New Years Eve

We have lovely warm sunny weather for our New Year's Eve party. We gathered under the palm trees at Lorna and Brian's for prime rib on the Ronco and I did a turkey in my Convection oven. Can you believe the 14.8 lb turkey and champagne cost under $9.00! Everything turned out great. It was lots of fun and a nice way to bring in the New Year.

Still Outdoors

We are still enjoying all the activities around here. The volleyball people are still at it. They have had some cooler days but here's Ron serving, Pete, Vicki and Mike. Glenda and I came 2nd in the mini golf tournament after a tie and play off and won the ice cream cones.
More people are arriving every day and we have plenty of get togethers trading stories. Santa and the decorations are coming down now.

Merry Christmas

Today we were invited to morning coffee at Debbie and Peter's. I was designated as the official photographer and had to bring my instructions for the tripod and how to do a delayed camera picture, as I haven't used it since last Christmas. Well, the first thing the instructions said was to spread the legs of the tripod to stabilize it, but then I'd lost a nut to keep the camera platform steady. Thanks to Barry, who helped me find it in the tripod bag, we finally got it organized. Everybody was laughing at me but we did get our official Christmas photograph. We went off to the Augustine Casino, where we had a deep fried Turkey Christmas Buffet. Sounds unusual but this method sears the skin and keeps all the juice inside and all the food was absolutely delicious.

Secret Santa

Shirley, Lois and the girls organized a get together down at the lower clubhouse for our Christmas Eve. Our temperatures have gone down to the fifties, so outside gatherings seem to be on hold for the moment. That's 10 C for you people that speak Canadian, I can't remember any more. The food we all brought was fabulous as usual and the company was great. We all brought a wrapped gift and drew numbers to open. You could then select a gift from under the tree or take the gift from someone who already had one and give them the unopened one. Needless to say, the whole event was quite hysterical. Ron ended up with black rubber coasters in a stainless steel container, which he really liked, but when we read the fine print, when we got home, we found that they couldn't be put on natural wood products/tables. Who do you know that has glass coffee tables in an RV? Roger ended up with white gloves and 3 pair of pink sox's. We certainly all had a lot laughs, maybe not Roger.
Vicki and I ended the evening with a lovely swim, laying back watching the stars and then relaxing in the hot tub. Just beautiful, especially when we think about the extreme weather of snow and very low temperatures at home.

George's Deli

Ron and I, Peter and Debbie and Andy and Sharon drove west on I 10 to Calimesa passing the many windmills in front of the snow on St. Jacinto where you head up to Idlywilde. We went to George's Market, a very authentic German Deli. We had a delicious lunch. Ron had the hot plate with Bratwurst, and I had a hot Reuben with sauerkraut and very nice mustard. Simply delicious. This has become a Christmas tradition for us down here, as Ron's family always had cold cuts, cheeses and breads for Christmas Eve and Ron introduced that to my family, which we loved. Then we shopped and didn't neglect a thing.

Pig Roast at Dillon Roadhouse

We headed over to this Saloon, as they call it, for their famous Pig Roast, which they hold every 3rd Sunday. There is a slow roasted pig, corn casserole, which is just like canned corn with some red pepper in it, potato salad, beans and bread. Our group is now - 30 so it's large if we can't be outside. There was good music, and we had a great meal and good laughs.

A Flock of Chickens

I played in the ladies pool tournament here at Desert Pools on Friday and won an ice cream Sunday prize. Today we played at Catalina and Phil and I came first, winning a hamburger dinner.
Frank came in on his scooter wearing red, looking just like Santa.
We gave a surprise birthday party for Vicki which was a lot of fun. We all chipped in and our gift to her was a flock of chickens, which will be 20 - 50 chickens going to a family in need, anywhere from Cameroon to the Caribbean. This can raise the family's income from 50 cents to $2.00 per day, providing protein, easily fed by household scraps and extra eggs for sale. It was a hit.

Snow and Golf

We went shopping and got a green garland with white mini lights plus a red and green tinsel one we wound around it and put up on the slide out. It looks very festive. Being in D Pools for just 7 days, we haven't done too much. The rain is pouring down so the streets are flooded. The desert floor is so dry that is doesn't absorb the water and it runs for miles. The result is that when we woke, it was to sunshine and tons of snow on the mountains down to the 1800 foot level. It's the most snow I've seen in the 32 years I've been coming down here, just beautiful. San Jacinto is first, the one the tram goes up, the next is San Gorgonio on the right side of the pass to L.A., which I have mistakenly thought was Big Bear Mountain, which is 30 mile behind that. The mountain passes were all closed and they even had 5 inches of snow in La Vegas.
We played in the Mini Golf Tournament today and Glenda and I were second after a tie and shoot out. Won another ice cream cone. Oh dear.

Liquid Sunshine - rain

What a joke today was. We moved to Desert Pools, a 1/4 mile around the corner, so arrived there at 8:15, lined up in front of the office which doesn't open until 9 a.m. A camp person came around and said they saved the first pick of sites for their members ( new rule Dec 9 ) and we had to go out and line up on the road. We use AOR an afffiliate membership. So we did and then I told Ron I'd treat him to a gourmet breakfast and off we went to McDonald's for Egg McMuffins - 2 for $3.00, where we ran into Joan and Don from Edmonton so enjoyed a great visit with them. We were back on the street at 10:30 and I went in to see if you could go in a little early. NO such luck. I went back into the office at 5 to 11 to stand around and at 11 the lady said 'May I help you?' Yes, I'd like to check in. She says - is your motorhome in the compound? No? I can't check you in. I used the walkie talkie to ask Ron to come into the grounds, but some ignorant jerk raced in front of the 7 vehicles out there to cut in front of the line and race to the office. The site we'd picked was under construction and we ended up beside some dripping trees. I forgot to mention that the heavens had opened up and the storms that you were having did the same down here and by the time we parked and hooked up, rain was running off my nose and we were drenched. How is it that Ron sits in the coach and pushes buttons while I am bending in the rain with water running down my back, pushing
the pads under the jacks. Thanks heavens my jacket covers the crack in my ass-terior, oops, I meant posterior.
We had Pete and Vicki over in the afternoon and celebrated his birthday with cheesecake, enjoyed by the four of us.

Catalina Golf

Thursday there's golf over at the Sands Golf Course, a mile away. It's a nice course and I sure need practice, as I haven't played since I got Menierres in 2002. Still have trouble looking sideways to putt but enjoy the sunshine, exercise and friends. We'd played at Desert Crest last week and I love the view of the mountains with the sun.
Here we are - Vicki, Lois, Shirley and I.
We've enjoyed a lovely time over at Roger and Carol's for her birthday today when we girls finally let the boys beat us in cards - Quit Your Bit--ing. Certainly is time after about a year of them losing.

Patio Sales

Every Wednesday, people put out stuff on tables at their site and the whole campground becomes a patio sale. Joni and I zipped around on her golf cart with the leopard seats and animal in front, visiting as we went and found this weeks bargains. Jewelry for 25 cents and new white runners for me for 50 cents. Bargain!

Fun in the Sun

Yesterday was our shopping day, so off to WalMart, Costco and the 99 cent store. This place is amazing. They have a produce section which is kind of catch as catch can but you get yellow, red or orange peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, avocados, cantaloupe and whatever is available for 99 cents.
We played pool today and Ron knocked me out and then we joined the group for a happy hour we had next to Vicki and Pete's in a vacant lot - need that much room. Here's Lois and Debbie with their fancy sunglasses, Martini and Mexican specialties.

Fashion show and pool time

Another fashion show today with RV Casuals, a store in Banning, which features clothes from sun wear to cruise wear. We had 2 dressers to make sure all the tags were tucked, then were reminded, shoulders back, tummy sucked up, girls out and away we went off to the stage. It was lots of fun as we needed to change shoes and earrings to co-ordinate. I couldn't believe how great the clothes were, we all could easily have bought the 4 outfits we modeled but living in a motor home, the rule is, 1 in and 1 out, items that is, for storage and weight purposes. And besides, we don't do much fancy socializing so what do I need?
Here's Vicki and I enjoying the pool later in the afternoon.

Catching up with friends

We're enjoying catching up with friends so much as we all re-connect. We gathered at Lorna and Brian's one night; you can see how dark it gets at 5 p.m. after the sun goes down. Next was Chuck and Shirley's as the Vanc Island crowd pulled in, and then we had a get together over at Willy and Jo's at Desert Crest. These people are our 'family' for the winter and offer ice packs, Advil and support when someone has a problem, a ride when their vehicle goes to the truck 'hospital' and whatever is needed. It's wonderful to have, so far from home.

Bears up North

Here we play in the sunshine and don't worry about the weather back home. We got this email from Amanda from Kitimat, Ron's home town and were simply amazed. Apparently a pilot was flying over Kodiak Island in Alaska, where a whale had washed up on the beach and the many local bears were having a feast. If you double click the picture and look very closely, you'll see the white carcass by the shore where the bears are eating.

A Day of Thanksgiving

Today is American Thanksgiving and indeed we have much to be thankful for. We celebrated with Don, Lila and family and friends. Jo and Willy did a salt brined turkey on the BBQ which simply holds the fuild in to make it very tender but doesn't taste salty and Don did the ham. We all brought our favourite recipes which was too much food but very delicious. After a wonderful meal, Willy played his harmonica for us and he's very good.

Sunset Hour in Desert Pools

Lots of people are starting to pull in now, arriving for the winter.
We're at Desert Pools for 13 days and had the old gang over tonight to visit and watch the sunset. It was a bit of a dull day but was the timing ever right - at 4:30 the sun started to light up the sky, a pretty sight and by 5:10 it was totally dark. Once again, we had our 360 degree view and we'd put the chairs right out by the road so we all had a front row seat.

Desert Sunsets

I wouldn't know about the sunrises but the sunsets are a nightly show of magnificence. As we are facing due west, we look through the valley pass at the right, shown here made by San Jacinto Mtn and Big Bear, I sit here and just love the changing sky. Today at 5 p.m., the moon was out as well, right above the tram station up the mountain. I can't figure it out, but then the whole sky lights up 360 degrees around you. We've often walked into the road looking all around to see it best. I think of Mom so much and her love of the sunsets we watched sitting on the boardwalk at Crescent Beach as kids, with the smell of salt air surrounding us.
Busy week this. We went to Barry and Joan's over at Outdoor Resorts Monday with 8 of us, then we moved to Desert Pools Tues. Wed. we went down to Thousand Palms for a lovely visit and dinner with Margo and Jim, old friends since Crescent Beach in 1963.
Thursday was the bathing suit fashion show in which I modeled and managed to buy a new suit, shirt, sweater and flip flops at fabulous prices, ($55.00for the lot). It was a lot of fun, changing in the back kitchen with 7 other women, then dashing out to walk sedately up to the stage, show off the suit and back for 3 more changes.

Ron's D.E.W. Line

This is Ron's Distant Early Warning System. If you trespass on our patio, he'll hear you kick the cans when you trip over them. He's compacting and recycling here with Mike in the background inviting people to our upcoming happy hour .

Angel of the Desert

Today we went down to the COD - College of the Desert - a massive swap meet of new items held every Sat and Sun by the Alumni to fund many things for the College. I found a new watch like the one I've had 3 years but I wrecked when I fell on the stairs this spring (princely sum if $15.00). On the way we passed the 'Angel of the Desert', a figure formed by the shadow on the canyon walls which looks like an angel with hands praying, with halo and wings on her back.
Next stop was Trader Joe's, the home of the famous 2 buck Chuck, several varieties of wines sold for $1.99, surprisingly all quite decent. Vicki and I were devastated to find Joannes, our favourite fabric store was no longer there.
Final stop was at Shields, where we enjoyed our date shake and watched their famous movie "Romance and Sex Life of the Date". It's a very interesting film of the early history and development of this industry, where all the date blossoms have to be pollinated by hand, here in the Coachella valley. Delicious shakes.

More friends and golf

Vicki's sister, Lorraine and Jack are here for a visit, so off to the Miniature golf tournament today after our pool time. Ron and Ella were first and a good time was had by all, amidst the laughter. Ella and I had been first last week and won the hamburgers then. We retired to our place to rest after all the strenuous activity.

visiting

Here's what the guys seem to do best - talking. But then, because we're right on the corner, everyone stops by.

Poppies in Fanders Field

It seems so funny sitting here in the sun on this day. We watched Canadian ceremonies and had our 2 minutes of silence on this 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month to commemorate the anniversary of the end of the 'great war'. There were celebrations down here as well but it's not a national holiday like at home.

Haircut time

Joanie and I went up to Burkes today, a discount store, where I found 2 new bathing suits for $34.79. Got to love it. I wear out about 4 a year swimming my lengths.
We finally saw Barry and Joan today who were caught in snow coming down through the mountains. Here's Joyce in her outdoor hair salon giving Joan a cut while her next customer waits. Then we gathered at Debbie and Peters.

Yard Sales and Friends

We enjoyed a visit over at Don and Lila's on their deck last night. He's added a sun shade roof and his moving aquarium is on the wall.
Today I picked Lila up and I drove their golf cart all around Desert Crest and then over to Dillon Estates for the giant yard sale. I found a red hat which I need as I had sunstroke a long time ago, jean dress, pool cover up for $1.25 and Lila got a new futon cover for $3.00. Can't go wrong and we had a lot of fun and saw all the neighbours as we tooled along.

Sunshine, Water volleyball and Golf

We are loving the sun, friends and fun. We had happy hour at our house last night, Vicki and Pete's today. Here they are in the pool for the volleyball game.
We went in the Miniature Golf Tournament where Ella and I came 1st and Ron and Peter, second. More hamburgers and soft ice cream for prizes.