Homeward bound tomorrow, March 27th

Well, this is it. We are off early tomorrow morning. After getting the car all ready for travel we made one more trip to Maracas for another wonderful meal and a good visit with our favourite waiter Benjie. He and the bartender were our free entertainment.
We met Audra and Roland for lunch downtown Palm Springs for lunch at Las Cosquelas. It was good but not nearly as good as Maracas. We had a great visit. So good in fact that we talked for over four hours and got a parking ticket. The bill was $35.00. Made lunch slightly more expensive. But it was worth it just to get caught up.
The weather here has been okay but very windy and cool. So we decided to leave for home on Saturday. We got all the laundry done, floors and bathrooms cleaned, fridge cleaned out and gave away any food we had left. Got the car all packed. Then Ian looked at the road conditions for the routes that we were going to be travelling.  All had severe weather warnings. Lots of snow and wind in the forecast. So that’s why we are leaving tomorrow. We have been living out of our overnight bags and eating out. Tonight we will have dinner at our little restaurant here and hit the hay early. Art and Gloria leave in the morning as well and are travelling the same route so maybe we’ll have dinner tomorrow night with them. Goodbye Palm Springs!👋

The last week

I’ve neglected the blog. My heart just wasn’t in it. Mom passed away on the morning of March 8th at 11:00 am. Sorry not to have been there for mom as well as my brother, Craig, who has been left with all the things that need to be done at a time like this. But it could not be helped.
Karen left for Bremerton to visit her daughter and family for a week. Ian and I dropped her off at the airport and then headed over to La Quinta for lunch. We finally found the restaurant called Souplantation. It was worth searching for. It’s a soup and salad buffet. All you can eat soups and salads ........ $9.99 for lunch and $11.99 for dinner. Everything there is made fresh from scratch every day. It reminded me of the Keg in the old days except much, much better. There must have been at least 10 different kinds of soup and everything you could possibly think of to put on a salad. There was also breads and little pizzas, crackers and croutons, etc. All kinds of desserts; ice cream, pies, muffins , brownies.  Ian, of course, had ice cream. I wanted to but just didn’t have room. We will be going back there once more before leaving for home. We are also going to return once more to Marraca’s Mexican restaurant for dinner before we leave here. We went twice while Karen was here and then twice ourselves for Happy Hour.  Happy Hour is from 4-7 unless you sit at the bar where it is Happy Hour all day long. We like sitting at the bar. We’ve gotten to know some of the bartenders and waiters. Lots of fun. The last time we went with Karen the leftovers did us for dinner the next day and then some. Huge portions and absolutely delicious food. Although we have decided that we like Mexico better than Palm Springs the Mexican food is better here.  The day after Karen left we went out to see a polo match.  Quite the sight. Just amazing how coordinated the riders are. Can’t imagine riding at top speed and hitting that little ball (or whatever it’s called).
The following Tuesday we took a couple of days and went to visit the Grand Canyon. All I can say is WOW! The first sight is jaw dropping. We spent about an hour there. Took lots of pictures. I couldn’t believe how many people actually went out on to the rocks to get pictures over the edge. Don’t they know that’s what postcards are for? Anyway, an hour was enough. There I was with a husband that hates both crowds and heights. So, we can scratch that one off the bucket list. We stayed the first night in Williams. What a cute little town. Very touristy of course. Route 66 everything. But we met some nice people and had an amazing Thai dinner. After viewing the Canyon we drove as much of Route 66 as is left. Which isn’t much. It was a disappointment. That night we spent in Laughlin.  Couldn’t believe how many casinos they fit into that little space. Anyway, it was another first. We arrived back in Thousand Palms in time for dinner.
On the weekend we made another trip to College of the Desert where we purchased a really nice kokopelli to put in our backyard. Sure hope we can fit it in the car to get it home. Yesterday we took a drive out to Joshua Tree park. We’ve seen it before. It’s still an amazing thing to see but we are now feeling like we are just filling time before we go home. Tomorrow we are going to meet Audra and Roland for lunch in downtown Palm Springs. It will be nice to see them again. On Thursday Ian is taking the car into the Honda dealership to get a few things done. And then who knows? The plan at the moment is to leave here on the 28th of March. Maybe we’ll get in another round of golf. And it’s great pool weather as well.

Mom

Karen is flying to Bremerton on Saturday. Although she has had a tough time with her bursitis and other painful joints I think she has had a fairly good time. Walking is difficult for her as is sitting in the car for too long. Kind of limits what we can do. But we have managed two rounds of nine hole golf. She has also enjoyed a couple of shopping trips. We didn’t get much pool time due to the cold, windy weather. But that has all changed and the temperatures have risen each day. Supposed to be 81 today. We spent the day at the pool yesterday and will again today. Ian’s buddies left last Saturday for home. I guess they went back to winter in Kelowna. It just won’t quit.
We got an email the other day from Three Links informing us that mom, as well as having the flu, now has shingles. She is slowly losing the battle now. I am in constant contact with my brother Craig and sister in law Judy. Mom’s doctor went to see her yesterday morning and he said it is just a matter of time now. The poor little thing has been through so much over this last year in particular. I wish that I could be there with her but at this stage I don’t think she would know I was there.
So Karen leaves on Saturday and after that we will decide what to do. It’s looking like we might just start for home a little earlier than planned. We’ll see.

February is almost over!!

We’ll be glad to see the end of February. It’s been generally 20to 30 degrees cooler than January was. Ian and his buddies have played their first three days of golf and have had a great time together. The first two were pretty good and although yesterday’s was the favourite course it was cold and windy. We woke up yesterday morning to snow on all the hills around us. When I picked Ian up at the course all the boys had wind burn on their faces. Doesn’t seem to bother them though. They are just enjoying  each other’s company.
Karen and I went to Cabazon  outlet mall for a day of shopping. It wasn’t all that successful. Karen got a top and I got a pair of shorts. But after about two hours we agreed it was time to leave. It was so cold and windy there that I was looking for a down jacket to buy. No success. I wore two jackets as it was and was still cold. Karen wore her down jacket so she was fairly comfortable but her hips were bad yesterday so she was happy to come home too.
The three of us went out to In ‘n Out Burgers for dinner last night, came home and made an early night of it.
This morning I am driving Ian right downtown Palm Springs to play golf. The sun is shining but the wind is still howling. Karen and I have plans to play golf if the wind dies down and it warms up a bit. It’s too bad because we have a lovely pool and hot tub here that I’ m sure would feel good on Karen’s hips but it’s not worth getting out of when it’s this cold and windy. Oh well, could be another shopping day. It’s got to warm up soon............right?

I’m back

I’ve been neglecting the blog. Pure laziness on my part. Since my last post the weather has really not been very good. Nothing like at home but certainly not like when we first got here. It was up in the high eighties /low nineties then. This last two weeks has been anywhere from 62 to 71 degrees. Quite a change. Another problem has been the wind. Some of those temperatures are not so bad if the wind isn’t howling but we have had a couple of pretty heavy winds. For the most part though we have been able to get out and do things. We have had a couple of Happy hours with our friends the Baran’s and the Jost’s.  Always lots of laughs. We also had Art, Gloria, Ian and Karen King over for Happy Hour the other night. Everyone here always has their Happy hours outside but on this occasion we had it indoors. Too blinking cold. Anyway, poor us.
Karen Schick arrived here on Thursday night at about midnight. So Friday was a pretty quiet day, just getting settled and having a look around the park. Saturday Ian dropped us off at the College of the Desert, which is a large outdoor market on the college grounds. We spent a couple of hours there and have decided that we need a little more time so will return once more. We bought dates, walnuts and fresh licorice (which is all gone already). It was delicious! In the evening Karen an I went over to Brian and Linda’s for Happy Hour. The Jost’s were there as well. Of course it was another lovely evening with lots of goodies and beverages. Brian and Linda were supposed to start for home on Monday (the 26th) but due to bad weather they won’t be leaving until March first. Ian’s friends from Kelowna were supposed to arrive on Friday but the flight was cancelled due to snow. It’s been a crazy winter everywhere I guess. They arrived late last night and they have their first round of golf this morning. I know Ian is looking forward to it. I think he’s had enough girl time for a while. We haven’t decided what Karen and I are doing today but the sun is shining and it’s supposed to hit 70degrees so we can do anything we want to. Tuesday is supposed to be 59 and raining so we better make hay.

Back among the living

Weel, I recovered from my dreaded cold. When it began I thought it was going to be one of those couple of day sniffles. Wrong! It was a miserable cold. Sore throat was the worst of it but the constantly running nose, coughing and extreme lethargy was no fun either. I spent five days looking out at golf carts driving by and people heading for the pool. Just feeling sorry for myself. But that’s all behind me now and I’m raring to go. The day before yesterday we arranged to go over for Happy Hour with Brian and Linda Baran and Darryl and Donna Jost. Darryl and Donna have both just recovered from a bad flu. It was good to see them all and we had a great time. The park that they are in is really nice with tons of amenities. Six pools, jacuzzis, gyms, tennis and pickle ball to name a few. Brian is taking full advantage. It sounds like he and Darryl play lots of golf and have met a few characters along the way. They are all coming to our place next Saturday for Happy Hour. Looking forward to it. Brian and Linda are having to go home at the end of the month as Linda has an appointment with the oncologist. She is not happy about leaving. She loves it here and no wonder. The weather is fantastic. When the Baran’s leave, Darryl and Donna are moving to another RV park just down the highway from us in Indio. So we’ll still be close. The park that they are in now is a straight drive down Ramon from us. Maybe five minutes.
This morning Ian and I are going to the College of the Desert. It’s a huge outdoor market where they sell just about everything from clothing, kitchenware, pottery, shoes, all kinds of arts and crafts. It’s open every Saturday and Sunday from 7:00 until 2:00. Lots of good food too. This afternoon will be a pool day. The first one for me.

Stone Island, Olas Altas, the Malacon

After Brenda and Basil left for the airport Ian and I hopped on a bus and headed down to Old Town. From there we walked over to Olas Altas and caught a pulmonia to take us to the ferry for Stone Island. In the end we decided to give Stone Island a pass and just had lunch at a little place with a beautiful view of the island. Ian had shrimp tacos and I had a shrimp salad. Both meals were really good. One of the best we had. We then took another pulmonia back to Olas Altas and got off right in front of the condos where our friend Georgina will be staying in March. From there we walked almost the whole length of the Malecon to the Golden zone. It’s a beautiful walk right along the ocean. They are starting to get ready for Carnival and so are erecting these huge colourful statues.
The following day was a shopping day with Kathy for jewelry. That was lots of fun. I bought a pair of gold earrings (compliments of Ian) at El Delphin. What a nice store. So much to choose from. Kathy and I had lunch at Pancho’s at the Beach. We both had shrimp salad and once again it was delicious. It’s called shrimp salad but the shrimp look like prawns. They’re huge!
The following day (our last in Mazatlan) we went back to El Delphin and Ian bought me a lovely gold chain and bracelet. Now I’m a golden girl! I also bought myself a silver chain and moon pendant    made by a well known Mazatlan artisan. Ian thinks he’s created a monster. Maybe.
The next morning Eric picked us up and took us to the airport. I had lost my Mexican visa so I was issued another one to fill out. Then the woman babbled at me in what I guess was her English. We went through security and waited for our flight for almost two hours. When we boarding the plane all hell broke loose. Apparently what the woman had said to me was that I had to go to immigration to get a stamp on the visa. So they weren’t going to let me on the plane. Said I had to spend another night in Mexico and rebook for the following day. I couldn’t believe it. After all, I was leaving the country, not trying to enter. So after Ian hollered, JESUS CHRIST! they started taking pictures of our passports, Ian’s visa and made a call downstairs to immigration. The woman said she had a friend in immigration who was going to do us a favour. So we went running to board the plane and when we got to the door she said “you know if this happened in any other country this would have cost you $50.00 each but in Mexico it is free.” That’s when we realized they were trying to make some money off us. So I thanked her profusely and got on the plane. Another lesson learned.
So after waiting over an hour for our shuttle bus for the Red Lion Inn we finally got to our car. We drove to the west side of Phoenix and took a hotel in Surprise. The following day we drove to Palm Springs where we met Barb and Bob Grundy, who are are landlords. After they showed us our new home we went straight to the bar/grill where we just sat looking at the pool and palm trees. The next two days were spent grocery shopping. Of course we are starting from scratch again. Only the groceries are much more expensive here than Mexico. Cheap wine though!  Day three I woke up with a sore throat and cold. Bummer! No pool for me just yet. The weather is perfect although a bit hot. It is unusually hot for this time of year. Over the next two weeks the lowest forecast temperature is 80 F. Yesterday was 90. I’m not complaining though.........the people at home would kill me.

The Last Supper

So, today is Brenda and Basil’s departure day. They will be leaving for the airport at about 11:00 this morning. It’s a beautiful day here. Apparently not so much in Kelowna. They have spent the last couple of days on the beach soaking up sun and margaritas. We went down to Torres for dinner the other night where Brenda finally got her craving for fajitas met. It’s surprising how few restaurants had them on their menus. Anyway, she said they were delicious. Ian had the same and Basil and I had the ribs. The best part about Torres is location. The restaurant is in a palapa right on the beach. And we had an amazing sunset. It’s too bad that Torres is a time share because it would be a wonderful place to stay. Because it is a time share people tend to come for only a week or two. And they behave as if they have a limited time. It was a lot of fun watching half naked people trying to stay on their barstools or negotiating a path to the bathroom.  Friday night was also karaoke night. We only got to listen to a couple of people but just before we left a woman got up and sang a Janice Joplin song. I’ve never heard anyone attempt that before but she was really good.
When we got home we had another round of hand and foot. Ian and Basil cleaned our clocks once again. Brenda and I have not had very good luck lately. We played again last night with the same results. So after the game we chucked the cards in the garbage. I’m sure they were faulty!
We had Eric and Kathy over last night as well to have our last dinner with Brenda and Basil. A good time was had by all.
After Brenda and Basil head for the airport Ian and I are going to take a trip over to Stone Island. It’s supposed to have beautiful beaches and good restaurants. Tomorrow Kathy and I are going jewelry shopping. Ian bought me some beautiful gold earrings (gold and white gold) and I would like to get a chain as well. Kathy has a trusted jeweller that she frequents so that is where I got the earrings. It’s hard to know where to start in the store. Everything is lovely.

Brenda and Basil Bren

We’ve had a very busy week with Brenda and Basil si I have neglected the blog. Thought I had better update it before I forget.
The first night they arrived, which was Wednesday the 17th of January, we just popped down to the Last Drop for a pizza dinner. We had intentions of trying the Torres restaurant but got carried away (how unusual) and seeing as how we weren’t sure of where it was we opted for the Drop. Of course we started off with a late night, which included phone calls all over the world. Pretty slow day the next day. The following day Brenda and I went to Walmart for grocery shopping. (Very exciting) Brenda got her first ride in a Pulmonia.  We ate dinner in that night and the next. Then we gave the Bruha a second chance. Brenda seemed to like her dinner but Ian and I were disappointed again. The attraction with the Bruha is the location. It’s right on the beach and the sunsets are incredible. And for us it’s a fifteen minute walk or a three minute taxi ride. Oh, forgot to mention that on the Thursday night I took Brenda to bingo with Kathy and her friends down once more to the Last Drop. None of us won but it was a fun evening.
Brenda came with a list of eating places to try. The list was supplied by her friend Sue Dulik and it pretty much matched the ones we had been told about. So the other night we went to the Villa Italia and it was wonderful. We all really enjoyed our meals and once again the service and atmosphere was just great. There followed a couple of cloudy, windy cool days. So Brenda and I went off to the Liverpool Mall. It has a reputation for being very expensive but we managed to find some really good sales. Brenda got two bathing suits ( both under $35) and I got one. Then the hunt for shoes. Once again Brenda got two pairs and I got one. We both bought sweaters at H&M. And we needed them over the next couple of days.Brenda got two and I got one. I think I’m seeing a pattern here.
Anyway, last night Brenda and I took a taxi into Old Town to theMercado. Brenda wanted to purchase a couple of gifts.  And then we met up with Eric, Kathy, Ian and Basil for dinner at Topolo’s.  That place will be in my dreams for some time. It was just the best restaurant we’ve been to for a very long time. Ian thinks it may be the best meal he has ever had. He had one of their platters which included stuffed poblano peppers. Yum! I had fresh tuna as did Eric and Kathy. Delicious! Basil had salmon and Brenda had Tequila shrimp. We all came home full and happy. We came home in a pulmonia. The ride was exciting to say the least. Basil says someone else gets the front seat next time. Poor Bas......he thought it was his end. I must say I was happy to get my feet on the ground.
So today our sunshine is back. The weather report for the next week at least looks good. And that’s all we care about as B&B leave on Sunday and we leave on Wednesday the 31st. We have so far really enjoyed our visit to Mazatlan. B&B agree. They have had a good time as well. Well, off to the beach!

Sea Turtles on the beach!

The other morning while I was taking my morning walk along the beach I saw a man from the Sea Turtle Rescue team talking to a woman and her two children just at the edge of the water. So I stopped to see what was going on. There was a newly hatched turtle trying to make it into the water but every time it got in it was washed back up on the beach by the next wave. So this man showed us how to pick it up and place it in the ocean. They do not encourage people to pick them up at all really because most people pick them up between two fingers which can damage them and also people carry germs on their hands as well as sunblock,etc. But if you are going to pick them up you should scoop the sand well under them and gently place them out in the water. So a little further along the beach I found another turtle that at first I thought was dead. But it was still alive, just exhausted. So three times I tried to get it into the water but it just kept getting washed onto the shore. I eventually left it where it was. I guess Mother Nature knows best. On my way back home I saw the same rescuer  on the beach with quite a large crowd gathered. This is where a nest of turtles had just hatched and these poor little buggers were trying to get to the ocean. A big job for newborns. People were making paths in the sand to make it easier for them to travel. It was a very cool experience to watch these turtles. Apparently we have six to eight nests along our beach here that will be hatching over the next few days. Hopefully I see it again and this time with my camera.
The other evening we had Eric and Kathy over for dinner. Thought it was time to pay them back for hosting us and driving us around. Anyway, we have a lovely rooftop patio that we hadn’t used until then. I think it was Eric’s idea to go up and what a good idea it was. It’s a lovely spot to sit and watch the sun go down. We had a couple of cervesas and did just that. Had a nice evening together.
Eric an Kathy are picking us up today to take us up to a little town called El Quelite for lunch so we are looking forward to that.
Brenda and Basil arrive on Wednesday. Looking forward to that as well.

Plays and other fun things

On Sunday, the 7th of January, I went with Kathy and her friend Ruth to a play down in Old Town. It took place in the Angela Peralta Theatre, which is a very old, beautiful theatre. It was a one man show called Hard Travelin with Woody Guthrie. It was all about how tough life was for the miners and farmers during the Oklahoma dust bowl years. It was very well done! After the play we went to a little restaurant across the plaza from the theatre to have a bite to eat and a drink. We all had tortilla soup. Yum. While we were waiting to be served I noticed a couple looking around trying to decide whether or not to come in. I knew immediately that I knew her from somewhere. So when they were seated at the next table to us I leaned over and asked them if they were from Kelowna. They were very surprised and said yes, they were. It turns out she was Diane Silk, a teacher from Anne McClymont school. It took her a few moments to figure out who I was but then the light went on. She is best friends with Anne Loerke, whose classroom I worked in. Small world.
On Monday, Ian and I took the bus into Old Town with the intention of going to the Marcado. We never did get into the market. We headed for the beach and happened to find the condos where Georgina will be staying the last two weeks of March. We think she will be very happy there. The condos look lovely and they are right across the street from the malacon and the ocean. The street is lined with all kinds of eateries and bars. It’s a short walk to Old Town and the Market. After spending the afternoon there we took the bus right to the end of Cerritos (just down the street from our condo) where we had pizza and cervesas at the Last Drop. This is also where we women go to play bingo. At any rate, they also have karaoke on Mondays. So we stayed to watch the action. There was a couple of singers that were actually pretty good, but overall I would say that the majority of them were just awful. I don’t know how people can convince themselves that they are good when they are that bad. I know that alcohol was involved but still! And I have some of it on video. Anyway, we met some more really nice Canadians (are there any other kind?).  Tuesday was a somewhat laid back day. Wednesday was ladies luncheon again. So off we went to a place called Dolce Momma’s. it was pretty good food with fabulous desserts. Kathy shared her blueberry cheesecake with us. It was very good. Eric and Ian spent the day together. They went to the marina for lunch and then something wonderful happened! They found some Danish butter for me. I guess it costs the earth but the Mexican butter is, as far as I’m concerned, inedible. So I’m a happy girl. Today is Thursday again so that means bingo tonight.
We have just heard from our good friends Brenda and Basil. They have booked a flight to come down and join us here in Mazatlan. They arrive next Wednesday and will return home on the 28th of January. We are really looking forward to their company, and guess what? She is bringing us good old Canadian butter! Anyway I’m off for my morning walk on the beach. And then we are going to Walmart for more grocery shopping.

Settling in.

We’ve had three full days here now and are getting to know our way around a bit, although we haven’t ventured too far from home. Tuesday Eric and Kathy took us grocery shopping. It was a bit of an experience. It’s going to take a while to figure out what everything is and what brand to buy. Kathy was a big help . A big thing here is where to buy things like butter, cheese, bread and coffee. The Mexican brands are not so good. Ian and I are going in to shop for those items today. We are down to about a tablespoon of butter. I’m also out of wine and the small convenience stores near to us  only sell beer. YIKES!😱 On Wednesday I joined Kathy and friends for their weekly luncheon. They choose a different restaurant each week. This week was a place called Lucky Bees. It turns out that it stands for Lucky Bastards. At any rate it was a great place. The food was fantastic and the service was excellent. There were two tables of us. Twenty women and our waiter had all of our names memorized before lunch was served.
While we were enjoying our lunch Eric and Ian went to get my phone activated. After waiting in a long lineup they were informed that my phone was still locked. So I wonder what the guy from Bell was doing all that time I was on the phone with him. After an hour he assured me it was unlocked. Oh well, it’s unlocked now and all is good.
Yesterday(Thursday) was a quiet day for Ian and I. We walked the beach and then just sat on beach chairs and enjoyed a few Pacifico’s. In the evening I went to bingo with Kathy and the girl’s. It was a lot of fun and I even won a game. Kathy won two, one of which was the final blackout. Big money! Not as much fun as darts but still a nice way to spend a couple of hours.
So I’m off for my morning walk now. Ola.

We’re Here!

We finally made it to Mazatlan. We didn’t get out of Salem until 11:40 so it was another long day’s driving. Fortunately we made it over the mountains and through the pass without even a trace of snow. Temperatures made it up to 19 degrees in some places. We got into a little place called Galt which  is not too far south of Sacramento. Stayed at the Best Western ($84.00) and went to a really nice pub/grill for some lovely beers and wine. Another long haul the following day........weather good except for lots of smoke and smog. Traffic was horrific from well north of LA all the way to Palm Springs. They had jacked up the hotel prices in anticipation of New Year’s Eve. We stopped at the Comfort Inn and they wanted $199.00 plus taxes so we went next door to the Motel 6. Just an absolute dive and they wanted $104.00 plus taxes. That’s what we paid at the Red Lion in Salem and it was lovely. Fully equipped and a really good hot breakfast. Anyway, at the Motel6 we did not get a microwave, fridge, coffee pot, kettle, tea, coffee, hair dryer or even shampoo. Thank you Motel 6!
The following day was a much better experience. We stayed at another Red Lion (recommended by Judy.......thank you Judy). We were upgraded to a suite, which was lovely. The following morning our shuttle bus driver didn’t show up (perhaps one too many New Year’s cocktails). So the hotel called a cab. He got us to the airport on time but the cab was so filthy that I felt as though I needed a shower after I got out.
Our flight landed on time and Kathy and Eric were there to greet us. They brought us to our resort to drop off luggage and then back to their place for Happy Hour and a lovely Mexican dinner. Kathy made enchiladas, Mexican rice and a lovely salad. What a great start to our trip. So off we go to grocery shop this morning. I think in the afternoon I will be playing cards with Kathy and some of her friends. Sounds like a good day to me.