Monday, December 19, 2005

We were up and rolling this morning at about 8:00 headed toward Safeway Gas Station where the gas was no deal but the cheapest in town.  This is the first year that we can remember that the Flying J out on the highway was actually cheaper than Safeway.  We figured by the time we got to the Flying J it would cost more in gas than we would save, so hence the stop at Safeway.

We were back on the road at 8:40 and headed to Quartzsite.  Sharon had stopped in the store at Safeway and picked us up some glazed Cinnamon Rolls that we dug into on the other side of Phoenix.  They were very good and really hit the spot after getting though the traffic in Phoenix.  For some reason it was very busy going in our direction this morning.

We arrived in Q about noon and it took us about a half hour to get to MM99 and set up.  We jumped in the car and headed for the Silver Buckle Saloon and received an unpleasant surprise.  LaMesa RV now owns Four Corners and the Silver Buckle is gone.  We went to Silly Al's and had a sandwich for lunch and spoke to the waitress about the demise of the Silver Buckle.  Apparently the owner sold out to LaMesa and now it's an RV Sales lot.  Earnhardt RV has an 8-9 Bay RV Repair facility on the same corner so there are no vendors left at 4 Corners.  The town has changed and when we come back in January we'll have to look for our favorite vendors.

We got back home about 3:30 and I took myself a little nap before Dinner.  Sharon threw together some Cheese and Sausage Quesadillas and she had some leftover cocktail wieners that she put in BBQ Sauce.  It wasn't the best Dinner we've ever had but I'm not all that crazy about Quesadillas anyway.  And besides we've had worse "experiments" in the past.

We watched a couple of half hour sitcoms before the BIG sitcom came on tonight.  THE PACKER GAME!!!  The game started out going downhill and went down from there.  By the end of the first half the score was already 21-3.  I had pretty much lost interest in the outcome and changed the channel over to CSI Miami.  I just can't watch them self-destruct.

We watched TV until about 9:30 and then we got onto the computer and then we ended that and went to bed. 

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

I have to contact Homestead today and find out why I can't publish to my website.  I haven't been able to log on to the site.  I've got three pages that have been waiting since Sunday night.

I went to Sweet Darlene's for sweet rolls this morning after finding out that the batteries were dead again.  There has got to be something wrong and I'll have to work on it over the next 3 weeks before we come back to Q.

We were back on the road again after our showers and sweet rolls.  This time headed for our "final" destination, Desert Hot Springs, California.  We arrived in Coachella about Noon and decided that we would stop for lunch at our usual Carl's Jr.  Nobody makes the $6 Burger like this particular place does.  After we finished eating we set out on the freeway for Catalina Spa and RV Resort about 25 miles down the road.

While we were checking in at the front gate, Henry and Arlene LeDuc, friends from Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, Canada met us at the front gate.  They were on their way to visit friends in the park and spotted our motorhome at the gate.  As they left they said they would be over to visit in a little while after we were set up.

After getting settled we stopped by the office and picked up our mail and paid for our stay for the next 7 days.

Sharon started putting up her X-mas decorations and by the time she finished, Henry and Arlene had returned.  We sat around for the next couple of hours talking and drinking beer.  Sharon had found OUR beer in town for 9+ dollars for a 30 pack.  She finally found something she couldn't live without.  What a girl!

After Henry and Arlene left Sharon decided she wasn't cooking for Supper so she went to town looking for a Deli Fried Chicken and potato logs.  The one she found turned out to be very tasty indeed.

We watched TV for the night after a long day.  The problem is that the time doesn't show it.  With us now on Pacific Standard Time, the primetime shows are over at 8 if you watch them on the satellite Eastern Networks. We get David Letterman at 8:30 at night.  W also watched a show called Bones for the first time last night.  It comes on at the same time as NCIS so we haven't had a chance to see it before.  It's really quite an entertaining show.

I sent an e-mail to Homestead when I couldn't publish my Journal again tonight.  I haven't been able to figure out what the problem is yet.  I managed to publish the first two weeks of my Journal but now it won't let me in.  Hopefully I'll have that resolved over the next couple of days.

Sharon read her newspaper online tonight and then went to bed, with me following shortly thereafter.

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

I got up this morning with a couple of jobs on my schedule.  I wanted to wire brush my battery connections first and foremost for the trip back to Quartzsite in January.  It's never too early to make sure your equipment is in order.

The second job was to go to the VFW for Taco Wednesday and enjoy myself.  We met Arlene and Henry over there since they're staying at Mountain View which is down the road a "piece".  The four of us managed to suck down 4 pitchers of beer with our Tacos and we were feeling quite good by the time we left.  The price of the pitchers has gone up 50 cents and the recipe of the salsa and the flavoring in the taco meat is different.  It was still good but different.  Afterward Sharon and I came home and took a nap and got up just in time for Cocktail Hour at 4 o'clock.  We had been invited over to Henry and Arlene's and then we went to some Canadian friends of theirs.  It was quite the gathering.  There were about 10 of us all together.  Sharon was dipping her beak again tonight, as usual.  But I, the reluctant teetotaler, sat by an unopened can of beer for a couple of hours before I finally drank it.  I wasn't as anxious to take up where I left off at lunchtime.

We got back home about 7 o'clock and just in time to watch repeats on the telly for the night.  Sharon didn't make it until 9 when she could have gotten online to read her newspaper.  I barely read that rag when I'm home so I have no compulsion to make an effort to read it online.  Besides there isn't enough there to draw my interest anyway.

I tried again to publish to my website and failed.  I received an e-mail from Homestead that was no help what-so-ever.  They're not even suggesting what I can do to work out my problem so I guess I'm on my own.  Hopefully I can do just that.  I did it before when they limited my space on the site.

I lasted til 11 trying to publish and checking e-mail.  But then I had to go to bed in a room that smelled like beer.  It's a good thing I love the source of that smell.  That's all I can say.  Good Night.

Thursday, December 22, 2005

We got off to a very leisurely start this morning.  We had planned to go and check out the new Wal-Mart in Palm Springs this morning, and since we had some grocery shopping to do we'd take care of that at the same time.

When we drove into the parking lot we were very surprised to see what appeared to be a 2-story building.  And after walking into the building it was only one story but with very high ceilings.  The location is actually about 5 miles closer than our old Wal-Mart in Cathedral City, and the old one wasn't a Supercenter.  So we did all our shopping and headed toward home for lunch.

After lunch we sat around and read for awhile until we finally talked ourselves into going to the pool for a little dip.  We were over there for an hour or so and met a Canadian couple who was very sociable and gave us some unwanted information about Indian Waters, a campground that is next on our schedule.  Information that may make it our last trip to visit there.  It seems they are charging $8 to dump holding tanks that they did for free before.  That will cost us an extra $16-$24 for the two week stay.

After the pool Henry and Arlene stopped over because we were going to the Street Fair in Palm Springs later on.  We sat around and talked until it was time to go.  It seemed to be getting a little chilly so Sharon and I changed out of our shorts and into jeans for the night.  It really wasn't necessary cause it always seems to be a little warmer over there than here.  And it was no different tonight.  It was definitely warm enough to have stayed in our shorts.

We ate Supper at Ruby's Diner and we were stuffed by the time we left there.  Sharon and I just had Hamburgers and split an order of Onion Rings, but the burgers were huge and loaded with "stuff."  We walked around awhile before Sharon had enough room for Ice Cream, and Sharon always has room for Ice Cream.  We didn't manage to buy anything but that's normal for us.  We prefer the Flea Markets at Yuma, Quartzsite and Mesa.  But we still enjoy walking through the Street Fair.

By the time we got home it was around 8 and TV was well on it's way to being over.  It really didn't matter because the shows were repeats anyway.  We dropped Henry and Arlene at the parking lot in our campground and they headed for home.

Sharon got online at 9 and read her newspaper, checked e-mail and then headed for the Crossword puzzle book in the bedroom.  She was still awake by the time I waltzed into the bedroom and wedged myself between the covers.  I was actually still awake by the time she turned out the light.  That doesn't happen very often.

Friday, December 23, 2005

It was Agua Caliente Casino day today and when we pulled out onto Dillon Road Henry and Arlene we right behind us.  We got there at 8:45 and we were among the first ones there.  We checked with the cashier and asked if there were any deals this year and she said, no.  We ended up paying $17.99 for Breakfast and with the $2 tip there wasn't much left out of $20.  I think our trips over there will be numbered this year.  We have to meet Bob and Bonnie Barr over there on the 28th and Phil an Joyce Bach will also be here by then.

After Breakfast we came home and "rested" our stomachs for a while.  The food at the casino is still very good and worth the extra expense.  But we can remember just a few years ago paying $7.49 for what were getting for $17.99 now.  Oh well, life moves on and hits speed bumps all the time.

This afternoon I decided that I would fix a couple of things that needed tweaking.  But it seems that everything I touched turned into a complicated "job" that would take considerable time to rectify.  So I just opted to not fix anything.  Besides none of the repairs were very earthshaking anyway.

We went to the pool again this afternoon and the water seemed to be a degree or two cooler.  It was still nice though.  As we floated in the pool I remembered that I left the water filling our water tank when we came to the pool.  I got out of the pool and headed home to turn it off and found a 10 gallon puddle under the motorhome.  It wasn't running into the road yet however.  We stayed at the pool for an hour and a half or so.

Sharon had decided to make Crab Cakes and Hush Puppies for supper tonight.  I also had to choke down a salad but supper was very good.  We even had a couple of "nectars of the gods" to chase the crab cakes down.  It was very good.

We got an e-mail from Henry and Arlene inviting us over for Christmas Eve.  We sent an e-mail accepting and then Sharon decided to call them anyway.

We watched the tube for the rest of the night and it was repeats again.  If I ever get the VCR setup we'll be able to watch the movies I recorded last summer on HBO.  Oh well, that was also one of the jobs I was going to take care of today.

Saturday, December 24, 2005CHRISTMAS EVE

The first job on my schedule today was to find a Barnes and Noble Bookstore to pick up a Christmas present for Sharon.  I got a leisurely start however by not leaving until about noon.  I had no idea that this shopping trip would take me all over the Coachella Valley.  I was gone for two hours and Sharon was wondering where the hell I was.  I finally made it back with a good story to tell.  Not a happy one but a good one.

We were invited to Henry and Arlene's tonight to party and eat snacks for supper.  We went over at about 3:30 after I had some peanuts and Coke to hold me over for awhile.  By the time we got there, Roger, another Canadian friend was there having a beer with them.  We sat outside until the sun went down and then it started getting a little chilly.  It had been a very nice day all day today.  It was definitely shorts weather for the last couple of days.

We stayed at Henry and Arlene's Til about 9 and then we came home to watch a little tube before we went to bed.  We were up til 10 and then we darted into the dark and the soft feathers.

Sunday, December 25, 2005MERRY CHRISTMAS

We were up early this morning because the Mass we wanted to attend was at 8:30.  We left at about 10 to 8 to make sure we got a seat in the church.  The "new" priest was Spanish and a little hard to understand but the service was very nice.  It was warm in the church but I guess that's a relative thing here.  Sharon's been to the church before and it certainly doesn't look on the outside like it looks on the inside.  It's a very modern semi-circular arrangement that was of course decorated for Christmas.

By the time we got home Sharon was busy cooking the Dinner for this afternoon.  We would be having Cornish Game Hens and Twice Baked Potatoes and  Arlene was busy with a couple of salads at home.

I had to dump the holding tanks this morning but I'll have to dump them again on Tuesday when we leave.  The Campground we're going to has no sewers and now they're charging to pump us out.  The campground is Indian Waters Western Horizon in Indio.  I think we've decided that we won't go there anymore because of the other non-friendly conditions we've heard about this year.  We have other campgrounds that we could go to besides that one.  But we'll decide when the time comes.

Henry and Arlene came over around noon to eat Christmas Dinner today and everything was delicious.  They showed up with Christmas presents for us and we had nothing for them.  Henry had a couple of Canadian Molson Beer glasses and a couple of T-shirts from Canadian also.  Sharon got a handmade carved bowl and some lotion.  It was kind of funny cause most of the stuff was freebies that they didn't have room for.  Except for the hand carved bowl.  Henry made that.

The Packers also played another miserable game today and lost to the Bears.  I had to uninstall my sitebuilder from Homestead and re-install it but I kept getting cut off.  Either Verizon or Homestead is giving me fits.  I can't download my virus software and if we pick up another virus I'm going to smash this damn computer to bits.  It looks as if December will finish out the year just like November did last month.  I wonder what going to happen in the New Year..............A NUCLEAR EXPLOSION????