The managers have attempted to make one believe it is fall even though the temperature at the moment is 80 and on its way to 90 today. There are about a dozen white swan planters scattered around the park entrance, and the summer silk flowers have been swapped out for golden chrysanthemums. In front of the office entrance, a scarecrow is standing sentry assisted by some pumpkins and a bale of straw. All quite cute.
The confines and noise level here are getting to me!! In addition to Mad Hattie, who was ranting just a few minutes ago, new neighbors moved in beside us yesterday; a couple about our age and their adult son. This morning around eight, they had their dinette window open and talked loudly (argued) for about 1 ½ hours. Their dinette window is one foot from the chairs on our little patio. So it has NOT been a quiet Sunday morning.
I just scored two bicycles. A lady in a trailer across from us is taking it back to Arizona, and she just wanted to give the bikes away. I don’t know how much we will ride them here in this little park, or whether we will go to the expense and effort to haul them around with us, but they will provide a little entertainment for the next 3 weeks. She also gave us a great little folding rocking chair for the patio. Again, we may not have room for it when we pull up stakes, but we can rock n roll for now.
We just went to dinner with some folks who are staying here in the park. Their home is just a few miles from here, but it suffered a fire as a result of spontaneous combustion in a bale of hay that they had stored on their back porch (for their rabbit). We have chatted from time to time and she always stops to pet Cooper, so she asked if we wanted to go to dinner with them. Sure. It was a local Italian restaurant, and my eggplant parmigiani was very tasty.
Today is now Monday, and the excitement for the day was a trip to LaMesa RV (this site is as bad as their others), and WalMart. I think we spent $10 at WalMart. This isn’t a super store, so less to spend money on.
At LaMesa, I stepped inside one of the Tiffin buses, but assured Ken he didn’t have to enter into immediate negotiations. One floor plan had the refrigerator and sofa on a slide-out across from the stove and sink. But there was no dinette, and the only place for a table and chairs would have been in front of the refrigerator/sofa. The other floor plan had the sink, stove, and workspace lined up in that order, which meant you had the stove smack between the working space and the sink. I am too sloppy for that – I need the sink easily accessible.
I hear my book calling me. I am reading the biography of Julia Child. She was pretty outspoken, frank, and daring for her era. Quite the lady.
Ciao
Monday, September 25, 2006
Friday, September 22, 2006
Hattie, Rock, and Geezers
This is the end of another week. Three more weeks, one week end, and one more sleep and we will be free to go………providing there are no more down times for the equipment. I went with Ken today, just to see who all was around and see who there was to chat with. Not many. And everything was running early, so he was finished before his appointment started.
The weather has become quite comfortable. Right now at 4:30 it is just 77 outside!!
Hattie has ceased to be a novelty!! After determining that management was simply trying to placate me with a lot of lip service, I took matters into my own hands. She had her door wide open and was ranting and raving about nine on Wednesday evening. Now keep in mind that her first words to anyone is that she is hard of hearing!! I walked alongside her motor home and tapped twice on the side – she responded immediately, even though she couldn’t see me, her television was on, and she was ranting. I asked if she would close her door, and she said she would. Then she asked me if I was going to bed. I said, “No, I’m trying to read and you are being too loud.” She said, “I’ll cool it.”
All day yesterday I didn’t even see her and her car never moved. Now today, she has gone someplace, but I haven’t heard a word out of her. I suspect the calm is short-lived, but I will simply repeat my actions. I don’t fully understand what is going on, but I am beginning to think she is dumb like a fox.
Last Sunday we decided to take a drive to Big Bear Lake since the crowds should be gone, and it would be cool. About 15 miles out of town, we rounded a curve and hit a rock that had fallen. The noise to the underside of the car was deafening, and the estimate from the VW dealer was heart-stopping - $900 – all because of a piece of rock about the size of a gallon milk jug. So next Thursday is repair day. We can drive it around town, but we aren’t going to take it out on the interstates.
Our friend, Sharon Jayne, turned the big 6-O this month, so Bob threw a surprise party for her last night. We didn’t know anything about it (and could not have been in attendance since we aren’t even in the state of Washington), but I happened to call just as they got home. She said there were about 80 people there, and she was completely surprised. It’s safe to tell her age because she says she doesn’t read my blog!
Just a little over a week before Karen gets here, and I can hardly wait. Oh for some girl talk and wine time. Every time I am out walking in this park I encounter another old geezer with a scraggly beard, dirty fingernails, and cigarette in his hand. Actually, I’ve only encountered two of those, but this place is pretty heavily populated with men – and not a one that I would trade Ken for.
Have a good weekend.
Ciao
The weather has become quite comfortable. Right now at 4:30 it is just 77 outside!!
Hattie has ceased to be a novelty!! After determining that management was simply trying to placate me with a lot of lip service, I took matters into my own hands. She had her door wide open and was ranting and raving about nine on Wednesday evening. Now keep in mind that her first words to anyone is that she is hard of hearing!! I walked alongside her motor home and tapped twice on the side – she responded immediately, even though she couldn’t see me, her television was on, and she was ranting. I asked if she would close her door, and she said she would. Then she asked me if I was going to bed. I said, “No, I’m trying to read and you are being too loud.” She said, “I’ll cool it.”
All day yesterday I didn’t even see her and her car never moved. Now today, she has gone someplace, but I haven’t heard a word out of her. I suspect the calm is short-lived, but I will simply repeat my actions. I don’t fully understand what is going on, but I am beginning to think she is dumb like a fox.
Last Sunday we decided to take a drive to Big Bear Lake since the crowds should be gone, and it would be cool. About 15 miles out of town, we rounded a curve and hit a rock that had fallen. The noise to the underside of the car was deafening, and the estimate from the VW dealer was heart-stopping - $900 – all because of a piece of rock about the size of a gallon milk jug. So next Thursday is repair day. We can drive it around town, but we aren’t going to take it out on the interstates.
Our friend, Sharon Jayne, turned the big 6-O this month, so Bob threw a surprise party for her last night. We didn’t know anything about it (and could not have been in attendance since we aren’t even in the state of Washington), but I happened to call just as they got home. She said there were about 80 people there, and she was completely surprised. It’s safe to tell her age because she says she doesn’t read my blog!
Just a little over a week before Karen gets here, and I can hardly wait. Oh for some girl talk and wine time. Every time I am out walking in this park I encounter another old geezer with a scraggly beard, dirty fingernails, and cigarette in his hand. Actually, I’ve only encountered two of those, but this place is pretty heavily populated with men – and not a one that I would trade Ken for.
Have a good weekend.
Ciao
Friday, September 15, 2006
Equipment Failure, Medicare, Visitors
As of this afternoon, we now know that our earliest departure from here will be Monday, October 16 because today’s appointment had to be cancelled due to equipment failure. That is not the end of the world, we can manage an extra day or two. I think it seems more severe simply because his last treatment was to have been on a Friday to leave us clear to leave, but now we will have to wait through another weekend.
I finally finished assembling the Christmas wall hanging that I have been working on since last spring. Mind you, there is still plenty of tweaking, clipping, straightening, and fixing to do before it is done. I have now decided I will spend the money to have it quilted. I wasn’t going to simply because the workmanship leaves a lot to be desired, but I have a feeling the professional quilting can’t do anything but enhance the overall appearance, and since I used some fabrics that have some history and sentimentality, it will be nice to have it properly finished.
I see according to the newspaper this morning, that for those who are on Medicare (as I will be in a little over a year, and Ken already is); the monthly premium is going to be approaching $100 per month in 2007. That sounds exorbitant, but I’m probably still locked into what Ken’s mother was paying 12 years ago; and it is just the tip of the iceberg with whatever the costs are for those who must purchase supplemental insurance as well.
I believe the last communications I shared with regard to Colleen and Bassim Blazey was that they had resigned themselves to being friends…….and he told her recently that he was emailing with a woman in the Canada whom he met on an online match service. Soooo, she found out last Sunday evening that he wanted to come and see her on Monday, the next day!! He had flown to Vancouver to meet the woman, and it didn’t work out. So when he called Colleen, she said, “So now you’ve decided you’re madly in love with me.” And he said, “Yes.” She said they have had a very nice visit, but neither one is planning to move from their respective countries, and she will let me know if that is to happen. He returns to Australia tomorrow.
The weather turned blessedly cool this week, and we didn’t even turn on the air conditioners yesterday. Right now at 8:30 a.m. it is 69 degrees outside and cloudy; in fact it looks as if we could even get some rain. What a relief, even if it is short lived. I think we approach 90 next week, but even 90 I can handle for a few hours a day.
I think all is well with our boys; we haven’t had much communication recently. They are all busy, busy, busy. Craig started his new job with Finnigan Construction last week as they gear up to build a new high school in Lacey, about four blocks from where we used to live. He will be on the jobsite, not in the office, and it is a great commute for him – about ten minutes.
The Bakers were not able to keep us on their itinerary. The entire trip to Florida went well up until New Mexico where they sustained a flat tire and two dead batteries in as many days, so they had to truck on back to Lakewood. So we will look forward to our next visitor the first part of October which will be Karen. And then a few days after she goes home, I’ll go to San Jose for the quilt show. And when I come back, we will be within just one or two days of going home!
Time to refill my coffee cup and contemplate what to do with the rest of the day.
Ciao
I finally finished assembling the Christmas wall hanging that I have been working on since last spring. Mind you, there is still plenty of tweaking, clipping, straightening, and fixing to do before it is done. I have now decided I will spend the money to have it quilted. I wasn’t going to simply because the workmanship leaves a lot to be desired, but I have a feeling the professional quilting can’t do anything but enhance the overall appearance, and since I used some fabrics that have some history and sentimentality, it will be nice to have it properly finished.
I see according to the newspaper this morning, that for those who are on Medicare (as I will be in a little over a year, and Ken already is); the monthly premium is going to be approaching $100 per month in 2007. That sounds exorbitant, but I’m probably still locked into what Ken’s mother was paying 12 years ago; and it is just the tip of the iceberg with whatever the costs are for those who must purchase supplemental insurance as well.
I believe the last communications I shared with regard to Colleen and Bassim Blazey was that they had resigned themselves to being friends…….and he told her recently that he was emailing with a woman in the Canada whom he met on an online match service. Soooo, she found out last Sunday evening that he wanted to come and see her on Monday, the next day!! He had flown to Vancouver to meet the woman, and it didn’t work out. So when he called Colleen, she said, “So now you’ve decided you’re madly in love with me.” And he said, “Yes.” She said they have had a very nice visit, but neither one is planning to move from their respective countries, and she will let me know if that is to happen. He returns to Australia tomorrow.
The weather turned blessedly cool this week, and we didn’t even turn on the air conditioners yesterday. Right now at 8:30 a.m. it is 69 degrees outside and cloudy; in fact it looks as if we could even get some rain. What a relief, even if it is short lived. I think we approach 90 next week, but even 90 I can handle for a few hours a day.
I think all is well with our boys; we haven’t had much communication recently. They are all busy, busy, busy. Craig started his new job with Finnigan Construction last week as they gear up to build a new high school in Lacey, about four blocks from where we used to live. He will be on the jobsite, not in the office, and it is a great commute for him – about ten minutes.
The Bakers were not able to keep us on their itinerary. The entire trip to Florida went well up until New Mexico where they sustained a flat tire and two dead batteries in as many days, so they had to truck on back to Lakewood. So we will look forward to our next visitor the first part of October which will be Karen. And then a few days after she goes home, I’ll go to San Jose for the quilt show. And when I come back, we will be within just one or two days of going home!
Time to refill my coffee cup and contemplate what to do with the rest of the day.
Ciao
Friday, September 08, 2006
Twenty Down and Twenty Four to Go
Another week is finished!! And all is going well. Ken had his weekly visit with his doctor this morning, and was told that if he were going to have any temporary symptoms as a result of the treatments, they would be evident by now – and he doesn’t have any!! We love receiving emails from all of you and willingly accept all your good wishes and prayers!
Ken drove me to Blythe last Saturday where we met Colleen and I went on to Phoenix with her. We had a good visit, and it was fun to have some girl talk since most everything here centers on men. We did a half day drive into the mountains east of Phoenix and ate out a couple of times while I was there. I visited my favorite quilt shop (and refrained from buying anything) and made a run to IKEA.
Colleen has a very nice, very Christian landlord (her cottage is at the back of his property and they share the pool and the yard) who had dinner with us twice this week. He is single, an administrator for ASU, and the love of his life is Toby, his golden retriever. Bill isn’t a very savvy drinker so Colleen has managed to thoroughly corrupt him. We had him over dinner one evening and had wine, and the next evening she made cosmopolitans (which she had introduced to him some time ago). While having our drinks, he said, “You know I have some steaks in the freezer that I could put under the broiler.” And of course we said, “Sure and we’ll make the salad and open a bottle of wine!”
Colleen has brokered a deal between Bill and the new hire in her office to rent her cottage when she moves to Seattle in January. Bill said he rented it to Nick and his wife for the same price as he had rented it to Colleen – which is dirt cheap for Phoenix. That is because he said he gives a discount to renters who have a dog!!! They have a Schnoodle who will be a buddy for Toby as Skyla has been.
Speaking of Blythe, here is an update for the Spragues, Robinsons, and Ouseys:
After getting gas in Ehrenberg yesterday, we did a spin through River Breeze to see how it looked. Of course all the grass is a lovely green!! And even though we didn’t stop to check, I’ll bet the pool and the spa are working fine as well. It looks like Michelle still has her job as it looked like her truck parked in front of the park model. About half the sites were filled, and just about every one of them had a toy hauler with a big jet boat parked beside it. I think there were one or two more park models since we were there. The membership park next door was virtually empty.
And Gary and Carolyn, we ate at El Ranchito yesterday before coming home.. It was six in the evening, and as usual, there were just two tables occupied. We got our dinners to go and sat out on the patio so we could have Cooper with us. Tasty as usual.
It seems my friend, Karen, took exception to my calling our crazy little lady Minnie since that is what my mother used to call her, so Ken has renamed her Hattie. Actually, Hattie has been on very good behavior, and if not, she is keeping her door and windows closed so we can’t hear her. She still sails in and out several times a day, hat on her head, in her little Scion going we know not where!
I am so excited…….Karen is coming to visit the first week in October!!! In addition to doing something quilt-like, I said I would lay in a supply of beverages and we could sit on our little patio and guess the lifestyles and comings and goings of our neighbors here in the park. We wanted her to bring Rod, but she is going to make him stay home and work!!
Speaking of neighbors, a couple from Nampa, Idaho arrived recently and are parked directly behind us (and right beside Hattie). Ken described them as older, but I’m afraid to use that term anymore considering our age, but I guess he meant older than we. Ken talked to them when they got here and learned the husband is here for proton therapy. Then this morning I was hearing some lovely trumpet music which was coming from their little trailer. He is quite talented (I’m making the assumption it is he) so we will have some occasional entertainment. I wonder if I could coax him to play in the afternoons while we are sitting outside having a drink?
The week end is here, but we have no plans. We are expecting to hear from our friends, the Bakers, who are supposed to be coming through one of these days for a visit. Otherwise, we will just be staying close to home. I will probably dash out to a local sewing machine shop tomorrow as my machine is acting up. I took it to Phoenix to make doggy pillow covers, and the sewing machine did not cooperate so I was only able to finish one of three. The other two I brought back with me.
Ciao
Ken drove me to Blythe last Saturday where we met Colleen and I went on to Phoenix with her. We had a good visit, and it was fun to have some girl talk since most everything here centers on men. We did a half day drive into the mountains east of Phoenix and ate out a couple of times while I was there. I visited my favorite quilt shop (and refrained from buying anything) and made a run to IKEA.
Colleen has a very nice, very Christian landlord (her cottage is at the back of his property and they share the pool and the yard) who had dinner with us twice this week. He is single, an administrator for ASU, and the love of his life is Toby, his golden retriever. Bill isn’t a very savvy drinker so Colleen has managed to thoroughly corrupt him. We had him over dinner one evening and had wine, and the next evening she made cosmopolitans (which she had introduced to him some time ago). While having our drinks, he said, “You know I have some steaks in the freezer that I could put under the broiler.” And of course we said, “Sure and we’ll make the salad and open a bottle of wine!”
Colleen has brokered a deal between Bill and the new hire in her office to rent her cottage when she moves to Seattle in January. Bill said he rented it to Nick and his wife for the same price as he had rented it to Colleen – which is dirt cheap for Phoenix. That is because he said he gives a discount to renters who have a dog!!! They have a Schnoodle who will be a buddy for Toby as Skyla has been.
Speaking of Blythe, here is an update for the Spragues, Robinsons, and Ouseys:
After getting gas in Ehrenberg yesterday, we did a spin through River Breeze to see how it looked. Of course all the grass is a lovely green!! And even though we didn’t stop to check, I’ll bet the pool and the spa are working fine as well. It looks like Michelle still has her job as it looked like her truck parked in front of the park model. About half the sites were filled, and just about every one of them had a toy hauler with a big jet boat parked beside it. I think there were one or two more park models since we were there. The membership park next door was virtually empty.
And Gary and Carolyn, we ate at El Ranchito yesterday before coming home.. It was six in the evening, and as usual, there were just two tables occupied. We got our dinners to go and sat out on the patio so we could have Cooper with us. Tasty as usual.
It seems my friend, Karen, took exception to my calling our crazy little lady Minnie since that is what my mother used to call her, so Ken has renamed her Hattie. Actually, Hattie has been on very good behavior, and if not, she is keeping her door and windows closed so we can’t hear her. She still sails in and out several times a day, hat on her head, in her little Scion going we know not where!
I am so excited…….Karen is coming to visit the first week in October!!! In addition to doing something quilt-like, I said I would lay in a supply of beverages and we could sit on our little patio and guess the lifestyles and comings and goings of our neighbors here in the park. We wanted her to bring Rod, but she is going to make him stay home and work!!
Speaking of neighbors, a couple from Nampa, Idaho arrived recently and are parked directly behind us (and right beside Hattie). Ken described them as older, but I’m afraid to use that term anymore considering our age, but I guess he meant older than we. Ken talked to them when they got here and learned the husband is here for proton therapy. Then this morning I was hearing some lovely trumpet music which was coming from their little trailer. He is quite talented (I’m making the assumption it is he) so we will have some occasional entertainment. I wonder if I could coax him to play in the afternoons while we are sitting outside having a drink?
The week end is here, but we have no plans. We are expecting to hear from our friends, the Bakers, who are supposed to be coming through one of these days for a visit. Otherwise, we will just be staying close to home. I will probably dash out to a local sewing machine shop tomorrow as my machine is acting up. I took it to Phoenix to make doggy pillow covers, and the sewing machine did not cooperate so I was only able to finish one of three. The other two I brought back with me.
Ciao
Friday, September 01, 2006
FIFTEEN DOWN - TWENTY NINE TO GO
Another week is finished and all is going well. Ken’s appointment is early today, at one, as I suppose everyone wants to get finished and gone for the long week end. I am going to go to Phoenix, but just haven’t settled on how. Either I will drive over early tomorrow morning or Colleen will meet us halfway; Blythe of all places. I have the option of the bus, but since I want to take a sewing project and my machine, that makes it more complicated.
We had Al over for dinner this week and you would have thought he was dining at a five-star restaurant. It was just grilled chicken and salad, but I’m sure it doesn’t take long for a guy to get tired of his own cooking. We will have to do that more often to give him a break.
I finished the book, Chocolat, and am now on to one by John Jakes. Chocolat is a very good read in that it is very well written.
Our garden at home seems to be thriving since Craig sent pictures of parsley and a big mound of tomatoes. Wouldn’t you know, we haven’t had any luck to speak of with tomatoes for the last two years, and now they are great!! But we have been going to the Thursday night market so I can stock up on fresh-picked tomatoes and Bev brought a basketful of heirloom tomatoes from her garden.
There was a forest fire near here in the San Bernardino mountains that actually started in Highland as a result of illegal target practicing, We watched various kinds of aircraft fly over for the first 24 hours as they were hitting it hard, but as of last evening they said it was under control; partly because it burned right into an area that had burned recently. As hot and dry as it is here, I can see why they would take a fire very seriously. As it was, this fire destroyed one or two homes.
Have a happy and safe holiday. Ciao
We had Al over for dinner this week and you would have thought he was dining at a five-star restaurant. It was just grilled chicken and salad, but I’m sure it doesn’t take long for a guy to get tired of his own cooking. We will have to do that more often to give him a break.
I finished the book, Chocolat, and am now on to one by John Jakes. Chocolat is a very good read in that it is very well written.
Our garden at home seems to be thriving since Craig sent pictures of parsley and a big mound of tomatoes. Wouldn’t you know, we haven’t had any luck to speak of with tomatoes for the last two years, and now they are great!! But we have been going to the Thursday night market so I can stock up on fresh-picked tomatoes and Bev brought a basketful of heirloom tomatoes from her garden.
There was a forest fire near here in the San Bernardino mountains that actually started in Highland as a result of illegal target practicing, We watched various kinds of aircraft fly over for the first 24 hours as they were hitting it hard, but as of last evening they said it was under control; partly because it burned right into an area that had burned recently. As hot and dry as it is here, I can see why they would take a fire very seriously. As it was, this fire destroyed one or two homes.
Have a happy and safe holiday. Ciao
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