Forgot to say that 3 of us 4 won money at the slots at Agua Caliente casino on Lary's birthday which was really nice. Not a windfall, just a nice amount to cover dinner.
Lary managed to update our Garmin GPS, I had bought a lifetime update for it, for $89, and Lary got it to work and download new stuff. Tuesday we had soup at the clubhouse at lunch.
We went into Palm Springs and got tickets for the Palm Springs Film Festival, it starts on Jan 6th or so, and runs til we leave on our cruise. We bought 6 tix for $54 per person, then we need to choose our films and change the tix for the actual film viewing.
One morning Lary got up and the computer screen was the black 'death screen' only, but a computer guy Brian at Catalina told us to remove the battery, and then put it in again, and voila, that did the trick. It was very scary thinking that our 1 year old computer was dying already.
Lary ordered a wood burning kit over the internet, it arrived but had no pens or nibs, so he then had to order them from another place. That was a bit frustrating for him.
We had ordered 2 Roland Micro cube amplifiers over the internet too, and they arrived. Our mini mikes which you can attach to your flute have been sent, but haven't yet arrived. They are coming from another place, so we can terrorize the RV park. Kidding!!!
Weds. Lary went off to carve, he is at the woodburning stage, and Dave is now carving an owl too. They are tiny, only about 4 or 5 inches high. Lary's is coming right along. But after carving all day from 10 AM til 4 PM or so, he is tired.
Di and Wendy headed out for some more retail therapy, we hit Kohls, Bed Bath and Beyond, Target, and the French restaurant for lunch. After that we headed home to meet our hubbies, and had a drink at Wendy and Dave's trailer. Di had done quite a bit of damage with after Christmas sales and the like.
That night there was a Bluegrass music pair from Oliver BC entertaining at CatSpa, and we watched them. He played a banjo he had built, and also played a fiddle. She played the guitar, and they both sang. They were entertaining.
Thursday was coffee, donuts and the usual business meeting at the clubhouse, felt as if we had just been at the last one.
We are very impressed with the food that is offered here at our park clubhouse, this month there have been 2 Saturday dinners and dances, plus Christmas turkeys and gravy were cooked for the owners on Christmas Day, who only had to supply the rest of the potluck type Christmas dinner for their own table at the clubhouse, and now there is to be a prime rib dinner for 100 folks or so on New Year's eve, for $25 per person. Plus a band and dancing afterwards.
And every second week there is soup on Tuesdays at lunch, and the alternate week is burgers. That is huge. And hugely generous of the folks doing it all, largely the 3 Savage brothers and their wives, along with volunteers.
Today Lary and I indulged in some more retail therapy, and also shopped for a new dining room overhead light, which we found at Home Depot. Lary will install that soon, the one we have is ghastly. We are slowly eating through our leftovers from Christmas Day.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010
Lary's birthday today
Well we had a lovely Christmas, Wendy and Dave came over and had dinner with us, and it was the first day we used the gas oven, it worked perfectly, and Tom the turkey weighing in at 14 pounds got duly stuffed and cooked, and we had a yummy dinner. Wendy supplied all the dessert, and we dined very royally. Lary decided that his paper hat didn't work well with the hearing aids.
Next day we invited Judy and Nick over for dinner, and dined once more on Tom turkey revisited, with new veggies, and delicious shrimp cocktail that Judy brought as a surprise, along with wine and more yummies to be consumed. A nice mellow evening with more nice company from home.
Forgot to say that we 4, Wendy and Dave, Lary and I attended St. Anthony in the Desert on Dec. 24th for a Christmas eve service, we were surprised that it was to last 2 hours, but it didn't quite last that long, they held communion at the end of the service.
Lovely service with lots of Christmas carols, when the minister was giving his sermon talking about all the distractions of the modern era, his own cell phone in his pocket went off, to his great embarrassment, and the amusement of the congregation. A few carols were performed by a soprano soloist with a pretty voice, then we were all invited to stay for refreshments.
We were very surprised that they had pretty well a whole dinner laid out, with cabbage rolls, chicken, tons of savouries, and lots of sweets, and eggnog with whiskey in it. It had been brought by the parishioners, I felt badly that we hadn't thought to take anything ourselves as a contribution.
Today Lary's birthday dawned with bright blue skies, a phone call from sister Sue at Heather's, and we had a nice breakfast here. Later tonight we'll go with Wendy and Dave out to Agua Caliente casino for a shrimp and prime rib buffet dinner, should be great, they are incredibly generous with the shrimp, and lots of them are as big as your fingers, so very very tasty.
I will welcome prime rib, Tom turkey still has some leftovers in our fridge, and lots of veggies, last night's company was too full to eat our special Christmas peppermint ice cream, so we may see what we can do about that.
More rain in the forecast but not the Pineapple Express that we had, it caused nearly $3 million in damages to Desert Hot Springs with the flash floods that it brought, they declared a state of ememrgency or something like that, but it is absolutely amazing how fast the bulldozers come and clear away all the silt and rock from the roads. getting things back to rights once again.
We were delighted to hear from Sue and Jen over the holidays, as well as Georgette. And all our Christmas cards and Christmas and Birthday emails have been so very welcome. We miss friends and family from home a lot, even though we are very happy and comfortable down here.
The painting and blinds project will take place late January, early February, and that will really make this house feel like our own after that. We have a new microwave over our stove, it has a wire shelf in it, which really surprised us, apparently as long as the rack is in the holder which is plastic clips on the wall, there is no problem with the rack and layered cooking.
Next big thing coming up is our cruise to Mexico, mid January. Whoo hoo.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR READERS, AND THE VERY BEST OF 2011 TO YOU ALL.
HUGS.
Next day we invited Judy and Nick over for dinner, and dined once more on Tom turkey revisited, with new veggies, and delicious shrimp cocktail that Judy brought as a surprise, along with wine and more yummies to be consumed. A nice mellow evening with more nice company from home.
Forgot to say that we 4, Wendy and Dave, Lary and I attended St. Anthony in the Desert on Dec. 24th for a Christmas eve service, we were surprised that it was to last 2 hours, but it didn't quite last that long, they held communion at the end of the service.
Lovely service with lots of Christmas carols, when the minister was giving his sermon talking about all the distractions of the modern era, his own cell phone in his pocket went off, to his great embarrassment, and the amusement of the congregation. A few carols were performed by a soprano soloist with a pretty voice, then we were all invited to stay for refreshments.
We were very surprised that they had pretty well a whole dinner laid out, with cabbage rolls, chicken, tons of savouries, and lots of sweets, and eggnog with whiskey in it. It had been brought by the parishioners, I felt badly that we hadn't thought to take anything ourselves as a contribution.
Today Lary's birthday dawned with bright blue skies, a phone call from sister Sue at Heather's, and we had a nice breakfast here. Later tonight we'll go with Wendy and Dave out to Agua Caliente casino for a shrimp and prime rib buffet dinner, should be great, they are incredibly generous with the shrimp, and lots of them are as big as your fingers, so very very tasty.
I will welcome prime rib, Tom turkey still has some leftovers in our fridge, and lots of veggies, last night's company was too full to eat our special Christmas peppermint ice cream, so we may see what we can do about that.
More rain in the forecast but not the Pineapple Express that we had, it caused nearly $3 million in damages to Desert Hot Springs with the flash floods that it brought, they declared a state of ememrgency or something like that, but it is absolutely amazing how fast the bulldozers come and clear away all the silt and rock from the roads. getting things back to rights once again.
We were delighted to hear from Sue and Jen over the holidays, as well as Georgette. And all our Christmas cards and Christmas and Birthday emails have been so very welcome. We miss friends and family from home a lot, even though we are very happy and comfortable down here.
The painting and blinds project will take place late January, early February, and that will really make this house feel like our own after that. We have a new microwave over our stove, it has a wire shelf in it, which really surprised us, apparently as long as the rack is in the holder which is plastic clips on the wall, there is no problem with the rack and layered cooking.
Next big thing coming up is our cruise to Mexico, mid January. Whoo hoo.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR READERS, AND THE VERY BEST OF 2011 TO YOU ALL.
HUGS.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Not that much going on today
We went to Desert Hot Springs today and picked up a few groceries for Christmas dinner, then came home.
We had had coffee and doughnuts at the clubhouse this morning at 9 AM, and they always have a business meeting afterwards, so we know what's going on around here. Then they send out a newsletter to us reiterating what went on at the meeting earlier that day.
Late this afternoon we walked over to Catalina Spa and found Wendy and Dave's new site, and had a drink with them. Then we 4 had dinner at Catalina Spa clubhouse, taco salad, or burritos.
And after that we went down to Palm Springs to the night street market, there weren't that many vendors due to the date so near to Christmas day, but we still strolled along the main street of P.S. enjoying the mellow atmosphere.
After that we went in search of Candy Cane Lane, on Minerva Street in Cathedral City, it was fantastic, one block totally lit up, very detailed and tons of people walking along the street enjoying the lights.
A nice day overall. It is hard to believe there were such huge deluges of rain in the past few days, and now it is almost like it never happened. There is a bit of a mess left over, but it is getting cleaned up overall.
We had had coffee and doughnuts at the clubhouse this morning at 9 AM, and they always have a business meeting afterwards, so we know what's going on around here. Then they send out a newsletter to us reiterating what went on at the meeting earlier that day.
Late this afternoon we walked over to Catalina Spa and found Wendy and Dave's new site, and had a drink with them. Then we 4 had dinner at Catalina Spa clubhouse, taco salad, or burritos.
And after that we went down to Palm Springs to the night street market, there weren't that many vendors due to the date so near to Christmas day, but we still strolled along the main street of P.S. enjoying the mellow atmosphere.
After that we went in search of Candy Cane Lane, on Minerva Street in Cathedral City, it was fantastic, one block totally lit up, very detailed and tons of people walking along the street enjoying the lights.
A nice day overall. It is hard to believe there were such huge deluges of rain in the past few days, and now it is almost like it never happened. There is a bit of a mess left over, but it is getting cleaned up overall.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Whew, flash floods and we were there in DHS
Wendy and I went to KMart in Desert Hot Springs today, and after about an hour we looked outside, and yoicks, there were flash floods happening right outside the store. What had been a quiet road an hour before was now a raging torrent whipping through the parking lot, along the curbside, and across the intersections. Chaos everywhere, and lashing rain still.
A lady in the KMart parking lot begged a ride home as the bus was nowhere to be seen, and she was already soaked, so Wendy and I drove her uphill to her house. All traffic lights were blinking red, traffic was snarled as the curbside lane was now a river about 6 - 10 feet wide and full of muddy water, the stop and go procedure at least slowed down some, but made each intersection a disaster too, to be carefully navigated.
The water was streaming along their brand new landscaping and sidewalk designs in DHS. Pouring down the hill from the desert hills into the town, carving gulleys and leaving boulders, tumbleweed, inches of mud and silt, and disasters everywhere.
The rain brought down huge boulders and garbage including empty garbage cans, and was full of silt, people's homes were getting flooded, and chaos was everywhere. We spied a man and his son walking up the road carrying their shoes, and people would cross the road then not be able to reach the sidewalks due to the heavy flowing puddles, now rivers.
Wendy and I stayed up on higher ground once we delivered the thankful lady to her home, and slowly made our way along silt and debris covered roads, back home. All thoughts of grocery shopping were abandoned, we just thought of getting home safe and sound. I was so glad that our car is a bit higher, some lower ones were much more challenged by the deep water.
The rain gouged out holes and made a real wreck of many roads, leaving so much litter and muddy silt behind, and a real mess on so many roads.
Wendy and I ate lunch at home, and chatted, Lary and Dave were carving on their owls over at the neighbouring RV park.
We 4 had a drink here once they finished and came here, tomorrow Wendy and Dave will move over to Catalina Spa RV park, and become our neighbours here on Corkill Road off Dillon Road.
In KMart today Guenther and Katarina Glaesing had spoken to us, it was nice to see them, as we hadn't visited them since they arrived in late November. They are at Sands RV and Golf park, just down Dillon from us about 10 minutes by car. They had fun in their small low VW Golf, even though it is diesel, it is very low when the water is rising and threatening.
A lady in the KMart parking lot begged a ride home as the bus was nowhere to be seen, and she was already soaked, so Wendy and I drove her uphill to her house. All traffic lights were blinking red, traffic was snarled as the curbside lane was now a river about 6 - 10 feet wide and full of muddy water, the stop and go procedure at least slowed down some, but made each intersection a disaster too, to be carefully navigated.
The water was streaming along their brand new landscaping and sidewalk designs in DHS. Pouring down the hill from the desert hills into the town, carving gulleys and leaving boulders, tumbleweed, inches of mud and silt, and disasters everywhere.
The rain brought down huge boulders and garbage including empty garbage cans, and was full of silt, people's homes were getting flooded, and chaos was everywhere. We spied a man and his son walking up the road carrying their shoes, and people would cross the road then not be able to reach the sidewalks due to the heavy flowing puddles, now rivers.
Wendy and I stayed up on higher ground once we delivered the thankful lady to her home, and slowly made our way along silt and debris covered roads, back home. All thoughts of grocery shopping were abandoned, we just thought of getting home safe and sound. I was so glad that our car is a bit higher, some lower ones were much more challenged by the deep water.
The rain gouged out holes and made a real wreck of many roads, leaving so much litter and muddy silt behind, and a real mess on so many roads.
Wendy and I ate lunch at home, and chatted, Lary and Dave were carving on their owls over at the neighbouring RV park.
We 4 had a drink here once they finished and came here, tomorrow Wendy and Dave will move over to Catalina Spa RV park, and become our neighbours here on Corkill Road off Dillon Road.
In KMart today Guenther and Katarina Glaesing had spoken to us, it was nice to see them, as we hadn't visited them since they arrived in late November. They are at Sands RV and Golf park, just down Dillon from us about 10 minutes by car. They had fun in their small low VW Golf, even though it is diesel, it is very low when the water is rising and threatening.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Teeming, pouring rain and road closures
Got up this morning and the phone rang, the microwave installer would come with the new microwave and install it between 2 and 6 PM.
The blinds consultant lady was to come between 3 and 4 PM. As luck would have it, they both arrived at the front gate together, and Lary went up there to let them in.
We kind of ignored the poor microwave installer, who was done in about 15 - 20 minutes, as the blinds lady had lots of suggestions for us, and plenty of ideas and helpful thoughts.
We ended up ordering mini blinds for the bedroom as we already have some there, and we ordered verticals for our living room/dining room/kitchen area. They will be installed after our painting is all done, which gives them a chance to get them made, and the painter to do his thing without dealing with the blinds. Lary and I will remove the 2 layers of curtains before the painter starts to paint, and the blinds installers will remove the hardware from the curtains.
We decided to get verticals with a bit of a texture, a beige texture.
Meanwhile the weather is quite violent, teeming rain, and lots of closures on the roads throughout the Coachella Valley. We stayed in today, and I don't know what we will do tomorrow.
Lary goes to carve tomorrow, but that's just down the road, a couple of blocks from here, and Wendy and I decided to do something together, but due to the weather I don't know what we'll opt to do.
Having made the decorating commitment about the blinds, it is exciting to think about paint colors, we looked at some with the blinds consultant, she used to do paint colors and has some very good ideas. We don't want to do a paint with any grey in it, we don't want stark white either, but perhaps an off white with a touch of beige in it, would be good. We will leave the valances in place but they will be painted and included in the new paint color. She called them cornices.
That was our whole day, we didn't go out today, just listened to the rain pour down.
Forgot to say that our internet is finally attached and installed completely with Time Warner, Lary had to use a different cable called an Ethernet cable from the modem to the computer due to our operating system being Windows 7, so that was the problem. As soon as he found out that and used the correct cable, voila, we had smoking hot internet. What a relief after years of intermittent coverage in the various parks where we have camped.
The blinds consultant lady was to come between 3 and 4 PM. As luck would have it, they both arrived at the front gate together, and Lary went up there to let them in.
We kind of ignored the poor microwave installer, who was done in about 15 - 20 minutes, as the blinds lady had lots of suggestions for us, and plenty of ideas and helpful thoughts.
We ended up ordering mini blinds for the bedroom as we already have some there, and we ordered verticals for our living room/dining room/kitchen area. They will be installed after our painting is all done, which gives them a chance to get them made, and the painter to do his thing without dealing with the blinds. Lary and I will remove the 2 layers of curtains before the painter starts to paint, and the blinds installers will remove the hardware from the curtains.
We decided to get verticals with a bit of a texture, a beige texture.
Meanwhile the weather is quite violent, teeming rain, and lots of closures on the roads throughout the Coachella Valley. We stayed in today, and I don't know what we will do tomorrow.
Lary goes to carve tomorrow, but that's just down the road, a couple of blocks from here, and Wendy and I decided to do something together, but due to the weather I don't know what we'll opt to do.
Having made the decorating commitment about the blinds, it is exciting to think about paint colors, we looked at some with the blinds consultant, she used to do paint colors and has some very good ideas. We don't want to do a paint with any grey in it, we don't want stark white either, but perhaps an off white with a touch of beige in it, would be good. We will leave the valances in place but they will be painted and included in the new paint color. She called them cornices.
That was our whole day, we didn't go out today, just listened to the rain pour down.
Forgot to say that our internet is finally attached and installed completely with Time Warner, Lary had to use a different cable called an Ethernet cable from the modem to the computer due to our operating system being Windows 7, so that was the problem. As soon as he found out that and used the correct cable, voila, we had smoking hot internet. What a relief after years of intermittent coverage in the various parks where we have camped.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Monday adventures here in wets-ville Coachella Valley
It started raining yesterday, my birthday, it rained overnight Sunday, and continued very heavily at times today. The local wash is filling up, and traffic is getting snarled. People are once more at the mercy of the wild weather as the desert rejuvenates itself after the scorching temps of summertime. It may well prove to be a colorful spring with desert flowers.
We had a wonderful dinner out Sunday evening for my birthday with Wendy and Dave. Trilussa is an Italian restaurant over in Cathedral City near Mary Pickford Theatres, and Imax. Wendy and Dave gave me 4 neat Margarita glasses, whoo hoo, can't wait to use them, and a beautiful beaded hummingbird, all swarovski crystal beads. Gorgeous, it has a long tail. I would love to attach it to a flute, but it's pretty fragile. The restaurant gave me a complimentary Tiramisu dessert, and after dinner they give all their guests either Sambuca with 3 coffee beans in it, or Amaretto for after dinner drinks. And biscotti. Yum. What a great idea.
During the day we lazed around the house, didn't go to College of the Desert, got a couple of lovely birthday phone calls from Sue and Jen, and finally went over to Mathis Brothers in the afternoon and found some perfect end tables for the trailer, they were pay and pack sort of, when we got them home Lary had to assemble them. They are ideal for the space we have, and have both a drawer, and a lower shelf.
I have to confess, our cell phones don't work inside the trailer, the aluminum trailer we think interferes with the reception, so when they ring, we answer and then run outside to talk. Yesterday found me chatting with sister Sue leaning over our patio gate, in my nightie with my hair all scraggy. Hmmmmm. A vision of birthday loveliness.
Monday we took a flutie friend of ours down to San Diego as she is scheduled for a long series of after burn surgeries, she burned both one hand and the other arm on the oven rack months ago, and has been fighting those deep deep burns for months. She wasn't covered by medical insurance either, but her coverage has just been reinstated. The University of San Diego has a special burn hospital, and she had to be there at 7 AM for surgery just after 9 AM.
We got up at 3 AM, headed out at 3:30 AM, spooked our own park security patrol, woke the neighbours, then picked her up, and drove like fury down through the black night, heavy traffic full of commuters at those hours, through pouring rain, past traffic accidents due to the rain and slippery conditions, and arrived there in the nick of time for her admission at 7 AM.
She will have an especially long haul, as the burns need debridement, then sponges applied to encourage new cell growth, then skin grafts on both hands/arms. Long procedure, and a long stay, so she had lots of luggage with her. And I imagine she was somewhat apprehensive too, she burned herself some months ago and has been waging war on the burns since then. Doctors there called them 4th degree, which none of us had ever heard of before.
We ate breakfast at Brian's a local restaurant in San Diego near the hospital, then drove back home and fell back into bed for a few more hours sleep. It is just pouring heavily now, and has been almost all day, the Whitewater wash that runs the length of the Coachella Valley is full and overflowing already, with all sorts of road blockades, and LA has lots of flooding too.
Never accuse the desert of being boring!!!!!
Lary took back the modem to Time Warner here in DHS, apparently our Windows 7 was the problem, we needed a different cable from the modem out to the computer, once Lary added that to the mix we were in business, with smoking hot internet, all for $30 per month. What a difference it truly makes, now I am replying to birthday emails and newsy Christmas cards, it is wonderful to have cable connection once more.
As we are Canadians Time Warner charged us $50 security deposit for the modem which we get applied to our last month of cable rental when we return it as we leave after the winter/spring.
The weather nationwide and indeed even in Europe and the UK seems gruesome, it's always so much more challenging when so many folks worldwide want to move around over the holiday season.
When we arrived back home from our San Diego drive we discoverd a wee plastic bag with a new pair of pretty crystal Christmas tree earrrings hanging on our gate for my birthday from our neighbour Pat M next door. Unfortunately we had woken our other side neighbour Marlene S when we got up and left this AM early, I feel very sorry about that.
We had a wonderful dinner out Sunday evening for my birthday with Wendy and Dave. Trilussa is an Italian restaurant over in Cathedral City near Mary Pickford Theatres, and Imax. Wendy and Dave gave me 4 neat Margarita glasses, whoo hoo, can't wait to use them, and a beautiful beaded hummingbird, all swarovski crystal beads. Gorgeous, it has a long tail. I would love to attach it to a flute, but it's pretty fragile. The restaurant gave me a complimentary Tiramisu dessert, and after dinner they give all their guests either Sambuca with 3 coffee beans in it, or Amaretto for after dinner drinks. And biscotti. Yum. What a great idea.
During the day we lazed around the house, didn't go to College of the Desert, got a couple of lovely birthday phone calls from Sue and Jen, and finally went over to Mathis Brothers in the afternoon and found some perfect end tables for the trailer, they were pay and pack sort of, when we got them home Lary had to assemble them. They are ideal for the space we have, and have both a drawer, and a lower shelf.
I have to confess, our cell phones don't work inside the trailer, the aluminum trailer we think interferes with the reception, so when they ring, we answer and then run outside to talk. Yesterday found me chatting with sister Sue leaning over our patio gate, in my nightie with my hair all scraggy. Hmmmmm. A vision of birthday loveliness.
Monday we took a flutie friend of ours down to San Diego as she is scheduled for a long series of after burn surgeries, she burned both one hand and the other arm on the oven rack months ago, and has been fighting those deep deep burns for months. She wasn't covered by medical insurance either, but her coverage has just been reinstated. The University of San Diego has a special burn hospital, and she had to be there at 7 AM for surgery just after 9 AM.
We got up at 3 AM, headed out at 3:30 AM, spooked our own park security patrol, woke the neighbours, then picked her up, and drove like fury down through the black night, heavy traffic full of commuters at those hours, through pouring rain, past traffic accidents due to the rain and slippery conditions, and arrived there in the nick of time for her admission at 7 AM.
She will have an especially long haul, as the burns need debridement, then sponges applied to encourage new cell growth, then skin grafts on both hands/arms. Long procedure, and a long stay, so she had lots of luggage with her. And I imagine she was somewhat apprehensive too, she burned herself some months ago and has been waging war on the burns since then. Doctors there called them 4th degree, which none of us had ever heard of before.
We ate breakfast at Brian's a local restaurant in San Diego near the hospital, then drove back home and fell back into bed for a few more hours sleep. It is just pouring heavily now, and has been almost all day, the Whitewater wash that runs the length of the Coachella Valley is full and overflowing already, with all sorts of road blockades, and LA has lots of flooding too.
Never accuse the desert of being boring!!!!!
Lary took back the modem to Time Warner here in DHS, apparently our Windows 7 was the problem, we needed a different cable from the modem out to the computer, once Lary added that to the mix we were in business, with smoking hot internet, all for $30 per month. What a difference it truly makes, now I am replying to birthday emails and newsy Christmas cards, it is wonderful to have cable connection once more.
As we are Canadians Time Warner charged us $50 security deposit for the modem which we get applied to our last month of cable rental when we return it as we leave after the winter/spring.
The weather nationwide and indeed even in Europe and the UK seems gruesome, it's always so much more challenging when so many folks worldwide want to move around over the holiday season.
When we arrived back home from our San Diego drive we discoverd a wee plastic bag with a new pair of pretty crystal Christmas tree earrrings hanging on our gate for my birthday from our neighbour Pat M next door. Unfortunately we had woken our other side neighbour Marlene S when we got up and left this AM early, I feel very sorry about that.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Saturday stuff
Today we went over to Westfield Mall, Di got a pedicure and we picked up a few bits and pieces.
We came home and putzed about, then Lary and our neighbour Doug worked on getting the cable installed for the internet. It comes in through the side of the house, they put a splitter on our cable into the unit, and the computer is in the living room, but the cable won't hook up it seems, even though we installed the disc, and followed the instructions.
Doug and Evelyn came over for a drink before dinner, then we did emailing, and laundry, too. Doug works in computers, so he is very helpful. And their unit is pretty nearly identical to ours, but updated already. We enjoy seeing the differences between the units here.
Di practiced some Christmas carols up at the laundry room, good acoustics. There was a dinner going on in the clubhouse, and dancing after dinner.
We have ordered a Pick up the world mini mic which sits right on your flute and feeds into an amplifier, as yet not ordered, so you can torture the neighbours even more!!!!!
It has been quite overcast, grey and rainy, so good to do inside the house type of chores, and think about Christmas etc. When it rains the canopy over the patio doesn't exactly keep out the rain, so we have to move things in from the edges of the patio so they don't get soaked.
Tomorrow Sunday we'll go to College of the Desert street market, and then we'll go out for my birthday dinner to an Italian restaurant, Trilusa, over in Cathedral City, with Wendy and Dave.
Exciting to think of the house here with new blinds, paint and microwave. Lots of nice changes to update it. Other neighbours invited us in to their unit to see what they had done to update their place, very interesting to see how the trailers vary/ and or are similar.
Today our Happy Hour guests showed us a set of lights I didn't know we had, over the dining room/kitchen sort of. Seems they are rope lights I think, they are right up near the ceiling. And they explained what a certain plug and switch do in the living room, we had no idea.
We have Xmas lights on the stair hand railing leading up into the house, and our 3 mini trees outside are up once again as the wind has died down, hopefully for a while. I had laid them down in the high winds so they wouldn't get the lights broken when they fell over.
Fun to see Christmas throughout the park, and we want to go over to Catalina Spa and check out their Xmas lights one night. The malls don't seem to have huge ostentatious displays of lights or decorations this year, but some stores are very prettily decorated, and the sales and reductions are to die for.
That's the latest, don't forget to write, and Merry Christmas to you blog followers.
We came home and putzed about, then Lary and our neighbour Doug worked on getting the cable installed for the internet. It comes in through the side of the house, they put a splitter on our cable into the unit, and the computer is in the living room, but the cable won't hook up it seems, even though we installed the disc, and followed the instructions.
Doug and Evelyn came over for a drink before dinner, then we did emailing, and laundry, too. Doug works in computers, so he is very helpful. And their unit is pretty nearly identical to ours, but updated already. We enjoy seeing the differences between the units here.
Di practiced some Christmas carols up at the laundry room, good acoustics. There was a dinner going on in the clubhouse, and dancing after dinner.
We have ordered a Pick up the world mini mic which sits right on your flute and feeds into an amplifier, as yet not ordered, so you can torture the neighbours even more!!!!!
It has been quite overcast, grey and rainy, so good to do inside the house type of chores, and think about Christmas etc. When it rains the canopy over the patio doesn't exactly keep out the rain, so we have to move things in from the edges of the patio so they don't get soaked.
Tomorrow Sunday we'll go to College of the Desert street market, and then we'll go out for my birthday dinner to an Italian restaurant, Trilusa, over in Cathedral City, with Wendy and Dave.
Exciting to think of the house here with new blinds, paint and microwave. Lots of nice changes to update it. Other neighbours invited us in to their unit to see what they had done to update their place, very interesting to see how the trailers vary/ and or are similar.
Today our Happy Hour guests showed us a set of lights I didn't know we had, over the dining room/kitchen sort of. Seems they are rope lights I think, they are right up near the ceiling. And they explained what a certain plug and switch do in the living room, we had no idea.
We have Xmas lights on the stair hand railing leading up into the house, and our 3 mini trees outside are up once again as the wind has died down, hopefully for a while. I had laid them down in the high winds so they wouldn't get the lights broken when they fell over.
Fun to see Christmas throughout the park, and we want to go over to Catalina Spa and check out their Xmas lights one night. The malls don't seem to have huge ostentatious displays of lights or decorations this year, but some stores are very prettily decorated, and the sales and reductions are to die for.
That's the latest, don't forget to write, and Merry Christmas to you blog followers.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Out with the old microwave, in with a new one
Today Friday Lary removed the old microwave, an over the range type. It gave a big fight, so it was taken out in pieces. It is from 1984, and was failing for sure. It had a very unattractive dead spider inside the glass of the door. ick!!!!! We didn't have the instructions on how to run it either, and weren't sure that it didn't leak as it was so old. Time it went to the garbage dump, so off it went after a noble fight with Lary.
Then we went over to Sears and bought a new one, it will be installed Tuesday by them. Later we called a blinds company that was recommended to us, and they will come for a consult on Tuesday also, and we may even have the new blinds by New Year or slightly after that time. What service on both items. Apparently they take away the drapes and sheers at the same time that they install the new stuff.
Wednesday Lary carved and Judy R and I went shopping, Costco, Walmart and then Westfield Mall. That night we did security patrol from 1 AM to 3 AM, and then got up at 8:30 for coffee, donuts and the usual business meeting at the clubhouse. Later we went to Annie's for our final flute lesson, and stayed for pecan pie and coffee later. It's magic our time with Annie.
After that we had Dave and Wendy S over for dinner and a long catchup, it was super, and we arranged to go out for Di's birthday on Sunday, and have them over for Christmas dinner here at home. We will have New Year's eve up at the clubhouse, 3 brothers and their families make a prime rib dinner and serve it. That should be fun, we don't do enough here at the park, as we have been having friends visit, and doing things with them outside of the park. Dave and Wendy had been away in New Zealand for the whole month of November with Rotary.
Thanks for reading our blog, but don't forget to write us personal emails too, we miss you all so much, especially at Christmas.
Then we went over to Sears and bought a new one, it will be installed Tuesday by them. Later we called a blinds company that was recommended to us, and they will come for a consult on Tuesday also, and we may even have the new blinds by New Year or slightly after that time. What service on both items. Apparently they take away the drapes and sheers at the same time that they install the new stuff.
Wednesday Lary carved and Judy R and I went shopping, Costco, Walmart and then Westfield Mall. That night we did security patrol from 1 AM to 3 AM, and then got up at 8:30 for coffee, donuts and the usual business meeting at the clubhouse. Later we went to Annie's for our final flute lesson, and stayed for pecan pie and coffee later. It's magic our time with Annie.
After that we had Dave and Wendy S over for dinner and a long catchup, it was super, and we arranged to go out for Di's birthday on Sunday, and have them over for Christmas dinner here at home. We will have New Year's eve up at the clubhouse, 3 brothers and their families make a prime rib dinner and serve it. That should be fun, we don't do enough here at the park, as we have been having friends visit, and doing things with them outside of the park. Dave and Wendy had been away in New Zealand for the whole month of November with Rotary.
Thanks for reading our blog, but don't forget to write us personal emails too, we miss you all so much, especially at Christmas.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Got the carpets cleaned today in the park model
Whew, what a topsy turvy day, we had the carpets cleaned today by a guy with a mobile van. We had used him before, he stays in Catalina Spa in his motorhome, and does RV carpet cleaning. Had to take the side tables out of the living room, take the kitchen chairs outside, and then took out the bedside tables.
It cost $95 in all, but got rid of the smell in the carpet, the previous owners had dogs, and the smell of them seems to be gone, along with pounds of dust that we won't miss at all.
We opened windows that hadn't been opened for ages, in order to dry the carpets, and the guy who did the carpets lent us a huge blower, and a couple other items to make moving stuff back in easier. We had had to strip the bed too, there is very little extra room here, so having somebody who knows how to work in confined spaces without complaint is a big plus.
Roger Beauchampe is his name, he did a great job. Even cleaned the outside steps that have a grotty polypropylene carpet on them, and were quite stained.
After that we went into DHS and I got a second pay and talk phone for myself, $19.95 for the phone, and that included $15 of airtime. We added $100 so the minutes should last for a year, along with keeping the same number that they gave me.
And get this, the cost per minute is 10 cents per minute anywhere in the States. We were in a Radio Shack, and then the girl staff member offered to change Lary's phone over to 10 cents a minute from what he had, 25 cents a minute. It was incredible that she offered to do that for us, with no prompting. And then she did it for him. So we both now have AT & T phones, we shouldn't lose each other in malls!!!!!
Tomorrow Lary goes to carve and I go for a bit of retail therapy with a friend from Nanaimo down here for about 3 months or so. Should be fun. She is Judy.
Thursday we have our last flute class for this session, though Annie is planning a flutie New Years party that will likely be fun.
It cost $95 in all, but got rid of the smell in the carpet, the previous owners had dogs, and the smell of them seems to be gone, along with pounds of dust that we won't miss at all.
We opened windows that hadn't been opened for ages, in order to dry the carpets, and the guy who did the carpets lent us a huge blower, and a couple other items to make moving stuff back in easier. We had had to strip the bed too, there is very little extra room here, so having somebody who knows how to work in confined spaces without complaint is a big plus.
Roger Beauchampe is his name, he did a great job. Even cleaned the outside steps that have a grotty polypropylene carpet on them, and were quite stained.
After that we went into DHS and I got a second pay and talk phone for myself, $19.95 for the phone, and that included $15 of airtime. We added $100 so the minutes should last for a year, along with keeping the same number that they gave me.
And get this, the cost per minute is 10 cents per minute anywhere in the States. We were in a Radio Shack, and then the girl staff member offered to change Lary's phone over to 10 cents a minute from what he had, 25 cents a minute. It was incredible that she offered to do that for us, with no prompting. And then she did it for him. So we both now have AT & T phones, we shouldn't lose each other in malls!!!!!
Tomorrow Lary goes to carve and I go for a bit of retail therapy with a friend from Nanaimo down here for about 3 months or so. Should be fun. She is Judy.
Thursday we have our last flute class for this session, though Annie is planning a flutie New Years party that will likely be fun.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Sunday Goings On
Woke to a lovely day. Temps will be in the mid 80s which is way above normal for this time of the year but we'll gladly take them. Lary went for a walk in the desert and took his "C" flute with him. One chap clapped and thanked me for the music and an older lady stopped and listened to me for about 10 minutes. She has a native american son who plays flute and she loves the music. Kind of made my day when she said my playing was just like his.
Went to a dinner/dance at the club house last night. Good food and we had a very jolly table. Music after dinner for dancing. By coincidence everyone at our table had volunteered to help with the cleanup. A big job cleaning and washing pots and pans and putting things away after a dinner for about 100 folks.
Yesterday morning we went out to support Annie, our flute teacher, at an art show at the Visitors Center on Hwy 74 south of Palm Desert. There were three of her students and we all played at various times. The other vendors and patrons seemed to appreciate and enjoy the music. We had a good time.
Went to a dinner/dance at the club house last night. Good food and we had a very jolly table. Music after dinner for dancing. By coincidence everyone at our table had volunteered to help with the cleanup. A big job cleaning and washing pots and pans and putting things away after a dinner for about 100 folks.
Yesterday morning we went out to support Annie, our flute teacher, at an art show at the Visitors Center on Hwy 74 south of Palm Desert. There were three of her students and we all played at various times. The other vendors and patrons seemed to appreciate and enjoy the music. We had a good time.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Wednesday stuff
Lary carved Weds all day over at Catalina Spa. I dropped him off and then went over to Sky Valley Resort for a haircut, after getting gas. $3.29 a gallon. Nice hairdresser lady.
Then I put up 3 very mini Christmas trees on our patio area, and read a bit before picking Lary up. Then we went for groceries to DHS.
Tonight was our 2nd shift on park patrol, we had the 11 PM til 1 AM shift, me being a nighthawk, I thought it would be easy, but I kept closing my eyes. Luckily there were no problems, and not a thing to be seen. We have a very powerful spotlight, that plugs in to the outlet in the car, and need to call 911 if anybody bad guy comes into the park. Most people are jamming their cars up against their golf carts more or less, and seem to be becoming more security conscious, too. Small bikes and stuff are being put farther away into the sites, etc.
Falling into bed now, we have a flute lesson with Annie tomorrow and she has arranged for us to go up to Palm Desert Visitor Center up on Hwy 74, beyond Bighorn, and past the area of Living Desert, to play our flutes. That lesson is 1 - 3 PM.
We may also play them there to accompany Annie on Saturday, there is a kind of art event happening that day, and I think that Annie may have a booth, too, for some sales of her shakers, udu drums and moyo drums. It is 9 til 3 at the Visitor Centre Hwy 74 on Saturday.
We are really enjoying the warmer weather now once more, what a pity that Sal and Russ left just as it started again. It's softening, but not turning bad as yet.
Maybe Judy and Nick have arrived from Nanaimo. They are traveling with Bill and Fop.
Then I put up 3 very mini Christmas trees on our patio area, and read a bit before picking Lary up. Then we went for groceries to DHS.
Tonight was our 2nd shift on park patrol, we had the 11 PM til 1 AM shift, me being a nighthawk, I thought it would be easy, but I kept closing my eyes. Luckily there were no problems, and not a thing to be seen. We have a very powerful spotlight, that plugs in to the outlet in the car, and need to call 911 if anybody bad guy comes into the park. Most people are jamming their cars up against their golf carts more or less, and seem to be becoming more security conscious, too. Small bikes and stuff are being put farther away into the sites, etc.
Falling into bed now, we have a flute lesson with Annie tomorrow and she has arranged for us to go up to Palm Desert Visitor Center up on Hwy 74, beyond Bighorn, and past the area of Living Desert, to play our flutes. That lesson is 1 - 3 PM.
We may also play them there to accompany Annie on Saturday, there is a kind of art event happening that day, and I think that Annie may have a booth, too, for some sales of her shakers, udu drums and moyo drums. It is 9 til 3 at the Visitor Centre Hwy 74 on Saturday.
We are really enjoying the warmer weather now once more, what a pity that Sal and Russ left just as it started again. It's softening, but not turning bad as yet.
Maybe Judy and Nick have arrived from Nanaimo. They are traveling with Bill and Fop.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Wow we have central heating now, whoopee
We stayed home today because the man from a local heating company said he'd come, and he did. He arrived at 10 AM or so, and after oiling the unit outside, and unplugging the cold air return in the trailer, and making some refinements to that, told us to turn it on, and voila.
The unit was installed in 1986, and still works. It is an electric heat strip, and works like a charm, and can be turned to cold to cool things off too. And total cost was $55.00 so that was such a relief, as we thought we might have to replace it all in its entirety.
The clubhouse here at our new park was decorated today, we didn't go as we were waiting for the heating man, but we did cut down a very overgrown shrub at the side of our house, with the neighbours help. It made it very difficult for the meter man to read the electric meter, and for the propane delivery service to refill our 23 gallon tank. The propane truck also came today as we had run out of propane, and it was filled up, $93.00 and as it's only our stove and oven that use propane, we hope it lasts a long time.
We had a swim in the lovely warm swimming pool here this afternoon, our temps have risen dramatically back into the 70s and seasonal norms, or slightly above, so that is great. Still the sun seems to go down around 4 ish, and it gets cold almost immediately.
Attended a travel club meeting over at Catalina Spa, we should get our final details for the Mexico trip in early January, at that meeting. They are planning either a trip to Hawaii or to Hong Kong in 2012, but we can't think that far ahead at the moment, and are going to Hawaii ourselves in April.
A nice day and great to feel the sun warming us once more. Such a pity that Sal and Russ had to leave today, just when the weather is improving mightily. Back into shorts in the daytime now.
The unit was installed in 1986, and still works. It is an electric heat strip, and works like a charm, and can be turned to cold to cool things off too. And total cost was $55.00 so that was such a relief, as we thought we might have to replace it all in its entirety.
The clubhouse here at our new park was decorated today, we didn't go as we were waiting for the heating man, but we did cut down a very overgrown shrub at the side of our house, with the neighbours help. It made it very difficult for the meter man to read the electric meter, and for the propane delivery service to refill our 23 gallon tank. The propane truck also came today as we had run out of propane, and it was filled up, $93.00 and as it's only our stove and oven that use propane, we hope it lasts a long time.
We had a swim in the lovely warm swimming pool here this afternoon, our temps have risen dramatically back into the 70s and seasonal norms, or slightly above, so that is great. Still the sun seems to go down around 4 ish, and it gets cold almost immediately.
Attended a travel club meeting over at Catalina Spa, we should get our final details for the Mexico trip in early January, at that meeting. They are planning either a trip to Hawaii or to Hong Kong in 2012, but we can't think that far ahead at the moment, and are going to Hawaii ourselves in April.
A nice day and great to feel the sun warming us once more. Such a pity that Sal and Russ had to leave today, just when the weather is improving mightily. Back into shorts in the daytime now.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Sunday brunch with Sal and Russ
Picked up Sal and Russ today and went to IHOP for brunch, the food is good, lots of it, and good prices and service. Thankfully it has warmed right up again, now back nearly into the 70s and should be so for this whole week coming. It's their last day here, they had visited Joshua Tree National Park yesterday and loved it and the surrounding desert scape.
Skies today were grey and overcast, though mild, and tonight we had about 3 cloudbursts, that each lasted about 5 minutes, no more, light rain really, nothing much to speak of though very dark skies near 4 PM or so.
We went over to the Palm Springs Art Museum, and had an excellent docent Denise guide us around, the gallery is totally self sufficient, no public funds of any kind. They are very lucky with very generous patrons and donors. Spectacular works of art, and she had us going all over, and comparing/contrasting things. It was fascinating. They own quite a lot of art and have more promised to them, with some fabulous benefactors that live right here in the Coachella Valley.
There is quite a lot of sculpture, Henry Moore bronzes, some amazingly lifelike statues, one of a pair of average folks sitting on a bench, you just assume they are real. And there is a nude girl lying flat, called Joan, and she is eerily lifelike.
There is another woman artist represented who makes horses out of driftwood, then casts the driftwood pieces into bronze to form, the horses, incredible. Another of her works was a horse lying down that appeared to be made out of bed frame metal or something.
They have some fabulous western art including some by George Montgomery, the actor, he was a cowboy actor, but also carved beautiful furniture, painted and did many interesting things. They have work by Remington and Russell including some cowboy bronzes, and some native indian weaving, baskets and kachina dolls. Some of the desert scenes are lovely. Many of the western art paintings were from the George Montgomery collection.
There were incredible studio glass pieces, some very incredible ones in a special room, and some very modern pieces of work. They appear to have very high calibre work, Andy Warhol, some Picasso and Chagal.
There are 4 floors, and the building itself is very interesting, we didn't see one floor at all, didn't have time, and the lower level has a theatre in it. There were 2 sculpture gardens outside but we didn't have a chance to view them.
A wonderful afternoon.
The first weekend of the month you can get in free if you have a Bank of America card, so that's what we did. Our tour was 2 hours, and so interesting.
We just skimmed through Richard Avedon a fashion, stage and screen photographer, so we'll have to return now that we have discovered yet another jewel of Palm Springs.
Skies today were grey and overcast, though mild, and tonight we had about 3 cloudbursts, that each lasted about 5 minutes, no more, light rain really, nothing much to speak of though very dark skies near 4 PM or so.
We went over to the Palm Springs Art Museum, and had an excellent docent Denise guide us around, the gallery is totally self sufficient, no public funds of any kind. They are very lucky with very generous patrons and donors. Spectacular works of art, and she had us going all over, and comparing/contrasting things. It was fascinating. They own quite a lot of art and have more promised to them, with some fabulous benefactors that live right here in the Coachella Valley.
There is quite a lot of sculpture, Henry Moore bronzes, some amazingly lifelike statues, one of a pair of average folks sitting on a bench, you just assume they are real. And there is a nude girl lying flat, called Joan, and she is eerily lifelike.
There is another woman artist represented who makes horses out of driftwood, then casts the driftwood pieces into bronze to form, the horses, incredible. Another of her works was a horse lying down that appeared to be made out of bed frame metal or something.
They have some fabulous western art including some by George Montgomery, the actor, he was a cowboy actor, but also carved beautiful furniture, painted and did many interesting things. They have work by Remington and Russell including some cowboy bronzes, and some native indian weaving, baskets and kachina dolls. Some of the desert scenes are lovely. Many of the western art paintings were from the George Montgomery collection.
There were incredible studio glass pieces, some very incredible ones in a special room, and some very modern pieces of work. They appear to have very high calibre work, Andy Warhol, some Picasso and Chagal.
There are 4 floors, and the building itself is very interesting, we didn't see one floor at all, didn't have time, and the lower level has a theatre in it. There were 2 sculpture gardens outside but we didn't have a chance to view them.
A wonderful afternoon.
The first weekend of the month you can get in free if you have a Bank of America card, so that's what we did. Our tour was 2 hours, and so interesting.
We just skimmed through Richard Avedon a fashion, stage and screen photographer, so we'll have to return now that we have discovered yet another jewel of Palm Springs.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Monthly flute circle and Saturday stuff
We had the trailer washed yesterday by Nathan, and he also did the windows outside. He did a pretty good job, too. After that we had lots of water everywhere on our concrete pad, so glad we had covered up the outdoor furniture, especially our 2 upholstered chairs.
I washed some of our white vinyl fencing, so it looks cleaner. It's kind of overcast today and not that warm.
Lary got groceries in DHS, and when it was time to cook dinner we had run out of propane in our big house tank. It's a 40 pounder I think. Oops we think they might be 100 pounders. So the spaghetti got boiled on the side burner of the barbeque, and the sauce and meatballs heated up in our aged microwave. Interesting, it's marked 1984 and is still going though I don't like it much, it seems to be a combination one, but we have no book. Still it does the job more or less. We'd like to change it, it's an under the cupboard mounted one, and contains the light above the stove, and a venting fan too. Sal and Russ said they have seen them in places for sale, so that's good, we don't want to sacrifice our smallish counter space for a microwave.
The monthly Coachella Valley Flute Circle met at 7 PM at Annie's house last night, Friday, and now it is no potluck, just pure music. But oh my what music it is indeed. One fellow Al does throat singing, also called harmonic something, and another girl Lesley does something like that too. I am now getting a bit more used to asking the other participants in the circle to play along with me, it's very supportive feeling, and adds such another broader and warmer dimension to your playing. There was a new fellow we hadn't met there, and I think he was Greg. He played Annie's deeper flutes, and really enjoyed them.
There were lots of duets, one of the most spectacular was Annie and Sharon playing 2 ceramic flutes together, it was such magic. Lots of duet playing, and lots of asking for group participation too. Shakers, rattles, Annie's big 2 sided drum, other drums such as djembes, and lots of rattles made out of gourds, some of them covered with shells in a mesh, other gourds just as shakers. It is fascinating. I always feel as if I am flying when I leave Annie's. The music kind of stopped at 9 PM which was the arrangement made, and we pay $10 donation per person to defray Annie's costs.
Lary bought a new C flute made by Al, and an over the shoulder carrying case for it, and I bought a fleece backpack bag for my new drum to keep it out of the light, some percussion sticks, and a small sweet D for Diana flute, blue in color, clay glazed, and made by Nash. It is lovely.
We had a few short hours in bed then got up at 2:45 AM for our first shift on patrol around the park, it was very interesting, we had a radio and a large plug in light, and we had a 3 - 5 AM shift. Changed corners every 20 minutes, and drove slowly from one corner to the diagonally opposite corner, looking for trouble. We didn't find any, and interestingly the time kind of flew by.
At 5 AM we dropped back into bed for the other half of our night's sleep. As we were leaving the park to go to Annie's house we spotted a wee owl sitting on the black driveway, he might have been the pygmy owl that Lary is carving, we're not sure. But he lit on a couple of places before leaving for his night of hunting. Charming to see him in the dark night.
I washed some of our white vinyl fencing, so it looks cleaner. It's kind of overcast today and not that warm.
Lary got groceries in DHS, and when it was time to cook dinner we had run out of propane in our big house tank. It's a 40 pounder I think. Oops we think they might be 100 pounders. So the spaghetti got boiled on the side burner of the barbeque, and the sauce and meatballs heated up in our aged microwave. Interesting, it's marked 1984 and is still going though I don't like it much, it seems to be a combination one, but we have no book. Still it does the job more or less. We'd like to change it, it's an under the cupboard mounted one, and contains the light above the stove, and a venting fan too. Sal and Russ said they have seen them in places for sale, so that's good, we don't want to sacrifice our smallish counter space for a microwave.
The monthly Coachella Valley Flute Circle met at 7 PM at Annie's house last night, Friday, and now it is no potluck, just pure music. But oh my what music it is indeed. One fellow Al does throat singing, also called harmonic something, and another girl Lesley does something like that too. I am now getting a bit more used to asking the other participants in the circle to play along with me, it's very supportive feeling, and adds such another broader and warmer dimension to your playing. There was a new fellow we hadn't met there, and I think he was Greg. He played Annie's deeper flutes, and really enjoyed them.
There were lots of duets, one of the most spectacular was Annie and Sharon playing 2 ceramic flutes together, it was such magic. Lots of duet playing, and lots of asking for group participation too. Shakers, rattles, Annie's big 2 sided drum, other drums such as djembes, and lots of rattles made out of gourds, some of them covered with shells in a mesh, other gourds just as shakers. It is fascinating. I always feel as if I am flying when I leave Annie's. The music kind of stopped at 9 PM which was the arrangement made, and we pay $10 donation per person to defray Annie's costs.
Lary bought a new C flute made by Al, and an over the shoulder carrying case for it, and I bought a fleece backpack bag for my new drum to keep it out of the light, some percussion sticks, and a small sweet D for Diana flute, blue in color, clay glazed, and made by Nash. It is lovely.
We had a few short hours in bed then got up at 2:45 AM for our first shift on patrol around the park, it was very interesting, we had a radio and a large plug in light, and we had a 3 - 5 AM shift. Changed corners every 20 minutes, and drove slowly from one corner to the diagonally opposite corner, looking for trouble. We didn't find any, and interestingly the time kind of flew by.
At 5 AM we dropped back into bed for the other half of our night's sleep. As we were leaving the park to go to Annie's house we spotted a wee owl sitting on the black driveway, he might have been the pygmy owl that Lary is carving, we're not sure. But he lit on a couple of places before leaving for his night of hunting. Charming to see him in the dark night.
Friday, December 3, 2010
It can't be December already, can it?
Wow, with friends here and tons of things to see and do, the time has surely been flying by.
Monday Di and Sal power shopped, not that successfully, at the Outlet stores up at Cabazon, along I-10 to the west. Due to the fact that we shopped at the Premium Outlet stores, which are largely designer stores and we're not really designer girls, we didn't get that much.
Scored a bit of stuff at Liz Claiborne but the stores are really too high end for us both there.
Came home together and had dinner out together, at a nice restaurant called Trilusa over in Cathedral City. It was quiet, we nearly had the place to ourselves, italian food was yummy.
Tuesday we had soup at the clubhouse, then did some stuff around the house, and mucked about.
Wednesday Lary carved and I shopped over at Desert Center, bought some stuff for the house, in particular a new set of Oneida cutlery, and I picked up Lary when he finished his carving at 4 PM.
Thursday after morning coffee at the clubhouse, Lary changed an outside light that needed fixing, and I ironed a new bedskirt, and we put it on the bed making it look nicer.
There is now a security detail overnight, shifts of 2 vehicles with 2 folks inside each one, and the shifts are 2 hours each, from 9 PM until 5 AM. Since they started no golf carts have been stolen, so guess it is helping, but of course it is exhausting for everybody on the shifts, and there is motion all night in the park from the cars, so there is talk of cutting it down to one car, same shifts though, 2 people, and 2 hour shifts.
The opposite corners of the park have both been covered, this other way will mean that only one corner of the park is covered. We will have to wait and see how it develops, Lary and I have a shift from 3 AM til 5 AM on Friday evening/Saturday early. Some 40 people from the park are all together on a cruise, so fewer folks to work those shifts, the travelers will return this weekend, so that's better, but many people will leave for Christmas/New Years, too. It is pretty creepy that our park has been targeted as an easy mark so far.
This afternoon we met Annie, our flute teacher, and Chip another student over at the Palm Preserve, located not that far from us. About 100 palm trees were burned about a week ago, it is interesting that they say they aren't really dead, even though the top vegetation is all gone and the trunks are blackened, they are amazingly resilient, and will likely come back to life in a year or two. The skirts of the palms aren't trimmed, so they are sitting tinder boxes, I kind of wonder at the wisdom of that, on the ground is huge litter, but of course the skirts are home to all kinds of wild critters too.
The oasis there is formed by the San Andreas fault, and the water for the palms is near the surface, so they survive and there is even a body of water there.
We found a picnic table near where 2 ladies were painting watercolor paintings, and we blew our flutes, and really enjoyed ourselves and the natural setting. It has warmed up quite a lot, during the day we are back into the 70s, still cold at night but not so near freezing now. Annie had brought her microphones, and microphone magic cube, and a wee clip on mike for the flutes themselves, so we all explored that, and playing some duets too. It was fun from 1 - 3 PM in between some towering palm trees, with the birds all round. The flute music overall doesn't seem to disturb the wildlife.
Later we went in to visit Sal and Russ, and went to the Palm Springs street night market, we strolled along browsing, and finally had dinner at Ruby's Diner, and then finished browsing, just as the market was finishing up. Seems as if the vendors stayed open for the late comers.
Had a glass of wine at Sal and Russ's place, then came home.
A youngish man offered to wash our trailer and awning tomorrow, so he's supposed to arrive at 8 AM, groan, and he has said he'll wash the windows too. We will see what develops.
Monday Di and Sal power shopped, not that successfully, at the Outlet stores up at Cabazon, along I-10 to the west. Due to the fact that we shopped at the Premium Outlet stores, which are largely designer stores and we're not really designer girls, we didn't get that much.
Scored a bit of stuff at Liz Claiborne but the stores are really too high end for us both there.
Came home together and had dinner out together, at a nice restaurant called Trilusa over in Cathedral City. It was quiet, we nearly had the place to ourselves, italian food was yummy.
Tuesday we had soup at the clubhouse, then did some stuff around the house, and mucked about.
Wednesday Lary carved and I shopped over at Desert Center, bought some stuff for the house, in particular a new set of Oneida cutlery, and I picked up Lary when he finished his carving at 4 PM.
Thursday after morning coffee at the clubhouse, Lary changed an outside light that needed fixing, and I ironed a new bedskirt, and we put it on the bed making it look nicer.
There is now a security detail overnight, shifts of 2 vehicles with 2 folks inside each one, and the shifts are 2 hours each, from 9 PM until 5 AM. Since they started no golf carts have been stolen, so guess it is helping, but of course it is exhausting for everybody on the shifts, and there is motion all night in the park from the cars, so there is talk of cutting it down to one car, same shifts though, 2 people, and 2 hour shifts.
The opposite corners of the park have both been covered, this other way will mean that only one corner of the park is covered. We will have to wait and see how it develops, Lary and I have a shift from 3 AM til 5 AM on Friday evening/Saturday early. Some 40 people from the park are all together on a cruise, so fewer folks to work those shifts, the travelers will return this weekend, so that's better, but many people will leave for Christmas/New Years, too. It is pretty creepy that our park has been targeted as an easy mark so far.
This afternoon we met Annie, our flute teacher, and Chip another student over at the Palm Preserve, located not that far from us. About 100 palm trees were burned about a week ago, it is interesting that they say they aren't really dead, even though the top vegetation is all gone and the trunks are blackened, they are amazingly resilient, and will likely come back to life in a year or two. The skirts of the palms aren't trimmed, so they are sitting tinder boxes, I kind of wonder at the wisdom of that, on the ground is huge litter, but of course the skirts are home to all kinds of wild critters too.
The oasis there is formed by the San Andreas fault, and the water for the palms is near the surface, so they survive and there is even a body of water there.
We found a picnic table near where 2 ladies were painting watercolor paintings, and we blew our flutes, and really enjoyed ourselves and the natural setting. It has warmed up quite a lot, during the day we are back into the 70s, still cold at night but not so near freezing now. Annie had brought her microphones, and microphone magic cube, and a wee clip on mike for the flutes themselves, so we all explored that, and playing some duets too. It was fun from 1 - 3 PM in between some towering palm trees, with the birds all round. The flute music overall doesn't seem to disturb the wildlife.
Later we went in to visit Sal and Russ, and went to the Palm Springs street night market, we strolled along browsing, and finally had dinner at Ruby's Diner, and then finished browsing, just as the market was finishing up. Seems as if the vendors stayed open for the late comers.
Had a glass of wine at Sal and Russ's place, then came home.
A youngish man offered to wash our trailer and awning tomorrow, so he's supposed to arrive at 8 AM, groan, and he has said he'll wash the windows too. We will see what develops.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Busy Saturday and Sunday
Saturday we picked up Sal and Russ and went first to the College of the Desert street market. There are over 300 vendors so Sal and I didn't do them all, but we had a good go of it, I bought an apron and matching oven mitts for the trailer, and a nice silver chain with a pretty pendant of a light green faceted stone set in silver to go on it, and a few other things.
I had already found some stick to it mats that work really well on your car dashboard, they don't have adhesive, just stick like a gel stuff, and you can set your GPS on it, or sunglasses, or anything you want. If they get dirty you just rinse them off using soap and good to go once more.
We also had lunch there, kosher hot dogs, and then when the market closed at 2 PM we went on over to La Quinta to their Art under the Umbrellas art fair. It was in old Town La Quinta, so very pretty buildings surrounding everything. I only bought cards, great way to get inexpensive art. Lary found a very nice tiny painting for our bathroom.
We ate at about 4 PM or so in the Hog's Breath Inn, a very neat restaurant in La Quinta Old Town, then whipped Sal and Russ home for warmer clothes, before going up to the Living Desert to see the Christmas lights, some 700,000 of them, lighting up their deserty areas. We also sat through a wildlife show that talked about some of their resident critters.
It was a long very full day that we thoroughly enjoyed.
Sunday we attended the Cabazon Indian Pow Wow, it was incredible, such showings of beautiful regalia, multi feathers, big bustles for the men, and very impressive beading on many of the costumes. Gorgeous dancing and drumming. Lovely day. Chilly when the sun slips down behind San Jacinto behind Palm Springs, and last night at the Living Desert we all huddled around 45 gallon drums cut in half, and used to enclose wood fires. Drank Cocoa and shivered in the chilly night, we were up a bit from P.S. and it was darned cold.
I had already found some stick to it mats that work really well on your car dashboard, they don't have adhesive, just stick like a gel stuff, and you can set your GPS on it, or sunglasses, or anything you want. If they get dirty you just rinse them off using soap and good to go once more.
We also had lunch there, kosher hot dogs, and then when the market closed at 2 PM we went on over to La Quinta to their Art under the Umbrellas art fair. It was in old Town La Quinta, so very pretty buildings surrounding everything. I only bought cards, great way to get inexpensive art. Lary found a very nice tiny painting for our bathroom.
We ate at about 4 PM or so in the Hog's Breath Inn, a very neat restaurant in La Quinta Old Town, then whipped Sal and Russ home for warmer clothes, before going up to the Living Desert to see the Christmas lights, some 700,000 of them, lighting up their deserty areas. We also sat through a wildlife show that talked about some of their resident critters.
It was a long very full day that we thoroughly enjoyed.
Sunday we attended the Cabazon Indian Pow Wow, it was incredible, such showings of beautiful regalia, multi feathers, big bustles for the men, and very impressive beading on many of the costumes. Gorgeous dancing and drumming. Lovely day. Chilly when the sun slips down behind San Jacinto behind Palm Springs, and last night at the Living Desert we all huddled around 45 gallon drums cut in half, and used to enclose wood fires. Drank Cocoa and shivered in the chilly night, we were up a bit from P.S. and it was darned cold.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Thanksgiving Day in California
Well our temps are now down really low, we are riding the weather system that is all along the west coast of North America, and it's chilly here. Outside temp in the shade looks to be just above 50, and there is an icy wind too now, at 3:15 PM. However our wonderful blue skies are here to keep us happy.
Sal and Russ came over for dinner here with us at the trailer Tuesday, and it was such fun. Lary did barbequed pork ribs, salad and broccoli. Our first guests, and it felt grand. When we need to stay indoors like now I think 4 is a good number for sit down dinner.
Wednesday Lary carved, it's a Northern Pygmy owl that they are doing, and he was gone all day til 4 PM. I bought a couple sets of new Corelle dishes for the trailer, and a new set of towels. We have limited storage space, the two television sets that came with the trailer are now out in the shed as there is a park wide garage sale in February, and apparently a lot of stuff is sold then, to the neighbouring park people, and the proceeds go to our own park.
Thursday is American Thanksgiving, we watched the Macy's Parade from New York this morning, it lasted a long time indeed. Our park has Thanksgiving dinner here, but because we have visitors we decided to go out to Agua Caliente Casino to the Grand Palms Buffet this evening. We'll meet Sal and Russ there.
Friday I think that Sal wants to get in on the retail therapy scene, we 6 have arranged to have lunch at Manhattan in the Desert at 1 PM with Paul and Nancy. It is amazing, some of the stores open at 3 AM or 4 AM for door crasher specials, I don't enjoy shopping like that, it's too intense for me, though I would love to do some shopping too.
A couple of things that we want to do are visit the Living Desert a desert zoo which is lit up during the Christmas season, and visit El Paseo the swanky shopping area here which is all illuminated during Christmas, and officially opened last night with a big light up.
Many many fun things to see and do, but wrap up nice and warm after the sun sets for sure.
Sal and Russ came over for dinner here with us at the trailer Tuesday, and it was such fun. Lary did barbequed pork ribs, salad and broccoli. Our first guests, and it felt grand. When we need to stay indoors like now I think 4 is a good number for sit down dinner.
Wednesday Lary carved, it's a Northern Pygmy owl that they are doing, and he was gone all day til 4 PM. I bought a couple sets of new Corelle dishes for the trailer, and a new set of towels. We have limited storage space, the two television sets that came with the trailer are now out in the shed as there is a park wide garage sale in February, and apparently a lot of stuff is sold then, to the neighbouring park people, and the proceeds go to our own park.
Thursday is American Thanksgiving, we watched the Macy's Parade from New York this morning, it lasted a long time indeed. Our park has Thanksgiving dinner here, but because we have visitors we decided to go out to Agua Caliente Casino to the Grand Palms Buffet this evening. We'll meet Sal and Russ there.
Friday I think that Sal wants to get in on the retail therapy scene, we 6 have arranged to have lunch at Manhattan in the Desert at 1 PM with Paul and Nancy. It is amazing, some of the stores open at 3 AM or 4 AM for door crasher specials, I don't enjoy shopping like that, it's too intense for me, though I would love to do some shopping too.
A couple of things that we want to do are visit the Living Desert a desert zoo which is lit up during the Christmas season, and visit El Paseo the swanky shopping area here which is all illuminated during Christmas, and officially opened last night with a big light up.
Many many fun things to see and do, but wrap up nice and warm after the sun sets for sure.
Monday, November 22, 2010
More Monday doings
Forgot to say that Lary bought a 32 inch flat screen TV at Walmart, Vizio brand, for $288 over the weekend. I think that stores put their deals on even before the Thanksgiving week, and the TV is really good, fits exactly into the place it is meant to do, and color and picture are all grand.
Today Monday dawned bright blue and sunny, though our temps have plummeted seriously, to the 60s, and the low 60s at that, going down to 40s overnight. We will have those temps for less than a week, then it goes up, but not likely into the 80s as before. Hey it's winter even here.....
We are using the new electric heater at night, just while we are up, and since our space is so small it is quite sufficient. The trailer is 14 X 38 feet, so 532 square feet, that is not a lot of space. Thankfully there is lots of hanging cupboard, all along one wall from the back of the kitchen right back along all the bathroom/bedroom wall. And it's mirrored so seems more spacious than it is. Funny sensation to be lying in bed and gaze at yourself in bed!!!
Gradually things are coming together for us here, and we are getting stuff to look as we want it and put our stamp on the trailer. There is no extra room, so our flutes are always visible, Lary made a nice flute stand at home from a cedar step from Yellow Point lodge, a left over bit.
Due to the dust that is everywhere when we have the windows open and the wind blows I bought a piece of fleece yardage, and will cover the laptop, the printer, and likely drape the flutes, the computer and stuff like that really attract the dust, and should be covered when not in use. And I'd like the flutes to not be bleached by the sunshine.
We want to get the carpet cleaned to see if it is salvageable, and perhaps paint, and put horizontal wide slat venetians, but that will have to wait a bit.
Today Monday dawned bright blue and sunny, though our temps have plummeted seriously, to the 60s, and the low 60s at that, going down to 40s overnight. We will have those temps for less than a week, then it goes up, but not likely into the 80s as before. Hey it's winter even here.....
We are using the new electric heater at night, just while we are up, and since our space is so small it is quite sufficient. The trailer is 14 X 38 feet, so 532 square feet, that is not a lot of space. Thankfully there is lots of hanging cupboard, all along one wall from the back of the kitchen right back along all the bathroom/bedroom wall. And it's mirrored so seems more spacious than it is. Funny sensation to be lying in bed and gaze at yourself in bed!!!
Gradually things are coming together for us here, and we are getting stuff to look as we want it and put our stamp on the trailer. There is no extra room, so our flutes are always visible, Lary made a nice flute stand at home from a cedar step from Yellow Point lodge, a left over bit.
Due to the dust that is everywhere when we have the windows open and the wind blows I bought a piece of fleece yardage, and will cover the laptop, the printer, and likely drape the flutes, the computer and stuff like that really attract the dust, and should be covered when not in use. And I'd like the flutes to not be bleached by the sunshine.
We want to get the carpet cleaned to see if it is salvageable, and perhaps paint, and put horizontal wide slat venetians, but that will have to wait a bit.
Jammin it up at Annie's Saturday
Saturday we had a casual jam session at Annie's, there were just 5 of us students over there, and we arrived at 1 PM, and after eating Chip's real lemon pie that he baked, we had the most incredible jam session, we did solo flute playing, duets, trios and even foursomes.
It felt so wonderfully creative, Annie had the fireplace burning, and we all had a total blast.
Not sure when we left, but it was still light, so not that late, it's really getting dark early, and our weather has turned very windy and very cold. Strange how fast it flipped from great to ugly.
Lary made turkey tacos that night, Overnight 10 golf carts were stolen from our park, though some were recovered nearly right away, it made me feel very uncomfortable to know that people can come in and just sweep through and steal stuff, we have gates, but they just cut the locks. That makes 12 carts in all stolen so far, very creepy indeed.
Sunday was overcast, windy again and very chilly. We even put on our new electric heater in the living room, as we aren't sure if the heat pump is dependable or not, it hasn't been on for 5 or more years. We need to get it serviced before using it.
We pretty much stayed home, except this afternoon we had ice cream over at Catalina Spa and stayed for the music jam session. But Lary and I tried a duet, and it was disgusting in my opinion, very disappointing. I started out completely klutzy, and it bombed. For our 2nd appearance Lary did his own thing, I didn't go up and accompany him.
Then we went over to Dillon Roadhouse for a pig roast, but it was a bit of a bust too, only niblet corn, baked beans and pork. Oh well, we didn't pay a fortune, but a bit of a disappointment.
Spent later Sunday evening doing laundry, luckily the 5 machines were all free, so I used 3 of them. They are high efficiency machines and it's only $1 per load, so that is great. I emptied the hamper of everything dirty.
Wind still blowing outside, I'm heading to bed now, it's very late (or early Monday AM.)
It felt so wonderfully creative, Annie had the fireplace burning, and we all had a total blast.
Not sure when we left, but it was still light, so not that late, it's really getting dark early, and our weather has turned very windy and very cold. Strange how fast it flipped from great to ugly.
Lary made turkey tacos that night, Overnight 10 golf carts were stolen from our park, though some were recovered nearly right away, it made me feel very uncomfortable to know that people can come in and just sweep through and steal stuff, we have gates, but they just cut the locks. That makes 12 carts in all stolen so far, very creepy indeed.
Sunday was overcast, windy again and very chilly. We even put on our new electric heater in the living room, as we aren't sure if the heat pump is dependable or not, it hasn't been on for 5 or more years. We need to get it serviced before using it.
We pretty much stayed home, except this afternoon we had ice cream over at Catalina Spa and stayed for the music jam session. But Lary and I tried a duet, and it was disgusting in my opinion, very disappointing. I started out completely klutzy, and it bombed. For our 2nd appearance Lary did his own thing, I didn't go up and accompany him.
Then we went over to Dillon Roadhouse for a pig roast, but it was a bit of a bust too, only niblet corn, baked beans and pork. Oh well, we didn't pay a fortune, but a bit of a disappointment.
Spent later Sunday evening doing laundry, luckily the 5 machines were all free, so I used 3 of them. They are high efficiency machines and it's only $1 per load, so that is great. I emptied the hamper of everything dirty.
Wind still blowing outside, I'm heading to bed now, it's very late (or early Monday AM.)
Friday, November 19, 2010
New Furniture arrival
Flute lesson was Thursday, I just posted it so late it appeared as if it happened on Friday.
sorry about that.
This morning Lary walked for about an hour, and I Di went over to the pool here and did water aerobics from a CD with 2 other ladies.
Then we kind of sat around waiting for the furniture to arrive. It did, and what a to - do.
We hadn't taken into consideration the narrow width of our doorway, not to mention the height of it, and the length of the sofa. All in all it posed a huge challenge to the 2 delivery guys, who were very good natured about it all, but ended up removing first our front stairway to the house, then had to remove first the glass sliding door, then the fixed part of the same sliding door, plus the retractable screen attached to said doorway, in order to get the sofa in to the house. Whew, they took about 2 hours in all, and it was quite a job.
The house has likely had tons of owners, each making more and more changes to it, and they had to cope with all that. We ordered a sofa with beige microfibre seats and arms, but a patterned back, greens, burgundy and medium brown. And the recliners are sage green microfibre. It doesn't look pop fabulous, but the sofa is never leaving in our lifetimes I believe. It looks way better than the tired and beaten up, dated recliners and sofa that we had.
Later we went out to Catalina Spa and had a spaghetti dinner and visited with a couple who we met last year from Kamloops, very nice people. Their dog had been under the weather as she gulps up stuff when they are out on the desert walking, and perhaps had eaten something bad for her.
It has turned quite chilly tonight, and windy too, temps have plummeted, and they may be low like this for the weekend, and then go on up into the 70s, but nothing like what we have had.
Thursday night on the way home from Annie's we had eaten at Sherman's Deli.
Tomorrow Annie invited us over to her place to play music together, with our flutes. Should be grand, we were going to head off to Modjeska Canyon about 2 hours away toward the coast, but there are flood and heavy rain warnings up, so we will avoid the 2 hour drive on soggy highways.
sorry about that.
This morning Lary walked for about an hour, and I Di went over to the pool here and did water aerobics from a CD with 2 other ladies.
Then we kind of sat around waiting for the furniture to arrive. It did, and what a to - do.
We hadn't taken into consideration the narrow width of our doorway, not to mention the height of it, and the length of the sofa. All in all it posed a huge challenge to the 2 delivery guys, who were very good natured about it all, but ended up removing first our front stairway to the house, then had to remove first the glass sliding door, then the fixed part of the same sliding door, plus the retractable screen attached to said doorway, in order to get the sofa in to the house. Whew, they took about 2 hours in all, and it was quite a job.
The house has likely had tons of owners, each making more and more changes to it, and they had to cope with all that. We ordered a sofa with beige microfibre seats and arms, but a patterned back, greens, burgundy and medium brown. And the recliners are sage green microfibre. It doesn't look pop fabulous, but the sofa is never leaving in our lifetimes I believe. It looks way better than the tired and beaten up, dated recliners and sofa that we had.
Later we went out to Catalina Spa and had a spaghetti dinner and visited with a couple who we met last year from Kamloops, very nice people. Their dog had been under the weather as she gulps up stuff when they are out on the desert walking, and perhaps had eaten something bad for her.
It has turned quite chilly tonight, and windy too, temps have plummeted, and they may be low like this for the weekend, and then go on up into the 70s, but nothing like what we have had.
Thursday night on the way home from Annie's we had eaten at Sherman's Deli.
Tomorrow Annie invited us over to her place to play music together, with our flutes. Should be grand, we were going to head off to Modjeska Canyon about 2 hours away toward the coast, but there are flood and heavy rain warnings up, so we will avoid the 2 hour drive on soggy highways.
Flute Lesson today at Annie's
Today we went to coffee at the clubhouse here at 9 AM where we were all shocked to hear that overnight 2 golf carts and 4 bikes were stolen from our park, they figure at about 9:30 PM.
They were later all recovered, in various states of disrepair, there is a group of thugs who run a nearby chop shop apparently. The early hour and the fact that they got away with the items was a big shock to everyone in the park, though theft from here is not unheard of.
Di walked around the park twice with Evelyn our nice neighbour from Alberta, who lives nearby in the park.
We left home at noon and went to buy tickets for a pig roast on Sunday at the Dillon Roadhouse, in the direction of Palm Springs, and then we continued on to Palm Springs City Hall to pick up free tickets for the Marine Corps Band Christmas concert. It will be December 9th, and last year was very good indeed.
We bought a sandwich at Trader Joe's then went to Annie's for our first flute lesson, there were 4 of us, and we did solos and then duets, it was very enjoyable, and Annie encouraged us to play flutes that we didn't particularly like, so that we could find out more how to play them.
Worked out great, then we decided to have early dinner at Sherman's deli, then we went on to Westfield Shopping Centre, Lary lost the nose pad for his glasses, and I needed a pedicure. Both missions accomplished, along with a bit of retail therapy, the sales are incredible.
Home late for a bit of TV and then to bed.
They were later all recovered, in various states of disrepair, there is a group of thugs who run a nearby chop shop apparently. The early hour and the fact that they got away with the items was a big shock to everyone in the park, though theft from here is not unheard of.
Di walked around the park twice with Evelyn our nice neighbour from Alberta, who lives nearby in the park.
We left home at noon and went to buy tickets for a pig roast on Sunday at the Dillon Roadhouse, in the direction of Palm Springs, and then we continued on to Palm Springs City Hall to pick up free tickets for the Marine Corps Band Christmas concert. It will be December 9th, and last year was very good indeed.
We bought a sandwich at Trader Joe's then went to Annie's for our first flute lesson, there were 4 of us, and we did solos and then duets, it was very enjoyable, and Annie encouraged us to play flutes that we didn't particularly like, so that we could find out more how to play them.
Worked out great, then we decided to have early dinner at Sherman's deli, then we went on to Westfield Shopping Centre, Lary lost the nose pad for his glasses, and I needed a pedicure. Both missions accomplished, along with a bit of retail therapy, the sales are incredible.
Home late for a bit of TV and then to bed.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Wow new furniture on the way
Yesterday we went to the most interesting store, the Warehouse Furniture store over off Hwy 111 in Cathedral city, on Bankside Drive. Their ad said We specialize in small scale furniture for park models, mobile homes and condos. And do they ever.
We bought 2 wallsaver recliners, and a full size sofa, all for $1200 total, and they deliver and cart away our old stuff, so that is so great. They will deliver on Friday. We got a sofa with a plain beige seat and arms, and a print on the back cushions, which aren't loose, but attached. And 2 sage recliners, so we are very excited awaiting their delivery.
We also bought a computer stand, that is a bit tall as it's really for a desktop, but Lary will modify it to be more suitable to our laptop. He already put that together, and we're using it now, but our hands are too high up currently.
Also we got a small electric heater, not needed now but likely in the future, and some other stuff. And we took quite a bit of the old double bed bedding and other extra ornaments to the local charity shops. They seem happy to get them.
Tuesday we had soup lunch here at the park, there were 3 kinds available, and it is served with some different breads, and costs $3.50 each. A fundraiser for our park, on alternate Tuesdays they make burgers at lunch time, so something new for us to enjoy. We take our bowls etc, and we sat with neighbours around us here, so that was super.
Monday Di had found a new friend Evelyn from Cardston, AB so we went together over to the bathing suit sale that Glossy put on. All the suits were $29.95, hey this is a first, I didn't buy anything, we enjoyed the show though. As the streets have been improved up there, her business has really suffered, and now the store has a new look and people don't think it's the same store, so more challenges for her. She is incredible as she goes around to many parks and the campers do the modeling for her. She is Delinda.
This morning Di went over and did water aerobics first with a leader, and then later with a tape and another lady from Ladysmith. Very enjoyable. Lary is walking his hour before breakfast, and then he headed off to carving at Catalina Spa with Vern.
Today he started the new project a Northern Pygmy Owl.
Tomorrow we have our first flute lesson with Annie, and Saturday we hope to go to another flute circle gathering a bit of a distance away, in Modjeska, CA.
We bought 2 wallsaver recliners, and a full size sofa, all for $1200 total, and they deliver and cart away our old stuff, so that is so great. They will deliver on Friday. We got a sofa with a plain beige seat and arms, and a print on the back cushions, which aren't loose, but attached. And 2 sage recliners, so we are very excited awaiting their delivery.
We also bought a computer stand, that is a bit tall as it's really for a desktop, but Lary will modify it to be more suitable to our laptop. He already put that together, and we're using it now, but our hands are too high up currently.
Also we got a small electric heater, not needed now but likely in the future, and some other stuff. And we took quite a bit of the old double bed bedding and other extra ornaments to the local charity shops. They seem happy to get them.
Tuesday we had soup lunch here at the park, there were 3 kinds available, and it is served with some different breads, and costs $3.50 each. A fundraiser for our park, on alternate Tuesdays they make burgers at lunch time, so something new for us to enjoy. We take our bowls etc, and we sat with neighbours around us here, so that was super.
Monday Di had found a new friend Evelyn from Cardston, AB so we went together over to the bathing suit sale that Glossy put on. All the suits were $29.95, hey this is a first, I didn't buy anything, we enjoyed the show though. As the streets have been improved up there, her business has really suffered, and now the store has a new look and people don't think it's the same store, so more challenges for her. She is incredible as she goes around to many parks and the campers do the modeling for her. She is Delinda.
This morning Di went over and did water aerobics first with a leader, and then later with a tape and another lady from Ladysmith. Very enjoyable. Lary is walking his hour before breakfast, and then he headed off to carving at Catalina Spa with Vern.
Today he started the new project a Northern Pygmy Owl.
Tomorrow we have our first flute lesson with Annie, and Saturday we hope to go to another flute circle gathering a bit of a distance away, in Modjeska, CA.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
It's Sunny and Hot
What a lovely day today. Sunny and close to 80F/27C. It is amazing how quickly we slip back into using the old imperial measurements as soon as we come back to where they are in everyday use. Our metric mind does a quick dump and we are back into miles and degrees F. Went to College of the Desert (COD) this morning. This is a marvelous street market that is held every weekend on the grounds of the college. There are hundreds of dealers selling everyting from fresh fruit and veg to clothing, furniture, jewellry, sports gear and golf carts. An amazing shopping experience. We picked up a few things we need for our park model and got more at the local $o.99 store. Another stop at Walmart and we came home pooped but ready for burgers at Catalina Spa, our old RV park where we are still welcomed as visitors. Back to our own park, put a load of laundry in and went for a dip in the pool and a soak in the hot tub. A nice day.
WE'RE HERE AND SETTLING IN
We took three sleeps to get to Desert Hot Springs. One very long day, one normal day and one very short day. Had lots of rain early on but it got better as we got further south.
Found the trailer had survived the summer with no real problems. It took us a couple of hours to take all the insulation material off all the windows and get unpacked. Di did the majority of the inside stuff and I did the outdoor tasks. Still some work to do outside but gradually getting it all done. Of course there was no food in the trailer at all so we had to do a major "staples" grocery shopping expedition. We will be replacing some of the living room furniture fairly quickly as some of it is quite dated and in need of the old heave-ho. Have chatted wtih our neighbours, gone to morning coffee at the clubhouse, visited Catalina Spa, our old park, and got caught up on the activities there. I will be carving a Northern Pygmy Owl this year.
Yesterday, Saturday, we both went to Annie Mathias' home for a native drum making workshop. We figured one drum per family was all that we needed so Di built the drum and I was there for moral support and help as required. It was a lot of work but nine people completed drums. Nash, the class leader and instructor was incredible. The drums will dry until Thursday when they will ready to be beaten. We stayed for an hour or so after to play music on our flutes. I had played a bit during the drum making workshop and Annie said I would go into her intermediate class. It was a lovely day and very productive.
Found the trailer had survived the summer with no real problems. It took us a couple of hours to take all the insulation material off all the windows and get unpacked. Di did the majority of the inside stuff and I did the outdoor tasks. Still some work to do outside but gradually getting it all done. Of course there was no food in the trailer at all so we had to do a major "staples" grocery shopping expedition. We will be replacing some of the living room furniture fairly quickly as some of it is quite dated and in need of the old heave-ho. Have chatted wtih our neighbours, gone to morning coffee at the clubhouse, visited Catalina Spa, our old park, and got caught up on the activities there. I will be carving a Northern Pygmy Owl this year.
Yesterday, Saturday, we both went to Annie Mathias' home for a native drum making workshop. We figured one drum per family was all that we needed so Di built the drum and I was there for moral support and help as required. It was a lot of work but nine people completed drums. Nash, the class leader and instructor was incredible. The drums will dry until Thursday when they will ready to be beaten. We stayed for an hour or so after to play music on our flutes. I had played a bit during the drum making workshop and Annie said I would go into her intermediate class. It was a lovely day and very productive.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Nearly ready to roll on outta here
Well, only a few days to go to our next southern adventure, the trip down to Desert Hot Springs, this time a bit different, as we will take the car and leave the trailer in a storage lot here on the island.
We found winter house sitters, from Manitoba this time, and they are returning to their jobs here in Nanaimo, for the winter, which seems incredible. Their son and his wife and small grand daughter live here, so they are wanting quality time with them. We all seem to have meshed our plans so well.
Our car will be loaded to the top, the reality of packing without the trailer to absorb all our stuff is just dawning on us, not to mention the fact that we can't empty our fridge into the trailer fridge. New trip, new details to think about!!
Meanwhile "back at the ranch" we're making space for the house sitters, packing both for the winter down south and our 2 springtime cruises at the same time, and thinking about trying to leave the house in ship shape condition for the new folks. Erg. Hair pulling time.
Not to mention getting Christmas cards and goodies organized for sisters and nieces, nephews etc. More hair pulling. I will be bald before we leave!!
That's about it for this new blog, talk to you soon. Stay posted.
We found winter house sitters, from Manitoba this time, and they are returning to their jobs here in Nanaimo, for the winter, which seems incredible. Their son and his wife and small grand daughter live here, so they are wanting quality time with them. We all seem to have meshed our plans so well.
Our car will be loaded to the top, the reality of packing without the trailer to absorb all our stuff is just dawning on us, not to mention the fact that we can't empty our fridge into the trailer fridge. New trip, new details to think about!!
Meanwhile "back at the ranch" we're making space for the house sitters, packing both for the winter down south and our 2 springtime cruises at the same time, and thinking about trying to leave the house in ship shape condition for the new folks. Erg. Hair pulling time.
Not to mention getting Christmas cards and goodies organized for sisters and nieces, nephews etc. More hair pulling. I will be bald before we leave!!
That's about it for this new blog, talk to you soon. Stay posted.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Snow in Weed, and we got stuck there
Spent Easter Sunday night in Weed CA, in heavy snow. We parked the trailer right beside the Quality Inn, and spent the night safe and sound in a room there, though the driving had been very hairy for Lary once we hit snow.
Next morning we awoke to the trailer being plowed firmly into place right at the curb, so had to call a tow truck, and he winched us out and on to the road. Once we were on the road we could drive from there, and soon we left the snow behind us.
Spent the next night in Vancouver Washington, and the following day we crossed the border at Blaine, where we had an unusually friendly female Customs Officer, who welcomed us home to our own country once more, and we also had luck in making the 3:15 ferry on to the island from Tsawassen to Duke Point.
We took the trailer to Walmart, and made several trips home and back to Walmart unloading most of our stuff from the winter's trip.
The following morning we took the trailer down to Duncan for repairs, and left it there. Came back to Nanaimo, got the car insured, and left in the car for a 2 night stay with friends Russ and Sally down in East Sooke.
Then we caught the noon ferry Friday off the island at Swartz Bay, and we headed up Highway 1 to Princeton. Sal and Russ had shown us a super route that you take, aiming down Hwy 99 toward the US border, and at the last exit, 8th Ave, you exit, go back to 16th Avenue, and keep going east along that road, passing very near Tradex in Abbotsford. You meet the Hwy 1 freeway at Mt Lehman Road, so handy and without the heavy traffic through Langley industrial areas.
From Hope through Manning Park and on to Princeton we spent most of the day driving in falling snow, though it didn't seem to be sticking to the road. Still somewhat unnerving driving in that stuff, we don't have either chains or studded winter tires on the new car, and don't want to buy them either if we can avoid it.
Spent the night in Princeton, and next day on to Kelowna where we'll stay for a week.
Next morning we awoke to the trailer being plowed firmly into place right at the curb, so had to call a tow truck, and he winched us out and on to the road. Once we were on the road we could drive from there, and soon we left the snow behind us.
Spent the next night in Vancouver Washington, and the following day we crossed the border at Blaine, where we had an unusually friendly female Customs Officer, who welcomed us home to our own country once more, and we also had luck in making the 3:15 ferry on to the island from Tsawassen to Duke Point.
We took the trailer to Walmart, and made several trips home and back to Walmart unloading most of our stuff from the winter's trip.
The following morning we took the trailer down to Duncan for repairs, and left it there. Came back to Nanaimo, got the car insured, and left in the car for a 2 night stay with friends Russ and Sally down in East Sooke.
Then we caught the noon ferry Friday off the island at Swartz Bay, and we headed up Highway 1 to Princeton. Sal and Russ had shown us a super route that you take, aiming down Hwy 99 toward the US border, and at the last exit, 8th Ave, you exit, go back to 16th Avenue, and keep going east along that road, passing very near Tradex in Abbotsford. You meet the Hwy 1 freeway at Mt Lehman Road, so handy and without the heavy traffic through Langley industrial areas.
From Hope through Manning Park and on to Princeton we spent most of the day driving in falling snow, though it didn't seem to be sticking to the road. Still somewhat unnerving driving in that stuff, we don't have either chains or studded winter tires on the new car, and don't want to buy them either if we can avoid it.
Spent the night in Princeton, and next day on to Kelowna where we'll stay for a week.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Getting ready to roll
Lary has been emptying the tanks, we have done a final laundry, and kind of tidied up the trailer preparing to roll on out of here, and up the I-5 highway towards home. He's putting a bit of water into our fresh water tank, too, just for our use on the homeward trek.
Feels weird, as if the trailer has grown subtle roots down into the sandy soil here at Cat Spa park. But the campsite is emptying out, folks saying their final goodbyes to friends, and rolling on out too, the weather is warming up, but storms still keep rolling on through, and one of the local more distant mountains is completely snow covered at its top once again this morning. Weather wise it has been an unusual one for us here, cooler, and windier than usual.
Tonight is my last Coachella Valley flute circle get together at Annie's, a pot luck dinner and a music jam, it has been such a pleasure to become involved with that inspired group of musicians and flute blowing keeners. I am taking a German chocolate cake, seems to be a hit always. And I will blow my new flutes, and have the usual enjoyable evening rocking out with them all.
I am really going to miss them all so much until November or so when we'll be back once more.
The campsite doesn't feel the same as all the activities draw slowly to a close, the volunteers pack up and leave, the campers head off, and the swim group in the pool in the afternoons shrinks a lot in size. Overall the park seems to lack animation, and it's clearly time for us to roll on away, too. Seems strange this year, but we won't really return as campers to the park again, as we'll be over at Almar come this late fall. Hopefully we will come back though for their wonderful activities and entertainment, perhaps even the odd meal over the weekends.
Looking down the roads here in the park now the gaps of empty sites widen, the trailers and coaches thin out, and the activity of the winter grinds slowly to a halt, in the timeless rhythm of the way things are down here in the southern sunbelt of the US.
This particular park stays open all year, but it must be a totally different bunch of campers from now on, the big groups roll on in, and the younger families with children, and their ATVs and other weekend/holiday amusements take the place of the older folks, who have now migrated like the birds to the more northerly areas of the country, and across the border up into Canada.
Time for us too to join the northward trek. This will likely be my last post of this season, our time here is nearing an end, and this fall will bring us new horizons, and a different park to learn all about. This chapter is kind of drawing to a close, and we thank you all for following us and our news.
We look forward to joining you all closer to our Vancouver Island home. It will be strange to be back in the townhouse, trying to get used to another kitchen, where is this and that once more.....and we trust that Greg's will once again fix our troublesome kitchen floor in the rig, and get us back to right once again, as they always do.
Til we meet again. Thanks for sharing our winter time adventures with us. 'Hasta la vista', as they say in spanish, til we next see each other.
Feels weird, as if the trailer has grown subtle roots down into the sandy soil here at Cat Spa park. But the campsite is emptying out, folks saying their final goodbyes to friends, and rolling on out too, the weather is warming up, but storms still keep rolling on through, and one of the local more distant mountains is completely snow covered at its top once again this morning. Weather wise it has been an unusual one for us here, cooler, and windier than usual.
Tonight is my last Coachella Valley flute circle get together at Annie's, a pot luck dinner and a music jam, it has been such a pleasure to become involved with that inspired group of musicians and flute blowing keeners. I am taking a German chocolate cake, seems to be a hit always. And I will blow my new flutes, and have the usual enjoyable evening rocking out with them all.
I am really going to miss them all so much until November or so when we'll be back once more.
The campsite doesn't feel the same as all the activities draw slowly to a close, the volunteers pack up and leave, the campers head off, and the swim group in the pool in the afternoons shrinks a lot in size. Overall the park seems to lack animation, and it's clearly time for us to roll on away, too. Seems strange this year, but we won't really return as campers to the park again, as we'll be over at Almar come this late fall. Hopefully we will come back though for their wonderful activities and entertainment, perhaps even the odd meal over the weekends.
Looking down the roads here in the park now the gaps of empty sites widen, the trailers and coaches thin out, and the activity of the winter grinds slowly to a halt, in the timeless rhythm of the way things are down here in the southern sunbelt of the US.
This particular park stays open all year, but it must be a totally different bunch of campers from now on, the big groups roll on in, and the younger families with children, and their ATVs and other weekend/holiday amusements take the place of the older folks, who have now migrated like the birds to the more northerly areas of the country, and across the border up into Canada.
Time for us too to join the northward trek. This will likely be my last post of this season, our time here is nearing an end, and this fall will bring us new horizons, and a different park to learn all about. This chapter is kind of drawing to a close, and we thank you all for following us and our news.
We look forward to joining you all closer to our Vancouver Island home. It will be strange to be back in the townhouse, trying to get used to another kitchen, where is this and that once more.....and we trust that Greg's will once again fix our troublesome kitchen floor in the rig, and get us back to right once again, as they always do.
Til we meet again. Thanks for sharing our winter time adventures with us. 'Hasta la vista', as they say in spanish, til we next see each other.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Thursday Wendy and Dave left for home
On Weds I went shopping for a few odds and ends, and got a birthday present for Wendy, as it is her birthday April 9th. Bought her some nice lavender hand cream, some drink napkins, and a Loreena McKennitt (?) CD. We 4 went out for dinner to South of the Border mexican restaurant up in DHS on Palm Drive by Pierson. Good food, and it was busy there.
Sad to say bye bye for this year. It got really chilly in the evening, and was a very blustery day, but sunny. Lots of grit flying around. Lary had finished his kildeer bird at his last carving day with Vern this season.
Thursday I put some tops into a Rubbermaid tub to leave at Almar Acres, so we took them over there. Today was still with no wind until about 5 PM or so when it picked up again. Today still warm weather was like a gift after last night's wind, the trailer had been rocking and rolling once again last night, and the temps had plunged down again overnight. Thursday AM it was a bit warmer outside than inside, and we had a nice long soak in the pool and a chat with the folks who are still here though the park is really emptying out noticeably now.
Lary's task today was to go into the Department of Motor Vehicles in Palm Springs, he spent nearly 3 hours there, waiting to renew our license plate for the new park model trailer. Even though it's fixed it still has a valid plate and an annual decal, due in May.
He just had to get the decal for the plate, but the wait was very long, as it's a busy place and shut on Fridays, too. He succceeded, and we took the plate over to Almar along with our tub of clothes, and a pretty painted name plate that we decided to leave down here for the park model.
We had tidied up all the leaves, but there are already leaves on the patio area again. Didn't clean them up this time. There will be lots and lots in November when we get back then.
Lary and I are munching our way through the frozen food that Sue and Jen bought us from Schwanns frozen food truck here in the park.
Sad to say bye bye for this year. It got really chilly in the evening, and was a very blustery day, but sunny. Lots of grit flying around. Lary had finished his kildeer bird at his last carving day with Vern this season.
Thursday I put some tops into a Rubbermaid tub to leave at Almar Acres, so we took them over there. Today was still with no wind until about 5 PM or so when it picked up again. Today still warm weather was like a gift after last night's wind, the trailer had been rocking and rolling once again last night, and the temps had plunged down again overnight. Thursday AM it was a bit warmer outside than inside, and we had a nice long soak in the pool and a chat with the folks who are still here though the park is really emptying out noticeably now.
Lary's task today was to go into the Department of Motor Vehicles in Palm Springs, he spent nearly 3 hours there, waiting to renew our license plate for the new park model trailer. Even though it's fixed it still has a valid plate and an annual decal, due in May.
He just had to get the decal for the plate, but the wait was very long, as it's a busy place and shut on Fridays, too. He succceeded, and we took the plate over to Almar along with our tub of clothes, and a pretty painted name plate that we decided to leave down here for the park model.
We had tidied up all the leaves, but there are already leaves on the patio area again. Didn't clean them up this time. There will be lots and lots in November when we get back then.
Lary and I are munching our way through the frozen food that Sue and Jen bought us from Schwanns frozen food truck here in the park.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Summerized the new place today
Lary and I went over to the new place and got it ready for summer's heat down here, which is up to 120 degrees F during July August and September. The rubber stopper for the kitchen sink had already stuck firmly to the arborite kitchen counter, so you know it's been hot here already.
The new insulated roof on our park model trailer I think has made quite a difference to the inside temps, and the roofers eliminated a skylight that had been letting in quite a bit of heat. Sounds as if the previous owners had had some leaks around the windows, but we haven't seen any evidence of that.
The owners had cut lengths of special silver insulating material to cover the windows and keep out the summer heat, and they were already labeled with which window they fit, plus there was a special tape to use to fix them into the frame of each window, so it went fairly quickly, though with the doors closed, it was pretty stuffy inside. And of course it got progressively darker, too.
There is a dove nesting on a strut on the outside front metal shutters of the unit, and today we saw her 2 babies, she was feeding them, looked like she was regurgitating food for them. With the sheers and heavy curtains drawn back we could see her pretty clearly.
Yesterday we had watched a kildeer family here in our campsite park, they were so interesting to watch the young kildeers learning to hunt and feed in the rocks of a wee pond here.
We also put most of the patio furniture in the wooden shed which has a ventilator turbine fan on it, and filled a household garbage can with water and left it on a towel inside the bathtub, to slowly give the house its needed moisture. There is also a bucket of water over the garburetor in the kitchen, and saran wrap over both the toilet bowl and the toilet tank, to maintain the toilet seal and try and avoid getting sewer gas up into the trailer.
Finally we covered the bed and furniture with plastic sheets, and laid down all the lamps, and unplugged all the appliances. Hopefully that will keep the place safe, and OK in the long hot summer months. Also be safe if this area has an earthquake of any serious magnitude.
It was quite a bit of work, and as this is a windy month, and has been a windy winter, there is dust everywhere outside. It doesn't seem too bad inside our new trailer as yet, let's see what happens after a few hot dry months have passed.
Wendy and Dave invited us over for Happy Hour tonight, and we will go out to dinner together tomorrow here in Desert Hot Springs before they leave Thursday and we go Saturday.
The new insulated roof on our park model trailer I think has made quite a difference to the inside temps, and the roofers eliminated a skylight that had been letting in quite a bit of heat. Sounds as if the previous owners had had some leaks around the windows, but we haven't seen any evidence of that.
The owners had cut lengths of special silver insulating material to cover the windows and keep out the summer heat, and they were already labeled with which window they fit, plus there was a special tape to use to fix them into the frame of each window, so it went fairly quickly, though with the doors closed, it was pretty stuffy inside. And of course it got progressively darker, too.
There is a dove nesting on a strut on the outside front metal shutters of the unit, and today we saw her 2 babies, she was feeding them, looked like she was regurgitating food for them. With the sheers and heavy curtains drawn back we could see her pretty clearly.
Yesterday we had watched a kildeer family here in our campsite park, they were so interesting to watch the young kildeers learning to hunt and feed in the rocks of a wee pond here.
We also put most of the patio furniture in the wooden shed which has a ventilator turbine fan on it, and filled a household garbage can with water and left it on a towel inside the bathtub, to slowly give the house its needed moisture. There is also a bucket of water over the garburetor in the kitchen, and saran wrap over both the toilet bowl and the toilet tank, to maintain the toilet seal and try and avoid getting sewer gas up into the trailer.
Finally we covered the bed and furniture with plastic sheets, and laid down all the lamps, and unplugged all the appliances. Hopefully that will keep the place safe, and OK in the long hot summer months. Also be safe if this area has an earthquake of any serious magnitude.
It was quite a bit of work, and as this is a windy month, and has been a windy winter, there is dust everywhere outside. It doesn't seem too bad inside our new trailer as yet, let's see what happens after a few hot dry months have passed.
Wendy and Dave invited us over for Happy Hour tonight, and we will go out to dinner together tomorrow here in Desert Hot Springs before they leave Thursday and we go Saturday.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Last flute class today at Eisenhower
Had lunch with Wendy and Dave, and Dave's sister Ann and her hubbie Ron, at Sherman's.
Yum yum, huge portions, then 2 desserts ordered and shared among us.
After that Lary dropped me off at Eisenhower Hospital for my flute Monday class, and it was nice, though I am a bit sad, they are doing a kind of recital on April 13th at Rancho Mirage Library, and I won't be there.
Wendy and Dave are coming for dinner tonight, we're eating the steaks that Sue and Jen got us from Schwan's, the frozen food delivery service here in the park. Wendy is bringing her homemade bean salad, and we're doing a green salad. I'm still full from lunch.
Our friendly next door neighbour has left, and the park is emptying out pretty quickly, most all of the activities and meals end this Easter weekend. Boo hoo, tomorrow we'll head over to our park model home and "summerize" it for the season when it's really hot, and we're away up north. That will be a new experience for us both, learning to cover the windows with reflective insulation, and add a whole garbage can full of water somewhere in the house, cover the toilet and sink with saran wrap. Etc etc.
Yum yum, huge portions, then 2 desserts ordered and shared among us.
After that Lary dropped me off at Eisenhower Hospital for my flute Monday class, and it was nice, though I am a bit sad, they are doing a kind of recital on April 13th at Rancho Mirage Library, and I won't be there.
Wendy and Dave are coming for dinner tonight, we're eating the steaks that Sue and Jen got us from Schwan's, the frozen food delivery service here in the park. Wendy is bringing her homemade bean salad, and we're doing a green salad. I'm still full from lunch.
Our friendly next door neighbour has left, and the park is emptying out pretty quickly, most all of the activities and meals end this Easter weekend. Boo hoo, tomorrow we'll head over to our park model home and "summerize" it for the season when it's really hot, and we're away up north. That will be a new experience for us both, learning to cover the windows with reflective insulation, and add a whole garbage can full of water somewhere in the house, cover the toilet and sink with saran wrap. Etc etc.
Jammin on Sunday afternoon at the clubhouse
Lazy Sunday morning, then in the afternoon we attended the music jam here, there were lots of people with instruments, even a bass fiddle, and 4 accordians, as well as tons of guitars, trumpet, slide trombone and plenty of singers, and other things.
I signed up to play my flute, the newest addition to my family, made right here in Desert Hot Springs, it has a figure burned into it, and is the key of C. I was #24, so that made a lot of waiting and listening, this is the second to last jam session here in the park, all the activities pretty well shut down this coming weekend.
I played a short piece which I was happy with, and got a nice enthusiastic applause for it, reassuring. Then after that we had hamburgers up there with Dave and Wendy, later I was playing my flutes back at our site when our neighbour Michael brought over his guitar, and we played together, both sort of free wheeling, it worked out quite well, I was surprised and excited to find that out. Michael has made flutes, but it seems that he hasn't got them with him at the moment, and hasn't played them for a while. I was happy to show him my new clay drone flute from Nash.
Nice afternoon and evening, with a big full moon. Still gets chilly at night, it's the desert!!
I signed up to play my flute, the newest addition to my family, made right here in Desert Hot Springs, it has a figure burned into it, and is the key of C. I was #24, so that made a lot of waiting and listening, this is the second to last jam session here in the park, all the activities pretty well shut down this coming weekend.
I played a short piece which I was happy with, and got a nice enthusiastic applause for it, reassuring. Then after that we had hamburgers up there with Dave and Wendy, later I was playing my flutes back at our site when our neighbour Michael brought over his guitar, and we played together, both sort of free wheeling, it worked out quite well, I was surprised and excited to find that out. Michael has made flutes, but it seems that he hasn't got them with him at the moment, and hasn't played them for a while. I was happy to show him my new clay drone flute from Nash.
Nice afternoon and evening, with a big full moon. Still gets chilly at night, it's the desert!!
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Saturday evening at Jackalope Ranch for dinner
Saturday some people Di knew from Grade school came over from Los Angeles to visit, and we met them at their hotel, La Quinta Resort & Club, near Old Town La Quinta, and went together to the Jackalope Ranch. They are Eileen and Rick, Eileen went to grade school with Jen.
News flash, Di made an online reservation for dinner, and it worked!!!!! We sat outside on the pretty patio near the pond, waterfall and flower garden and ate guacamole and had a drink waiting for our dinner reservation time to arrive. First time ever to use valet service, too. Quite a thrill to turn over the truck to the valets. We 4 ate 1/2 rack of pork ribs each and they were very good, but Montana's still doesn't have that much competition, in my opinion.
After dinner we took them back to their place, and sat in their unit, chatting. There are small low buildings grouped around an outdoor pool and hot tub, maybe 6 or so units using the one pool. And the units are spanish style inside, white, with a fireplace, and large living/bedroom, living room had 2 loveseats nicely upholstered, facing the fireplace, bed over on the other side of the room, and then a large separate bathroom. Pretty complex.
I would wager that we hadn't seen each other for almost 40-50 years or more. And it was such fun chatting about the years in between, life and lives. Families and fun times.
Eileen had worked over on Saltspring Island as a realtor for quite a few years, both at PH and at Century 21, and we knew quite a few folks in common. Her mum is stil alive at 92, and living alone still in Victoria down on Broughton and Wharf in a condo.
News flash, Di made an online reservation for dinner, and it worked!!!!! We sat outside on the pretty patio near the pond, waterfall and flower garden and ate guacamole and had a drink waiting for our dinner reservation time to arrive. First time ever to use valet service, too. Quite a thrill to turn over the truck to the valets. We 4 ate 1/2 rack of pork ribs each and they were very good, but Montana's still doesn't have that much competition, in my opinion.
After dinner we took them back to their place, and sat in their unit, chatting. There are small low buildings grouped around an outdoor pool and hot tub, maybe 6 or so units using the one pool. And the units are spanish style inside, white, with a fireplace, and large living/bedroom, living room had 2 loveseats nicely upholstered, facing the fireplace, bed over on the other side of the room, and then a large separate bathroom. Pretty complex.
I would wager that we hadn't seen each other for almost 40-50 years or more. And it was such fun chatting about the years in between, life and lives. Families and fun times.
Eileen had worked over on Saltspring Island as a realtor for quite a few years, both at PH and at Century 21, and we knew quite a few folks in common. Her mum is stil alive at 92, and living alone still in Victoria down on Broughton and Wharf in a condo.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Wed. March 24 bye bye sisters and friends
Sue and Jen left shortly before 8 AM, then we went and said bye to Bern and Gord, and darned if after that Penny and Peter didn't depart too. We went from lots of company, to just Wendy and Dave left here still, thankfully til near the Easter weekend.
In the evening we went up to the clubhouse to see the Freddie and Sheila Show, they are 2 very good guitarists from Canada, and she sings very well too. They enjoy each others company, and are such friendly positive people, it's a pleasure to watch them together.
Thursday evening we went into the street market in Palm Springs, and walked all up and down among the stalls and tourists, it was nice and warm. During the day Manny's came out and washed and waxed our trailer. We also had tacos and chicken enchiladas up at the clubhouse.
Friday Lary got up on the roof and did a rubber roof treatment, and during that time the wind came up, so that was almost more excitement than he needed or wanted. Spaghetti dinner at the clubhouse, after a bit of a swim and a visit in the pool.
In the evening we went up to the clubhouse to see the Freddie and Sheila Show, they are 2 very good guitarists from Canada, and she sings very well too. They enjoy each others company, and are such friendly positive people, it's a pleasure to watch them together.
Thursday evening we went into the street market in Palm Springs, and walked all up and down among the stalls and tourists, it was nice and warm. During the day Manny's came out and washed and waxed our trailer. We also had tacos and chicken enchiladas up at the clubhouse.
Friday Lary got up on the roof and did a rubber roof treatment, and during that time the wind came up, so that was almost more excitement than he needed or wanted. Spaghetti dinner at the clubhouse, after a bit of a swim and a visit in the pool.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Joshua Tree National Park and Pioneertown today
23 March it was sunny and 80 degrees. We got info about Joshua Tree from Gord and Bern who had just visited there. Set off at 10 AM with Sue and Jen in the truck, got lost a bit going for gas near the east end of Dillon Road. Filled up, then hit I-10 highway going east toward Joshua Tree National Park. It is 792,000 acres, and quite varied in both vegetation and elevation.
Went to the info center for tourist info, got a few things, then set off slowly through the park, stopping to read the informative signs along the way, and hunt for wildflowers. Didn't see many, and one showy blooming cactus we passed before we could stop. The I-10 highway has some pale yellow wee flowers blooming like a carpet on the desert floor, also some bigger plants with bright yellow flowers, and the odd pale purple flower also down low on the ground, very pretty in places.
The park is both Mojave Desert toward the north, then Colorado Desert toward the south, becoming the huge Sonoran Desert which goes way down into Mexico.
It has areas of creosote bushes, in bright yellow bloom at the moment, then on to cholla cactus, pale green with tons of thorns, and the old growth a kind of browny black at the foot of each plant, and then more north it gives over to huge Joshua Trees, like giant yuccas, but with many arms, many of them in creamy big blooms at the end of the branches.
It was very pretty, and quite interesting to see. We didn't see many birds or animals, though of course there are lots of critter holes beneath the creosote bushes in bright yellow bloom. We were glad that we didn't see the sidewinder rattlesnakes that exist up there, perhaps most of the animals are more night creatures, due to the daytime heat.
It was quite windy and a bit chilly, Jen and Sue hadn't brought sweaters, and the truck doors were really pulled open wide when we opened them to get in and out. There are no food facilities there, and we hadn't brought a picnic like Gord and Bern had suggested we do. In a nearby town we got to once we left the park we ate at a Country Kitchen, the chinese lady operating it was very amusing, and we had burgers and drinks.
Then we cruised a few shops up there, got some money at an ATM, and went over to Pioneertown, a cowboy western one street town that had been developed by Roy Rogers and some of the other cowboys of the 1940s, it was built as a stage set in the late 40s, and is just one dusty road out in the middle of nearly nowhere, though there is a tiny wee post office still functioning there, and several of the buildings are occupied by folks still in residence there. On the weekends it is more animated, with actors, and a restaurant that opens for the toursit trade.
We saw one business, the man has some beautiful western saddles and bridles for sale.
It wa apparently the scene for some 200 cowboy western movies and series on TV, and is named after the Sons of the Pioneers early country singers, who were also involved in developing the locale.
Came home, flopped for 20 minutes, then off out to dinner with Sue and Jen inviting us, we went to Agua Caliente, and had a yummy steak and seafood buffet dinner.
Sue and Jen packed up most of their stuff into their suitcases, they have to be off in their rental car for the airport before 8 AM tomorrow. After they leave we will pack up the linens and bring them home to wash, and soon we will have to pack up our new park model home at Almar Acres, learning to "summerize" it to prevent the desert high summer heat from damaging it. And then pull our trailer out and up towards the north, to get home for our April 7th appointment at Greg's in Duncan.
Went to the info center for tourist info, got a few things, then set off slowly through the park, stopping to read the informative signs along the way, and hunt for wildflowers. Didn't see many, and one showy blooming cactus we passed before we could stop. The I-10 highway has some pale yellow wee flowers blooming like a carpet on the desert floor, also some bigger plants with bright yellow flowers, and the odd pale purple flower also down low on the ground, very pretty in places.
The park is both Mojave Desert toward the north, then Colorado Desert toward the south, becoming the huge Sonoran Desert which goes way down into Mexico.
It has areas of creosote bushes, in bright yellow bloom at the moment, then on to cholla cactus, pale green with tons of thorns, and the old growth a kind of browny black at the foot of each plant, and then more north it gives over to huge Joshua Trees, like giant yuccas, but with many arms, many of them in creamy big blooms at the end of the branches.
It was very pretty, and quite interesting to see. We didn't see many birds or animals, though of course there are lots of critter holes beneath the creosote bushes in bright yellow bloom. We were glad that we didn't see the sidewinder rattlesnakes that exist up there, perhaps most of the animals are more night creatures, due to the daytime heat.
It was quite windy and a bit chilly, Jen and Sue hadn't brought sweaters, and the truck doors were really pulled open wide when we opened them to get in and out. There are no food facilities there, and we hadn't brought a picnic like Gord and Bern had suggested we do. In a nearby town we got to once we left the park we ate at a Country Kitchen, the chinese lady operating it was very amusing, and we had burgers and drinks.
Then we cruised a few shops up there, got some money at an ATM, and went over to Pioneertown, a cowboy western one street town that had been developed by Roy Rogers and some of the other cowboys of the 1940s, it was built as a stage set in the late 40s, and is just one dusty road out in the middle of nearly nowhere, though there is a tiny wee post office still functioning there, and several of the buildings are occupied by folks still in residence there. On the weekends it is more animated, with actors, and a restaurant that opens for the toursit trade.
We saw one business, the man has some beautiful western saddles and bridles for sale.
It wa apparently the scene for some 200 cowboy western movies and series on TV, and is named after the Sons of the Pioneers early country singers, who were also involved in developing the locale.
Came home, flopped for 20 minutes, then off out to dinner with Sue and Jen inviting us, we went to Agua Caliente, and had a yummy steak and seafood buffet dinner.
Sue and Jen packed up most of their stuff into their suitcases, they have to be off in their rental car for the airport before 8 AM tomorrow. After they leave we will pack up the linens and bring them home to wash, and soon we will have to pack up our new park model home at Almar Acres, learning to "summerize" it to prevent the desert high summer heat from damaging it. And then pull our trailer out and up towards the north, to get home for our April 7th appointment at Greg's in Duncan.
Monday March 22, cloudy and 80 F in DHS
Lary and I went in to Von's and bought 3 bar b que chickens already roasted for our part of the dinner. We also picked up a large platter to put them on, with handles. Had a swim and then Lary took Di into Eisenhower for her flute get together there in the Lucy Curci Cancer Center.
The group is busily getting ready for their flute recital on April 13th, Di feels very left out, as we will be leaving at the beginning of April, to get the trailer home and in for repairs in Duncan on April 7th. Still managed to play a bit, but you can definitely tell that I hadn't practiced while I was away in Costa Rica. Lary got his INR blood levels checked at Eisenhower Med while Di was in fluting.
Dashed home, and tore the chickens apart, and went up to the upper clubhouse to set up for dinner. By that time it was windy, so no tablecloths, but everyone arrived, Penny and Peter with olives, cheeses, and lots of delicious bread and fresh strawberries, Gord and Bern with a pasta/veggie salad, Dave and Wendy with bean salad, Sue and Jen with tons of fruit on a platter, and a cheesecake with varied toppings on it. All of us had our own libations, the joint effort meal was just delicious, lots of chats, Sue and Penny had worked together at the health unit in Nanaimo. We were sheltered from the wind up against the building, in the area that is somewhat covered with a kind of gazebo over the top of the picnic tables. We were cozy at 2 big picnic tables put together in a row. Perfect setup, nobody seemed to mind us there.
But after we ate it got pretty chilly, we hadn't started til 6 PM, so we asked Dave and Wendy if we could crowd into their park model, and that's what we did, all 10 of us, looking at their photos of C.R. on the computer, and continuing the libations.
It is very amusing because there is a pair of resident mallard ducks that insist on swimming in the swimming pool, they scoop up all the bugs that are coming into the pool at this time of year, it is a feeding frenzy for them, but of course what goes in has to come out, which we aren't very keen on swimming in. Other folks gave Jen heck when she tried to shoo the ducks out of the pool.
Fun way of getting together with all our company at one time, everyone seems to be leaving on Wednesday except for Dave and Wendy, all at once there is a group, then they all disburse and leave us alone once more. Boo hoo. We will miss them all so much.
The group is busily getting ready for their flute recital on April 13th, Di feels very left out, as we will be leaving at the beginning of April, to get the trailer home and in for repairs in Duncan on April 7th. Still managed to play a bit, but you can definitely tell that I hadn't practiced while I was away in Costa Rica. Lary got his INR blood levels checked at Eisenhower Med while Di was in fluting.
Dashed home, and tore the chickens apart, and went up to the upper clubhouse to set up for dinner. By that time it was windy, so no tablecloths, but everyone arrived, Penny and Peter with olives, cheeses, and lots of delicious bread and fresh strawberries, Gord and Bern with a pasta/veggie salad, Dave and Wendy with bean salad, Sue and Jen with tons of fruit on a platter, and a cheesecake with varied toppings on it. All of us had our own libations, the joint effort meal was just delicious, lots of chats, Sue and Penny had worked together at the health unit in Nanaimo. We were sheltered from the wind up against the building, in the area that is somewhat covered with a kind of gazebo over the top of the picnic tables. We were cozy at 2 big picnic tables put together in a row. Perfect setup, nobody seemed to mind us there.
But after we ate it got pretty chilly, we hadn't started til 6 PM, so we asked Dave and Wendy if we could crowd into their park model, and that's what we did, all 10 of us, looking at their photos of C.R. on the computer, and continuing the libations.
It is very amusing because there is a pair of resident mallard ducks that insist on swimming in the swimming pool, they scoop up all the bugs that are coming into the pool at this time of year, it is a feeding frenzy for them, but of course what goes in has to come out, which we aren't very keen on swimming in. Other folks gave Jen heck when she tried to shoo the ducks out of the pool.
Fun way of getting together with all our company at one time, everyone seems to be leaving on Wednesday except for Dave and Wendy, all at once there is a group, then they all disburse and leave us alone once more. Boo hoo. We will miss them all so much.
Sunday 21st March Sunny and 80 degrees in DHS
Sunday we got up and tried to visit with Bernice and Gordon E from Keremeos, they were out with friends for the day. They had arrived March 10th, from Desert Pools, and were to leave March 24th, so we wanted to get together with them while they were here.
We went to the Ice Cream Social and stayed for the Music Jam, but Penny and Peter R from Nanoose arrived at the gate of the campsite, and called us. They didn't have reservations, but luckily it is thinning out quite a lot, so they were able to get a spot, and came up to the Jam, and found us after they had parked and set up their site, quite near us here at the top of the park.
We chatted a bit with them, then introduced them to Sue the saleslady for the park, and she gave them a presentation right there and then, Lary brought our RPI books for them to look through during the presentation.
Gord and Bernice arrived, as did Dave and Wendy, so we 8 sat together and had sirloin burgers at the clubhouse; Sue and Jen had taken a wrong turn coming back from Penny's, and were misplaced and delayed, so arrived after dinnertime. They ate in Palm Springs at Rick's, a Cuban place they said.
Di decided that we 10 should all get together for dinner the next night, Monday, so we planned that a bit. Wendy has a cold, but we all organized what to bring.
Then we swam together after dinner, and soaked in the hot tub before turning in for the night.
We went to the Ice Cream Social and stayed for the Music Jam, but Penny and Peter R from Nanoose arrived at the gate of the campsite, and called us. They didn't have reservations, but luckily it is thinning out quite a lot, so they were able to get a spot, and came up to the Jam, and found us after they had parked and set up their site, quite near us here at the top of the park.
We chatted a bit with them, then introduced them to Sue the saleslady for the park, and she gave them a presentation right there and then, Lary brought our RPI books for them to look through during the presentation.
Gord and Bernice arrived, as did Dave and Wendy, so we 8 sat together and had sirloin burgers at the clubhouse; Sue and Jen had taken a wrong turn coming back from Penny's, and were misplaced and delayed, so arrived after dinnertime. They ate in Palm Springs at Rick's, a Cuban place they said.
Di decided that we 10 should all get together for dinner the next night, Monday, so we planned that a bit. Wendy has a cold, but we all organized what to bring.
Then we swam together after dinner, and soaked in the hot tub before turning in for the night.
Saturday March 20th in the campground
First day of Spring, Lary went to the clubhouse for breakfast and brought some back for Di. Yeah team. Went to DHS for groceries and money, had lunch and watched some pickleball, as there was a tournament here in our campground, with teams from as far away as San Diego competing. Sue and Jen had set off for cousin Penny Hett's in Dana Point, together with our GPS, and they were spending the night there with the cousins.
We went in to the Jazz concert put on at the Gardens shopping complex at El Paseo, the swanky shopping area down here, with Dave and Wendy. Will Donato was the featured sax player, and he didn't play much, he goofs off a lot, and was going on to another place to continue playing afte our show. He's more showman than serious musician, and really promotes himself quite a bit, and goofs off instead of playing a lot of music. He played from 6 til about 6:45 when he left, way earlier than the other musicians that play. For $12 we had an appy plate each, and 2 tiny glasses of wine, and sat outdoors on the lawn in the warm sunshine.
We 4 went and had dinner at Applebees after that. Home at 9:30 PM, Dave drove.
We went in to the Jazz concert put on at the Gardens shopping complex at El Paseo, the swanky shopping area down here, with Dave and Wendy. Will Donato was the featured sax player, and he didn't play much, he goofs off a lot, and was going on to another place to continue playing afte our show. He's more showman than serious musician, and really promotes himself quite a bit, and goofs off instead of playing a lot of music. He played from 6 til about 6:45 when he left, way earlier than the other musicians that play. For $12 we had an appy plate each, and 2 tiny glasses of wine, and sat outdoors on the lawn in the warm sunshine.
We 4 went and had dinner at Applebees after that. Home at 9:30 PM, Dave drove.
Thursday March 18th, our departure from Costa Rica
Up at 4 AM, showered and down to breakfast, suitcases out by 4:45 AM, lucky we got something to hurriedly eat before the bus left at 5:15 AM for the airport. Orlando, Wilbert and Fabio the faithful driver took us right to the door of the airport, before saying goodbye.
Total chaos reigned there at the airport, it was a freaking disaster, and I'm surprised the tour guide Shirley didn't have a heart attack it was so confused there. Apparently all the flights depart in the morning from C.R. so it was lined up everywhere, and not clear how to check in for your flight, check your bags through screening in another lineup entirely, and then go outside once again, to lineup once again, to re enter the building through yet another line, and go through security screening to get on to the flight. Pandemonium, and you could easily stand in the wrong line, and miss your flight. Creepy to say the least. Security was somewhat low tech, they said my glasses had set off the detector, but then later I realized I had my lipstick still in my pocket.
Yet another reason not to fly in to San Jose when visiting C.R. There are many other cities you can fly into and out of in Costa Rica, missing the capital city completely. San Jose is really not worth a visit in our opinion.
While on the flight from C.R. Di sat with a man from the US, he had been in C.R. for a month, and was thinking seriously of returning to live there, a friend of his produces movies and documentary films there in C.R., he's also American, but has lived in C.R. for 18 years, and has more than enough work himself, and wants help from this other man.
The man Di talked to lives in Oregon, but is bilingual in Spanish, and has a wife from Chile, so they seem an ideal couple to make the move to C.R., and also find gainful employment once there. He had been hurt seriously in his back when he was only 20, and hadn't been able to work much since then, he's also had to have 5 different back operations, so it might be a wonderful opportunity for him to change careers.
He thought he might rent out his own home in Oregon just to make sure the C.R. idea worked for him, though he said he'd be heartbroken to leave his young grandson behind in Oregon. They are very good buddies. He had met up with somebody willing to rent a house to him in C.R. already.
Once through the circus activity of all that arrival activity in San Jose airport, we boarded, and then were told that the plane had to land for fuel in Mazatlan, and we likely wouldn't make our connection, or it would be extremely close in Phoenix, as we didn't have much time to move from International to National and the connecting flight when we arrived there.
Fueling went smoothly in Mazatlan, but we did in fact all miss our connections in Phoenix, except for the 90 year old in our party, who got a ride with the airport toodle car people movers, and caught the flight. So that put him alone into L.A. and the rest of us had a 3.5 hour wait there in Phoenix airport, with the guide still hysterically trying to organize us all. Bill the 90 year old also had a lonely, chilly wait in L.A. for the rest of us to arrive, he had to wait because we would go as a group in the limo back to our campground in D.H.S., a 2 hour journey.
Shirley got us $5 vouchers each toward a meal in the airport, but due to her antics in the arrival hall of Phoenix, trying to get the troupe given preferential treatment ahead of other folks who had had the same thing happen to them, she wasn't very popular with the rest of the Phoenix travellers. One lady came up to Di and said she was glad that our tour leader hadn't made the connecting flight!!!!! We all got rebooked on the 5:15 PM flight to L.A., so sat down to wait.
We had a longish wait, luckily there were shops, bars and restaurants, so we kept ourselves busy, though indeed starting to sag a bit due to the early departure time from our hotel in Costa Rica.
When we all arrived in L.A. we found Bill the 90 year old, then found our hotel limo driver for the 2 hour ride back to the campsite in Desert Hot Springs. We arrived in L.A. around 7 PM, it was only about 62 degrees there, and foggy, brrrrrr, the limo arrived around 7:30, and we all arrived back in Desert Hot Springs right at the door of the campsite around 9:30 PM or so.
The driver of the limo had driven very fast, mostly in the extreme left side lane, guess he was able to use the HOV lane for clear access, even at that hour the freeways were busy with cars. It luckily wasn't bumper to bumper traffic at that hour, but each lane had its own lane of red tail lights racing down the freeway beside us. He used his GPS to find D.H.S.
Blowing a gale of wind when we got here, and chilly when we got home, we brought the suitcases up to the trailer, and then popped over to visit Jen and Sue in the park model rental unit here.
They seemed very cozy, sleepy, and surprised that the rental hadn't had any blankets, sheets, towels or anything. All the linens came from our trailer, this year they had realized that we had supplied everything they used, pretty well. They had hauled it over themselves from our trailer this year, last year they had walked in to the rental unit, and presumed that all the stuff they used came from the campground. NOT!! Unfortunately their pull out sofa bed wouldn't pull out, and they didn't go down and complain at the office their whole week here. So one of them slept on the sofa cushions on the floor every night here in the rental unit.
We sorted out a few things in the trailer, and then dropped into bed, exhausted. Wonderful trip overall, and thanks to the tour being organized, we managed to see and do a lot in our one week voyage there in C.R.
Total chaos reigned there at the airport, it was a freaking disaster, and I'm surprised the tour guide Shirley didn't have a heart attack it was so confused there. Apparently all the flights depart in the morning from C.R. so it was lined up everywhere, and not clear how to check in for your flight, check your bags through screening in another lineup entirely, and then go outside once again, to lineup once again, to re enter the building through yet another line, and go through security screening to get on to the flight. Pandemonium, and you could easily stand in the wrong line, and miss your flight. Creepy to say the least. Security was somewhat low tech, they said my glasses had set off the detector, but then later I realized I had my lipstick still in my pocket.
Yet another reason not to fly in to San Jose when visiting C.R. There are many other cities you can fly into and out of in Costa Rica, missing the capital city completely. San Jose is really not worth a visit in our opinion.
While on the flight from C.R. Di sat with a man from the US, he had been in C.R. for a month, and was thinking seriously of returning to live there, a friend of his produces movies and documentary films there in C.R., he's also American, but has lived in C.R. for 18 years, and has more than enough work himself, and wants help from this other man.
The man Di talked to lives in Oregon, but is bilingual in Spanish, and has a wife from Chile, so they seem an ideal couple to make the move to C.R., and also find gainful employment once there. He had been hurt seriously in his back when he was only 20, and hadn't been able to work much since then, he's also had to have 5 different back operations, so it might be a wonderful opportunity for him to change careers.
He thought he might rent out his own home in Oregon just to make sure the C.R. idea worked for him, though he said he'd be heartbroken to leave his young grandson behind in Oregon. They are very good buddies. He had met up with somebody willing to rent a house to him in C.R. already.
Once through the circus activity of all that arrival activity in San Jose airport, we boarded, and then were told that the plane had to land for fuel in Mazatlan, and we likely wouldn't make our connection, or it would be extremely close in Phoenix, as we didn't have much time to move from International to National and the connecting flight when we arrived there.
Fueling went smoothly in Mazatlan, but we did in fact all miss our connections in Phoenix, except for the 90 year old in our party, who got a ride with the airport toodle car people movers, and caught the flight. So that put him alone into L.A. and the rest of us had a 3.5 hour wait there in Phoenix airport, with the guide still hysterically trying to organize us all. Bill the 90 year old also had a lonely, chilly wait in L.A. for the rest of us to arrive, he had to wait because we would go as a group in the limo back to our campground in D.H.S., a 2 hour journey.
Shirley got us $5 vouchers each toward a meal in the airport, but due to her antics in the arrival hall of Phoenix, trying to get the troupe given preferential treatment ahead of other folks who had had the same thing happen to them, she wasn't very popular with the rest of the Phoenix travellers. One lady came up to Di and said she was glad that our tour leader hadn't made the connecting flight!!!!! We all got rebooked on the 5:15 PM flight to L.A., so sat down to wait.
We had a longish wait, luckily there were shops, bars and restaurants, so we kept ourselves busy, though indeed starting to sag a bit due to the early departure time from our hotel in Costa Rica.
When we all arrived in L.A. we found Bill the 90 year old, then found our hotel limo driver for the 2 hour ride back to the campsite in Desert Hot Springs. We arrived in L.A. around 7 PM, it was only about 62 degrees there, and foggy, brrrrrr, the limo arrived around 7:30, and we all arrived back in Desert Hot Springs right at the door of the campsite around 9:30 PM or so.
The driver of the limo had driven very fast, mostly in the extreme left side lane, guess he was able to use the HOV lane for clear access, even at that hour the freeways were busy with cars. It luckily wasn't bumper to bumper traffic at that hour, but each lane had its own lane of red tail lights racing down the freeway beside us. He used his GPS to find D.H.S.
Blowing a gale of wind when we got here, and chilly when we got home, we brought the suitcases up to the trailer, and then popped over to visit Jen and Sue in the park model rental unit here.
They seemed very cozy, sleepy, and surprised that the rental hadn't had any blankets, sheets, towels or anything. All the linens came from our trailer, this year they had realized that we had supplied everything they used, pretty well. They had hauled it over themselves from our trailer this year, last year they had walked in to the rental unit, and presumed that all the stuff they used came from the campground. NOT!! Unfortunately their pull out sofa bed wouldn't pull out, and they didn't go down and complain at the office their whole week here. So one of them slept on the sofa cushions on the floor every night here in the rental unit.
We sorted out a few things in the trailer, and then dropped into bed, exhausted. Wonderful trip overall, and thanks to the tour being organized, we managed to see and do a lot in our one week voyage there in C.R.
Wednesday March 17th in Costa Rica
Cloudy but 30 degrees C. Up and off before 0800, back to Braulio Carrillo National Park that we had passed through another day when we went on our river cruise. This time we were headed to the Rain Forest Aerial Trams, the small green metal cable cars that hold 6 people and a guide, and glide slowly through the forest canopy, from down nearly on the ground, to up over 130 feet in the canopy, through a green forest.
It was a peaceful and quiet ride gliding along, we were the first car launched that day, and our guide was again very informative and well prepared. We saw lots of rivers, and lush green growth, and heard birds, but didn't see much except green, green and more green.
The road that leads to Braulio Carrillo National Park was green and lush, many of the hillsides were covered solidly with fern growth, and very pretty. But an extremely busy road for truck traffic, which was coming over from the Caribbean side, from the port of Limon, to the Pacific side of Costa Rica, a journey for them of about 4 -5 hours.
We saw lineups of trucks waiting to enter into San Jose as we left town, apparently their entry is controlled, and they can't enter the capital city until after 9 AM or so. The road is somewhat twisty and turny, and very narrow in most places.
After our 1 hour canopy ride, we headed off to another Buffet lunch at Rio Dante Restaurant, right out in the jungle. Before lunch we went for a jungle walk, about 1/2 hour, and again very interesting as our guide Orlando and the paramedic Wilbert showed us so many things about the jungle there. Orlando caught a tiny tree frog, bright red, with venomous skin, and bright blue feet. The natives had used the venom on their arrow tips in bygone days for hunting, to partially paralyze their prey. Wilbert seemed to be keeping a close watch out all along our route, a cement pathway through the jungle, perhaps for snakes. Costa Rica has some, but we didn't see any. Wilbert gave Lary a huge seed, nearly 2 inches in size. Lunch was delicious, there was a roof covering the restaurant, but no sides, and a kind of atrium in the centre with green plants. There were manicured lawns with flowering shrubs and trees, including orchids blooming right near the restaurant.
Back to the hotel by 1500, group photo near the painted cow at the hotel courtyard near the swimming pool which we hadn't even had time to enjoy, we had been so busy all week.
They were also changing all the fresh flowers in the lobby and public areas of the hotel, the gingers, heliconia, and other incredible flowers, all grown right there in Costa Rica. It was so pretty to see how they arranged them all. What a dream to have such luxuriant plants and flowers all around, growing in the most humble of houses yards.
Before Happy Hour, we had hurriedly packed up our suitcases, and then off for a 50 minute bus ride across town to a very fancy hotel up in the hills, looking down on the lights of the capital city of San Jose, where we had the most disappointing meal of our whole trip.
Wonderful service, waiters in very formal black, most of the time very attentive, but food paltry, not that much of it, and nearly cold to boot. Nice salads, but the hot dishes were scarce, not hot, not really even warm, and only 2 desserts, it was as if we had come late to the meal, and they couldn't be bothered to put on a good one for us. Tenderloin was like shoe leather. Most folks couldn't even get their teeth into it, we just bounced it around then left it on the plates.
What irony, out in the middle of the forest or the jungle we had been given feasts, often cooked over wood, in open air shelters, veritable feasts, and here in the fancy smancy 5 star hotel we felt like we were getting leftovers. And the guide had hyped it so much for us all, bummer.
It was a peaceful and quiet ride gliding along, we were the first car launched that day, and our guide was again very informative and well prepared. We saw lots of rivers, and lush green growth, and heard birds, but didn't see much except green, green and more green.
The road that leads to Braulio Carrillo National Park was green and lush, many of the hillsides were covered solidly with fern growth, and very pretty. But an extremely busy road for truck traffic, which was coming over from the Caribbean side, from the port of Limon, to the Pacific side of Costa Rica, a journey for them of about 4 -5 hours.
We saw lineups of trucks waiting to enter into San Jose as we left town, apparently their entry is controlled, and they can't enter the capital city until after 9 AM or so. The road is somewhat twisty and turny, and very narrow in most places.
After our 1 hour canopy ride, we headed off to another Buffet lunch at Rio Dante Restaurant, right out in the jungle. Before lunch we went for a jungle walk, about 1/2 hour, and again very interesting as our guide Orlando and the paramedic Wilbert showed us so many things about the jungle there. Orlando caught a tiny tree frog, bright red, with venomous skin, and bright blue feet. The natives had used the venom on their arrow tips in bygone days for hunting, to partially paralyze their prey. Wilbert seemed to be keeping a close watch out all along our route, a cement pathway through the jungle, perhaps for snakes. Costa Rica has some, but we didn't see any. Wilbert gave Lary a huge seed, nearly 2 inches in size. Lunch was delicious, there was a roof covering the restaurant, but no sides, and a kind of atrium in the centre with green plants. There were manicured lawns with flowering shrubs and trees, including orchids blooming right near the restaurant.
Back to the hotel by 1500, group photo near the painted cow at the hotel courtyard near the swimming pool which we hadn't even had time to enjoy, we had been so busy all week.
They were also changing all the fresh flowers in the lobby and public areas of the hotel, the gingers, heliconia, and other incredible flowers, all grown right there in Costa Rica. It was so pretty to see how they arranged them all. What a dream to have such luxuriant plants and flowers all around, growing in the most humble of houses yards.
Before Happy Hour, we had hurriedly packed up our suitcases, and then off for a 50 minute bus ride across town to a very fancy hotel up in the hills, looking down on the lights of the capital city of San Jose, where we had the most disappointing meal of our whole trip.
Wonderful service, waiters in very formal black, most of the time very attentive, but food paltry, not that much of it, and nearly cold to boot. Nice salads, but the hot dishes were scarce, not hot, not really even warm, and only 2 desserts, it was as if we had come late to the meal, and they couldn't be bothered to put on a good one for us. Tenderloin was like shoe leather. Most folks couldn't even get their teeth into it, we just bounced it around then left it on the plates.
What irony, out in the middle of the forest or the jungle we had been given feasts, often cooked over wood, in open air shelters, veritable feasts, and here in the fancy smancy 5 star hotel we felt like we were getting leftovers. And the guide had hyped it so much for us all, bummer.
Tuesday March 16 in Costa Rica
Away from the hotel at 7:45 AM to visit a butterfly farm outside San Jose, the guide Stefanie was very informative. Wow and more wow, those huge morpho blue butterflies are irridescent blue, and she had one grasped firmly in her hand, and showed us the back and front of it.
Size was maybe 4 inches in all, brown on flip side, but the most wonderful blue on the main side.
We were surprised how fast butterflies move, she said that was to avoid their predators.
Of course we saw the different stages of butterfly development, one stage they are like long fat caterpillars, and are eating machines. That butterfly farm ships all over the world, and there are many families who supply them with butterflies from different parts of Costa Rica. It was an intersting time there.
Then off to the Cafe Britt coffee plantation, where we had an informative and very humourous presentation about growing harvesting and roasting coffee. The beans are harvested from December through March or so I believe, and Costa Rica produces about 2% of the world's coffee. The guide said that their coffee is a high quality, so that their competition is Kona Coffee and that level of beans. We ate lunch there and explored their ample gift shop, picking up coffee for Jen and some for ourselves. The buffet lunch was huge, and just delicious.
Most of the places where we have eaten always give us tropical fruit juice as one of the choices to drink at lunch, a real treat for us northerners.
Then a trip to Sarchi, a crafts village where they build the traditional oxcarts, now mostly miniatures for the tourist trade, as well as beautiful hardwood furniture. We were taken to only one shop, which was so disappointing, we had thought we would be able to visit a whole series of shops in the village. The shop we visited was huge, but the main floor was swelteringly hot, though apparently downstairs where there were bigger pieces of furniture it was lovely and cool. And we only had 1/2 hour, which was also very disappointing for us all. We had been promised that this was our shopping expedition and it would be so great. Not so, and a big bust for lots of people on our trip. Di bought some tee shirts, and a lovely hardwood cutting board, but not much else.
We saw and photographed a beautiful supersized oxcart, with it's bright paint, and oxen yoke, it looked as if it was made for Paul Bunyan and Babe it was so big, and it was inside a protective transparent type of cover.
Back to the hotel for happy hour- I forgot to say that it's a whole hour daily, and the drinks are totally free from 5 -6 PM, then a loud buzzer rings, and no more happy hour. One of the couples in the tour even managed to take a drink or two back up to their room, most of us didn't require that much libation!!!!!
We went back to La Gallera Latin American restaurant across the street from Best Western Irazu for supper, with Dave and Wendy, and 2 other couples, Ron H and his friend Sally, and Joan and Chuck W. It was delicious, and not as noisy as the night before when there had been a young boisterous group there. The theme in the restaurant is roosters, and there are some lovely big swirling watercolors of roosters on the walls, also some clay art tiles, and clay plates, all with the rooster them. Roosters everywhere you looked in the stained glass and decoration around the restaurant.
Size was maybe 4 inches in all, brown on flip side, but the most wonderful blue on the main side.
We were surprised how fast butterflies move, she said that was to avoid their predators.
Of course we saw the different stages of butterfly development, one stage they are like long fat caterpillars, and are eating machines. That butterfly farm ships all over the world, and there are many families who supply them with butterflies from different parts of Costa Rica. It was an intersting time there.
Then off to the Cafe Britt coffee plantation, where we had an informative and very humourous presentation about growing harvesting and roasting coffee. The beans are harvested from December through March or so I believe, and Costa Rica produces about 2% of the world's coffee. The guide said that their coffee is a high quality, so that their competition is Kona Coffee and that level of beans. We ate lunch there and explored their ample gift shop, picking up coffee for Jen and some for ourselves. The buffet lunch was huge, and just delicious.
Most of the places where we have eaten always give us tropical fruit juice as one of the choices to drink at lunch, a real treat for us northerners.
Then a trip to Sarchi, a crafts village where they build the traditional oxcarts, now mostly miniatures for the tourist trade, as well as beautiful hardwood furniture. We were taken to only one shop, which was so disappointing, we had thought we would be able to visit a whole series of shops in the village. The shop we visited was huge, but the main floor was swelteringly hot, though apparently downstairs where there were bigger pieces of furniture it was lovely and cool. And we only had 1/2 hour, which was also very disappointing for us all. We had been promised that this was our shopping expedition and it would be so great. Not so, and a big bust for lots of people on our trip. Di bought some tee shirts, and a lovely hardwood cutting board, but not much else.
We saw and photographed a beautiful supersized oxcart, with it's bright paint, and oxen yoke, it looked as if it was made for Paul Bunyan and Babe it was so big, and it was inside a protective transparent type of cover.
Back to the hotel for happy hour- I forgot to say that it's a whole hour daily, and the drinks are totally free from 5 -6 PM, then a loud buzzer rings, and no more happy hour. One of the couples in the tour even managed to take a drink or two back up to their room, most of us didn't require that much libation!!!!!
We went back to La Gallera Latin American restaurant across the street from Best Western Irazu for supper, with Dave and Wendy, and 2 other couples, Ron H and his friend Sally, and Joan and Chuck W. It was delicious, and not as noisy as the night before when there had been a young boisterous group there. The theme in the restaurant is roosters, and there are some lovely big swirling watercolors of roosters on the walls, also some clay art tiles, and clay plates, all with the rooster them. Roosters everywhere you looked in the stained glass and decoration around the restaurant.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Monday March 15th in Costa Rica
On Monday we had a beach day, but the weather was stinkingly hot and humid, they took us by bus to Jaco on the Pacific Coast, we went to the Best Western Jaco hotel there, where we had lockers to put our clothes in so we could swim either in their pool or at the beach.
There was a high surf full of beach sand, and big rollers, if you wanted you could swim in the warm warm water but be careful for the undertow. We chose the pool and it was only 3 ft 5 inches deep, but we went in anyway, with Dave and Wendy, we were all so hot and sticky.
A lunch was laid on for us, in their pool bar, very nice open air covered place, we were all quite hot but lunch was good. The bus left at 2:30 PM or so, and we staggered back into the hotel when we got home, pretty bashed up by the heat.
Forgot to say that on the way there we stopped at the Tarcoles River and stared down from a busy bridge at tons of huge crocodiles, up to 12 or 15 feet long, they seem to be covered by rows of plates almost like armour, very prehistoric looking. They looked a bit like dark grey logs, just lurking around the edges of the river on both sides.
Due to the intense sun and the shallow pool both Lary and I got very sunburned, so we bought a bottle of aloe jelly and smeared it on, Lary's face was very burnt, and later peeled. We of course were in the pool for quite a long time, and it was really in the heat of the day. It was too hot to sit on the chairs in the sun, and very little shade available. There were 2 iguanas doing bug collecting duty on the hot tiles of the pool deck, quite interesting to watch.
Went out for dinner across the road from the hotel, it was called the Latin American Restaurant, La Gallera, and the food was delicious. Dave and Wendy came with us, and both ladies had only salads, and dessert which was yummy. We had had a big lunch with fish and meat so we didn't want that all over again.
There was a large group of young people there, and their noise was nearly deafening. Restaurant theme was roosters everywhere, very pretty china or clay plates with roosters on them, and lovely large paintings on the walls, with huge colorfully painted roosters, in swirls of color.
The Costa Ricans seem to make clay wall murals, with pieces of interlocking tile pottery forming beautiful bright paintings on the walls. Very pretty and an intriguing art form.
There was a high surf full of beach sand, and big rollers, if you wanted you could swim in the warm warm water but be careful for the undertow. We chose the pool and it was only 3 ft 5 inches deep, but we went in anyway, with Dave and Wendy, we were all so hot and sticky.
A lunch was laid on for us, in their pool bar, very nice open air covered place, we were all quite hot but lunch was good. The bus left at 2:30 PM or so, and we staggered back into the hotel when we got home, pretty bashed up by the heat.
Forgot to say that on the way there we stopped at the Tarcoles River and stared down from a busy bridge at tons of huge crocodiles, up to 12 or 15 feet long, they seem to be covered by rows of plates almost like armour, very prehistoric looking. They looked a bit like dark grey logs, just lurking around the edges of the river on both sides.
Due to the intense sun and the shallow pool both Lary and I got very sunburned, so we bought a bottle of aloe jelly and smeared it on, Lary's face was very burnt, and later peeled. We of course were in the pool for quite a long time, and it was really in the heat of the day. It was too hot to sit on the chairs in the sun, and very little shade available. There were 2 iguanas doing bug collecting duty on the hot tiles of the pool deck, quite interesting to watch.
Went out for dinner across the road from the hotel, it was called the Latin American Restaurant, La Gallera, and the food was delicious. Dave and Wendy came with us, and both ladies had only salads, and dessert which was yummy. We had had a big lunch with fish and meat so we didn't want that all over again.
There was a large group of young people there, and their noise was nearly deafening. Restaurant theme was roosters everywhere, very pretty china or clay plates with roosters on them, and lovely large paintings on the walls, with huge colorfully painted roosters, in swirls of color.
The Costa Ricans seem to make clay wall murals, with pieces of interlocking tile pottery forming beautiful bright paintings on the walls. Very pretty and an intriguing art form.
Sunday March 14th off to Sarapiqui River cruise
Off quite early today to cross the continental divide and descend toward the Caribbean to arrive at the Sarapiqui River for a 2 hour river cruise. Drifted quietly downstream in a large riverboat, listening for monkeys resting curled high up in the trees, we only saw them from afar as the trees they chose were very high, they were howler monkeys, but they rest when it's warm, and feed in the early morning apparently. We saw caimans, small crocodiles, resting on the muddy riverbanks, their camoflage is very good. It was a surprise to see whole families of local people swimming in the green opaque river, when there are also caimans and crocodiles there.
We also saw anhinga birds, which looked like cormorants, a pretty kingfisher, some white cattle egrets, and a row of bats sleeping in a vertical line on a tree trunk, with very good camoflage.
The driver of the boat together with our guide and the paramedic were very good at spotting things in the trees and along the riverbank. The water moved along quite rapidly, but the boat was quite powerful. It was pretty peaceful as we quietly motored along, and it was interesting to see all the smallish houses along the top of the riverbank. We saw a few large iguanas laying out on river logs, or over the banks of the rivers, mostly on fallen trees or the like.
When we got back to land we had lunch cooked over a wood fire, it was delicious, very satisfying, we tasted breadfruit for the first time, drank juice, and were very satisfied by the meal. Typical costa rican fare is black beans and rice, their staples, but we had tons of things besides that. Chicken, plantain bananas, it was all so tasty.
The restaurant is a roof forming a shelter, and long tables and chairs under that. An elderly man played the marimba for us while we ate lunch, he used 4 sticks and was pretty talented. There was a small gift shop. They called it a ranch where we ate, and took the riverboat. The flowering vegetation there is so pretty, my favourite was long pinkish flowering trumpets, but so many plants have flowers or pretty reddish leaves. There is a huge flower producing industry in the country. We drove through the Braulio Carillo National Park. The bouganvilla flower grows in bushes, small shrubs or huge walls of bright fuschia pink, or an orange color.
On the way home the driver stopped at the most wonderful farm fruit stand, the farmers served us all kinds of new fruits that they had, we bought a kilo of wee bananas, very sweet, the size of your middle finger. We tried papaya and mango, also oranges, and some people bought fruit right from the stand as we did. So many tropical fruits it boggles the mind, watermelon and other melons grown right there, an orange fruit with black fleshy seeds in it, some other mystery fruits. All local produce and available in stands right at the side of the road.
Ate dinner at Denny's.
We also saw anhinga birds, which looked like cormorants, a pretty kingfisher, some white cattle egrets, and a row of bats sleeping in a vertical line on a tree trunk, with very good camoflage.
The driver of the boat together with our guide and the paramedic were very good at spotting things in the trees and along the riverbank. The water moved along quite rapidly, but the boat was quite powerful. It was pretty peaceful as we quietly motored along, and it was interesting to see all the smallish houses along the top of the riverbank. We saw a few large iguanas laying out on river logs, or over the banks of the rivers, mostly on fallen trees or the like.
When we got back to land we had lunch cooked over a wood fire, it was delicious, very satisfying, we tasted breadfruit for the first time, drank juice, and were very satisfied by the meal. Typical costa rican fare is black beans and rice, their staples, but we had tons of things besides that. Chicken, plantain bananas, it was all so tasty.
The restaurant is a roof forming a shelter, and long tables and chairs under that. An elderly man played the marimba for us while we ate lunch, he used 4 sticks and was pretty talented. There was a small gift shop. They called it a ranch where we ate, and took the riverboat. The flowering vegetation there is so pretty, my favourite was long pinkish flowering trumpets, but so many plants have flowers or pretty reddish leaves. There is a huge flower producing industry in the country. We drove through the Braulio Carillo National Park. The bouganvilla flower grows in bushes, small shrubs or huge walls of bright fuschia pink, or an orange color.
On the way home the driver stopped at the most wonderful farm fruit stand, the farmers served us all kinds of new fruits that they had, we bought a kilo of wee bananas, very sweet, the size of your middle finger. We tried papaya and mango, also oranges, and some people bought fruit right from the stand as we did. So many tropical fruits it boggles the mind, watermelon and other melons grown right there, an orange fruit with black fleshy seeds in it, some other mystery fruits. All local produce and available in stands right at the side of the road.
Ate dinner at Denny's.
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