

June 16th,  As many of you know I have some back problems.

My doctor told me of the new hot tub that is approved by Medicare.

The nice part is Fart and you've got a Jacuzzi !

June 20th, We had the master bedroom, hall and master bath painted while we were gone.

Here is the finished bathtub that was refinished last week. All that is left to do in this bathroom is the sink, flooring and towel bar. 

After all the work of putting the bathtub back together, Daeng made a little snack.

June 21st, I want to wish everyone a very Happy Father's Day. 

I was one of the lucky ones, I had two Fathers and a whole bunch of men that helped me like Fathers; My Dad, Grant, my Step Dad, Joel, my dear friend Merle Cage, my friend, Joe Karban. I even want to thank my dear friend Michael T. for being a Dad like figure to me, every once in awhile.

There were others along the way, too. Although I am not going to mention any more names, thank you also!

Again, Happy Father's Day to ALL!

We did celebration with Uncle Jimmy at Zubies Dry Dock.


June 24th, We had a great lunch with daughter Amy at Piecemakers in Costa Mesa.

If you have never been there, stop in and have a great lunch and check it out.

June 24th, Daeng is washing the patio chairs. I sense a barbeque coming on. 

Everyone needs to lock up your dogs. 

June 26th, It was great to see Clifford Creighton, Jean McGrath, Mike Platta, Ed M, and all the folks celebrating your accomplishments.


We love cake!

June 27th, We even love cake for breakfast. 

Thank you for 17 years Jean McGrath.

We love you, too!

July 4th, We  would like to wish you all a very Happy Independence Day!

Our most loved story about July 4th is by Barry Farber (Radio Talk Show Host):

"The Presbyterian minister took a walk down the block on Christmas morning to visit his young granddaughter.

The five-year-old was joyously playing with her generous tower of toys."Did your friend next door, Rachel, get Christmas gifts as nice as yours?" the grandfather asked the little girl.

"Oh, no, Grandpa," she said. "Rachel's not Christmas. Rachel's Chanukah.  And Rachel's not Easter. Rachel's Passover.

"Then her little face lit up as she added, "But we're both Fourth of July!"

We also had a wonderful morning. We are grateful that Ed M. had cake with us at 7:00 AM to celebrate 51 years.

I think Ed is the 2nd oldest living member of NA, by clean time, and one of The NA History Gypsies.

Thank you for having cake with us this morning.

You can read of Ed's story by clicking HERE. 

July 7th, Well, only 64 days and we are back on the plane to Thailand.

It’s time to renew my passport, how do you like this passport photo?

I think it is pretty scary. 

July 10th, We had a great morning. We moved everything out of our master bedroom and master bathroom including sink, toilet, yes everything but the bathtub and were ready for the new flooring and carpet that we had ordered last month.

I was then told the flooring for the bathroom was sold, by mistake, to someone else. They ordered more and would be here next week.

Carlos, the installer did a great job of getting everything ready for the carpet and when he went to install it someone had stolen it from beside our garage. Yep, a roll of carpet about 12 foot long.

We get to sleep on the mattress, on the floor, just like camping out. Maybe we will have the carpet in a few days. 

Camping is fun!

Daeng did make a great dinner to cheer me up. 

July 11, We are ready for the 36th Anal Mooning of the Amtrak. 

It you need a parking permit just see Karen at MUGS AWAY SALOON.  Here is the website for the mooning: CLICK HERE

If you look real close you can see the engineer mooning back.

Daeng did not want to "Moon" but an 80 year old lady talked here into it.

than Daeng waited for the next three trains. I just love her. 

The second picture says it all, "Stay Alive!"

Party is until the last train at 11:50 tonight. 

The band set up around noon. 

Karen makes a great cup of coffee, also.

I will say the heavy showing of Sheriffs were very friendly. 

I though one deputy was going to Moon the Amtrak; he was just kidding.

We got "Mooned Out". 

Remember: "Say NO to Crack!"

All that "mooning" made us hungry so we stopped at the Daily Grill, in Irvine, for some lunch. 

Then it's a manicure and pedicure for me at Luxury Nails.

Daeng went to TJ Max shopping.

While I was flirting with the manicure girls Daeng had a big shopping trip and spent fourteen dollars. I love her! 

July 13th, We like happy endings. Today we saw Ted 2 and Minions. They both had happy endings and we laughed a lot, also. 

Now it's shopping at DMV Shoes and Nordstrom RACK.

Well, Daeng is shopping as I'm just hanging out. 

July 15th, Our dear friend said she was celebrating 21 years at a meeting. 

I told her I was going to go, also.

She said it was a women's only meeting so..... 

How do you like these shoes?

July 17th, Well, I was trying to surprise Daeng with a anniversary cruise to Mexico. 

She found out with all the folks telling her to have fun on her Mexico cruise.

We are leaving for the ship now and I'm sure she will have fun.

She is saying goodbye to her chili plant.

We are all checked in with Priority Boarding. Let the fun begin!

Our cabin was not completely made up so our room steward, Jhonny, suggested we go get a little snack.

After our snack, diet out the window, we took a walk and then a nap.

Our stateroom is cool, balcony and king sized bed.

It's time to try on the life vests and have the lifeboat drill.

Well, the party is started.

We are now at sea and the casino is open.

Daeng lost $4.75 and is going to bed. 

Big day ashore tomorrow. 

July 17th, We docked in Ensenada.

It's time for a little breakfast.

We had a nice breakfast by the pool.

I am a little sore from walking a lot yesterday so we arranged a 4 hour tour of Ensenada.

That should keep us out of the bars.

While we are resting in our cabin, Daeng has been practicing towel art.

We left the ship and went on a little tour.

First stop was the Riviera Del Pacific, a casino opened around 1930.

We then headed to La Bufadora for fun and shopping. 

I call it a blow hole as when a wave comes in it blows water through an underground cave and into the air.

I asked Daeng if she want to see more. She said: "No, it looks just like Burma."

A little something to eat, a little more shopping and a ride back to the ship.

It was a nice shore trip. 

Jhonny, our room steward, told us we had to dress for dinner so we did.

It was lobster with shrimp, stuffed mushrooms, rare roast beef, chocolate cakes and ice cream.

We waddled back to our cabin and watched the sun set.

It was a great anniversary day.

We are back at sea so the casino is open.

Daeng is going to see if she gets lucky.

I'm already lucky for having her with me.

July 18th, Today is an eat and sleep day at sea. 

It is raining and the ship has a little roll.

Room service set up some pills to make sure Daeng would be okay.

The caption on one of the pictures is: "Can't get much fresher grapefruit juice."

The sea got very calm and there is lighting all around the ship.

I tried to get pictures of the lightning but wasn't fast enough with my shutter finger.

We didn't let the rain or lightening stop us from having fun.

It was still raining so we went down one deck and cruised for food for lunch.

We ate way too much and it is time for a nap. 

For the evening it’s the early show of CLEAN comedy. Yes, I said CLEAN.

By the way, I also caught the 10:30 PM show and Smilie did an impression of Cory and Chad being nasty. Now, that's really down and dirty. 

Daeng is learning how to win, don't play!

It’s time to say goodnight.

We get off the ship at 7:15 in the morning. It was a fun three days.

July 20^th, Sunrise over Long Beach, a little breakfast and back to our normal world. 

July 28th, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU and Good Morning! I woke up which, in itself, is wonderful at my age.

More important, I woke up clean which means I made it for 19 years without using any mind altering substances.

I am soooo grateful to NA and ALL the folks that helped save my life. 

AGAIN, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!! I love you all! 

Great day so far, they say what you do on your birthday you will do the rest of the year. I woke up, that is pretty cool at age 73, and went to a 7:00 AM meeting at the Costa Mesa Alano Club.

The fellow at the club told me the NA meeting in the directory on-line stopped about a year ago. I'm here so I went to the OFF meeting and talked about alcohol. Alcohol is a drug.

Next, I'm on my way to Flagship Health Care Center to visit some old folks and see if we can get a little laughter going.

My visit to Flagship Health Care Center was pretty much a success. I made 17 people smile, 22 folks laugh and one nurse's assistant pee her pants. Yea, it was a good visit.

Now, need to go home and finish setting the sink in our bathroom. Our little fix up project is almost done. 

July 29^th, We’re feeling good as we are almost finished with this bathroom.

Paper holder, towel bar, mirror tile between sink and cabinet along with some touch up paint and we're done.

I attended another meeting to celebrate 19 years. My sponsor said now that I have 19 years clean I have to go to 19 different meetings, share for 19 minutes in each meeting and put $19 in every basket. 

Maybe I'll just look for a new sponsor.

July 30^th, 5:00 AM, it's time to get up and do another meeting at 6:00 AM; only 17 more meetings to go.

Daeng and I are going to the 12 noon meeting at The Other Place.

Daeng loves what happens with folks that she meets in NA and how their lives change. In Thailand recovery is jails or death.

As for me, I only have 16 more meetings to celebrate at.

July 31st, Last night, the Belly of the Beast meeting was great. 91 folks in the room and Milo Duran Perez kept his phone in his pocket the whole meeting. CONGRATULATIONS Milo!

For me, only 14 out of the 19 meetings left to celebrate in. I'm on my way to speak at the 7:00 AM CA meeting at the Costa Mesa Alano Club. I love meetings and the people in them. 

Maybe I can help someone like other folks helped me. 

August 1^st, We stopped at the Asia Market in Westminster, aka Little Saigon, and she was in heaven; lots of stuff from Thailand.

The chicken feet and pig bones are from the good old USA.

I think the height of the day was at 7:00 AM, taking a cake at my home group, "Crack of Dawn" at The Other Place.  

To end the day we had a great time with our sister Diane Dwyer at Paul and Cheryl Costley Scaglione's home.

Daeng made her famous Som-tom Papaya Salad. 

Also, we pigged out on pulled pork with Carla and Tom, had a little boat ride at sunset and made ice cream sundaes.

August 3rd, Great "Crack of Dawn" meeting at "The Other Place" along with breakfast with some "No Matter What" members. Thank you!

Only 10 meetings left to celebrate at. 

August 4th, Daeng says: “Please remember, all of you are loved!”

August 5th, I have to be honest with all my friends, last night I got really High. I shared with a bunch of guys in jail. They were all very attentive and I hope I gave them something that will help in their lives.

I learned what this saying means: "Discover the High in H & I!"

It was also a great way to pass the half-way point in celebrating at 19 meetings; only 9 more to go. 

August 6th, Today is a busy day, haircut at 9:00 and Costco at 10:00.

After that it is do an air conditioning repair job, then take everything out of vehicle, wash it and get ready to celebrate at the Noon meeting in Bakersfield on Friday.

Saturday is the Summer Splash in Wasco. I'll pack my Speedo so I can show off my "Say No to Crack" and my "Tastes Like Chicken" tattoos.

We are looking forward to hanging out with Michael T., Charlotte and other folks in that area. Our friend, Barney, will be celebrating 18 years on Saturday, also. He is a member in the "No Matter What" club, as well.

It was a great day, worked fixing air conditioning systems, had lunch with daughter, Amy at Piece Makers, and then did a 4:00 PM meeting at Costa Mesa Alano Club.

It is always great to hear the Piecemaker Band.
www.piecemakers.com

There were 19 folks in the Costa Mesa meeting to help me celebrate 19 years. Is that a message?

Only 8 more meetings to make the 19 meetings.

August 7th, We stopped for a potty break in Gorman, California.

We left Orange County early and almost no traffic.

The other side of the coin is we will be over an hour early to the Noon meeting in Bakersfield. Good thing, we can do a little site seeing in Bakersfield.

Last time we visited 50,000 cows.

Well, we made Bakersfield over an hour early for our meeting so we stopped at the Kern County Museum.

It is a big and fascinating place. We need to come back and spend the whole day here. 

It was wonderful to have our very funny friend and author, Carlos Eton, come by to celebrate with us. Carlos' latest book is "Death Stalks a Friend".

There were over 120 folks in the noon meeting. I think that is 1/2 of Bakersfield. 

Only 7 more meetings to go, my friend Michael T. and I are going to the 6:00 PM meeting here in Wasco and make it only 6 left.

August 8th, Good start this morning, the area is all cleaned up and the soda is delivered.

The weather is also looking good.

Meat just went on the Bar-B-Q. It is a beautiful day. We are having fun.

Okay, let's have a water contest.

We have food. Thanks to everyone that help put on this feed.

We have the "Hula-Hoop" contest happening.

This picture is titled: "Tastes Like Chicken!" 

This is a cool bird but trained by ladies so did not want to get on my finger or arm. It bite me hard a couple times but I did not jump and just kept getting closer until there was no choice. Once the bird was on my arm we were friends.

August 12th, We make it home from Wasco safely and I went to the Monterey Park Men’s Meeting with 110 folks and over 138 years of celebrations. It was an honor to be here.

I missed Bob B. He was an inspiration to me. 

August 16th, Wow, what a fun Sunday.

We met our friends, Lahna, April and August at Ralphie’s bus in Irvine and had a great breakfast and apple pie at Ruby's in the Spectrum. 

Ralphie did a late show last night so he slept in.

It was real hot at the Spectrum today but Ralphie's bus was a cool 72 degrees. 

It was great to see you and thanks for keeping us cool.

Great time on the Merry Go Round, also.

Ferris wheel was fun, too.

Some folks were playing cards and let the kids just join it. You are real cool folks. Thank you!

By the way, April was the winner. I think that is why the big smile.

We all laughed as after breakfast at Ruby's in the Spectrum we went for a walk and August saw Ralphie on the Improv billboard. He got all excited and said: "Look, that's my Daddy!"

We had a great morning with the kids. 

August 31st, We have been working and getting things ready to return to Thailand. 

In ten days we're on the plane. 

September 2nd, Our friend, Ingrid Allen, donated 40 Love Bears to the kids in Ban AYO, Thailand.

We thank you and the kids of Ban AYO will be very happy. 

September 6th, Over the weekend we went to the SCRCNA Convention in Anaheim, California.

It was a great convention!  It's nice to see old friends and meet new ones.

Here are the Mud Flap Girls at SCRCNA 36 with Charlotte Ruiz, Josie G. Gann and Jean McGrath. 

 Then there is always “The meeting after the meeting”.

September 9^th, 20 hours to go. We are almost ready. 

Mom, we just want to let you know we will always love and remember you!

September 10th, After a scary ride on Prime Time Shuttle to LAX we said goodbye to our luggage and waited to board the plane.

14 1/2 hours to Taipei, then 55 minutes to catch plane to Bangkok and 3 1/2 hours in the air to get ready to hit the streets, did I mention 3 airplane meals?

After immigrations and getting our luggage, it is an hour and a half car ride to the hotel in the Holy city of Pattaya.

We should be there by 4:00 AM Friday morning.

We will both be ready for a shower and a good Thai massage.

Bye until then!