I discover I am keeping this blog as a journal to remember many events. We spent a night at Kevin's. The next morn as we prepared to pull out with the RV and towing the car, we discovered the car signals, brake lights, etc did not work when connected to the RV. We left the car and hurried on where we were pleased with the service at Sacramento Freightliner which has 2 facilities--one dedicated to RVs tho they also had a firetruck in there. 18 wheelers have their own building.
That afternoon we drove through beautiful scenery with many turning leaves on trees--a mix of red, yellow, and green. Past Placerville, we followed directions off Hwy 50 to what is something like 55 apple orchards. One had made room for 24 of the rigs from our Sierra Ramblers club for a rally. The 3 couples of trailbosses had worked hard to scrub up a shed and decorate it for Halloween. Since we, McCrackens (whose car had quit and the new one not ready for towing), and Diana and Al all came without cars, we were a bit limited but enjoyed several outings--Marshall Gold Discovery State Park, an international restaurant buffet and a Mexican restaurant riding in others' cars plus a day of stopping at three apple orchards to see their crafts, buy a pie, and visit the farm museum and Harry also took the tour of the Gold Bug gold mine. We were all boondocking (without hook-ups). The second day our generator quit so all the guys went to work trying to figure out the problem and after many hrs of work decided it was in the fuel line and would need the shop. Our neighbor plugged our cord into his RV side so while he watched TV at night, we had electricity to blow dry and wash hair or to replenish our batteries which could get thru the day on solar power. Harry's new CPAP machine has a 12 volt connection so can run all night without inverter pulling extra watts out of the batteries.
The surprise was that Harry was persuaded by a trailboss to play the uke since there was no special talent brought in as usual after our pot-luck night. With my slight suggestion, he decided to go for a sing-along and he did very well and the whole group enjoyed singing everything except his presentation of Du du licht in both German and English (no one else but me knew it). He also did his "On top of spaghetti" expecting no one to know it but about five men did and vigorously sang along.
Then Monday we took the RV back to Kevin's and were able to take in the boys' karate and hip-hop (all boy) classes before taking the RV and car to nearby electrician for rewiring while we drove Kevin's prius to Fairfield for lunch with our friends, the Krummers, Diana and Al and a celebration with Bob and Jean Lavender for his birthday.
We had two good nights at Diana's house including supper with Leslie and Mitch and seeing how Taylor and Elyse have sprung up and matured the last 2 years. 5'11" 13 year old Taylor answered our multitude of questions about the computer and playing games on the TV and also tho he doesn't have one, made this sr citizen understand what an I Phone is. Harry and I often think they are inventing technology about five years faster than we can keep up understanding.
We did take a day to go back to San Francisco by BART so we rode the Cable Car, the street car and the metro bus and walked fisherman's wharf and shared the smallest ghiradelli sundae where we each used to be able to finish our own larger ones. A new complex called Westfield has gone up by Nordstrom on Market so we enjoyed their food court for supper and I walked thru Bloomingdale's.
Harry and Kevin took Ryan to his Saturday afternoon flag football game while Landen continued to beat me at the boardgame Othello until his birthday party guests started arriving at 3 pm. Sara had turned the whole house and backyard into a Halloween scene and about ten kids and their parents enjoyed the time.
The boys were asleep by the time Kevin and Sara left for their costume Halloween party so grandparent sitting was easier than ever. We finished loading up the car so the next morn left the RV again and headed home to Bakersfield stopping for church and a follow-up meeting in Byron. At the same time, the boys had their baseball game and Sara had invited the whole team and families over for a party afterwards so by this time the whole family should be relaxing again.
At home, we discovered the little rose plant we took out of a pot and stuck in the ground and then cut off its and our other roses dead flowers two weeks ago resulted in great blooming plants again (probably the cooler weather helped also).
A dr stop reiterated the phone call that my MRI shows liquid in the hip and behind the knees plus some atrophy of the right thigh muscles so I'll be back in phys therapy to try to stretch those muscles plus have acquiesed to taking some pain medication .
Our children will all be grateful they are past their teens and away from home for Harry often plays the uke while I am driving and this time Hwy 5 was loaded with mostly trucks plus cars rushing home after their week-end so if they looked sidewise, they might have been surprised to see our mouths going. We probably sang for more than 75 miles with me stopping the duet part whenever we spotted a dangerous driver and there were 4 or 5 (only 1 was a trucker). Aren't our kids glad they didn't have to listen like they used to do on our camping trips?
We arrived at Renee's in time for supper Monday and they left the next morn for Paris. This is our quiet time as we relax all day after enjoying the Halloween costumes going to school today--Brittany went as a delightful kitty and Brooke is a ladybug ready to fly at any moment with her wings. Tonight Harry and I get to hand out candy as after tennis practice (season is just ending) Brittany's friend's mom picks her up and takes them to trick or treat and when Brittany gets home, she will join Brooke and the next door neighbors to do the neighborhood. As usual, the family had gone to the pumpkin patch and picked out their 4 pumpkins but only the girls and Renee got theirs carved so Brittany suggested Harry carve her dad's. Thus all four jack o lanterns will greet our incoming trick or treaters tonight.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Fall is here
We have just enjoyed 3 weeks in our house again. I find that I just enjoy puttering around in the various rooms while Harry is organizing our garage even more. We now have reclining chairs in the family room (2 in a lazy boy sofa), in the TV room (which we refer to as Harry's room) and in the guest room (which we call my blue room) so I have to read the newspaper in a different room every day just to use the recliners.
It was great to know that Harry's sister, Alice and Doc, got moved into a one floor duplex last week-end after selling their big house in Watertown with no laundry room, bathroom, or bedroom on first floor. The other delight is to learn that Vi is continuing with her guitar lessons. Harry continues to learn more songs on the uke and when we had a camphost potluck, they urged him to play and the maintenance host's wife pulled out the one she received for Christmas and they had identical ukes. She was delighted to learn some chords from Harry and they really did well with duets.
Just before finishing our stint camphosting, Harry decided to throw a steak fry for our camp maintenance workers--10 of them were able to come and seemed to fully appreciate getting some recognition as he had each one introduce self and tell when they started and what their first duty was here. He also invited the other hosts (2 other couples doing what we do and one doing maintenance)
My only regret is how much time we spend in doctors' offices--my last was an MRI of my right hip and long bone. This is probably our last chance to discover what causes my right leg muscles to have sharp occasional pains and not allow me to walk correctly. Otherwise, we will assume it is all part of the arthritis that affects my knee, hip, and back. Lucky me, I have a husband who is willing and able to massage wherever it gets tight. We truly have become an interdependent team. Our kids' former babysitter probably sees this better than we do (she will be 95 at Thanksgiving). She is determinedly trying to talk us into moving into her complex which has apartments but also provides assisted living and skilled nursing care when it is needed. She gets around as fast as me tho she has just begun using a walker for the first time.
Next blog will be after 4 weeks as we head up tomorrow to get the RV from Sara and Kevin's yard, then go to a RV rally in the mountains, then go visit Diana, then back for Landen's birthday party and to again leave the RV while we go to SBarb to stay with the girls from Oct29-Nov. 6. rit by Anita
It was great to know that Harry's sister, Alice and Doc, got moved into a one floor duplex last week-end after selling their big house in Watertown with no laundry room, bathroom, or bedroom on first floor. The other delight is to learn that Vi is continuing with her guitar lessons. Harry continues to learn more songs on the uke and when we had a camphost potluck, they urged him to play and the maintenance host's wife pulled out the one she received for Christmas and they had identical ukes. She was delighted to learn some chords from Harry and they really did well with duets.
Just before finishing our stint camphosting, Harry decided to throw a steak fry for our camp maintenance workers--10 of them were able to come and seemed to fully appreciate getting some recognition as he had each one introduce self and tell when they started and what their first duty was here. He also invited the other hosts (2 other couples doing what we do and one doing maintenance)
My only regret is how much time we spend in doctors' offices--my last was an MRI of my right hip and long bone. This is probably our last chance to discover what causes my right leg muscles to have sharp occasional pains and not allow me to walk correctly. Otherwise, we will assume it is all part of the arthritis that affects my knee, hip, and back. Lucky me, I have a husband who is willing and able to massage wherever it gets tight. We truly have become an interdependent team. Our kids' former babysitter probably sees this better than we do (she will be 95 at Thanksgiving). She is determinedly trying to talk us into moving into her complex which has apartments but also provides assisted living and skilled nursing care when it is needed. She gets around as fast as me tho she has just begun using a walker for the first time.
Next blog will be after 4 weeks as we head up tomorrow to get the RV from Sara and Kevin's yard, then go to a RV rally in the mountains, then go visit Diana, then back for Landen's birthday party and to again leave the RV while we go to SBarb to stay with the girls from Oct29-Nov. 6. rit by Anita
Friday, July 20, 2007
Kayaking
Last year Brittany (an experienced kayaker) and I took advantage of the free Kayaking experience that is offered every Friday in the summer at the next state park, Refugio. It was fun to go out to the ocean kelp beds and skim along in the kayak. However, getting into the kayak is the most challenging and just as I got ready to climb in, a wave knocked me over.
When the day came for Harry and Brooke to do their kayaking last summer, they had canceled the kayaking. Today Brooke and Harry went out and did well; it was Harry's first time, but Brooke even goes to kayaking camp in 2 weeks as well as the previous 2 summers for a week. They did well as did the other two double kayakers but one of the five or six single kayakers became seasick so the instructor had to bring her back. (one of our rangers also went along so the others were not left alone) Just as H&B came in, a wave came from behind and dumped them as they were about to get out but neither one got their face or hat wet so they did better than me.
While they were on the ocean, I sat under the shade of a palm tree and began reading Brooke's chosen book from her summer reading list for 7th grade English class, "Sophie's World--a novel about the history of philosophy". It is fascinating for I have never had a philosophy class and this novel with a young woman as the main character is fun following the plot as well as getting a taste of philosophy. Brooke has my love of reading so she is reading right now--having beaten me in Spinner and Mexican Train. She expects to finish the 513 page book in one week--and she probably will!
Renee will bring Brittany out for a quick supper of hot dogs and smores and to pick up Brooke this evening. Renee and next door neighbor, Denise, are putting on a fondue dinner party tomorrow in the Renee's back yard as a fundraiser for Brooke's school. Meantime Sara and Kevin are putting on their summer party for friends tomorrow night also. It will involve a treasure hunt (for the adults) planned by Sara.
When the day came for Harry and Brooke to do their kayaking last summer, they had canceled the kayaking. Today Brooke and Harry went out and did well; it was Harry's first time, but Brooke even goes to kayaking camp in 2 weeks as well as the previous 2 summers for a week. They did well as did the other two double kayakers but one of the five or six single kayakers became seasick so the instructor had to bring her back. (one of our rangers also went along so the others were not left alone) Just as H&B came in, a wave came from behind and dumped them as they were about to get out but neither one got their face or hat wet so they did better than me.
While they were on the ocean, I sat under the shade of a palm tree and began reading Brooke's chosen book from her summer reading list for 7th grade English class, "Sophie's World--a novel about the history of philosophy". It is fascinating for I have never had a philosophy class and this novel with a young woman as the main character is fun following the plot as well as getting a taste of philosophy. Brooke has my love of reading so she is reading right now--having beaten me in Spinner and Mexican Train. She expects to finish the 513 page book in one week--and she probably will!
Renee will bring Brittany out for a quick supper of hot dogs and smores and to pick up Brooke this evening. Renee and next door neighbor, Denise, are putting on a fondue dinner party tomorrow in the Renee's back yard as a fundraiser for Brooke's school. Meantime Sara and Kevin are putting on their summer party for friends tomorrow night also. It will involve a treasure hunt (for the adults) planned by Sara.
Monday, July 9, 2007
Electricity can save lives
Only the camp hosts have electric and other hook-ups at this state park. Last week, we had a knock on the door and the man in the nearest campsite to us said his mother was with them, was on oxygen 24 hrs a day, and the small generator they had brought was blowing its circuit. We called ranger who OK'd the neighbors running a cord from their site across their site and ours to plug in to outside of our rig. Shortly after that, fortunately, we took our golf cart, which was plugged into other half of outside outlet, down to other host as we were off duty the next day. We then continued to watch "The Rookie" on our new DVD and Harry put popcorn into microwave. It was about 11 pm and another knock on door and he stepped out to hear the man better, who was telling him he needed about 5 minutes of electricity. A minute later the microwave timer (set for 5 minutes) went off and I came to and opened microwave as smoke poured out and engulfed RV as I opened all windows and fans (doing some choking). Carried bag of popcorn outside and learned that man had come because 12 year old in their group was in midst of asthma seizure so mom and child came. Harry pulled up chair for child and gear was attached while the man and mother and we had a good visit on our outside steps as smoke cleared out of RV. Mother later whispered to Harry that the man was a dr so guess we had the right person there.
We told the mom to bring the boy and equipment over and plug in whenever she wanted. As I went out next morn to prepare to go to SBarb for day, she was unplugging again and had gone over to meet the folks who had oxygen plugged in. This position has just enough variety to keep it from being boring! Anita
We told the mom to bring the boy and equipment over and plug in whenever she wanted. As I went out next morn to prepare to go to SBarb for day, she was unplugging again and had gone over to meet the folks who had oxygen plugged in. This position has just enough variety to keep it from being boring! Anita
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Peonies
Renee, our talented daughter with flowers, offered me a choice of two bouquets as we left their house Tuesday. How does one choose between roses and peonies? I chose the bright rose colored peonies and as they grace our table, memory takes over. How clearly I can see those peony bushes and their bright flowers at the south side of the garden at the farm. How well I remember the years when they were in bloom by Memorial Day. They were beautiful and would look so impressive when we filled jars or vases with water and the peonies to take over to put on our grandparent graves.
In the late 70's, I was teaching a class of sophomores in Bakersfield. who had chosen to have a semester of different novels. As they were reading "Grapes of Wrath" by Steinbeck describing the trip from Oklahoma during the depression. one of the male students said "What is a peony?" and I suddenly realized they were not growing in Bakersfield. How do you describe a peony adequately to someone who has never seen one when your own images have years of emotional experiences associated with their beauty? May peonies grow forever!
This has been a very full and good week. The campground during the week has been only partially filled so the first Friday they only had one park aide scheduled for the 3-10 pm shift. He had a non-stop line at his check-in window registering campers from 3-7:30 and was unable to handle the drive-in window so the other host woman and I split the time to keep the line moving.
Then Monday we had a great time at Brittany's birthday pool party enjoying watching the 10 high school girls in the water which was 85 degrees but because the air was about 55, H&I did not go in (chicken!). Tuesday we enjoyed going to her high school sports dinner award night and seeing her receive awards for varsity softball and being a scholar athlete.
Yesterday the third hosts came in so we had all three of us couples plus the new host in maintenance come over to share the beef stew H& I had been cooking in the crockpot all day--fortunately it stretched to feed eight as others had breads and a salad to contribute and we had just bought another watermelon. (All 3 have been especially good this spring). We had a good time finding out about each other and I'm sure will have good times together. That is important for the golf cart at the other (Refugio) campground had its charger die so they took the one off our cart and when they plugged it in, it died also so we now have one charger for three hosts and since our cart tires were bald, maintenance chief decided we should go park it for they don't have more money and no replacement tires, but she did say we should try electric car which has been used by her or others in maintenance so we at least have 2 vehicles for the 3 of us to share, but no vehicles will be repaired or replaced so let's hope we can keep these 2 working for this park is too big to walk or bike and gas is too expensive for any of us to drive our own cars around the camp like we had to do our first years here. The electric car requires more charging time than the golf cart, but it can go up the hills at almost the 15 mph speed limit and has to be slowed down on flat or down hill runs.--by Anita
In the late 70's, I was teaching a class of sophomores in Bakersfield. who had chosen to have a semester of different novels. As they were reading "Grapes of Wrath" by Steinbeck describing the trip from Oklahoma during the depression. one of the male students said "What is a peony?" and I suddenly realized they were not growing in Bakersfield. How do you describe a peony adequately to someone who has never seen one when your own images have years of emotional experiences associated with their beauty? May peonies grow forever!
This has been a very full and good week. The campground during the week has been only partially filled so the first Friday they only had one park aide scheduled for the 3-10 pm shift. He had a non-stop line at his check-in window registering campers from 3-7:30 and was unable to handle the drive-in window so the other host woman and I split the time to keep the line moving.
Then Monday we had a great time at Brittany's birthday pool party enjoying watching the 10 high school girls in the water which was 85 degrees but because the air was about 55, H&I did not go in (chicken!). Tuesday we enjoyed going to her high school sports dinner award night and seeing her receive awards for varsity softball and being a scholar athlete.
Yesterday the third hosts came in so we had all three of us couples plus the new host in maintenance come over to share the beef stew H& I had been cooking in the crockpot all day--fortunately it stretched to feed eight as others had breads and a salad to contribute and we had just bought another watermelon. (All 3 have been especially good this spring). We had a good time finding out about each other and I'm sure will have good times together. That is important for the golf cart at the other (Refugio) campground had its charger die so they took the one off our cart and when they plugged it in, it died also so we now have one charger for three hosts and since our cart tires were bald, maintenance chief decided we should go park it for they don't have more money and no replacement tires, but she did say we should try electric car which has been used by her or others in maintenance so we at least have 2 vehicles for the 3 of us to share, but no vehicles will be repaired or replaced so let's hope we can keep these 2 working for this park is too big to walk or bike and gas is too expensive for any of us to drive our own cars around the camp like we had to do our first years here. The electric car requires more charging time than the golf cart, but it can go up the hills at almost the 15 mph speed limit and has to be slowed down on flat or down hill runs.--by Anita
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Mother's Day in Santa Barbara
After an excellent handbell concert by the three different handbell choirs at First United Methodist in Bakersfield last Sunday, we drove to our campsite and got parked before dark.
It has been an easy week of hosting for we have full-time park aides handling the entry and leaving of campers so we and Al and Anna Philips just cover the route and sell firewood and quarters and answer questions. Howard and Pat also came for a visit to let us know that she is getting to the top of the list for a kidney transplant so decided it wasn't fair to the other hosts and parks to be running back and forth to UCLA for tests, etc on short notice so chose not to come in to work with us just now.
We are taking Sunday and Monday off so had a wonderful day with church and brunch with Renee, J Paul, Brittany and Brooke. Then Harry and I went to the Santa Barbara symphony concert and afterwards met them again at an ocean cafe for supper. We enjoyed an hour sitting watching the ocean and reading the paper while the four of them walked the multi-mile beach from their house to the cafe. The tide got a bit higher than they planned so some legs got wet, but they were in good spirits.
We had 90 degree temps our first two days here but now it has dropped to the upper 60's.--by Anita
It has been an easy week of hosting for we have full-time park aides handling the entry and leaving of campers so we and Al and Anna Philips just cover the route and sell firewood and quarters and answer questions. Howard and Pat also came for a visit to let us know that she is getting to the top of the list for a kidney transplant so decided it wasn't fair to the other hosts and parks to be running back and forth to UCLA for tests, etc on short notice so chose not to come in to work with us just now.
We are taking Sunday and Monday off so had a wonderful day with church and brunch with Renee, J Paul, Brittany and Brooke. Then Harry and I went to the Santa Barbara symphony concert and afterwards met them again at an ocean cafe for supper. We enjoyed an hour sitting watching the ocean and reading the paper while the four of them walked the multi-mile beach from their house to the cafe. The tide got a bit higher than they planned so some legs got wet, but they were in good spirits.
We had 90 degree temps our first two days here but now it has dropped to the upper 60's.--by Anita
Friday, May 4, 2007
Gratitude
We had an easy, quiet time at the Escapade and only went to what motivated us, including an excellent workshop on shopping, cooking, and eating healthily on the road. Had our usual great time at Kevin and Sara's with each of the boys having a baseball game for us to watch under the shade of Sara's umbrella. Also it took both Harry and I to fill in for Kevin's spot as they have a baby-sitting co-op for Friday nights and it was Kevin and Sara's turn to do it. A little gal of one (who was not sure about us and clung to Sara) and six others including 3 seven year olds kept us busy. Sara even took them (we followed) to the pond where even the 7 year old girl stepped right in to gather tadpoles out of the algae. Kevin meantime was doing a pilot license which involved putting the plane down at 8 different airports. He is hoping to finish the licensing procedures within a month. Then Saturday evening we enjoyed staying with the boys while their parents finally got away for almost 24 hrs to the Napa-Santa Rosa area. They managed to get a hot air balloon in during the time.
Monday, Jim and Joan McCracken came down and we had time to chat and then to meet Pete and Doris Daniels and Diana Hill and Al Finley for lunch. It is always fun when we RVers get together. Then we brought the RV back to Bakersfield from its month at Kevin's and are now loading it for camphosting.
Talked to friend, Vera, who is in Syracuse NY and she mentioned how fortunate we are to be :together and able to volunteer at El Cap during the summer.
Yes, Harry and I are amazed to have lived this long, let alone stay married for almost 51 years. He certainly makes a difference in my life. Just to show what a day in a house for a retired husband is: he made a list before breakfast of projects for the day--and we keep adding. So far, he has carried office stuff out to the Rv, trimmed the bushes in the backyard for they were interferring with the sprinklers by burying them, replaced a sprinkler head where the grass was turning brown, repaired the head which was mostly shooting down the driveway,
chopped up the cooked chicken so I could make a stir-fry, expanded our table so we can serve 8 at our church "Dinner for 8 tomorrow" and done several other jobs I haven't noticed. Now when he irons our tablecloth for tomorrow and our walking shorts (Sunday is supposed to hit 90 degrees as we drive to SBarb--a good time to head to the coast) maybe he can sit and watch the news!
Our phone number will be 805-968-3830 at the campground starting Monday and we will not have an answering machine on the home phone. Our first class mail will be forwarded to our temporary address--7 El Capitan Beach Rd, Goleta CA 93117.--by Anita
Monday, Jim and Joan McCracken came down and we had time to chat and then to meet Pete and Doris Daniels and Diana Hill and Al Finley for lunch. It is always fun when we RVers get together. Then we brought the RV back to Bakersfield from its month at Kevin's and are now loading it for camphosting.
Talked to friend, Vera, who is in Syracuse NY and she mentioned how fortunate we are to be :together and able to volunteer at El Cap during the summer.
Yes, Harry and I are amazed to have lived this long, let alone stay married for almost 51 years. He certainly makes a difference in my life. Just to show what a day in a house for a retired husband is: he made a list before breakfast of projects for the day--and we keep adding. So far, he has carried office stuff out to the Rv, trimmed the bushes in the backyard for they were interferring with the sprinklers by burying them, replaced a sprinkler head where the grass was turning brown, repaired the head which was mostly shooting down the driveway,
chopped up the cooked chicken so I could make a stir-fry, expanded our table so we can serve 8 at our church "Dinner for 8 tomorrow" and done several other jobs I haven't noticed. Now when he irons our tablecloth for tomorrow and our walking shorts (Sunday is supposed to hit 90 degrees as we drive to SBarb--a good time to head to the coast) maybe he can sit and watch the news!
Our phone number will be 805-968-3830 at the campground starting Monday and we will not have an answering machine on the home phone. Our first class mail will be forwarded to our temporary address--7 El Capitan Beach Rd, Goleta CA 93117.--by Anita
Monday, April 23, 2007
S-tay young
I had my laugh for the day when Harry & I drove home after eating at El Pollo Loco last night. On the sidewalk next to the busy intersection sat a tiny guy on a tricycle. Seeing no adult from my vantage point, I walked over and heard the little guy saying s--t--o--p stop as he rocked his trike back ;"he is fixated on that sign; he has done it fifty times and I can't get him to move" said grandpa. I couldn't imagine such a little guy reading the letters, but obviously he is well-trained not to go in streets. How little kids slow us down and make us see the world!
We leave this morn for Fresno's dr visit for Harry and a hearing aid check-up and then it is up to Kevin and Sara's. We will drive into Stockton Tues-Thurs for the Escapade rally each day but come back to K&S to sleep in the RV. Then we will have the week-end to enjoy Ryan and Landen before bringing the RV home to load for our May 6 departure to El Capitan hosting. Anita
We leave this morn for Fresno's dr visit for Harry and a hearing aid check-up and then it is up to Kevin and Sara's. We will drive into Stockton Tues-Thurs for the Escapade rally each day but come back to K&S to sleep in the RV. Then we will have the week-end to enjoy Ryan and Landen before bringing the RV home to load for our May 6 departure to El Capitan hosting. Anita
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Forty-five years ago and 2 thousand miles away
Forty five years ago, we hurriedly left 21 month old Kevin with a neighbor for our regular sitter was in California and headed the 55 miles towards Pierre. Ten miles outside town, we had a flat tire and as Harry hurriedly changed it, I figured we better hurry. Just an hour or so later, the dr. rushed in to the delivery room saying "Why didn't you come sooner?" As Renee was born, he handed her to a nurse saying she weighs about six pounds. Minutes later, the nurse was back saying "you're wrong, doc; she weighs 4 lbs, 13 ozs.
Today, we are in Santa Barbara celebrating with Renee, J Paul, Brittany and Brooke. The girls have been delights to be with while the parents went to Big Sur for 2 nights. We have played Spinner, Hand and Foot, Golf, and Harry has taught Brooke to play the uke. Brittany had practice Monday after school and a game at Malibu Tuesday with the varsity softball team. Tonight we will go watch Brooke's game and then Renee will bring Brittany to it after Brittany's practice is over. Meantime, I loaf and read and relax.
Tomorrow afternoon we head home to Bakersfield for four nights before heading to Kevin's.--by Anita
Today, we are in Santa Barbara celebrating with Renee, J Paul, Brittany and Brooke. The girls have been delights to be with while the parents went to Big Sur for 2 nights. We have played Spinner, Hand and Foot, Golf, and Harry has taught Brooke to play the uke. Brittany had practice Monday after school and a game at Malibu Tuesday with the varsity softball team. Tonight we will go watch Brooke's game and then Renee will bring Brittany to it after Brittany's practice is over. Meantime, I loaf and read and relax.
Tomorrow afternoon we head home to Bakersfield for four nights before heading to Kevin's.--by Anita
Friday, April 13, 2007
Trains and a memorial garden
This morning we proceeded with our plan to be sightseers for a day. We had planned this as we were preparing to leave full-time RVing last October, but other things kept taking priority.
Up at Keene, CA. just before the community of Tehachapi, we took the exit pointing to the Tehachapi Loop and what an experience to drive three miles out into the country where in 1874 a civil engineer planned a way for the railroad to continue on to the west coast in an area where the elevation was too steep for an engine. He used a total circle to make it possible for a 4000 foot long train to be able to climb 77' in elevation. We watched two separate times seeing a train coming from the west--going into a tunnel to loop back west and then another tunnel to come east again and then making this total circle where we saw the engine right beside what would be the caboose (but was really two more engines aimed backwards also pushing the train) as it headed away to the east. The first train had 2 engines on front and 2 on back. The second had 3 on front and 2 on back. Several others were there watching with us and a local man told us that there are 2 freight line tracks, one for BNP and one for Santa Fe and yes, sometimes you see them both on this circle at once and on rare occasions you see a passenger train (actually some company's luxurious train car hiring one of the engines to take it wherever.) The sign says about 36 trains go thru this loop daily.
Then we had noticed the National Memorial Sign from Cesaer Chavez days and drove in. It turned out to be the site he moved to (an old TB sanitarium) following the beginning of the grape boycott and where much of the planning for organizing farmworkers began. The museum shows the bare situation in which he lived and has been built around his office. It brought back many memories of those years and even now there is a box for people to drop off donated food and items as the CA freeze has made thousands of farmworkers jobless and there will be no work until later this summer. ( With the freezes on both coasts, I suspect we will see large jumps in the prices of fruits and veggies. Ironically, our grapefruit tree survived so we give grapefruit to our drs, their other patients, church people, people in front of the post office, etc; I know how my dad felt when there were apples falling off the tree going to waste. At a stop at a nice produce farm, we discovered our grapefruit are selling for at least $1.00 each and think we have given away over 400.)
The memorial garden and fountain by Mr. Chavez's single tombstone is well-maintained and beautiful. They now use the old sanitarium for housing for camps or conferences that meet there. We took a break to enjoy dinner at the small-town Keene cafe which was well-patronized and then went back to watch a 45 minute video of the museum which included comments by grandchildren, his wife, and others who worked with him.
Meantime, we had a great Sunday visit with Ken in Fresno where we ate too much pot-luck and learned about his activities. Harry went to another computer class on Weds and it gave info on how to make letterheads, etc on Microsoft Word so since then he has succeeded with his dream to make personalized stationery and a new 6 month datebook. I have been to a younger women's study group in the evening and a general United Methodist Women meeting--both of which make me look at our wider world.
Now we look forward to staying with Brittany and Brooke Sunday thru Wednesday and have a birthday celebration for Renee when they come home Wednesday evening.--by Anita
Up at Keene, CA. just before the community of Tehachapi, we took the exit pointing to the Tehachapi Loop and what an experience to drive three miles out into the country where in 1874 a civil engineer planned a way for the railroad to continue on to the west coast in an area where the elevation was too steep for an engine. He used a total circle to make it possible for a 4000 foot long train to be able to climb 77' in elevation. We watched two separate times seeing a train coming from the west--going into a tunnel to loop back west and then another tunnel to come east again and then making this total circle where we saw the engine right beside what would be the caboose (but was really two more engines aimed backwards also pushing the train) as it headed away to the east. The first train had 2 engines on front and 2 on back. The second had 3 on front and 2 on back. Several others were there watching with us and a local man told us that there are 2 freight line tracks, one for BNP and one for Santa Fe and yes, sometimes you see them both on this circle at once and on rare occasions you see a passenger train (actually some company's luxurious train car hiring one of the engines to take it wherever.) The sign says about 36 trains go thru this loop daily.
Then we had noticed the National Memorial Sign from Cesaer Chavez days and drove in. It turned out to be the site he moved to (an old TB sanitarium) following the beginning of the grape boycott and where much of the planning for organizing farmworkers began. The museum shows the bare situation in which he lived and has been built around his office. It brought back many memories of those years and even now there is a box for people to drop off donated food and items as the CA freeze has made thousands of farmworkers jobless and there will be no work until later this summer. ( With the freezes on both coasts, I suspect we will see large jumps in the prices of fruits and veggies. Ironically, our grapefruit tree survived so we give grapefruit to our drs, their other patients, church people, people in front of the post office, etc; I know how my dad felt when there were apples falling off the tree going to waste. At a stop at a nice produce farm, we discovered our grapefruit are selling for at least $1.00 each and think we have given away over 400.)
The memorial garden and fountain by Mr. Chavez's single tombstone is well-maintained and beautiful. They now use the old sanitarium for housing for camps or conferences that meet there. We took a break to enjoy dinner at the small-town Keene cafe which was well-patronized and then went back to watch a 45 minute video of the museum which included comments by grandchildren, his wife, and others who worked with him.
Meantime, we had a great Sunday visit with Ken in Fresno where we ate too much pot-luck and learned about his activities. Harry went to another computer class on Weds and it gave info on how to make letterheads, etc on Microsoft Word so since then he has succeeded with his dream to make personalized stationery and a new 6 month datebook. I have been to a younger women's study group in the evening and a general United Methodist Women meeting--both of which make me look at our wider world.
Now we look forward to staying with Brittany and Brooke Sunday thru Wednesday and have a birthday celebration for Renee when they come home Wednesday evening.--by Anita
Friday, April 6, 2007
Success in getting plane tickets
As of 11 pm last night, we have e-tickets to fly from LAX to Sioux Falls on June 9 and back to LAX early on June 19th. It took two trys by phone but reached a gal willing to work on the second call and gave her a choice of fly-ins on June9-12 and fly outs June 18th to 19th and from all cities in CA but San Diego. She needed all those options for "there are no available seats on that itinarery for 3 weeks" as I tried Sacramento, SFran, San Jose, Oakland, SBarb, Bkfd and Fresno. We were eligible for 2 free seats on NWA but from different accounts so could not do it by computer or I might just get one OK'd, but computer helped give me ideas after failing with first call to find anything.
Harry has also found a new server for his CPAP machine and is very pleased with the man who is the manager and also a respiratory therapist. They even discovered he is eligible for a new, much smaller machine so we picked it up today, and it will be much easier to tote along when we leave home.--by Anita
Harry has also found a new server for his CPAP machine and is very pleased with the man who is the manager and also a respiratory therapist. They even discovered he is eligible for a new, much smaller machine so we picked it up today, and it will be much easier to tote along when we leave home.--by Anita
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Holy Week
We have just returned from Maundy Thursday services and in fact, sat by the minister's mother who is from Chicago and flew in for 2 weeks. It reminded me how grateful I am that my folks could join us about every other year for a month and that Dad Dutt and some of Harry's siblings also paid us some visits in California.
Our schedule has kept changing, but just got a call from our El Capitan ranger that things have changed since yesterday, when a fellow host told us they would be covered til June 1. Now we have agreed to go in May 6 and 7 as we had already planned to host a dinner for 8 of church friends on May 5.
Our yard continues to be a joy with blossoms, although some of the large plants, like daisys froze back and we see new growth underneath but don't know if it will cover up as the bottom half of the stems are brown and the new growth is at top. Have managed to get Harry to sit out in our patio reclining chairs once. Discovered with Harry's pre-tests, surgery, post-op and driving the friend to the cemetery with her husband's cremains that we have put 1500 miles between Bkfd and Fresno. We'd rather do our 1500 in the RV, but then we will get our chance shortly--to be at Kevin's the 23rd overnight and then to Stockton to an Escapees rally and after some visiting, bringing the RV back to load for El Capitan.
We will do pot-luck for Easter with Ken and the families of the people staying in his lodge in Fresno. It is good to get his letters.
Harry is doing well and we think we will start our morning walks tomorrow; we have missed seeing our neighbors--one 90 year old walks by twice a day--and the spring changes in the neighborhood. by Anita
Our schedule has kept changing, but just got a call from our El Capitan ranger that things have changed since yesterday, when a fellow host told us they would be covered til June 1. Now we have agreed to go in May 6 and 7 as we had already planned to host a dinner for 8 of church friends on May 5.
Our yard continues to be a joy with blossoms, although some of the large plants, like daisys froze back and we see new growth underneath but don't know if it will cover up as the bottom half of the stems are brown and the new growth is at top. Have managed to get Harry to sit out in our patio reclining chairs once. Discovered with Harry's pre-tests, surgery, post-op and driving the friend to the cemetery with her husband's cremains that we have put 1500 miles between Bkfd and Fresno. We'd rather do our 1500 in the RV, but then we will get our chance shortly--to be at Kevin's the 23rd overnight and then to Stockton to an Escapees rally and after some visiting, bringing the RV back to load for El Capitan.
We will do pot-luck for Easter with Ken and the families of the people staying in his lodge in Fresno. It is good to get his letters.
Harry is doing well and we think we will start our morning walks tomorrow; we have missed seeing our neighbors--one 90 year old walks by twice a day--and the spring changes in the neighborhood. by Anita
Monday, March 26, 2007
My Turn
Well, here goes....We are enjoying our new stereo (after Karla had it for several years and then it was in storage in Renee and J Paul's attic for many years, a total of 14 + years, since our retirement in 1993). Our repairman did a nice job.
This morning I trimmed a couple of bushes, one suffering from frost damage and the other one from long overdue trimming. I can tell you this much, I have never done this in our motorhoming! It is hard work.
We have made a lot of progress in getting settled, but the end is somewhere off in the distance.
A couple of weeks ago, I cleaned the family room carpet with our new Bissell carpet cleaner. It does a nice job. However, that was just a trial run. One of these days I'll have to do the rest of the house and the motorhome.
It's a beautiful day outside--76 degrees with a bright sun. We wish it would stay this way all year around. (Wishing doesn't accomplish much!!) Well, I talked myself into checking it out in my camping reclining chair!!--Harry
This morning I trimmed a couple of bushes, one suffering from frost damage and the other one from long overdue trimming. I can tell you this much, I have never done this in our motorhoming! It is hard work.
We have made a lot of progress in getting settled, but the end is somewhere off in the distance.
A couple of weeks ago, I cleaned the family room carpet with our new Bissell carpet cleaner. It does a nice job. However, that was just a trial run. One of these days I'll have to do the rest of the house and the motorhome.
It's a beautiful day outside--76 degrees with a bright sun. We wish it would stay this way all year around. (Wishing doesn't accomplish much!!) Well, I talked myself into checking it out in my camping reclining chair!!--Harry
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Roses and stereo sounds
We both were to have dr visits in Fresno a week ago and mine was a successful one, but Harry's dr injured his shoulder so we go back there again Tuesday when hopefully the dr is well again.
We enjoyed staying in our mid-town Fresno RV park but were surprised that price for night has jumped to $35. It started at 17 and went to 22 when new guy bought it about a year and a half ago, then 6 months later to 29 and now 35. It is so well located that it stays full but like many commercial parks, we are noticing that they have climbed in price in the last couple of years. We are fortunate to have been able to full-time without that kind of high costs.
We thoroughly enjoyed from Thursday to Wednesday parked at Sara and Kevin's. It is a busy household and we got to see the boys both have ball (T and baseball) games and I had lots of playing time with our board games with them. Harry enjoyed helping move the sprinklers and lay the base boards around the fence of the arena. K&S have put a lot of time and energy into building this combined horse stalls-arena and large shop for the F-3 equipment but it looks like it is nearing completion. We then left the RV at Kevin's to pick up the end of April for an event near them.
We were sorry to miss meeting Harry's siblings up north but Wednesday, we decided he better check in with the Fresno nurse practioner so finding out everything was OK, we came back to Bakersfield.
Then we called the Lavenders and learned they could stop in Bkfd on way to Tucson. We had a great time visiting and learned that when we plug in a coach on our street, don't do it with a 3 way switch as you may turn all electricity off to the outlet. But they did fine and Harry entertained us all with about 6 songs on his ukulele. I really enjoy seeing him play it and he also played it for Ryan and Landen and their 2 friends one day. He may be signing up for "America Idol" any day now. We brought home our repaired stereo and I am really glad to have it again plus I feast my eyes every day on our 2 older and 1 new rose bush which are blooming and now see the orange tree buds are beginning to open producing a 4 sided star.
Spring has really arrived.--by Anita
We enjoyed staying in our mid-town Fresno RV park but were surprised that price for night has jumped to $35. It started at 17 and went to 22 when new guy bought it about a year and a half ago, then 6 months later to 29 and now 35. It is so well located that it stays full but like many commercial parks, we are noticing that they have climbed in price in the last couple of years. We are fortunate to have been able to full-time without that kind of high costs.
We thoroughly enjoyed from Thursday to Wednesday parked at Sara and Kevin's. It is a busy household and we got to see the boys both have ball (T and baseball) games and I had lots of playing time with our board games with them. Harry enjoyed helping move the sprinklers and lay the base boards around the fence of the arena. K&S have put a lot of time and energy into building this combined horse stalls-arena and large shop for the F-3 equipment but it looks like it is nearing completion. We then left the RV at Kevin's to pick up the end of April for an event near them.
We were sorry to miss meeting Harry's siblings up north but Wednesday, we decided he better check in with the Fresno nurse practioner so finding out everything was OK, we came back to Bakersfield.
Then we called the Lavenders and learned they could stop in Bkfd on way to Tucson. We had a great time visiting and learned that when we plug in a coach on our street, don't do it with a 3 way switch as you may turn all electricity off to the outlet. But they did fine and Harry entertained us all with about 6 songs on his ukulele. I really enjoy seeing him play it and he also played it for Ryan and Landen and their 2 friends one day. He may be signing up for "America Idol" any day now. We brought home our repaired stereo and I am really glad to have it again plus I feast my eyes every day on our 2 older and 1 new rose bush which are blooming and now see the orange tree buds are beginning to open producing a 4 sided star.
Spring has really arrived.--by Anita
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
A week at Marella Way
A beautiful, warm day in Bakersfield and Fresno--88 degrees so we got to try out the new ceiling fan we bought at a garage sale and had installed in our family room. It does a good job of keeping us fairly cool and the inside of the house only climbed to 78.
Meantime, I drove an older friend and her husband's cremains to the Clovis Cemetery by Fresno. He died Jan. 8 so we missed his memorial service and will miss the burial service for it is on March 24. Anita has her roots in our Fresno Grace church and came to Bakersfield while we were here. Her husband worked with Boy Scouts so she said she moved as many or more times than ministers--10 times.
Harry stayed home and checked our RV tire pressure, picked 42 grapefruit to pawn off on our doctors and other patients tomorrow plus to Kevin and the Dutt gang when we reach Eureka to meet them next week (Harry's four sisters, two husbands, and one brother). Harry has also taken on the project of getting our pictures on the walls and that has taken his carpentry skills and finding new frames. We now have the Lloyd Backus painting of the Fulton house, barn and yard hanging in our entry.
We had neighbors over to see the RV this evening for they had stopped and seen Harry in the garage a day or two ago and expressed interest in also traveling. We do have very congenial neighbors in the five houses next to us that we have met plus know a few more around the corner.
We leave tomorrow for Fresno and dr. appt's for both of us so will stay in our usual RV park overnight and then head to Kevin and Sara's by Friday. We trust we will get to see both of the boys play soft or baseball and get to see their karate lessons. We plan to be home by March 28. by Anita
Meantime, I drove an older friend and her husband's cremains to the Clovis Cemetery by Fresno. He died Jan. 8 so we missed his memorial service and will miss the burial service for it is on March 24. Anita has her roots in our Fresno Grace church and came to Bakersfield while we were here. Her husband worked with Boy Scouts so she said she moved as many or more times than ministers--10 times.
Harry stayed home and checked our RV tire pressure, picked 42 grapefruit to pawn off on our doctors and other patients tomorrow plus to Kevin and the Dutt gang when we reach Eureka to meet them next week (Harry's four sisters, two husbands, and one brother). Harry has also taken on the project of getting our pictures on the walls and that has taken his carpentry skills and finding new frames. We now have the Lloyd Backus painting of the Fulton house, barn and yard hanging in our entry.
We had neighbors over to see the RV this evening for they had stopped and seen Harry in the garage a day or two ago and expressed interest in also traveling. We do have very congenial neighbors in the five houses next to us that we have met plus know a few more around the corner.
We leave tomorrow for Fresno and dr. appt's for both of us so will stay in our usual RV park overnight and then head to Kevin and Sara's by Friday. We trust we will get to see both of the boys play soft or baseball and get to see their karate lessons. We plan to be home by March 28. by Anita
Monday, March 5, 2007
IT'S HARRY AT THE CONTROLS. Anita said it was my turn. My typing is sooo--slow--!!and painful. Well anyway, the last two, three days I put together odds and ends of several pieces of dust collecting furniture, and low and behold, another computer table was created. And I must say it turned out to be a fairly respectable piece of furniture.
And Erv, guess what . When I came home today, that Tolstoy third and fourth grade picture had fallen to the floor. It seemed OK. I don't think anybody's pride was even broken. I put a new hook on the back and now it hangs there in all it's spender and pride!! No one can put down Mr. Dutt's third and fourth grade class, can they??Right, Ervin? RIGHT!! Well, that about all for now. BYE.
And Erv, guess what . When I came home today, that Tolstoy third and fourth grade picture had fallen to the floor. It seemed OK. I don't think anybody's pride was even broken. I put a new hook on the back and now it hangs there in all it's spender and pride!! No one can put down Mr. Dutt's third and fourth grade class, can they??Right, Ervin? RIGHT!! Well, that about all for now. BYE.
blog from March 2007--from lost drafts
My mom used to write a weekly letter, with carbons, so all us kids and her siblings and in-laws would know what was happening (and usually, quite a lot). Perhaps, a blog is similiar to those former carbon letters in just relating the usual happenings and thinkings.
In a conversation with Harry yesterday, I said, "Some people announce they want to see Africa or the Great Wall or Hawaii before they die. I just want to see this Iraq war brought to a close, our sons and daughters brought back to continue their lives and the people of Iraq and other countries whom we call 'enemies' given a chance to have the fighting around them stopped--all this I want to see before I die. " I crave a chance for this country to start working with other countries and to all choose what makes for peace and justice for everyone, not just for the privileged few--and best of all, I think it is possible!
We attended a foreign film "L'Enfant" at the Fox theatre last week and were pleased to see the following that foreign films have in Bakersfield. The Fox was closed while we were here from '74-82 but opened that fall with community support restoring it to its former state. The lights in the ceiling even twinkle at night. We also enjoyed a "dinner for 8" at a home south of Bakersfield. It was interesting to see that all 3 of the retired men are innovators and experimenters while the young man is doing a start-up company in spacecraft software. It was a delightful evening. We will have four other dinners in the next three months with this group and another 6 groups are also getting together now for their dinners for 8.
Today, Harry tried our new carpet shampooer out on our family room carpet. It looks like it really made the carpet clean again, and I am extremely grateful for Harry's ability and willingness to do this. We want to do the RV, but thought trying it out on a square room might be easier. Speaking of gratitude, I think Harry and I are so fortunate to be able to be together after 50 1/2 years and on top of that, we both like each other and have a lot of fun together.
Tomorrow we drive to Fresno for doctor follow-ups and then next Tuesday, I have agreed to drive an older friend back up with her husband's cremains to the mortuary there. His service was here while we were gone and the burial will happen the end of March while we are gone to Eureka and Corning to catch up with the traveling Dutt clan--Ervin, Harlin and Ardella, Alice, Vi, Gordon and Lorraine.--by Anita
I, Harry, had to be different, because you don't see much of my writing, so it
has to stand out--therefore, this block of my creative writing!!!Yesterday I
rigged up a contraption on my workbench to hold about twenty-four screwdrivers.
Also yesterday and today I assembled several bits and pieces of furniture into one
and-- behold--another computertable was created. Ervin, do you remember
the Tolstoy third and fourth grade picture that you and I were studying when
you and Danny Pat were here? Well, when we came home today, it had fallen
down. No problem, I put it back up and there it hangs in all of it glory and splender!
You can't keep down Mr. Dutt's third and fourth graders!! Right Ervin? RIGHT!
In a conversation with Harry yesterday, I said, "Some people announce they want to see Africa or the Great Wall or Hawaii before they die. I just want to see this Iraq war brought to a close, our sons and daughters brought back to continue their lives and the people of Iraq and other countries whom we call 'enemies' given a chance to have the fighting around them stopped--all this I want to see before I die. " I crave a chance for this country to start working with other countries and to all choose what makes for peace and justice for everyone, not just for the privileged few--and best of all, I think it is possible!
We attended a foreign film "L'Enfant" at the Fox theatre last week and were pleased to see the following that foreign films have in Bakersfield. The Fox was closed while we were here from '74-82 but opened that fall with community support restoring it to its former state. The lights in the ceiling even twinkle at night. We also enjoyed a "dinner for 8" at a home south of Bakersfield. It was interesting to see that all 3 of the retired men are innovators and experimenters while the young man is doing a start-up company in spacecraft software. It was a delightful evening. We will have four other dinners in the next three months with this group and another 6 groups are also getting together now for their dinners for 8.
Today, Harry tried our new carpet shampooer out on our family room carpet. It looks like it really made the carpet clean again, and I am extremely grateful for Harry's ability and willingness to do this. We want to do the RV, but thought trying it out on a square room might be easier. Speaking of gratitude, I think Harry and I are so fortunate to be able to be together after 50 1/2 years and on top of that, we both like each other and have a lot of fun together.
Tomorrow we drive to Fresno for doctor follow-ups and then next Tuesday, I have agreed to drive an older friend back up with her husband's cremains to the mortuary there. His service was here while we were gone and the burial will happen the end of March while we are gone to Eureka and Corning to catch up with the traveling Dutt clan--Ervin, Harlin and Ardella, Alice, Vi, Gordon and Lorraine.--by Anita
I, Harry, had to be different, because you don't see much of my writing, so it
has to stand out--therefore, this block of my creative writing!!!Yesterday I
rigged up a contraption on my workbench to hold about twenty-four screwdrivers.
Also yesterday and today I assembled several bits and pieces of furniture into one
and-- behold--another computertable was created. Ervin, do you remember
the Tolstoy third and fourth grade picture that you and I were studying when
you and Danny Pat were here? Well, when we came home today, it had fallen
down. No problem, I put it back up and there it hangs in all of it glory and splender!
You can't keep down Mr. Dutt's third and fourth graders!! Right Ervin? RIGHT!
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Almost too quiet
It is interesting to be retired and in a house again. We still have boxes to unpack and pictures to hang, but I am amazed to have all this time to do what we choose. However, I keep watching the daisys and roses waiting for them to spring into bloom, instantly; guess I'm like a little kid who wants to see it now! However, our almond tree is flowering mightily, our baby peach tree has bright pink buds and our 3 large camellia plants are producing hundreds of blooms so I feast my eyes on them.
Sunday was an interesting day for First United Methodist combined all 3 services (chapel at 7:45, traditional at 8:30, and contemporary at 11) into one 9:45 service to hold a dedication for the marvelous multi-media and sound system they have just installed. We got there a bit early to make sure of a seat and they did have to carry in about 25+ chairs and in the pews, we had to be careful each time we sat, not to sit on our neighbors lap and had to time our standing so as to make it up. The music in this church is marvelous with many talented persons so we heard children's choir, teen-age choir, bell choir and chancel choir with both traditional and praise songs. The minister has a great sense of humor which livens up the service and is married to a woman from Tonga so they plan to visit there this late spring.--by Anita
Sunday was an interesting day for First United Methodist combined all 3 services (chapel at 7:45, traditional at 8:30, and contemporary at 11) into one 9:45 service to hold a dedication for the marvelous multi-media and sound system they have just installed. We got there a bit early to make sure of a seat and they did have to carry in about 25+ chairs and in the pews, we had to be careful each time we sat, not to sit on our neighbors lap and had to time our standing so as to make it up. The music in this church is marvelous with many talented persons so we heard children's choir, teen-age choir, bell choir and chancel choir with both traditional and praise songs. The minister has a great sense of humor which livens up the service and is married to a woman from Tonga so they plan to visit there this late spring.--by Anita
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
"Tiny Bubbles" and roses
I woke up in our own bed for first time since Jan 24th and was soon hearing the strains of "Tiny Bubbles" being strummed by Harry. His siblings and their off-spring are going to be in a close race as there are starting to be as many challengers to compete with him at the family Dutt reunion in June at Tolstoy as there are declared candidates for the 2008 presidency!
Then we traveled to a nursery and picked up 3 bare root roses. Harry planted 2 in the back yard where we had them when we lived in this house 25 years ago and added a third one in front where the yucca tree was removed.
We really had a great time and great weather while Jane and Les were with us. Even Bakersfield (which can be as smoggy as LA) honored their 3 days with blue skies and we had perfect weather at both Disneyland and California Adventure.
We spent the 3 days of the Presidents' week-end at Catalina Spa and introduced Jane to the joys of hot tubbing in natural hot mineral waters and she had her own private pool for swimming as we seemed to be there when no one else was using it. We also drove to Indio and had date shakes but did not go to the Date Festival (their county fair which was happening that week also). It was good to be able to attend the Desert Hot Springs United Methodist Church again. Their minister is a student about to graduate from Claremont Seminary and is married to another minister.
We drove up to the tram parking lot to get a view of the valley in which all the towns from Palm Springs to Indio are located. Then we were glad when Harry and Delores Oakes came over and even though the cooks ran out of the Sirloin Burger dinners just before Jane and Les who were picking them up for all 6 of us, our refrigerator produced with Jane's great sandwich making ability, good ham sandwiches plus Marie Callender pies. (Their no sugar apple pie is as good as the German Chocolate).
On Monday, we drove to Dockweiler Beach and camped just outside LAX and watched the bulldozers begin to remove some of the sand dune barrier that was built about 10 feet high for a 1/4 mile to protect the campsites from high waves during the winter. We last stayed at Dockweiler in '94 before Renee and J Paul moved to Santa Barbara and Dockweiler now has full hook-ups on all 3 levels, instead of having the 3rd level boondock style.
Tuesday, Jane and Les went to LAX to catch their flight back to Sioux Falls. They were glad to miss the 20 and 30 below zero weather that has happened in the Dakotas while we were cruising to Hawaii and motorhoming around southern California, and we were so glad to have been able to have this much time with them--even though they or Jim and Joyce or Harry or Delores tended to defeat us in all the games of "Golf", "Mexican Train" "Hand and Foot" "Jokers and Pegs", etc. that we played over these 25 days! by Anita
Then we traveled to a nursery and picked up 3 bare root roses. Harry planted 2 in the back yard where we had them when we lived in this house 25 years ago and added a third one in front where the yucca tree was removed.
We really had a great time and great weather while Jane and Les were with us. Even Bakersfield (which can be as smoggy as LA) honored their 3 days with blue skies and we had perfect weather at both Disneyland and California Adventure.
We spent the 3 days of the Presidents' week-end at Catalina Spa and introduced Jane to the joys of hot tubbing in natural hot mineral waters and she had her own private pool for swimming as we seemed to be there when no one else was using it. We also drove to Indio and had date shakes but did not go to the Date Festival (their county fair which was happening that week also). It was good to be able to attend the Desert Hot Springs United Methodist Church again. Their minister is a student about to graduate from Claremont Seminary and is married to another minister.
We drove up to the tram parking lot to get a view of the valley in which all the towns from Palm Springs to Indio are located. Then we were glad when Harry and Delores Oakes came over and even though the cooks ran out of the Sirloin Burger dinners just before Jane and Les who were picking them up for all 6 of us, our refrigerator produced with Jane's great sandwich making ability, good ham sandwiches plus Marie Callender pies. (Their no sugar apple pie is as good as the German Chocolate).
On Monday, we drove to Dockweiler Beach and camped just outside LAX and watched the bulldozers begin to remove some of the sand dune barrier that was built about 10 feet high for a 1/4 mile to protect the campsites from high waves during the winter. We last stayed at Dockweiler in '94 before Renee and J Paul moved to Santa Barbara and Dockweiler now has full hook-ups on all 3 levels, instead of having the 3rd level boondock style.
Tuesday, Jane and Les went to LAX to catch their flight back to Sioux Falls. They were glad to miss the 20 and 30 below zero weather that has happened in the Dakotas while we were cruising to Hawaii and motorhoming around southern California, and we were so glad to have been able to have this much time with them--even though they or Jim and Joyce or Harry or Delores tended to defeat us in all the games of "Golf", "Mexican Train" "Hand and Foot" "Jokers and Pegs", etc. that we played over these 25 days! by Anita
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Disneyland and California Adventures
After a stop at home where Linda and Bert Schniepp were also staying, Jane and Les ventured south in our RV with us. In Bakersfield they were introduced to Basque cooking with family style service of beef stew, baked chicken, pickled tongue, spaghetti, beans, salsa, cottage cheese, blue cheese, and soup to which you added the beans and salsa, lettuce salad, sherbet or flan, plus a choice of wine, coffee, tea, or milk.
Then the following evening, we all had supper at Buck Owens Crystal Palace with the Buckeroos providing music for us. This is an ornate building with lots of glass and it was a fun evening.
At Disneyland, our favorite events were the Pirates of the Carribean, Peter Pan, Mr. Toad, It's a Small World and Indiana Jones rides and the evening parade and the Hillbilly show and the 50 years of Disneyland show.
At California Adventures, the top ride was "Soaring over California" which puts you in an "airplane" and flys you Imax style over all the areas of CA and the top shows were Aladdin and also Whoopi Goldberg as MC for history and culture called Golden Dreams.
A shuttle bus has taken us from the Anaheim RV resort park back and forth the mile to Disneyland. rit by Anita
Then the following evening, we all had supper at Buck Owens Crystal Palace with the Buckeroos providing music for us. This is an ornate building with lots of glass and it was a fun evening.
At Disneyland, our favorite events were the Pirates of the Carribean, Peter Pan, Mr. Toad, It's a Small World and Indiana Jones rides and the evening parade and the Hillbilly show and the 50 years of Disneyland show.
At California Adventures, the top ride was "Soaring over California" which puts you in an "airplane" and flys you Imax style over all the areas of CA and the top shows were Aladdin and also Whoopi Goldberg as MC for history and culture called Golden Dreams.
A shuttle bus has taken us from the Anaheim RV resort park back and forth the mile to Disneyland. rit by Anita
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Home again, temporarily
Kona is the site of the first Christian church built in Hawaii. We rode the tender into shore, asked about tourist sites and discovering the church was one, but services were now taking place, Harry and I entered church. It is now a Congregational church and we appreciated the lecture afterwards giving us the history of how two Hawaii young men went to the East Coast in, I think, 1612 and eventually brought others back to start the church. The six of us, Jane and Les, his brother, Jim and Joyce and we perused the goods being offered in the shops, but settled for more food, pizza and ice cream. That was actually the only food we ate off shop.
Weather continued moderately for trip back to Ensenada and then the Mainland. However, by now the Norovirus had hit passengers and crew so from 200 to 300 people were quarantined in their rooms and medical staff was working 18 hr days and crew and entertainers were covering double shifts to make up for missing people. Don Ware gave two different comedy nights, including very seriously recognizing firemen, policemen, and school teachers as well as veterans. It is the first time in our 14 years of travel that anyone but veterans have been asked to stand and be recognized for what they have done. Willie Tyler, the ventriloquist, had gotten off boat in Honolulu and warned Mr. Ware that this was a somewhat frustrated crowd so both Ware and Kevin Hughes did great comedy on "seeing Hawaii, but only from a distance." Their great comedy routines definitely kept the crowd happier and laughing, and I'm sure the captain owes them big time for defusing the frustration.
We six took a city tour of Ensenada. The best site was a big white building complex which was built as a casino long, long ago. Then Mexico outlawed casinos and nationalized their gas and oil industry in 1937. Then someone gave it to an American woman as her gift. She was engaged & shortly learned that Americans could not own Mexican property, so her Mexican lawyer advised her to marry a Mexican. "I can't; I'm engaged; I don't know any Mexicans."
"Marry me: I'm single."
After some years they went bankrupt and lost the property, but sometime in its life, the casino was painted with murals resembling the Sistine Chapel in Rome and also intricate carvings on its inner domed wooden ceiling by an artist who was stranded in Ensenada for awhile.
We arrived back in San Pedro (LA) yesterday and journeyed home. Bert & Linda were doing fine in our house, but had another evening engagement so only Les & Jane and we went to the Buck Owens Crystal Palace for an abundant supper and music performed by the Buckaroos. There were about 600 seated for supper and the show and many danced.
Weather continued moderately for trip back to Ensenada and then the Mainland. However, by now the Norovirus had hit passengers and crew so from 200 to 300 people were quarantined in their rooms and medical staff was working 18 hr days and crew and entertainers were covering double shifts to make up for missing people. Don Ware gave two different comedy nights, including very seriously recognizing firemen, policemen, and school teachers as well as veterans. It is the first time in our 14 years of travel that anyone but veterans have been asked to stand and be recognized for what they have done. Willie Tyler, the ventriloquist, had gotten off boat in Honolulu and warned Mr. Ware that this was a somewhat frustrated crowd so both Ware and Kevin Hughes did great comedy on "seeing Hawaii, but only from a distance." Their great comedy routines definitely kept the crowd happier and laughing, and I'm sure the captain owes them big time for defusing the frustration.
We six took a city tour of Ensenada. The best site was a big white building complex which was built as a casino long, long ago. Then Mexico outlawed casinos and nationalized their gas and oil industry in 1937. Then someone gave it to an American woman as her gift. She was engaged & shortly learned that Americans could not own Mexican property, so her Mexican lawyer advised her to marry a Mexican. "I can't; I'm engaged; I don't know any Mexicans."
"Marry me: I'm single."
After some years they went bankrupt and lost the property, but sometime in its life, the casino was painted with murals resembling the Sistine Chapel in Rome and also intricate carvings on its inner domed wooden ceiling by an artist who was stranded in Ensenada for awhile.
We arrived back in San Pedro (LA) yesterday and journeyed home. Bert & Linda were doing fine in our house, but had another evening engagement so only Les & Jane and we went to the Buck Owens Crystal Palace for an abundant supper and music performed by the Buckaroos. There were about 600 seated for supper and the show and many danced.
Saturday, February 3, 2007
Honolulu
We pulled in to port this morn and others went to Arizona Memorial but we grabbed city bus to shopping center Ala Moana and then after lunch trolley to Alona Towers where H found a ukelule. He has been takng lessons on ship and this is a concert or alto one that he can handle well.
We missed Kauai Island because of high wind keeping us from making narrow turns to port with our large ship which would have only 12 inches clearance normally.
Then we missed Maui because it was too high winds for our ride on tenders (smaller boats) from ocean to port and because higher winds were expected at 3 pm. But we did go very slowly by the volcano on Hawaii Island and watched the lava flow at night which really flared up when it hit ocean. Then yesterday had a great tour to the Hawaii National Park and volcano at Hilo.
Harry did an amazing job preaching Sunday to about 200 when we were waiting for church and minister did not show. Another preacher volunteered to be liturgist and song leader.
Then on my well celebrated birthday, I was the arms for a dummie with Willie Tyler as ventriloquist.
Kono tomorrow and then back on sea. Kevin Hughes has been a hit as comedian for ship.
We missed Kauai Island because of high wind keeping us from making narrow turns to port with our large ship which would have only 12 inches clearance normally.
Then we missed Maui because it was too high winds for our ride on tenders (smaller boats) from ocean to port and because higher winds were expected at 3 pm. But we did go very slowly by the volcano on Hawaii Island and watched the lava flow at night which really flared up when it hit ocean. Then yesterday had a great tour to the Hawaii National Park and volcano at Hilo.
Harry did an amazing job preaching Sunday to about 200 when we were waiting for church and minister did not show. Another preacher volunteered to be liturgist and song leader.
Then on my well celebrated birthday, I was the arms for a dummie with Willie Tyler as ventriloquist.
Kono tomorrow and then back on sea. Kevin Hughes has been a hit as comedian for ship.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Coming and going
First info: if we have to be reached at sea, we are on the Island Princess which leaves San Pedro at 4 pm January 26. The number to call would be 900-329-ship (1-900-329-7447)
The cost however is $8.95 a minute with a credit card required to make the call so we don't expect calls! We will probably be in cabin A-409. Also traveling with us are my sister and husband, Jane and Les DeWald from Fulton, SD and Les's brother and wife, Jim and Joyce DeWald from Milbank SD.
We enjoyed showing Erv and Danny Pat around Bakersfield last evening though our evening meal search was interesting. First we took them to a great sounding menu place, Bruce's Scotchman Restaurant. When we got inside what was a truck stop, I was about to comment we really brought them to country Bakersfield when I thought "Buck Owens Crystal Palace" so we headed up to it but it was closed. Today I learned they are still open, even though Buck died, so they must just have Mondays off. Then we headed for a steak house which we never found and learned the Basque and Irish restaurants were both closed Mondays. Finally found a Sizzler which is in a unique building--an old ice house where they used to store ice before refrigerator days. It really has ambience, including stained glass windows and looks like it should be an Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant.
A quick trip to Fresno today for a dr. followup and to use our entertainment book coupon to try out a cafe from a culinary school. Our waitress was also the instructor so we had excellent service and food.
Trying to get our Arizona washing done and repacked for the cruise, leaving instructions for our friends from Oregon, the Schniepps, on the quirks of the house for their stay during part of the time we are gone, and making reservations to rent a car to drop off at boat have made the day fly fast.
We will probably not have access to blog on computer for the next 15 days on the Hawaii cruise but will come back to Bakersfield with Jane and Les the 10th and then go to Disneyland the 13th, then to Palm Springs the 16th and home the 21st. This should be a fun way to really make my 70th birthday party stretch out!--by Anita
The cost however is $8.95 a minute with a credit card required to make the call so we don't expect calls! We will probably be in cabin A-409. Also traveling with us are my sister and husband, Jane and Les DeWald from Fulton, SD and Les's brother and wife, Jim and Joyce DeWald from Milbank SD.
We enjoyed showing Erv and Danny Pat around Bakersfield last evening though our evening meal search was interesting. First we took them to a great sounding menu place, Bruce's Scotchman Restaurant. When we got inside what was a truck stop, I was about to comment we really brought them to country Bakersfield when I thought "Buck Owens Crystal Palace" so we headed up to it but it was closed. Today I learned they are still open, even though Buck died, so they must just have Mondays off. Then we headed for a steak house which we never found and learned the Basque and Irish restaurants were both closed Mondays. Finally found a Sizzler which is in a unique building--an old ice house where they used to store ice before refrigerator days. It really has ambience, including stained glass windows and looks like it should be an Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant.
A quick trip to Fresno today for a dr. followup and to use our entertainment book coupon to try out a cafe from a culinary school. Our waitress was also the instructor so we had excellent service and food.
Trying to get our Arizona washing done and repacked for the cruise, leaving instructions for our friends from Oregon, the Schniepps, on the quirks of the house for their stay during part of the time we are gone, and making reservations to rent a car to drop off at boat have made the day fly fast.
We will probably not have access to blog on computer for the next 15 days on the Hawaii cruise but will come back to Bakersfield with Jane and Les the 10th and then go to Disneyland the 13th, then to Palm Springs the 16th and home the 21st. This should be a fun way to really make my 70th birthday party stretch out!--by Anita
Monday, January 22, 2007
Yesterday we left Yuma about noon. Eight hours later we were at Bakersfield (8:30 pm). It was good to be home again, though we had a great time with Ervin and Danny Pat, who had joined us for about three weeks at Palm Springs and several other campgrounds. Today we spent getting things organized around here after having been gone for three weeks. Tonight Evin and Danny Pat will catch up with us. They had stayed at Yuma another day. Tonight they will check into a campground at Bakersfield. We will meet them at their campground, take them out to dinner and show them around a bit. They leave for home tomorrow morning. Rit by Harry.
For those who have tried to add comments to this blog, sorry but we are not computer-literate enough to make that possible. Just e-mail your comments, I guess.
We did have a moderate headwind for our first half of drive yesterday, but by alternating driving found it was simpler to go the 440 miles from Yuma to Bakersfield than to park in the mountains overnight. The temperature here was 53 when we arrived, and it has been a warm day today. The orange tree (from which we had removed and given away all oranges) has frozen leaves, but it looks like the grapefruit tree with its about 300 remaining fruit may be OK. We have given about 200 grapefruit away already. However, the beautiful lavender flowering plant in our atrium appears to have frozen. Fortunately no pipes froze even though we had turned all heat off, never expecting it to get down to 28 degrees here several nights.--by Anita
For those who have tried to add comments to this blog, sorry but we are not computer-literate enough to make that possible. Just e-mail your comments, I guess.
We did have a moderate headwind for our first half of drive yesterday, but by alternating driving found it was simpler to go the 440 miles from Yuma to Bakersfield than to park in the mountains overnight. The temperature here was 53 when we arrived, and it has been a warm day today. The orange tree (from which we had removed and given away all oranges) has frozen leaves, but it looks like the grapefruit tree with its about 300 remaining fruit may be OK. We have given about 200 grapefruit away already. However, the beautiful lavender flowering plant in our atrium appears to have frozen. Fortunately no pipes froze even though we had turned all heat off, never expecting it to get down to 28 degrees here several nights.--by Anita
Saturday, January 20, 2007
We have now visited Algodones, Mexico on Thursday and yesterday took a drive on the California-Arizona border on state highway 24. It wound through all the produce fields that are grown in the Yuma area. Before we started the drive, we went to the lettuce festival in Old Town Yuma. We found parking in spite of the many retirees who came to it on a Friday. They had a large, well-done display of the crops grown in this area. They produce more lettuce than any other area so heads of cauliflower and lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, celery, lemons and tangelos were all on display. We don't know yet how bad the freeze hurt these crops. However, standing in the line to pass through US Customs coming back out of Algodones, we spotted frozen bouganvilla leaves and flowers and yesterday we saw some orange or tangelo trees with frozen leaves.
The lettuce festival also had musicians at all four ends of the festival and we really enjoyed the fellow from Grace, Idaho who could play his accordion while using his mouth to simulate a mouth trombone and yodel--all at once! He also played the zimba and zither while singing very well. First United Methodist Church was selling baked goods at a booth to raise money for Habitat for Humanity so we enjoyed their baking and also bought donated excess produce from the Community Food Bank which is turning the money back into food for others.
There were at least four blocks of crafts and booths and Danny Pat found many useful items and I succumbed to a long plexiglass hanging for our atrium. It is blue with dolphins on it.
On our drive through the S-24 we mailed postcards from Bard, CA and I think Harry and Ervin left the young clerk puzzled. Their sense of humor is lots of fun, but a bit puzzling to strangers. She is probably still wondering why they said "we'll be back for lunch next time."
We also stopped and had date shakes at the Imperial Garden date stand and drove through the Yuma Proving Grounds. Unfortunately, the wind was a bit strong so the paratroopers were not showing their skill on landing on a white x. After touring a private RV park and park model rentals next to the Imperial Dam, we headed home and enjoyed our second home-cooked supper in a row.
As we drove into campground, brakes started squealing so this morn we were at Chevy garage and now have new front brake pads plus a new fuel filter. This is our last day to prowl Yuma and then we turn towards Bakersfield after church tomorrow.-by Anita (more from Harry next week)
The lettuce festival also had musicians at all four ends of the festival and we really enjoyed the fellow from Grace, Idaho who could play his accordion while using his mouth to simulate a mouth trombone and yodel--all at once! He also played the zimba and zither while singing very well. First United Methodist Church was selling baked goods at a booth to raise money for Habitat for Humanity so we enjoyed their baking and also bought donated excess produce from the Community Food Bank which is turning the money back into food for others.
There were at least four blocks of crafts and booths and Danny Pat found many useful items and I succumbed to a long plexiglass hanging for our atrium. It is blue with dolphins on it.
On our drive through the S-24 we mailed postcards from Bard, CA and I think Harry and Ervin left the young clerk puzzled. Their sense of humor is lots of fun, but a bit puzzling to strangers. She is probably still wondering why they said "we'll be back for lunch next time."
We also stopped and had date shakes at the Imperial Garden date stand and drove through the Yuma Proving Grounds. Unfortunately, the wind was a bit strong so the paratroopers were not showing their skill on landing on a white x. After touring a private RV park and park model rentals next to the Imperial Dam, we headed home and enjoyed our second home-cooked supper in a row.
As we drove into campground, brakes started squealing so this morn we were at Chevy garage and now have new front brake pads plus a new fuel filter. This is our last day to prowl Yuma and then we turn towards Bakersfield after church tomorrow.-by Anita (more from Harry next week)
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Yesterday, we waved goodbye to Diana and McCrackens and Erv and Danny Pat and we headed south to Yuma. We stopped at BLM land to unhook our car so Harry and Danny Pat could go back to the game store in Quartzsite while Erv and I kicked back for 20 minutes and then drove through Quartzsite with the RVs to nearest pull offs. Quartzsite's RV show does not begin till this week-end and although Gem and Mineral show is going all month, the parking BLM land is not full. It is quite a site to see these miles and miles of RVs parked on desert land having a good time catching up with their friends while supposedly spending the winter out of the cold north. They operate with solar panels and generators and run to town to get water back in their tanks and to dump the holding tanks.
After checking in to Cactus Gardens RV park, we drove to Old Town Yuma and walked the main street and drove the 3 others, then enjoyed supper at Applebee's on our way back to camp where DP and Erv watched American Idol and Harry and I played 3 games, including the new Spinner game that Joan and Jim gave me as an early birthday gift. It is warming up today but we saw ice on ground at Quartzsite this week. Now we head to Algadones, Mexico for the day and head with the RV back to Bakersfield Sun and Mon. rit by A
After checking in to Cactus Gardens RV park, we drove to Old Town Yuma and walked the main street and drove the 3 others, then enjoyed supper at Applebee's on our way back to camp where DP and Erv watched American Idol and Harry and I played 3 games, including the new Spinner game that Joan and Jim gave me as an early birthday gift. It is warming up today but we saw ice on ground at Quartzsite this week. Now we head to Algadones, Mexico for the day and head with the RV back to Bakersfield Sun and Mon. rit by A
Monday, January 15, 2007
Life beside the Colorado River
We came to Emerald Cove Campground Sunday and are parked by the deep turquoise waters of the Colorado River. We are on the California side but go by Arizona time which is the nearest town. Even our verizon phones moved automatically to AZ time so must know the nearest cell tower is in AZ.
Of our four rigs, I was first to open curtains at about 9:30 am so our whole group needed to sleep in. Diana was captain to register everyone from the 1500 rigs in CA and Jim and Joan were captains of the greeters so those three probably put in 50 hrs each from Saturday through Thursday so rest was welcome.
It was also the day to wash clothes and as I walked into campground laundry, five or six gals or guys were looking in their washing machines and saying "there's no water coming in". We discovered that someone trying to back their boat beside their RV hit the water tank or spigot so the whole camp was out of water. After we ate at Burger King in town, about a hour and half later same washer guys and gals were just finishing the loads they had started so I was glad I hadn't waited for water repair.
We celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr day by having all four of us gals cook something for our supper and as usual, it was delicious, then Harry played the MLK video of "I have a dream" which he taped two years ago from a TV program and we had a lively discussion. The evening was concluded with Jim and Joan introducing us to a new dominoes game, "Spinner" which was fast moving and fun. All of us play more games with our grandchildren because the grands all seem to take to our RV board games.
Tomorrow we head to Quartzsite to the giant swap meet in the desert and then Wednesday Ervin and Danny Pat and we head to Yuma while Diana and McCrackens stay here. We head home to Bakersfield Sunday probably taking 2 days to make the 440 miles while Ervin and Danny Pat start homeward on Monday. by Anita
Of our four rigs, I was first to open curtains at about 9:30 am so our whole group needed to sleep in. Diana was captain to register everyone from the 1500 rigs in CA and Jim and Joan were captains of the greeters so those three probably put in 50 hrs each from Saturday through Thursday so rest was welcome.
It was also the day to wash clothes and as I walked into campground laundry, five or six gals or guys were looking in their washing machines and saying "there's no water coming in". We discovered that someone trying to back their boat beside their RV hit the water tank or spigot so the whole camp was out of water. After we ate at Burger King in town, about a hour and half later same washer guys and gals were just finishing the loads they had started so I was glad I hadn't waited for water repair.
We celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr day by having all four of us gals cook something for our supper and as usual, it was delicious, then Harry played the MLK video of "I have a dream" which he taped two years ago from a TV program and we had a lively discussion. The evening was concluded with Jim and Joan introducing us to a new dominoes game, "Spinner" which was fast moving and fun. All of us play more games with our grandchildren because the grands all seem to take to our RV board games.
Tomorrow we head to Quartzsite to the giant swap meet in the desert and then Wednesday Ervin and Danny Pat and we head to Yuma while Diana and McCrackens stay here. We head home to Bakersfield Sunday probably taking 2 days to make the 440 miles while Ervin and Danny Pat start homeward on Monday. by Anita
28 degrees and wind
With 33 other rigs from the Sierra Ramblers club, we spent a week at the Indio Date Festival Fairgrounds with a total of 1702 rigs in attendance (180 of whom were rigs that dealers were selling). Entertainment for 3 nights included The Marlins (4 brothers from Indiana) who played a multitude of instruments and made a good barbership quartet, a Canadian entertainer who honored hall of famer country singers & had videos of the original singers which made it interesting when they synchronized their own singing with the silent movies of the originals, and finally the Mills brothers which included the grandson of the original brother.
Food was in abundance so we have both put on some pounds. Our club was responsible for being on street corners waving to incoming motorhomes and making sure they turned at the right corner. Because our usual route in to Indio is torn up, police chose two other routes which meant instead of manning 5 corners, we manned 10 so everyone in the club was good about doing extra stints. Normally, we each do 6 hrs on street but this year we ranged from 15 to 20 for each person. Fortunately no wind and not too cold or hot Sun, Mon, Tues, & Weds when we were doing the waving, but it turned colder and windy later in week so we never got to wear our shorts and capris!
The club served coffee and donuts every morning and gave us a hot dog supper Monday and pizza Wednesday and the organizationFMCA gave its 970 volunteers supper on Tuesday so we have spent lots of time visiting as well as having 8 to 12 people over for coffee and ice cream every night. Diana's nephew by marriage from Australia was a vender selling stuffed kangaroos and other Aussie items so we all gave him a real education on what fun senior citizens can have! by Anita
D0n't you wish you were with us, because we are going to town for a BURGER KING!! And,...wind or no wind, cold or warm, we are having a good time. Tonight we are hosting our group (McCrackens, Erv and Danny Pat, and Diana to a ham dinner. And then I am proposing that we watch our Martin Luther King video "I Have A Dream." It's Martin Luther King holiday. Got to get ready to go to town. Rit by Harry.
Food was in abundance so we have both put on some pounds. Our club was responsible for being on street corners waving to incoming motorhomes and making sure they turned at the right corner. Because our usual route in to Indio is torn up, police chose two other routes which meant instead of manning 5 corners, we manned 10 so everyone in the club was good about doing extra stints. Normally, we each do 6 hrs on street but this year we ranged from 15 to 20 for each person. Fortunately no wind and not too cold or hot Sun, Mon, Tues, & Weds when we were doing the waving, but it turned colder and windy later in week so we never got to wear our shorts and capris!
The club served coffee and donuts every morning and gave us a hot dog supper Monday and pizza Wednesday and the organizationFMCA gave its 970 volunteers supper on Tuesday so we have spent lots of time visiting as well as having 8 to 12 people over for coffee and ice cream every night. Diana's nephew by marriage from Australia was a vender selling stuffed kangaroos and other Aussie items so we all gave him a real education on what fun senior citizens can have! by Anita
D0n't you wish you were with us, because we are going to town for a BURGER KING!! And,...wind or no wind, cold or warm, we are having a good time. Tonight we are hosting our group (McCrackens, Erv and Danny Pat, and Diana to a ham dinner. And then I am proposing that we watch our Martin Luther King video "I Have A Dream." It's Martin Luther King holiday. Got to get ready to go to town. Rit by Harry.
Saturday, January 6, 2007
Palm Springs
Ervin and Danny Pat arrived yesterday a Catalina Spa in time for spaghetti dinner provided by the campground ($5.00 per person). This morning we went to the clubhouse,had breakfast and visited the swapmeet. rit by Harry. Here's Anita.
It was fun sleeping in while E,DP, & H went for their walk and then discovered breakfast up the hill. A drive through Palm Springs today showed E & DP the sights, plus we took them through the Eisenhower Hospital complex which includes the Betty Ford center, the Bob Hope Center and the Dolores Hope Outpatient clinic. Palm Springs is blessed with about 120,000 visitors, many are international, this week who have come for the International Film Festival, but most of them must have been in watching the films for the streets and sidewalks were not mobbed. On our way up winding highway 74, we passed St Margarita Episcopal Church where Gerald Ford's service was a week ago. Then we drove to a vista sight which overlooked the whole Palm Springs valley area and where, as DP and E remembered from 10 years ago, there were Native Americans displaying their beautiful vases and bead work. They were from Arizona and since the vases were made by Navajo, I believe the sellers were Navajo also. The necklaces were very attractive. DP chose a double strand with a newer stone called "rodeoite" which picks up the colors of the clothes it is worn with and they presented me with my coming 70th birthday present, my choice of a double strand with a teal stone and silver feather.
Highway 74 is very winding and steep and is surrounded by cliffs of rock so it looks very barren so it is amazing to look down and see the green of Palm Springs and its many golf courses.
It was a beautiful day again but the previous 24 hours were so windy we could not see the surrounding mountains and DP & E had quite a drive from Bakersfield with the other 5 rigs which are members of our Sierra Ramblers club. Tomorrow we move to Indio to volunteer at the Family Motor Coach Western Region rally.
Once in a while, an opportunity comes your way where you know you must say, this one is for me. Tonight the phone call came that the 13 year old girl has been fitted with her contact lens and is so thrilled and getting used to wearing them. This came about in a very unusual way through Renee offhandedly mentioning that the girl whose name they had taken to buy a Christmas gift had told her mother--don't buy me any gifts for birthday or Christmas, just save all your money until you can get me contact lens, because all the kids are teasing me about my thick lens. There seemed no way that she could be helped because no one knew for sure her name or community (a very underprivileged one) but sometimes a door opens and we get a chance to help out anonymously. When I think about all the people who have helped us out in so many ways in so many settings, what a thrill to be able to pay back or "pay forward".
It was fun sleeping in while E,DP, & H went for their walk and then discovered breakfast up the hill. A drive through Palm Springs today showed E & DP the sights, plus we took them through the Eisenhower Hospital complex which includes the Betty Ford center, the Bob Hope Center and the Dolores Hope Outpatient clinic. Palm Springs is blessed with about 120,000 visitors, many are international, this week who have come for the International Film Festival, but most of them must have been in watching the films for the streets and sidewalks were not mobbed. On our way up winding highway 74, we passed St Margarita Episcopal Church where Gerald Ford's service was a week ago. Then we drove to a vista sight which overlooked the whole Palm Springs valley area and where, as DP and E remembered from 10 years ago, there were Native Americans displaying their beautiful vases and bead work. They were from Arizona and since the vases were made by Navajo, I believe the sellers were Navajo also. The necklaces were very attractive. DP chose a double strand with a newer stone called "rodeoite" which picks up the colors of the clothes it is worn with and they presented me with my coming 70th birthday present, my choice of a double strand with a teal stone and silver feather.
Highway 74 is very winding and steep and is surrounded by cliffs of rock so it looks very barren so it is amazing to look down and see the green of Palm Springs and its many golf courses.
It was a beautiful day again but the previous 24 hours were so windy we could not see the surrounding mountains and DP & E had quite a drive from Bakersfield with the other 5 rigs which are members of our Sierra Ramblers club. Tomorrow we move to Indio to volunteer at the Family Motor Coach Western Region rally.
Once in a while, an opportunity comes your way where you know you must say, this one is for me. Tonight the phone call came that the 13 year old girl has been fitted with her contact lens and is so thrilled and getting used to wearing them. This came about in a very unusual way through Renee offhandedly mentioning that the girl whose name they had taken to buy a Christmas gift had told her mother--don't buy me any gifts for birthday or Christmas, just save all your money until you can get me contact lens, because all the kids are teasing me about my thick lens. There seemed no way that she could be helped because no one knew for sure her name or community (a very underprivileged one) but sometimes a door opens and we get a chance to help out anonymously. When I think about all the people who have helped us out in so many ways in so many settings, what a thrill to be able to pay back or "pay forward".
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Computer class and future plans
Would you believe we three (actually four) had so much fun holding passports and moved so quickly thru this line that we are going to do it again--January 26th out of LA to Hawaii?
Computer class this afternoon is helping us learn about disk clean-up (which we had never done for any computer tho we did defrag) and more about blogging. If you want firefox, that may be another site to use. Last night we went back for a performance by Susie and Randy whose music and comedy were memories of Patsy Kline and Patti Page with old favorites. This morn we headed to hot tub and I also did my walking exercises in pool and tried out "noodle" which was cut in thirds. It worked well for water resistance with using my arms to push the noodles down. Amazingly, my hips had no pain during the night while my back pain was very slight; it makes me wonder if the hot mineral waters or the desert heat may actually be working for me.
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Sunshine and hot tubing
A gorgeous day at Catalina. We've gone to the hot tub both nights and I went back to do my water exercises this morn. Pool was too cold so exercise by previous group and by me was in the hot tub--that means walking backwards, forwards and sideways. Meantime visits all 3 times with others there has been most revealing. I have certainly used my Raggedy Ann training, and have come away amazed at the strength of the human spirit. It made me wonder when I visited with one who is carrying too big a load, how many of our churches would really provide emotional and spiritual support if she walked in, complete with her dad with Alzheimer who has always put down his kids and told them they were nothing, and with her adopted son with mental illness. I wanted to inquire if she had a church family (I did ask if she had a support group for herself and she replied that she used to when she was working). But then I wondered--what if the church she entered also made her feel she was unimportant? In my life, I have been a participant in 3 different churches where EVERYONE, no matter how different or troubled was thoroughly welcomed. However, I have heard from too many people who were ignored, if not rejected, by individuals within churches. It is heart-wounding to meet so many people who need real friends and caring and find that they are left to struggle through life facing many loads alone. by A
Anita is right,but she has said it all and so well, soooo---what have I to say. We are having a wonderful relaxing time. Tonight we are going out for a potluck. They are always fun. We meet so many people from so many places. It does seem though that the potlucks are attended in greater numbers by the new comers. People who come here for the whole winter apparently find that the novelty of weekly Wednesday night potlucks wears thin. But our experience is that they are well attended and it is fun to hear the introductions and find out who the people are and from where they come.
This afternoon a swapmeet of sorts. People put up tables in front of their rig and put out the stuff they had for sale . Anita and I got on our bikes and made the rounds. We bought a very nice porcelain food strainer and a stapler. We put up our old aluminum strainer and some grapefruit for a few minutes and then took it down to go to town for some groceries. So we did not make any sales!!!(rit by Harry)
Anita is right,but she has said it all and so well, soooo---what have I to say. We are having a wonderful relaxing time. Tonight we are going out for a potluck. They are always fun. We meet so many people from so many places. It does seem though that the potlucks are attended in greater numbers by the new comers. People who come here for the whole winter apparently find that the novelty of weekly Wednesday night potlucks wears thin. But our experience is that they are well attended and it is fun to hear the introductions and find out who the people are and from where they come.
This afternoon a swapmeet of sorts. People put up tables in front of their rig and put out the stuff they had for sale . Anita and I got on our bikes and made the rounds. We bought a very nice porcelain food strainer and a stapler. We put up our old aluminum strainer and some grapefruit for a few minutes and then took it down to go to town for some groceries. So we did not make any sales!!!(rit by Harry)
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Happy New Year
Wow! I just realized and told Harry that we have been married 50 years AND 4 months. Where did those four months go? Perhaps, they disappeared while we were continuing hosting at El Cap through Sept and October. Or was it while I was enjoying watching Brittany play her high school tennis games (my first high school contacts since 1993)? Or was it as we planned to become part-timers and got the phone call from our excellent renters for the past 23 years telling us that water was dripping from the kitchen ceiling? Or was it while we were making trips carrying our belongings out of Renee and J Paul's attic going back to meet workers to get water damage fixed and eventually to repipe the house? Or was it while we left El Cap stopping at Renee and J Paul's and they and Brooke (who had day off from school) managed to get all our stuff (including some extras like their old table and chairs and TV set) into the RV and trailing car to finish move to Bakersfield? Or was it while Kevin and Sara and boys came down and helped move things from our friends' house and our shed into our house? Or was it as we were exhaulting over getting all four children and families back home for Thanksgiving? Or was it while we entertained 14 retired clergy/spouses for a holiday pot-luck? Or was it when we took the train to enjoy a Christmas party at Don's house that he and Karla put on for 80 friends? Or was it when we took the train to go back up to enjoy Christmas with Kevin,Sara and 2 excited boys? by A
I think at least part of it disappeared while I was sitting in my lounge chair soaking up the warmth and sunshine of Catalina Spa today by Palm Springs. by H
c
I think at least part of it disappeared while I was sitting in my lounge chair soaking up the warmth and sunshine of Catalina Spa today by Palm Springs. by H
c
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