Monday, March 23, 2009

We got up this morning and the wind had subsided for the most part.  What makes it come and what makes its go nobody seems to know.  They can tell you when its coming, but not when its going.  The wind advisory was supposed to be over at 10 PM last night and it blew all night.  Go figure!

We were off to the casino for Breakfast this morning and they were up to their usual standards.  More people are finding out about the Breakfast, however.  The masses are starting to gather, and the lines are starting to form.  I remember last year at this same time was when we found out about the Breakfast for $5.99.  We were only hoping that it would still be available when we got here this year.  It was and we and our friends have abused it as much as we could have.

Although the wind didn't stop completely, it was still a very nice day out today, although a little colder than what we had last week before the wind started.  I had a couple of things that needed to get done in the next couple of days.  I had to put a new wiring harness on the car after the old one got trapped under the hitch, when it dragged on a low driveway exit.  I also had to remove the locks on the tow cables that were rusted closed so I could replace the cables with new ones. I got started on both of them almost immediately this morning and managed tod quite only when my hacksaw blade dulled on the locks after having one cut off.  I'll have to see if the park has a bolt cutter that will make short work of the other lock.  The wiring harness was a piece of cake and I got that changed in a hurry, although I was not happy with the harness I had purchased.  It turned out o be a 2-foot harness with plugs on either end.  Not what I was expecting, but it would work anyway since I just cut the plugs off and rewired it into my own harness.

At 2 PM I just took a break that turned into the rest of the afternoon.  We got our swim togs on and went to the pool.  Even though the wind was blowing, the water temp in the pool was fabulous.  We stayed the rest of the afternoon until Jeopardy came on, and then dragged our wrinkled bodies back home.

We would be having a Chicken extravaganza for Supper tonight.  Every piece of leftover chicken we've had for the past week would be on the menu tonight.  It actually turned out quite good.  We had enough Potato Logs to make the whole thing come together.

"24" was on tonight and after Supper I readied my chair for at least an hour of intense TV watching.  All hell is going to break loose on the show tonight, and after it was over, it only makes you look forward to next week's show.  We stayed up until 11 tonight having found something on Discovery to watch at 10 o'clock.  The show was actually "Destroyed in Seconds".  I've seen it a couple of times in the past, but usually after Sharon's gone to bed.  This time she stayed up to watch.  We headed for the feathers at 11.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

We were off to town this morning at a leisurely pace to have the Oil changed in our car and the fuel filter changed.  We had no idea we were in for a full fledged fleecing by Jiffy Lube.  Our oil change would be $16 more because we didn't come in on Monday, Wednesday or Friday.  They don't tell you that until the oil is already out of the car.  We paid $20 for a filter that is probably $10-12 at Wal-Mart.  We also paid $69 for a fuel filter to be changed.  The filter, I am guessing, is no more than $15 almost anywhere.  By the time we were done it came to $135, with labor.  I wonder if Jiffy Lube knows that I won't be back again.

After the fleecing we went to lunch with our coupon for McD's.  Buy one Big Mac, get one free.  This looked it was going to be the best deal we got today.

Having eaten our lunch we were off to the Cabot Yerxa Museum in Desert Hot Springs.  All these years that we've been coming out here and we've never made it to the Pueblo Museum.  Having seen the 43 foot carved Indian in a local paper this year, the story piqued my interest.  We spent about an hour at the pueblo but didn't go into the museum.  I couldn't bring myself to spend the $16 to get in after the fleecing at Jiffy Lube.  But we walked the grounds and had an interesting visit anyway.

On the way home we realized that we would make it back just in time to go to the pool for a couple of hours.  Hail, hail, the gang was all there.  But not for long now.  The sites around us are either taped off or just plain empty.  The park  is officially becoming empty at this point.  We came home just in time to catch the final answer on Jeopardy.

Shortly afterward we were on the road to Palm Desert to go to the Elephant Bar.  Ever since we were here with Terry and Jo-Anne and Jim and Jackie we decided we would make at least one more visit before we leave.  We couldn't decided wether we would go for Happy Hour and Snacks or a Dinner.  We settled into the bar by making our decision to snack.  We actually had Bruschetta, Potato Skins and Skewered Coconut Shrimp.  The food was fabulous and it was plenty to eat for us.  We also had 3 fancy drinks apiece.  We had a marvelous time.

We managed to sit next to a couple from Grand Rapids, Michigan and after a while another couple sat next to them, also from Grand Rapids.  It was like Michigan home week.  We had a wonderful conversation with both of them

We headed for home while we could still find it and got there in plenty of time to catch all our shows.  There was a little napping going on from my recliner for the rest of the night.  What I didn't catch early, I had to stay up late for, and catch the second showing.  Sharon gave up on the night at 10 and folded up her tent.  I hung in there until just after 11 before I followed her to the sleep chamber.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

We were up early and Sharon made her exit for her walk and I did my exercises that were given to me by my chiropractor.  The weather today was going to be just terrific until this afternoon when the wind will make an appearance.  It's not supposed to be too bad today but we'll see when it happens.

We were off to Taco Wednesday today at our usual time, and the crowd at the VFW was pretty much non-existent.  It was busy, but it does look like its winding down for the year.  Today was going to be our last Wednesday until next year.  We'll miss this "every Wednesday" trip to the VFW

By the time we got back home it was time for the pool.  It was almost past time for the pool.  We enjoy just sitting and having a few beers with and after our lunch.  But the pool was nice and warm and even though most of the other people had gone on a hike today, they got back in time to take an afternoon dip.

We didn't make it home in time for Jeopardy today but we usually don't on Taco Wednesday.  We have other priorities on this day of the week.

As always, the days are lasting longer again.  It gives us more time during the day to get things done even though we're here because we don't want to be doing anything.  We're on vacation and I know how to do that very well.

We didn't have a formal meal scheduled for tonight so I guess we were on our own again.  I wasn't hungry and I guess Sharon wasn't either.  We both managed to have a bowl of cereal later on.  Our TV for the night was okay and original at least.  We had a few of our favorites on tonight.  That helps to pass a boring night more than anything else.

We were done with TV and the night by 10 tonight.  It was a mutual fold-up of our tents, and a mutual walk to the feathers.  We were both tired from our bout with the VFW.  We should just take a nap when we get home instead of going to the pool for 2 or 3 hours.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Sharon had some shopping to do in town today so I got ready to go knowing that it would be time to go out for lunch.  It was a little windy out today, so I knew I wouldn't be changing oil on the motorhome today.  The wind makes it difficult to drain the oil,  It manages to fly all over.  And besides I'm not supposed to be changing oil here anyway, but I have no other place to do it.  So I'm trying to wait for a calm day.

I waited in the car for the Mrs. as she went in to K-Mart to pick up a few items.  I was happy just listening to Rush as she shopped for about 45 minutes.  After shopping we went to McD's for a coupon burger again.  BOGO free saves a us a couple of bucks and we love the Big Mac anyway.

After lunch we headed toward home since it was getting to be around pool time for the day.  Like an idiot I turned down Mountain View to get back home and ran into the construction again.  I could have turned down almost any road and not had to wait for the construction.  I'll remember to take another road by Sunday since we'll be leaving on Monday.

By the time we got to the pool Roy and Maryann were already there which is quite unusual.  They are usually late around 3 PM or so.  But they certainly weren't expected to provide an explanation to me, why they were early.

We stayed past Jeopardy today before we headed for the hacienda.  But today I felt like a couple of Bloody Marys and Sharon was more than willing to join me.  In fact the meal she had planned, would be put off until tomorrow since I was eating my vegetables already.  Lotsa Tomatoes, Potatoes (vodka), Celery and finally a meatloaf sandwich.  I was happy.

TV stunk again tonight.  If you don't like College Basketball this time of the year you need to get a life.  Its on CBS and that's the only network that has any decent shows on it anymore.  Every once in a while we watch something like "24" on Fox, but otherwise the other two networks are almost non-existent.  Surfing didn't help much tonight since even the off-networks are trying to break in new programs.  I only wish there were decent programs on the other regular networks to watch when CBS runs their specials like March Madness.  Oh well, If I knew what was best for TV programming I wouldn't be here trying to watch it.  Me and the Mrs. stayed up until 10 before we finally gave up on the night.  We deci9ded to catch the program on the inside of our eyelids instead.

Friday, March 27, 2009

We were off this morning at a leisurely pace to my Chiropractor over in Indio.  This would be my last visit while I'm here.  It takes 35 minutes or to get there so we'll be saving some gas in the next month or so also.  Dr. Bohnet got her bony little fingers into me at several points, and when I told her "that hurt" she said that's what her husband says to her also.

After the doctor we mosied over to Wal-Mart to pick up a few essentials and a couple of non-essentials.  It took us about an hour in the store and by the time we got through it was almost lunch time.  I always leave it up to Sharon where we're going to eat lunch cause I'm no as picky as she is.  Of course by this late date we're running out of options.  She decided on Wendy's and that was fine with me.  She always has their Chicken Salads in various configurations, and I decided I was going to have the Baconator Burger with Fries.  The sandwich was quite good and it really tasted of the Bacon which I liked a lot.

After lunch we were headed home and I started on the oil change on the motorhome that I needed while we were here.  It's a no-no to do mechanical things on the site here, but I have no other place to do it.  I could do it at Quartzsite but I might not have a nice day like today to do it, so I'll just try not to get caught here.  Actually if I can get the oil out that's half the job and the only time they can catch me.  So I managed to get it out without a problem and now I'm home free.  They'll never catch me putting the oil back in.  I'll do that tomorrow.

2:30 had rolled around before I really knew it and we needed to go to the pool today cause it's so nice outside.  And of course the temp in the pool is still over 90 which is quite lovely.  A person doesn't even need the hot tub to warm up anymore after getting out of the pool.  We stayed til after Jeopardy was over tonight since we went so late today.

Sharon was making Shrimp Etouffee' for Super tonight.  It's a little Louisiana Creole dish that I like a lot.  We would be having Egg Rolls along with it.  I don't know if they go together but we've done it for years.  It was delicious.

TV for the night is going to be horrendous since our shows come on CBS and they've still got March Madness going on for the Basketball lovers.  I actually dread this part of the year cause we're really not interested unless Michigan State or the U of M makes it to the final four.

I managed to find something to watch until 11 by surfing tonight, but Sharon folded up her tent at 10, and that was all she wrote.  Oh well, another night of not having to watch Basketball.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Sharon was off on her walk this morning and I was just finishing up the oil change I started yesterday.  Everything was back together again and I just had to put the oil in.  This oil change will last until I get home and then I'll have to do another one right away.  We're going to be quite busy this summer and it'll finish with a trip to Asheville, NC for a wedding.

I got the old oil back in the containers and ready to recycle before noon and then sat down to lunch.  By the time lunch was over with it was almost time to head to the pool.  By the time we got there the pool was full.  We almost had to take a number.  The pool was so nice however, one didn't have to wonder why the "cement pond" was full.  The time seemed to just fly by today since we only have one more day after today before we start heading back east.

We stayed at the pool til about 4:30 today which is late for us.  We're usually home before 4 when Jeopardy comes on.  Of course there was no Jeopardy on today so we just stayed at the pool.

We've made up our minds, over the last couple of days, exactly what we're going to do on the way home this year.  Dennis and Mary Ceshker are going to be in Beaumont, TX for a wedding in April and we thought that as long as it was on the way home, it would give us a chance to see them before we get home.  So we are now planning to work out our time schedule to facilitate a stop in Beaumont on our way.

We settled in front of the TV for the night and they sneaked in an NCIS to watch at 9 PM.  That was nice since TV on Saturday night typically isn't worth a darn.  We were satisfied since both of us headed for the feathers at 10 anyway.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

This was going to be a "get ready to go day"today.  We've got a bunch of stuff that needs to be picked up and we'll dump our holding tanks to give us a fresh start when we hit Quartzsite.  Even though we'll only be there for 2 nights and 1 full day. 

Sharon whipped up a lovely big Breakfast for us today with Scrambled Eggs, Bacon and Biscuits and Gravy.  It was tremendously good and a wonderful start to the day.

After we finished up the dishes she took off with the laundry and I went out and dumped the holding tanks and filled up the water.  The wind was making another appearance today so I started picking up our chairs and tables early.  I was done by the time she got back with the laundry and it was almost time to go to the pool for the afternoon.  There's going to be whitecaps on the pool today I'm sure but we'll tough it out since this will be our last day here.

I guess we'll be back on the cable for tonight again.  The wind will definitely play hell with the dish tonight.  The wind is supposed to subside by 10 tonight but we'll have to see when 10 rolls around.  I don't want to have to drive in this crap tomorrow.

We headed over to the pool and when we got there we were the only ones in the pool.  We were by ourselves except for the people sitting around the pool.  And we were by ourselves for awhile before someone else showed up.  We stayed at the pool and hot tub until the Browns and Parents showed up.  We got ourselves ready to come home and said our good-byes to all and then came home to eat.

Sharon made up Double Cheeseburgers with onions and lettuce and homemade french fries.  It was wonderful and very good.

We settled in for TV tonight and the wind was still whistling.  I don't know if it's going to die down by tomorrow morning or not.  At this point in time we can only hope that we'll have nice weather to drive in.  The sun will be out regardless, but we really need the wind to be dead.  But whatever happens tomorrow we're leaving.

We stayed up until 11 tonight since our dish was out of commission for the night.  All the programs came on late on the cable.