Monday, February 27, 2006
After getting up this morning Sharon had decided that she was going to do a little laundry this morning and I had decided I was going out on Dillon Road to time the stoplight for my ticket. We both took off on our individual jobs with me headed downtown for a battery for my stopwatch. I got one light timed and then I ran out of time. We had to be at Fantasy Springs Casino for the buffet lunch at 1:30 where we had planned to meet Len and Rose. We managed to make it 5 minutes late and they were waiting for us out in front of the building. When we got inside we had to wait for at least an hour to get into the Dining Room. Our coupons were expiring tomorrow and that may have been the reason for the huge crowd. I think our days of driving to this buffet are over. We'll have to see if they still have it going next year.
By the time we got home it was about 3:45 and a little too late to go to the pool. We had expected that to happen though, but not to be this late. I guess we'll have to blame it on the long wait at the casino. The food was worth the wait, however.
They were predicting rain for tonight and I had at least 90 minutes to wait before "24" would be coming on. The sky was already looking pretty gruesome and if it started raining like they're predicting, I would experience "rain fade" on my dish and I don't have cable here at Desert Pools. As it turned out it sprinkled during my show and really never got any worse all night long, but it did rain all night.
We were struggling to find some shows to watch all night, and they were all originals and not re-runs. We had watched 24 on the east network so it came on at 6 PM out here. That's the nice thing about the dish. I could have tried again at 9 if I had gotten rained out at 6.
We had a fine night of TV watching tonight after all the Olympic games we've been watching over the past 17 days. It was good but after 17 days a person is ready to get back to their regular shows.
Sharon checked e-mail and read her newspaper at 9 and by 10 she was ready for the funny farm. I didn't have any reason to stay up so I followed her like a little puppy. I was sleeping long before she even turned out the light. I don't remember the room going dark before I was sawing logs. All I could hear was the pitter patter of rain on the roof. An annoying sound to say the least.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
It rained all night but never really got itself worked into a real storm. We just had the same continual moderate shower all night. It was also supposed to bring some wind fo today. We'll have to see what happens.
I had to go out and finish timing the second intersection this morning and when I finished I had no idea what the results were. The timings were so erratic that it meant nothing. But it was a hope to find something amiss with the light. I got back home about lunch time and shortly after that we decided to take in the movie "Walk the Line" at the $1 theater this afternoon.
We also wanted to stop over and talk to Len and Rose at Catalina and let them know about our plans to drive home in April. So we left early so that we'd get to the theater in time and found that Len and Rose weren't home. So much for that idea. We decided to go over by the theater and walk through a couple of Mall stores while we were waiting.
We found the Todamoda Bargain Store almost right next to where we would see the movie and spent our extra time browsing through it. Sharon found a couple of things to buy but as usual I only went for a walk.
We went to the movie and we both had different feelings about how the movie was. Sharon loved it but I thought it was only a so-so movie but the music was great. I didn't feel there was any context to the time frame. Oh well, what the hell do I know.
The movie was over about 4:30 and we needed to make a stop at Wal-Mart on the way home. We had dropped off 5 rolls of film last week and they would be ready today. We picked up our film and then did a little grocery shopping as long as we were there and then headed home through the traffic.
We had picked up Fried Chicken, Potato Logs and Fried Okra at Wal-Mart for supper tonight. By the time we got home we were both hungry. We gobbled up our supper which was very good and then settled in for some tube for the night. It was nice to be able to watch original shows again, instead of re-runs.
Sharon did her usual number on the computer again tonight and finally finished up around 11. It was not too long after that when we folded up our tents and packed the wagons for our trip to bed. We had had a long day even if it didn't seem like one.
Wednesday, March 1, 2006ASH WEDNESDAY
We were up and ready by 9 to move the mile down the road to Catalina Spa. When we got here we weren't on the reservation list but, as always, they made room for us. We don't usually show up without reservations and this was an exception. We drove around for about a half hour trying to find a spot that was big enough to hold us. We finally decided on a spot that we had driven by a couple of times. The park is really full for this time of the year.
By the time we settled in, Sharon was too late to go with Len and Rose for Ash Wednesday services. We didn't even get a site near Len and Rose so I figure that Phil and Joyce Bach probably won't find a site near us either.
We were settled in and registered by the time noon came around and it was time for Taco Wednesday. Len and Rose picked us up and we headed over. The VFW was pretty empty and quiet today compared to last week. It probably had something to do with today being Ash Wednesday. We didn't care because we found a table immediately and got our chips and salsa very quickly. We stayed until we finished 5 pitchers of beer and we were all a little tipsy by the time we left. We came home and stopped at Len and Rose's and proceeded to have a few more cans of beer. Just what we needed............more beer. We stayed at Len and Rose's for about an hour and then we staggered home.
We were just about ready to settle in for a nap when we heard a knock on the door. Jim and Jackie Palestini from Fairfield, California (up in the Bay area) had come into the park today. We called Len and Rose and they stopped over and we sat around and talked for a couples of hours or so. We found out that while we were at the VFW they were going to surprise us in the pool. It was a surprise all right, since we didn't even make it to the pool. Jim and Jackie knew we were at the VFW but they came in at 2 and thought we would be back to the pool shortly. SURPRISE! We weren't.
They all left about 8 and I settled in to watch some TV and my partner staggered into bed after having had another ½ beer. She never finishes the last one......ever. I finished watching TV until 10 and then I headed in to "pass" out also. Actually I had pretty much sobered up by this time, but it didn't take long for the slumber to overtake me.
Thursday, March 2, 2006
As we waited for Phil and Joyce Bach this morning it occurred to me to call them and find out where they were at. With the trouble that we had yesterday finding a spot there were two spots next to us that opened up this morning. There were also a couple of other spots in other rows that were open so I didn't want to put my car in one of these spots unless there was nothing left. The park frowns on people saving sites but I'm sure we could have finagled to save it somehow. They were still about an hour or so out and seemed to want to take their chances on a site when they got here. And as luck would have it the sites next to us were still open when they got here. Joyce was not feeling well and decided not to play in the mini-golf tournament this afternoon.
We left for the tournament about 1:45 and there were six of us going to play. The Schultzes, Palestinis and us entered the foray and there were 11 teams ready to rumble. First place today would be $14 and not a bad prize for the $2 entry fee for the teams. It was a shame that none of us cashed in on the prize, although Jim and Jackie got the Ice Cream Sandwiches for the highest score. At least our group managed to get something out of the day.
By the time we got back Joyce was feeling better and everybody went to the pool. We were joined by the rest of the gang except for Roy who was still copping his nap. Me and the Mrs. were at the poolfor about an hour and a half. The water was very nice today as compared to how it was over the past week. It was still only 90 degrees but it seemed warmer.
We came home and had a mini-cocktail hour before supper. We only needed to have one drink after yesterdays fiasco. Actually we really didn't need the one drink but we had it anyhow. Sharon made Spaghetti and Meatballs for supper tonight. We had a lettuce salad and Garlic Bread also, but chased it all down with coke tonight.
Favorite shows were on tonight and we settled in front of the tube for the night. I had tried to take a nap earlier in the day, and I couldn't, so I won't be staying up much after 10 tonight. Sharon booted up the computer and checked her weather, e-mail and newspaper and we were quickly off to never-never land. And it didn't take long for the zzzzzz's to make their appearance.
Friday, March 3, 2006
We were both up and functioning this morning fairly early. We didn't have anywhere to go or anything to do but we were up and functioning. . I had checked e-mail early and Sharon checked it again when she got up. Apparently she was waiting to hear from my sister. There was nothing there.
Jim and Jackie stopped over and we were outside talking to Phil and Joyce at the time. While we were talking Phil slipped away and went over to the Giant RV display in the park. He was headed for the doughnuts unbeknownst to us. But when we all went over to see a Monaco motorhome, we caught him licking his lips from the glaze on the doughnuts. So we all decided to have a little too. The box of doughnuts took a real beating by the time the 6 of us left.
When we got back we decided to go to the VFW for their Rummage Sale today. By this time we had talked Len and Rose into going to. But when we got there and searched through the stuff, it seemed like the same stuff they had here last year. Jim and I quit shopping early and went inside and ordered a pitcher of beer. It was as good a place as any to wait for Sharon and Jackie to get finished. Besides the sun was warm and we were in the shade. When Sharon and Jackie finished Len and Rose came inside with them but opted out of drinking a couple of beers. They wanted to go to the dollar store in town and didn't want beer on their breath. We sat through a second pitcher before we called it quits and left for home. I was practicing up for Wednesday.
The wind was blowing so hard when we got back we wondered if anyone would be going to the pool today. We stopped at Phil and Joyce's next door and Joyce said they were going, so we just kept right on over there. Why there weren't whitecaps on the pool I'll never know but it was quite windy in the pool. It was comfortable as long as you stayed under the surface of the water. It was 90 degrees under there. Sharon and I left after the Hot Tub started getting too warm. We NEVER go back into the pool after the Hot Tub. It's too cold and I'm to big a wuss.
We came home and my honey started making the Shrimp Etoufee' for Supper. It seemed everyone else was going up to the clubhouse for Spaghetti but we had had that last night for supper. We also had some little Bacon, Cheese and Tomato things that we bought to try. They were like little muffins and weren't that good, but the Etoufee' was fabulous.
We settled in front of the TV tonight but we expected someone to call us tonight for Dominoes but we didn't get a call, so we managed to find shows to watch all night. Sharon turned on the computer by 9 so she could read her newspaper and check e-mail. Just before 10 we both meandered into the bedroom and slid between the sheets. That was it for today.
Saturday, March 4, 2006
After Breakfast this morning we watched Holmes and Yo-yo trying to get their 5th wheel into a spot right across the street from us. Try as they may it wasn't going to go into that spot with the way Holmes was driving his truck. And Yo-yo of course was directing him and he was going the wrong way. They finally gave up after about a half hour and went to the Upper Campground. We were actually rooting for them to get in but we couldn't do anything about it aside from dragging him out of the truck and doing it ourselves. Not being members it was going to cost them an additional $6 a day up there.
After the parking fiasco we took off with Phil and Joyce to catch a couple of Garage Sales around the area. Dillon Estates was right next door on Dillon Road and we stopped over there first. They were having a park-wide sale this morning and tomorrow. By the time we got to Sky Valley down the road their Bazaar was finished for the day. It was just after noon when we got there. Since there were no other sales advertised so we came back home. Phil stopped at Giant RV sales on the way into the park and I grabbed the last donut. I felt bad, but it was good and just the kind I like.
After lunch we took a ride downtown to Stater Brothers grocery store and picked up a few things. We were back in plenty of time to go to the pool today. Phil had opted to play pool today but Joyce was already in the pool with Jim and Jackie and Len. Rose stayed home today doing whatever. We were soaking and bobbing until about 3:30 when Sharon had to go home and get ready for church.
Len and Rose were late picking her up for church and while she was gone I got all the components ready for supper and had them on the stove when she got back. She was about 15 minutes early so supper wasn't ready when she got here. We were only having leftover Spaghetti and Meatballs, Garlic Bread and Salad. So it didn't take long to get it all ready to eat. By the time we ate and got our dishes done, it was just after 7, and we were invited over to Phil and Joyce's for Dominoes.
We were at the Bach's until about 10 having had drinks, popcorn, Dominoes and a fabulous piece of Lemon Meringue Pie. What an end to a very good night. When we came home there was nothing else to do to cap off this day. Sharon booted up the computer to check weather, mail and read her newspaper and we made our way to the feathery kingdom rearward.
Sunday, March 5, 2006
The sun was out and it seemed like it was going to be a beautiful day today. Neither of us got up and rolling very early. I slept later than I had all winter wen I got up at about 8:30 this morning. I had the cable hooked up this morning so I was watching a movie by the time Sharon got up and started moving around.
We really didn't have anything to do today so getting ready and leaving wasn't really on our agenda.
Phil stopped over and wanted to now if my computer would play the little discs. I booted up the computer but it didn't recognize it so that was th end of that. While I had the computer booted up I wanted to show Phil what my update was doing in regard to the virus software. After trying it at least a dozen times without success, it updated today after a fashion. Go figure.
By noon we hadn't really done a thing and we had wanted to go to Trader Joe's today to pick up some wine for Jessica. We never did make it over there and we went to the pool today early. The pool was loaded with participants today including the Hot Tub. I guess everyone has heard that they're predicting rain for later on in the week and want to get their swimming in early. It seems they're always "predicting" rain for here but it never shows up.
We came home early from the pool because we were headed up to the clubhouse for the Sirloin Burger for supper tonight. Phil and Joyce, Len and Rose, Jim and Jackie and us would be waiting for the burger. We always go early to get at the front of the line and the line was monstrous today. We were almost done eating before the line stopped coming into the Dining Room. After Dinner we came back to Phil and Joyce's and sat outside for awhile. Len and Rose went home and Jackie had brought a couple bottles of vino and we just sat and talked for an hour or so. After the two bottles of wine were done we decided it was getting too cold to sit outside, so Jim and Jackie left and the rest of us came inside.
It was just in time for Sharon to check e-mail and then read the newspaper that she hadn't read last night. I watched a little movie called M*A*S*H until we were both ready for bed which was slightly after she got done with the computer. We don't stay up any later than we absolutely have to. And we didn't.
