V6N1B

Black Friday

December 6, 2002 is a day that will live in our memories for a while. After having driven in a blizzard and freezing rain the day before, this day would stand out as the original "shit happens" day. After Breakfast we set out toward Shiloh National Battlefield. We visited the park and cemetery and got on our way just before noon. Shortly after lunch, just over the Mississippi Border, a truck picked up a rock and threw it into our passenger side windshield on the motorhome. As a result we received a perfectly shaped softball sized fracture in the window.

On our way again we stopped a couple of times to break off the ice which was now melting but still adhering to the outside of the car and the motorhome. In one Rest Area we left an ice pile about a foot high and 4 feet long. By the time we opted to stop for the night at least our ice was gone. As we looked for the Wal-Mart, we saw a gas station with what we thought would be the best price for gas and pulled in. Cutting the pump a little short, I managed to remodel a couple of compartments on the drivers side of the motorhome. As we filled with gas Sharon got the directions to Wal-Mart. And as we pulled into the Wal-Mart Superstore lot we saw that the gas here was 12 cents a gallon cheaper. Except for the sun shining, this day had definitely been a dark one.

Seeing "Old" Friends

We spent our first 2 weeks in California at Desert Hot Springs at Catalina Spa and RV Resort. We had intended to meet Phil and Joyce Bach at the resort. They are from Martinez, California, which is up near my brother Ed's in Manteca, and we got to know them last year while we were here. We were anxious to see them after having kept in touch with them over the past year through e-mail. We arrived on Friday, and Saturday Phil informed me that he never misses the pool tournament on Saturdays and Wednesdays. So having been a pool player in the past, I was game to spend a couple of hours playing pool "with the guys."

We also spent a bit of time eating out. Our two favorite places were the Agua Caliente Casino for the "two for one" buffet Breakfast @ $7.95, and the Pak Inn, a Chinese Buffet where we literally "packed it in." Although we only ate at those two places twice each we rounded off our menus for the week eating Tacos at the VFW in Desert Hot Springs on Wednesdays. Tacos for two and a pitcher of beer would set us back $13.16. Man ain't it nice being a Senior Citizen and getting all those good prices.

"QUICK" means "OTHERWISE"

A quick trip into New Orleans turned into a little more than that on a recent trip to the Crescent City. We wanted to walk around the French Quarter and eat a little Cajun Food and we did precisely that............almost.

"Knowing" our way into the city there was no need to take a map before we started out. After stopping for gas we promptly got on the Interstate heading west. Not realizing we had missed the Causeway exit we continued on. The Causeway over Lake Ponchartrain makes the trip 34 miles. By the time we realized we missed the exit we were 20 miles down the road and it only made sense to press on instead of going back. 89 miles later we entered the city and 'walked and ate' just as we had intended. It's always fun just to walk around the French Quarter and look through the Market. We actually rode the trolley this time which was a first for us. I think we rode it about 5 blocks.

On the way home we figured we would get on the highway where we got off and just hit the Causeway across the lake. WRONG! We couldn't get on the highway where we wanted, and you guessed it, we missed the Causeway again. This time we were headed east and going around the Lake again, during Rush Hour. Needless to say there was no point in going back. Have you heard this before? 57 miles later we made the exit for our campground in Abita Springs. I think next time we should make an effort to take a map along for those places that we "know" our way to. So after a "quick trip" of 145 miles instead of about 80 we were back home. The trip itself was not a complete fiasco because we did try two new foods while we were there. Beignets and Mirlitons were now a part of our vocabulary. Even though nobody knows what we're talking about.

And the winner is...

While we were at Catalina Spa For 2 weeks, Sharon and I both had a nice experience with winning. Phil Bach and I, and anywhere from 30-40 other guys played in a pool tournament every Saturday and Wednesday. While 3 of the 4 pool tournaments went by uneventfully, one Wednesday, my partner and I, were victorious with a win over 42 other guys.

Sharon had the same "blind stupid luck" the same day when she attended a fashion show and won a $28 T-shirt top with $8 sleeve clips. Sometimes it's just BETTER to be lucky.