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
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
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.
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