Jan 28th – Sat
I sorted through meat in the freezer that needs to be eaten and found a large package of chuck steak that would work great in the crockpot with cocktail onions & mushroom soup. After breakfast we went for a “walk & talk” and also signed up for next week’s golf. Russ & Carol told us about some yard/rummage sales down Dillon Road a bit so we went to check them out. They were pretty picked over by that time and we didn’t find anything interesting.
Next on the agenda was laundry and we hit a good time at the laundry room. On the way back we stopped and asked Gilbert & Grace over for dinner & cards. Gilbert was helping Cliff put down wood flooring but Grace said they would be happy to join us.
Before we played Canasta, we showed pictures of our Maui trip. The last time we played Canasta, the guys were very lucky with wild cards. This time Grace & I managed to win even though we didn’t get our canasta in 7s (5000 points!) twice.
Jan 29th – Sun
We had no plans for today so that translates into a casino trip. We went to Casino 29 and were there for several hours before losing our allowances – and then some!
We went to examine the new floor at Cliff & Pauline’s and ran into Russ & Judy as we were leaving so we joined them for a drink. Terry just had time to snack on some chips before he went to play Texas Hold’em. I read a book and warmed up leftovers for dinner. When Terry got back – didn’t win anything – he warmed up leftovers for his dinner.
Jan 30th – Mon
Terry got out bikes out this morning and we went riding to see people. We chatted for a while with Larry & Barb. Larry has conjunctivitis (pink eye?) and spent a lot of time yesterday getting to see a doctor and getting some medication. He said he was feeling better. We picked up our forwarded mail and went through it. We went back & forth a couple of times to Cliff & Pauline’s motor home and their recently purchased park model but we didn’t find them at either place.
Just after we got back, Cliff came over to ask if we could pick up some furniture when they buy it. We invited them over for dinner which is why we were trying to find them in the first place. Cliff & Terry C. were installing and setting up a satellite dish for Cliff so they were a little later coming over than they thought they could but – who cares! After drinks, appies & dinner we taught them Ponytail Canasta. We were very even through 3 hands, Pauline & I pulled away by catching the guys without their 7’s and we ended up winning.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Jan 25th to 27th - DHS
Jan 25th – Wed
Terry played golf with the men’s club at 7:45 this morning and I enjoyed a bit of lazy time in bed before getting up to putter around and do the large blog entry for yesterday & Monday. I had just finished the blog when Terry got back – not a great game - and I made breakfast. I had a couple different partial loaves of bread and some thin buns in the cupboard when we went to Maui and none of them had mold! So I could actually make some meals without going to the grocery store.
We went for a walk which took us a long time to actually get anywhere as we kept stopping to talk to people. We ended up having a beer with Russ & Judy and then going next door to see Cliff & Pauline’s park model that they purchased while we were away. Actually, Terry was needed to help put up a beam where they opened up a wall so our timing was good.
I helped Judy & Laraine dip strawberries in chocolate while Terry worked at Cliff’s. Grace joined us women for a drink and then she & I went to pay for a golf tournament and stopped to see Bob & Doreen’s just purchased park model on the way. On the way back, we chatted for a while with Larry & Barb.
Back at Cliff & Pauline’s park model, I helped Terry C. put up some furring strips before we all stopped work due to lack of light. I actually had enough ingredients in the cupboard & freezer to make dinner then we dropped in on Larry & Barb for a chat & a drink.
Jan 26th – Thurs
Terry realized last night that his phone was no longer on his belt so he went to Cliff’s new place and crawled underneath again to recover it. Then he stayed to help with the construction. I went to the park kitchen to help Barb with lunch prep. Along with Laraine, we chopped coleslaw and made individual jello desserts for 160+ people. Terry had returned just before me so we got in the dirty truck and went shopping. First I checked at the hair salon and could go back in 15 minutes for a haircut. I have used this stylist previously and she did her usual good job. Then we went to WalMart, grabbed a burger for lunch and got groceries. We looked for a pink shirt for Terry for tomorrow’s golf tournament but no luck.
I took a couple of small loads of clothes to the laundry room and went next door to the kitchen to pull pork while the clothes were washing. There were 5 of us in the kitchen so we made short work of the job & cleanup.
Since we had a late lunch, we had a small dinner and then went to a dance here at the park. Matt Jenkins lives in the park and plays at the dances. He plays very danceable music and there was full house with a crowded dance floor. We were joined by Gilbert & Grace, Dave & Laraine and Russ & Judy so we had a lot of fun.
Jan 27th – Fri
We played in the Rally for the Cure golf tournament this morning at 8:24. Three teams play together in an alternate shot format. 2 of the par 3’s are KPs – one for women and one for men – so the alternate shot is waived for those holes. Make sense?! It is just for fun and to raise money so we didn’t even keep score.
When we finished, I got my good bread knife and we went to the kitchen to slice 15 dozen buns for lunch. Then we went to Leon & Marilyn’s for a drink along with Ronald & Diane who were the others in our golf group. It was back to the kitchen for me where the lunch prep was in full swing. The menu was pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw, chips & a pickle slice with individual servings of jello mixed with Cool Whip and topped with a chocolate dipped strawberry for dessert. About 1:30 the “assembly line” started with Barb & Laraine assembling & cutting sandwiches, Mary & I putting the sandwiches on a plate and adding chips and Judy & Grace adding coleslaw & pickles. Phyllis was the “runner” getting whatever was needed and placing opened buns in place for Laraine & Barb. We had about 10 people serving the plates to 176 diners.
There were many items being raffled and auctioned so we didn’t finish until nearly 4. Luckily we were not on the cleanup committee! We went to see Jim & Debbie who just bought a new 5th wheel. Of course they had to pour us a drink and we visited for an hour before coming home and settling in for the rest of evening.
Terry played golf with the men’s club at 7:45 this morning and I enjoyed a bit of lazy time in bed before getting up to putter around and do the large blog entry for yesterday & Monday. I had just finished the blog when Terry got back – not a great game - and I made breakfast. I had a couple different partial loaves of bread and some thin buns in the cupboard when we went to Maui and none of them had mold! So I could actually make some meals without going to the grocery store.
We went for a walk which took us a long time to actually get anywhere as we kept stopping to talk to people. We ended up having a beer with Russ & Judy and then going next door to see Cliff & Pauline’s park model that they purchased while we were away. Actually, Terry was needed to help put up a beam where they opened up a wall so our timing was good.
I helped Judy & Laraine dip strawberries in chocolate while Terry worked at Cliff’s. Grace joined us women for a drink and then she & I went to pay for a golf tournament and stopped to see Bob & Doreen’s just purchased park model on the way. On the way back, we chatted for a while with Larry & Barb.
Back at Cliff & Pauline’s park model, I helped Terry C. put up some furring strips before we all stopped work due to lack of light. I actually had enough ingredients in the cupboard & freezer to make dinner then we dropped in on Larry & Barb for a chat & a drink.
Jan 26th – Thurs
Terry realized last night that his phone was no longer on his belt so he went to Cliff’s new place and crawled underneath again to recover it. Then he stayed to help with the construction. I went to the park kitchen to help Barb with lunch prep. Along with Laraine, we chopped coleslaw and made individual jello desserts for 160+ people. Terry had returned just before me so we got in the dirty truck and went shopping. First I checked at the hair salon and could go back in 15 minutes for a haircut. I have used this stylist previously and she did her usual good job. Then we went to WalMart, grabbed a burger for lunch and got groceries. We looked for a pink shirt for Terry for tomorrow’s golf tournament but no luck.
I took a couple of small loads of clothes to the laundry room and went next door to the kitchen to pull pork while the clothes were washing. There were 5 of us in the kitchen so we made short work of the job & cleanup.
Since we had a late lunch, we had a small dinner and then went to a dance here at the park. Matt Jenkins lives in the park and plays at the dances. He plays very danceable music and there was full house with a crowded dance floor. We were joined by Gilbert & Grace, Dave & Laraine and Russ & Judy so we had a lot of fun.
Jan 27th – Fri
We played in the Rally for the Cure golf tournament this morning at 8:24. Three teams play together in an alternate shot format. 2 of the par 3’s are KPs – one for women and one for men – so the alternate shot is waived for those holes. Make sense?! It is just for fun and to raise money so we didn’t even keep score.
When we finished, I got my good bread knife and we went to the kitchen to slice 15 dozen buns for lunch. Then we went to Leon & Marilyn’s for a drink along with Ronald & Diane who were the others in our golf group. It was back to the kitchen for me where the lunch prep was in full swing. The menu was pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw, chips & a pickle slice with individual servings of jello mixed with Cool Whip and topped with a chocolate dipped strawberry for dessert. About 1:30 the “assembly line” started with Barb & Laraine assembling & cutting sandwiches, Mary & I putting the sandwiches on a plate and adding chips and Judy & Grace adding coleslaw & pickles. Phyllis was the “runner” getting whatever was needed and placing opened buns in place for Laraine & Barb. We had about 10 people serving the plates to 176 diners.
There were many items being raffled and auctioned so we didn’t finish until nearly 4. Luckily we were not on the cleanup committee! We went to see Jim & Debbie who just bought a new 5th wheel. Of course they had to pour us a drink and we visited for an hour before coming home and settling in for the rest of evening.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Jan 23rd to 24th - Maui to Palm Springs
Jan 23rd & 24th – Mon & Tues
Kathy & I made a large breakfast before Terry went golfing with Skip & Kathy, Pat & Donna, Dean and Lance. I went shopping with Debbie and Claudine. We went to Savers (like Goodwill) which Claudine loves and to Ross before stopping for a few groceries. Back at Claudine’s condo, we helped put food & suitcases where they belonged as Claudine & Lance and Pat & Donna moved to a different unit this morning and it hadn’t been cleaned yet.
We had just relaxed with snacks and a drink when the golfers arrived and joined us for a couple of drinks.
We had leftovers from last night but decided to thaw some steaks to go with rice fried with lots of veggies, garlic toast and sautéed mushrooms & onions for a great dinner. I had packed in the morning so we just had to finish a few items to be ready to head to the airport about 8. Luckily there was no wait to check our bags because by the time we went through security and walked the long halls to the departure gate, our plane was boarding. Yep, we were on the red eye back to Seattle.
The flight was long and uncomfortably warm with a couple of “beverage services” to break the boredom a bit. Terry slept on & off and I read most of the time. There wasn’t much turbulence but it was a little bouncy when we landed at 6:00 am PST in Seattle. We took the train to our departure terminal where we got coffee and a bagel for me. We had a 3 hour layover so Terry took a nap on a row of seats at the departure gate and I read some more.
We were a few minutes late leaving for an uneventful flight back to Palm Springs. This time it was cool enough in the plane to leave our light jackets on – better than too warm. It was very windy when we hard landed in Palm Springs. Stairs were set up at the rear door of the plane in addition to the jetway so we got off quickly only to wait & wait for the bags to arrive.
Larry picked us up and then we went to Smart & Final to get Barb who was grocery shopping. She is in charge of the luncheon on Friday for a golf tournament so she had 2 carts of groceries and was just ready to check out. We helped them unload the groceries and put them in fridges in the park kitchen and then we took them for a late lunch at Carl’s Jr. since neither we nor they even had breakfast.
We opened up the rig, reset the satellite dish, unpacked bags, downloaded pictures to the computer and hit the recliners. After a bit I put captions on pictures, we watched all the videos we took on the zip line trips and then I made a grilled cheese sandwich for dinner. It was quite early (7:30?) when we decided to watch TV in bed and it didn’t take too long for both of us to fall asleep. Terry had many catnaps – not too refreshing – since we first started our trip back but I was operating on no sleep.
Kathy & I made a large breakfast before Terry went golfing with Skip & Kathy, Pat & Donna, Dean and Lance. I went shopping with Debbie and Claudine. We went to Savers (like Goodwill) which Claudine loves and to Ross before stopping for a few groceries. Back at Claudine’s condo, we helped put food & suitcases where they belonged as Claudine & Lance and Pat & Donna moved to a different unit this morning and it hadn’t been cleaned yet.
We had just relaxed with snacks and a drink when the golfers arrived and joined us for a couple of drinks.
We had leftovers from last night but decided to thaw some steaks to go with rice fried with lots of veggies, garlic toast and sautéed mushrooms & onions for a great dinner. I had packed in the morning so we just had to finish a few items to be ready to head to the airport about 8. Luckily there was no wait to check our bags because by the time we went through security and walked the long halls to the departure gate, our plane was boarding. Yep, we were on the red eye back to Seattle.
The flight was long and uncomfortably warm with a couple of “beverage services” to break the boredom a bit. Terry slept on & off and I read most of the time. There wasn’t much turbulence but it was a little bouncy when we landed at 6:00 am PST in Seattle. We took the train to our departure terminal where we got coffee and a bagel for me. We had a 3 hour layover so Terry took a nap on a row of seats at the departure gate and I read some more.
We were a few minutes late leaving for an uneventful flight back to Palm Springs. This time it was cool enough in the plane to leave our light jackets on – better than too warm. It was very windy when we hard landed in Palm Springs. Stairs were set up at the rear door of the plane in addition to the jetway so we got off quickly only to wait & wait for the bags to arrive.
Larry picked us up and then we went to Smart & Final to get Barb who was grocery shopping. She is in charge of the luncheon on Friday for a golf tournament so she had 2 carts of groceries and was just ready to check out. We helped them unload the groceries and put them in fridges in the park kitchen and then we took them for a late lunch at Carl’s Jr. since neither we nor they even had breakfast.
We opened up the rig, reset the satellite dish, unpacked bags, downloaded pictures to the computer and hit the recliners. After a bit I put captions on pictures, we watched all the videos we took on the zip line trips and then I made a grilled cheese sandwich for dinner. It was quite early (7:30?) when we decided to watch TV in bed and it didn’t take too long for both of us to fall asleep. Terry had many catnaps – not too refreshing – since we first started our trip back but I was operating on no sleep.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Jan 20th to 22nd - Maui
Jan 20th - Fri
We lazed around and had a nice breakfast. Terry & Skip went zip-lining again with some of our group who weren’t here for the first trip. They went later than we did the first time and it wasn’t cold. Kathy & I had Skip drop us off at a shopping center. We shopped, had a lovely, leisurely snack & drink at Longhi’s bar and then walked back 2 miles to the condo - it took us 45 minutes. It was quite hot and parts of the road were in full sunlight.
We changed into swimsuits and hit the pool to cool off. We had time to sunbathe (Kathy) and read (me) before the guys got back as they stopped for a drink.
We met “the entire group” (13 of us) for dinner at Café au Lei to celebrate Terry‘s birthday. We sat at adjoining tables with the women at one table and the men at the other. The women were noisier than the men until after a couple of drinks and then the men got a little rowdy. When we got back I tried without success to get a red wine stain out of Terry’s new T-shirt before we all crashed.
Jan 21st - Sat
We had some fruit for breakfast and then met “the group” for lunch & then golf at The Dunes. We had 12 players and we grouped 4 guys, 4 women and a mixed foursome of us and Lance & Claudine. It was very windy for the entire game. Our group didn’t do very well but we had fun - sometimes!! We all gathered for a couple of drinks and then carried on to Fred’s for Mexican food.
We got back about 8:40 and we all went to bed! A full day wears out the senior citizens!
Jan 22nd - Sun
We started by meeting 4 others for breakfast at a nice restaurant with an ocean view. We made a quick grocery store stop and came back to the condo where Kathy & I did some food prep for the 9 guests we were having over for dinner and the guys watched a golf tournament on TV. There was quite a bit of frozen meat so we figured having people over was a good way to use some up. We also took time to watch turtles & whales.
Just after golf finished and a football game started, our guests started arriving. Most of the guys watched football and the ladies enjoyed the lanai, whale watching and taking pictures of the sunset. Dinner was quite good if I do say so myself!
After the last guests left we played a game of Wizard and Kathy won!!!!
We lazed around and had a nice breakfast. Terry & Skip went zip-lining again with some of our group who weren’t here for the first trip. They went later than we did the first time and it wasn’t cold. Kathy & I had Skip drop us off at a shopping center. We shopped, had a lovely, leisurely snack & drink at Longhi’s bar and then walked back 2 miles to the condo - it took us 45 minutes. It was quite hot and parts of the road were in full sunlight.
We changed into swimsuits and hit the pool to cool off. We had time to sunbathe (Kathy) and read (me) before the guys got back as they stopped for a drink.
We met “the entire group” (13 of us) for dinner at Café au Lei to celebrate Terry‘s birthday. We sat at adjoining tables with the women at one table and the men at the other. The women were noisier than the men until after a couple of drinks and then the men got a little rowdy. When we got back I tried without success to get a red wine stain out of Terry’s new T-shirt before we all crashed.
Jan 21st - Sat
We had some fruit for breakfast and then met “the group” for lunch & then golf at The Dunes. We had 12 players and we grouped 4 guys, 4 women and a mixed foursome of us and Lance & Claudine. It was very windy for the entire game. Our group didn’t do very well but we had fun - sometimes!! We all gathered for a couple of drinks and then carried on to Fred’s for Mexican food.
We got back about 8:40 and we all went to bed! A full day wears out the senior citizens!
Jan 22nd - Sun
We started by meeting 4 others for breakfast at a nice restaurant with an ocean view. We made a quick grocery store stop and came back to the condo where Kathy & I did some food prep for the 9 guests we were having over for dinner and the guys watched a golf tournament on TV. There was quite a bit of frozen meat so we figured having people over was a good way to use some up. We also took time to watch turtles & whales.
Just after golf finished and a football game started, our guests started arriving. Most of the guys watched football and the ladies enjoyed the lanai, whale watching and taking pictures of the sunset. Dinner was quite good if I do say so myself!
After the last guests left we played a game of Wizard and Kathy won!!!!
Friday, January 20, 2012
Jan 19th - Maui
Jan 19th - Thurs
We left just after 8 to go on a snorkeling boat trip. The departure point was not very far away but it was a good thing that we left early as the road was closed due to a bad car accident and we had a slight detour. Then we had to wind our way through a huge, beautiful hotel resort to the beach. There were 11 people from the group that we know here.
The large catamaran had been out for an early morning run and we watched the guests unload which was a little unnerving as we realized we had to get on the same way. The captain timed the waves and brought the boat near the sandy shore so the passengers could climb down 2 parallel sets of stairs into the surf and then wade ashore. Since we had to walk the opposite way through the breaking waves, an employee passed out small garbage bags to keep our towels, etc dry as we loaded.
We started by lining up the 60 or so passengers into 2 single file lines and waded into the water. When a larger wave came in, the employees had everyone back up while it cleared and then move forward again. I expressed my concern about losing a contact in the procedure but even though I lost my footing trying to move quickly, an employee kept me from going down completely.
We all moved to the cabin for a short safety talk and continental breakfast as we moved to Molokini crater. We all got snorkel equipment and had to wait just a bit to get a good site to tie up. Some brave people jumped off the side of the catamaran but most of us climbed down the stairs, put on flippers and eased into the clear, clear water. An employee did a reef tour and identified fish for those who wanted to join her. In 45 minutes we all reboarded and had a snack as the captain moved to the other side of the crater so we could snorkel in a different area without having to swim all the way over. This was a good thing as Terry & I were both getting leg cramps from the flippers. After this snorkel session of another 40 minutes, lunch was served and the bar opened - unlimited maitais and beer included in the price. We then moved to Turtle Town, saw a couple of whales on the way but not many turtles.
The captain unloaded us at an alternate beach with smaller waves and we just walked off the stairs into a foot or so of water. Passenger vans were waiting to take us back to the hotel and our cars.
Back at the condo, we all showered to get the salt off and Kathy & I started getting everything ready for our pupu party. At 4, everyone started arriving and we ended up with 15 people counting us & Skip & Kathy. We had a great time drinking, eating, talking, laughing & taking pictures. Everyone left about 8, we cleaned up and then played a game of Wizard before calling it a night. Kathy is determined to win a game of Wizard before we leave!!
We left just after 8 to go on a snorkeling boat trip. The departure point was not very far away but it was a good thing that we left early as the road was closed due to a bad car accident and we had a slight detour. Then we had to wind our way through a huge, beautiful hotel resort to the beach. There were 11 people from the group that we know here.
The large catamaran had been out for an early morning run and we watched the guests unload which was a little unnerving as we realized we had to get on the same way. The captain timed the waves and brought the boat near the sandy shore so the passengers could climb down 2 parallel sets of stairs into the surf and then wade ashore. Since we had to walk the opposite way through the breaking waves, an employee passed out small garbage bags to keep our towels, etc dry as we loaded.
We started by lining up the 60 or so passengers into 2 single file lines and waded into the water. When a larger wave came in, the employees had everyone back up while it cleared and then move forward again. I expressed my concern about losing a contact in the procedure but even though I lost my footing trying to move quickly, an employee kept me from going down completely.
We all moved to the cabin for a short safety talk and continental breakfast as we moved to Molokini crater. We all got snorkel equipment and had to wait just a bit to get a good site to tie up. Some brave people jumped off the side of the catamaran but most of us climbed down the stairs, put on flippers and eased into the clear, clear water. An employee did a reef tour and identified fish for those who wanted to join her. In 45 minutes we all reboarded and had a snack as the captain moved to the other side of the crater so we could snorkel in a different area without having to swim all the way over. This was a good thing as Terry & I were both getting leg cramps from the flippers. After this snorkel session of another 40 minutes, lunch was served and the bar opened - unlimited maitais and beer included in the price. We then moved to Turtle Town, saw a couple of whales on the way but not many turtles.
The captain unloaded us at an alternate beach with smaller waves and we just walked off the stairs into a foot or so of water. Passenger vans were waiting to take us back to the hotel and our cars.
Back at the condo, we all showered to get the salt off and Kathy & I started getting everything ready for our pupu party. At 4, everyone started arriving and we ended up with 15 people counting us & Skip & Kathy. We had a great time drinking, eating, talking, laughing & taking pictures. Everyone left about 8, we cleaned up and then played a game of Wizard before calling it a night. Kathy is determined to win a game of Wizard before we leave!!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Jan 16th to 18th - Maui
Jan 16th - Mon
We had lots of time for coffee & breakfast before heading to the middle of the island to play golf at Kahili GC. The guys even picked up some cleaning & groceries while Kathy & I cleaned up breakfast dishes and I posted my blog.
Our tee time was 10:56 and the sun was very hot. Shade & water were necessities. The group ahead of us was kind of slow and Terry & I hit our usual share of bad shots but other than that it was fun.
More friends of Skip & Kathy’s arrived today so we stopped for a drink with Lance & Claudine, Ken & Cheryl, Pat & Donna and Jessica. Back at the condo we made a great steak dinner and then played a game of Wizard.
Jan 17th - Tues
We went for breakfast this morning and tried an island specialty called Loco Moko. It is a patty of sticky rice, a hamburger patty, brown onion gravy and an over-easy egg on top. I had the mini (one of each) and Terry & Skip had the normal order with 2 of each. I would order it again.
At 10:30 we joined 6 others (Pat & Donna, Jim & Carol, Dean & Debbie) for golf at the nearby Wailea Blue GC. Terry & I did not have good games. I think part of my problem was playing 18 holes 2 days in a row as I am not used to it and just wear out. The golfers and 3 more people - Lance, Claudine & Jessica - had a couple of drinks at the golf course bar and then we all went to Jim & Carol’s hotel room for another drink before walking to Longhi’s restaurant for dinner. It was very expensive for the small servings of good, tastefully presented food. We were going to play Yahtzee when we got back but made the mistake of sitting around first which let Terry fall asleep.
Jan 18th - Wed
Skip & Kathy looked after some business on the computer & phone while I got breakfast ready to the point where Skip could make his special French toast. Then it was off to do a bit of shopping at a mall and then the grocery store. The whole group will be coming here tomorrow for pupus & drinks so we made a list of food and have to get the ingredients.
Before we went to Safeway, we had to stop for a drink at Longhi’s bar at the mall. When we got back and unpacked the groceries we had cheese, salami & crackers for “lunch”. Then Kathy & I put together some appies. The guys finally went to the beach with boogie boards and braved the waves. The boards were too small and Skip dragged on the sand when he tried to ride a wave into the beach. Kathy & I were ready to go to the pool when the guys came back so we all took a short swim to cool off.
We played Yahtzee and Wizard while cooking dinner and relaxed with some TV before going to bed early. It is amazing how tiring a lazy day can be!
We had lots of time for coffee & breakfast before heading to the middle of the island to play golf at Kahili GC. The guys even picked up some cleaning & groceries while Kathy & I cleaned up breakfast dishes and I posted my blog.
Our tee time was 10:56 and the sun was very hot. Shade & water were necessities. The group ahead of us was kind of slow and Terry & I hit our usual share of bad shots but other than that it was fun.
More friends of Skip & Kathy’s arrived today so we stopped for a drink with Lance & Claudine, Ken & Cheryl, Pat & Donna and Jessica. Back at the condo we made a great steak dinner and then played a game of Wizard.
Jan 17th - Tues
We went for breakfast this morning and tried an island specialty called Loco Moko. It is a patty of sticky rice, a hamburger patty, brown onion gravy and an over-easy egg on top. I had the mini (one of each) and Terry & Skip had the normal order with 2 of each. I would order it again.
At 10:30 we joined 6 others (Pat & Donna, Jim & Carol, Dean & Debbie) for golf at the nearby Wailea Blue GC. Terry & I did not have good games. I think part of my problem was playing 18 holes 2 days in a row as I am not used to it and just wear out. The golfers and 3 more people - Lance, Claudine & Jessica - had a couple of drinks at the golf course bar and then we all went to Jim & Carol’s hotel room for another drink before walking to Longhi’s restaurant for dinner. It was very expensive for the small servings of good, tastefully presented food. We were going to play Yahtzee when we got back but made the mistake of sitting around first which let Terry fall asleep.
Jan 18th - Wed
Skip & Kathy looked after some business on the computer & phone while I got breakfast ready to the point where Skip could make his special French toast. Then it was off to do a bit of shopping at a mall and then the grocery store. The whole group will be coming here tomorrow for pupus & drinks so we made a list of food and have to get the ingredients.
Before we went to Safeway, we had to stop for a drink at Longhi’s bar at the mall. When we got back and unpacked the groceries we had cheese, salami & crackers for “lunch”. Then Kathy & I put together some appies. The guys finally went to the beach with boogie boards and braved the waves. The boards were too small and Skip dragged on the sand when he tried to ride a wave into the beach. Kathy & I were ready to go to the pool when the guys came back so we all took a short swim to cool off.
We played Yahtzee and Wizard while cooking dinner and relaxed with some TV before going to bed early. It is amazing how tiring a lazy day can be!
Monday, January 16, 2012
Jan 13th to 15th - Maui
Jan 13th - Fri
The guys were kind of subdued today so it was a good thing that we didn’t have much planned. At 10, Skip & Kathy and Terry & I went to look at a condo that they considered when they were looking for a place to rent here. The rent was VERY high so they wanted to see what you got for your money. We saw a 3 bedroom unit on the 5th floor facing the ocean but you couldn’t even see the beach and you had to walk past other buildings in the complex quite a ways to get to the beach. Prices in that large complex are from $800 to $4000 PER DAY!
Then we all enjoyed whale watching and people watching from the patio. The patio/balcony on this 3rd floor unit goes all across the width of the living/dining room and has sliding glass doors & screens that disappear into 4 foot sections on both sides of the room. The whales are very active and we can see them spouting & breaching all day. Kathy & I went for a walk on the beach and found that the water was cooler than we expected by seeing the number of people in the water and the length of time they stayed in.
At 3 we went to a restaurant at a nearby golf course to have a drink and pupus - appetizers to most people. We played 3 games of Wizard (card game) when we got back and then made a nice late dinner.
Jan 14th - Sat
We went on a road trip to Lehaina today. We are staying on the southwest coast (Makena) and Lehaina is on the northwest coast. We actually drove past Lehaina and did some sightseeing first. Kathy’s brother Dave told her about a place for great hamburgers so we drove all over town looking for a parking spot and then found the restaurant - The Cool Cat Café. Dave was right, the burgers were great. We felt the need to walk and settle lunch so we first checked out a huge banyan tree in a park across from the restaurant and then walked & shopped down and back up the main street.
We stopped at a grocery store for a few items and then played more Wizard before making a late, light dinner. The whales were active again and interrupted the card games many times. Larry wanted to play another game of Wizard after dinner and we ended up going to bed after midnight.
The temperature here has been in the low 80’s but with quite high humidity so Kathy & I take turns mopping our brows. A slight breeze is welcome and does not feel at all cool.
I have to make a correction. What I have been calling a patio is really a lanai!
Jan 15th - Sun
Kathy thought Sunday deserved a nice breakfast so we did potatoes, bacon, eggs & toast. We were just enjoying the view & whales when a housekeeper came and was going to vacuum so we all grabbed a beer - Kathy’s orders! - and went for a walk on the beach to get out of his way. He was still finishing up when we got back so we went to the pool area for a short while.
We had cheese & crackers and such for “lunch” and played another game of Wizard. Skip & Terry took Larry to the airport at 2:30 and picked up a few groceries - again - on the way back. We played a new card game “3 to 13” while the ribs were cooking. After dinner we played Yahtzee with me winning 3 games out of 4 - just had to include that bit of info. It rained a bit before we went to bed.
The guys were kind of subdued today so it was a good thing that we didn’t have much planned. At 10, Skip & Kathy and Terry & I went to look at a condo that they considered when they were looking for a place to rent here. The rent was VERY high so they wanted to see what you got for your money. We saw a 3 bedroom unit on the 5th floor facing the ocean but you couldn’t even see the beach and you had to walk past other buildings in the complex quite a ways to get to the beach. Prices in that large complex are from $800 to $4000 PER DAY!
Then we all enjoyed whale watching and people watching from the patio. The patio/balcony on this 3rd floor unit goes all across the width of the living/dining room and has sliding glass doors & screens that disappear into 4 foot sections on both sides of the room. The whales are very active and we can see them spouting & breaching all day. Kathy & I went for a walk on the beach and found that the water was cooler than we expected by seeing the number of people in the water and the length of time they stayed in.
At 3 we went to a restaurant at a nearby golf course to have a drink and pupus - appetizers to most people. We played 3 games of Wizard (card game) when we got back and then made a nice late dinner.
Jan 14th - Sat
We went on a road trip to Lehaina today. We are staying on the southwest coast (Makena) and Lehaina is on the northwest coast. We actually drove past Lehaina and did some sightseeing first. Kathy’s brother Dave told her about a place for great hamburgers so we drove all over town looking for a parking spot and then found the restaurant - The Cool Cat Café. Dave was right, the burgers were great. We felt the need to walk and settle lunch so we first checked out a huge banyan tree in a park across from the restaurant and then walked & shopped down and back up the main street.
We stopped at a grocery store for a few items and then played more Wizard before making a late, light dinner. The whales were active again and interrupted the card games many times. Larry wanted to play another game of Wizard after dinner and we ended up going to bed after midnight.
The temperature here has been in the low 80’s but with quite high humidity so Kathy & I take turns mopping our brows. A slight breeze is welcome and does not feel at all cool.
I have to make a correction. What I have been calling a patio is really a lanai!
Jan 15th - Sun
Kathy thought Sunday deserved a nice breakfast so we did potatoes, bacon, eggs & toast. We were just enjoying the view & whales when a housekeeper came and was going to vacuum so we all grabbed a beer - Kathy’s orders! - and went for a walk on the beach to get out of his way. He was still finishing up when we got back so we went to the pool area for a short while.
We had cheese & crackers and such for “lunch” and played another game of Wizard. Skip & Terry took Larry to the airport at 2:30 and picked up a few groceries - again - on the way back. We played a new card game “3 to 13” while the ribs were cooking. After dinner we played Yahtzee with me winning 3 games out of 4 - just had to include that bit of info. It rained a bit before we went to bed.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Jan 10th to 12th - Maui HI
Jan 10th - Tues
Yes, I know there is a gap before this entry but things weren’t all that exciting and I am not going to fill in the pieces.
Our plane left at 7 this morning on the first leg of our trip to Maui. We had a stop in San Francisco on the way to Seattle. Alaska Air changed their flights after we made our reservations so we had a 5 ½ hour layover in Seattle instead of 3 hours. We talked to someone at the Alaska service desk and got permission to use the “Boardroom” (VIP lounge) while we were waiting. We had coffee, salad & soup there and then had fish & chips in the concourse shortly before we left for Maui at 5.
We had good weather and a tail wind so we landed early, got our bags and were picked up by Terry’s brother Skip and his wife Kathy who asked us to join them here. We didn’t stay up too late as we had a long day and were dealing with a 2 hour time change.
Jan 11th - Wed
It’s a good thing that our internal clocks were still 2 hours ahead as we had an 8 o’clock tee time this morning. We were joined by 4 friends of Skip & Kathy’s. Just as we got to the golf course, it started to rain lightly which produced a beautiful rainbow. The rain stopped after a couple of holes. The course was tough but we had a great time and then we all went to the restaurant at the golf course for a nice lunch.
We stopped at a couple of stores looking for dill weed - no luck! - and came back to the lovely condo on the beach where we are staying. We relaxed on the patio and watched the ocean before our golfing friends joined us for a drink. We had a late dinner and called it a day.
Jan 12th - Thurs
We had enough time for a nice breakfast before heading out for another adventure. We joined 5 members of the family who joined us for golf to go zip lining. We drove over an hour to get there and ended up at an elevation of 4200 feet. The web site suggested wearing long pants and the cool weather at that height almost made us wish that we had taken their advice.
Our group of 13 people got fitted with harnesses and walked less than ½ mile to the first zip line which was short but a good introduction to the whole process. A short walk brought us to the second line (across the same gully) which had a much steeper drop off. The third line was a little longer and fast enough that the fence behind the landing area was padded in case you didn’t get stopped quick enough. At each line, there was one employee at each end to hook you to the line and to stop and unhook you at the other end. The fourth line was longer yet and required the employee at the finish to stop you with a wood block on the cable. Then we had to cross the gully on a narrow suspension bridge to the final line which is unique in the zip line companies on Maui and is called the pendulum. You go very fast across the gully, past the landing dock and up the line which is fastened very high on a large tree. Some people actually hit the block on the end of the cable just before the tree. Gravity takes you back down past the landing dock again and part way back over the gully. After a pause, you head back to the landing dock. The employee grabs the feet of taller riders and has shorter riders grab a long pole to stop them and direct them to a rolling ladder to unhook and climb down. Whew!! A van picked us up for a short ride back to where we started and we got rid of our harnesses and helmets. The whole adventure was wonderful!
We stopped in Paia for lunch, stopped at a couple more stores, finally found dill weed and came home. We had time for a drink on the patio before Skip & Terry left for the airport to pick up their friend Larry who lives on the Big Island. Terry, Skip & Larry were teenage friends so they had a lot of fun reminiscing - which requires quite a bit of alcohol to keep the throats lubricated! We had a late dinner and the guys finally called it quits at 1:30
Yes, I know there is a gap before this entry but things weren’t all that exciting and I am not going to fill in the pieces.
Our plane left at 7 this morning on the first leg of our trip to Maui. We had a stop in San Francisco on the way to Seattle. Alaska Air changed their flights after we made our reservations so we had a 5 ½ hour layover in Seattle instead of 3 hours. We talked to someone at the Alaska service desk and got permission to use the “Boardroom” (VIP lounge) while we were waiting. We had coffee, salad & soup there and then had fish & chips in the concourse shortly before we left for Maui at 5.
We had good weather and a tail wind so we landed early, got our bags and were picked up by Terry’s brother Skip and his wife Kathy who asked us to join them here. We didn’t stay up too late as we had a long day and were dealing with a 2 hour time change.
Jan 11th - Wed
It’s a good thing that our internal clocks were still 2 hours ahead as we had an 8 o’clock tee time this morning. We were joined by 4 friends of Skip & Kathy’s. Just as we got to the golf course, it started to rain lightly which produced a beautiful rainbow. The rain stopped after a couple of holes. The course was tough but we had a great time and then we all went to the restaurant at the golf course for a nice lunch.
We stopped at a couple of stores looking for dill weed - no luck! - and came back to the lovely condo on the beach where we are staying. We relaxed on the patio and watched the ocean before our golfing friends joined us for a drink. We had a late dinner and called it a day.
Jan 12th - Thurs
We had enough time for a nice breakfast before heading out for another adventure. We joined 5 members of the family who joined us for golf to go zip lining. We drove over an hour to get there and ended up at an elevation of 4200 feet. The web site suggested wearing long pants and the cool weather at that height almost made us wish that we had taken their advice.
Our group of 13 people got fitted with harnesses and walked less than ½ mile to the first zip line which was short but a good introduction to the whole process. A short walk brought us to the second line (across the same gully) which had a much steeper drop off. The third line was a little longer and fast enough that the fence behind the landing area was padded in case you didn’t get stopped quick enough. At each line, there was one employee at each end to hook you to the line and to stop and unhook you at the other end. The fourth line was longer yet and required the employee at the finish to stop you with a wood block on the cable. Then we had to cross the gully on a narrow suspension bridge to the final line which is unique in the zip line companies on Maui and is called the pendulum. You go very fast across the gully, past the landing dock and up the line which is fastened very high on a large tree. Some people actually hit the block on the end of the cable just before the tree. Gravity takes you back down past the landing dock again and part way back over the gully. After a pause, you head back to the landing dock. The employee grabs the feet of taller riders and has shorter riders grab a long pole to stop them and direct them to a rolling ladder to unhook and climb down. Whew!! A van picked us up for a short ride back to where we started and we got rid of our harnesses and helmets. The whole adventure was wonderful!
We stopped in Paia for lunch, stopped at a couple more stores, finally found dill weed and came home. We had time for a drink on the patio before Skip & Terry left for the airport to pick up their friend Larry who lives on the Big Island. Terry, Skip & Larry were teenage friends so they had a lot of fun reminiscing - which requires quite a bit of alcohol to keep the throats lubricated! We had a late dinner and the guys finally called it quits at 1:30
Saturday, January 07, 2012
Jan 4th to 6th - Desert Hot Springs
Jan 4th – Wed
This was the quietest day that we have had for a long time. I called to wish sister Marg a Happy Birthday and chatted for quite a while. Terry nearly wore out the mouse playing games on the computer. After lunch we went shopping for a few groceries and I am still looking for some blouses - no luck. One more birthday call, this time to Ernie.
We sat outside watching TV & reading until it got too dark for reading for me and then too cool for Terry. Dinner & more TV & reading took up the rest of the evening.
Jan 5th – Thurs
I wanted to go to the outlet stores down Hwy 10 a ways so I suggested that I drop Terry off at the nearby casino and shop by myself. All I did was get totally discouraged by the lack of anything that I wanted and the fact that anything I liked did not fit. Time for a diet!!??
I went back to the casino, found Terry and we proceeded to lose our allowances. We stopped for a hamburger for a late lunch. When we got back, we saw that Larry & Barb were just parking so we gave them some time to set up and went over to say hi. They were going to Russ & Judy’s so we didn’t stay long.
At 4:30 I went to the laundry room and asked Terry to start dinner at 5:30 by turning the heat on under a pan of chicken thighs & Yoshida sauce. I said he had to watch it and turn it way down once it boiled. When I got back, I could smell the burned odor as soon as I got out of the truck. The chicken was fine but the stove was a burned, sticky mess. The extra bad news was I finally really cleaned the stove top about 2 weeks ago!
Jan 6th – Fri
Terry’s scramble tee time was 8:18 so he left about 7:45. I got to stay in bed for a while as my tee time was 9:38. Luckily I went up about ½ hour early as my group was second up on the 1st tee. The tee times at the end of the scramble overlapped some other times and we were encouraged to play as quickly as possible without affecting our games. A sunny day and great golfing partners made for a wonderful game even though we ended up 2 over. Lunch at 12:30 was a good hamburger & all the trimmings.
We were driving out when we saw Larry & Barb were home so we stopped to tell them that we made a tee time for tomorrow. We visited a bit and ended up inviting them over for drinks & dinner. We made a quick trip for groceries and I put a pork loin in the crock pot. Cliff & Pauline had just set up across the wash so we had to go say hi and have a beer with them and Terry & Eileen.
After dinner, we all went to the hall for a “Show & Dance”. A trio played mostly horns and presented a “musical revue of songs that shaped our lives” for the first hour and then some dance music for 40 minutes after a break. The dance music was OK but not exactly our cup of tea.
This was the quietest day that we have had for a long time. I called to wish sister Marg a Happy Birthday and chatted for quite a while. Terry nearly wore out the mouse playing games on the computer. After lunch we went shopping for a few groceries and I am still looking for some blouses - no luck. One more birthday call, this time to Ernie.
We sat outside watching TV & reading until it got too dark for reading for me and then too cool for Terry. Dinner & more TV & reading took up the rest of the evening.
Jan 5th – Thurs
I wanted to go to the outlet stores down Hwy 10 a ways so I suggested that I drop Terry off at the nearby casino and shop by myself. All I did was get totally discouraged by the lack of anything that I wanted and the fact that anything I liked did not fit. Time for a diet!!??
I went back to the casino, found Terry and we proceeded to lose our allowances. We stopped for a hamburger for a late lunch. When we got back, we saw that Larry & Barb were just parking so we gave them some time to set up and went over to say hi. They were going to Russ & Judy’s so we didn’t stay long.
At 4:30 I went to the laundry room and asked Terry to start dinner at 5:30 by turning the heat on under a pan of chicken thighs & Yoshida sauce. I said he had to watch it and turn it way down once it boiled. When I got back, I could smell the burned odor as soon as I got out of the truck. The chicken was fine but the stove was a burned, sticky mess. The extra bad news was I finally really cleaned the stove top about 2 weeks ago!
Jan 6th – Fri
Terry’s scramble tee time was 8:18 so he left about 7:45. I got to stay in bed for a while as my tee time was 9:38. Luckily I went up about ½ hour early as my group was second up on the 1st tee. The tee times at the end of the scramble overlapped some other times and we were encouraged to play as quickly as possible without affecting our games. A sunny day and great golfing partners made for a wonderful game even though we ended up 2 over. Lunch at 12:30 was a good hamburger & all the trimmings.
We were driving out when we saw Larry & Barb were home so we stopped to tell them that we made a tee time for tomorrow. We visited a bit and ended up inviting them over for drinks & dinner. We made a quick trip for groceries and I put a pork loin in the crock pot. Cliff & Pauline had just set up across the wash so we had to go say hi and have a beer with them and Terry & Eileen.
After dinner, we all went to the hall for a “Show & Dance”. A trio played mostly horns and presented a “musical revue of songs that shaped our lives” for the first hour and then some dance music for 40 minutes after a break. The dance music was OK but not exactly our cup of tea.
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
Dec 31st to Jan 3rd - Mesa to Desert Hot Springs CA
Dec 31st – Sat
We left at 11:40 to go to Filly’s as the band North Star is playing from 1 to 5. We wanted to get a table for a group but ended up with only 8 seats as there were a lot of people there already. We could have grabbed a table on the upper level but we wanted to be closer to the dance floor & band. Ernie & Dianne, Larry & Julie and Neal & Judy joined us. I think about 80% of the people there were from our park as the band leader Steve Stairs lives in the park and we were all there to support him.
We left at 3 and stopped at a couple of stores looking for steaks for dinner tomorrow. We had leftovers for dinner and at 8:30 went to Fiesta community center for a New Year’s Eve gathering. When we got there, a few tables of people were playing cards and some musicians were just setting up so we decided to go to a casino instead. It took us until midnight to finally lose our allowances. We saw quite a few fireworks on the drive home.
Jan 1st – Sun
We didn’t have much to do to get ready to leave so we finished up and then went for a walk to say goodbye to a few people that we didn’t see yesterday. After we pulled in the slides we checked tire pressure and had to get out the pump to top up the 5th wheel tires. We told everyone that we would leave at 10 and we pulled out at 9:59.
Traffic was light so the drive was easy. We stopped for diesel at a truck stop just before Quartzsite and paid less than our last fill in Mesa - $3.76. When we got to Clem & Marlene’s, they were working on a bathroom remodel in their garage and were happy to drop what they were doing to get us parked. We sat the rest of the afternoon to catch up on everything and then I made a nice steak dinner but used their BBQ, dishes and – best of all – dishwasher!
Jan 2nd – Mon
Marlene made a very good breakfast. We watched the Rose Bowl parade during and after breakfast until it ended at 11. We stopped at Spotlight 29 casino on the way to our RV park where Terry lost his allowance and I came out $10 ahead.
There were 2 rigs in line to check in but it didn’t take long to get our paperwork done. The “parkers” were all busy and since we had been here before we were told to go ahead and park ourselves which we prefer. The sites here are narrow but we could park a long ways back and put the electric post between 2 slides which leaves us lots of room to park the truck and enough space for chairs in front of the outside TV.
After setting up we took a walk to see who was here. We ended up having a drink with Terry & Eileen. We didn’t have lunch so I was starting an early dinner when Gilbert & Grace came over. When they visited us in Mesa they said they would make us dinner when we arrived but they weren’t home the couple of times we walked past their place. They told us to come over in ½ hour so we used the time to get the local channels changed on our satellite.
We had a nice dinner and then taught Gilbert & Grace to play Ponytail Canasta. Unfortunately for Grace & I, the guys were lucky with cards and won every hand.
Jan 3rd – Tues
Terry borrowed a rake from Gilbert to smooth out the rocks before putting down our mat. He put out chairs, etc and then we washed the outside of the windows. We back up to a wash so our rear blind will be open most of the time which requires a clean window. A neighbor across the road – Alice - dropped by to introduce herself.
After breakfast we went to sign up for the golf scramble on Friday and buy a punch card for golfing. We made a tee time for 1 and stopped to see Leon & Marilyn who bought a park model last March. We had a beer with them and then hurried back to get our clubs.
The golf course is in mediocre shape but the weather was wonderful so it was nice to play. Once again we didn’t have lunch so we sat outside watching TV and I made a salad to tide us over until dinner. We asked some neighbors over but it didn’t work for them so they will come over tomorrow.
We left at 11:40 to go to Filly’s as the band North Star is playing from 1 to 5. We wanted to get a table for a group but ended up with only 8 seats as there were a lot of people there already. We could have grabbed a table on the upper level but we wanted to be closer to the dance floor & band. Ernie & Dianne, Larry & Julie and Neal & Judy joined us. I think about 80% of the people there were from our park as the band leader Steve Stairs lives in the park and we were all there to support him.
We left at 3 and stopped at a couple of stores looking for steaks for dinner tomorrow. We had leftovers for dinner and at 8:30 went to Fiesta community center for a New Year’s Eve gathering. When we got there, a few tables of people were playing cards and some musicians were just setting up so we decided to go to a casino instead. It took us until midnight to finally lose our allowances. We saw quite a few fireworks on the drive home.
Jan 1st – Sun
We didn’t have much to do to get ready to leave so we finished up and then went for a walk to say goodbye to a few people that we didn’t see yesterday. After we pulled in the slides we checked tire pressure and had to get out the pump to top up the 5th wheel tires. We told everyone that we would leave at 10 and we pulled out at 9:59.
Traffic was light so the drive was easy. We stopped for diesel at a truck stop just before Quartzsite and paid less than our last fill in Mesa - $3.76. When we got to Clem & Marlene’s, they were working on a bathroom remodel in their garage and were happy to drop what they were doing to get us parked. We sat the rest of the afternoon to catch up on everything and then I made a nice steak dinner but used their BBQ, dishes and – best of all – dishwasher!
Jan 2nd – Mon
Marlene made a very good breakfast. We watched the Rose Bowl parade during and after breakfast until it ended at 11. We stopped at Spotlight 29 casino on the way to our RV park where Terry lost his allowance and I came out $10 ahead.
There were 2 rigs in line to check in but it didn’t take long to get our paperwork done. The “parkers” were all busy and since we had been here before we were told to go ahead and park ourselves which we prefer. The sites here are narrow but we could park a long ways back and put the electric post between 2 slides which leaves us lots of room to park the truck and enough space for chairs in front of the outside TV.
After setting up we took a walk to see who was here. We ended up having a drink with Terry & Eileen. We didn’t have lunch so I was starting an early dinner when Gilbert & Grace came over. When they visited us in Mesa they said they would make us dinner when we arrived but they weren’t home the couple of times we walked past their place. They told us to come over in ½ hour so we used the time to get the local channels changed on our satellite.
We had a nice dinner and then taught Gilbert & Grace to play Ponytail Canasta. Unfortunately for Grace & I, the guys were lucky with cards and won every hand.
Jan 3rd – Tues
Terry borrowed a rake from Gilbert to smooth out the rocks before putting down our mat. He put out chairs, etc and then we washed the outside of the windows. We back up to a wash so our rear blind will be open most of the time which requires a clean window. A neighbor across the road – Alice - dropped by to introduce herself.
After breakfast we went to sign up for the golf scramble on Friday and buy a punch card for golfing. We made a tee time for 1 and stopped to see Leon & Marilyn who bought a park model last March. We had a beer with them and then hurried back to get our clubs.
The golf course is in mediocre shape but the weather was wonderful so it was nice to play. Once again we didn’t have lunch so we sat outside watching TV and I made a salad to tide us over until dinner. We asked some neighbors over but it didn’t work for them so they will come over tomorrow.
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