Patterns -- Another Walk

 I think this is mimosa, but it did not pull away when I touched it. So it's not a 'sensitive plant.'

 

Palm tree trunk

 

I think this sign just about covers it.

 

 

Lisa, if you pay for the cart, I'll keep you company!

 

 

Flood control at the golf course.

 Don't you just love the 'water' bubbling up? They are huge hunks of glass.

 

The alyssum here is very fragrant and the geraniums are my favorite color of red.

Come on a Morning Walk with Me

 A hedge with berries.

 

 

 

 This path is split: pedestrians on the left, bicycles on the right.

 I love the rivers of rock.

 Main entrance to Sunrise Villas. We usually use the other one in the back from here. It's behind the tennis courts.

 

 

 I love these fuzzy bushes! They are soft!

 

Chain, chain, chain

Monday's Dawn

 

See those spots? That's a murder of crows flying to those palm trees.

Below is the view from the living room. These three pictures were taken in one ten minute span around 6:15 a.m. No color retouching.
 

And back to the first view which is out the front door.

Why do you always see the same view, you ask? Well, I was in my pajamas ... so I open the doors, step out, snap my phone, and duck back inside.

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Yesterday (Sunday) Emily, Elaine (our Canadian friend), and I went to the College of the Desert for the street fair. It was a lovely day and it didn't get too hot until about 1 p.m. when we were leaving. Since I have been many times, there are only a couple of pictures.

It's a favorite of mine, but apparently, aqua is now color.

 

Below, each fabric barn came with five different animals! 

 

 I found this glass to be very interesting.


 Below are microwave cozies -- so you don't burn your fingers when you take a hot bowl out of the microwave. They consist of four fabric squares with a pleat in the middle of each, making it look like triangles.

I really think I may need one of these purple beaded thingies.

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A Neighbor's Roses

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So I tried to sign up at the gym today. I say 'tried' because I gave up. The $9.99/mo. is not for me. I need to have a LOCAL ID (as in a license) and I can't be on a family plan, blah, blah, blah, I could pay $169.00 registration fee, blah, blah, blah, or $19.99/month. Actually, I can do $20/month but by then I was so angry that I just left and read a newspaper while Mom did her thing. Apparently, after I left, the price went down to $15.99 so I have to decide when I'll go back. I have to wait long enough to make sure I don't bite anybody in the knee.

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 I liked the series called "Godless" on Netflix. It's a rip roaring old fashioned western. Life is tough and everyone smells bad. I wasn't too thrilled with the violence but on the whole I liked it. Dockery from Downton Abbey (Lady Mary) was in it along with Sam Waterman. There were a couple of other actors that I like too but I never remember their names. There were lots of horses in it and I like watching them too.

 

We Had a Wonderful Thanksgiving

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving -- we did! The day began with Deb, Paul, and Emily walking the 5 K Turkey Trot in Palm Springs.

 Needless to say, Emily was very glad for her medal and number. The number sign has a computer chip embedded in it which records their beginning and end times. I'm not sure what other information it recorded, but that was enough for me.

Mom set the table using the table runner from Singapore that Brian had brought back from one of his cruises.

Our guests, Brian and Elaine (below) arrived promptly at 2:30 p.m. laden with desserts.

 Deb asked each diner if they would like a freshly baked roll.

 Paul had cooked an amazingly delicious prime rib the night before at their rental unit. It was the best I have ever had (and I've eaten a lot of prime rib in my time!). 

Meanwhile, out in the kitchen, Mom had put a clean dish towel out for my use. Notice the name on the bottle?

And this is my favorite picture of Mom, Emily, and Deb.

The food was good, if I say so myself, but I was the only one who liked the gravy made with almond flour. Next time I'll try arrowroot or cream of tartar. Paul made some 'regular' gravy with wheat flour to go on his turkey. I made loaded mashed cauliflower with bacon bits so I don't think anyone was too sad that there were no potatoes. At least they didn't say anything.

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It's Saturday, I think ... yesterday is a blur. Mom and I finished watching Longmire on Netflix last night. I am very sad except that I have one of Craig Johnson's Longmire books (autographed too!) to read. First I have to finish my Kate Flora book.

I have been very lazy today and just got dressed in the afternoon. I did, however, make a quiche and LOTS of meatballs and cooked some bacon.

Mom has introduced me to some of her favorite computer games which include ma jhong and three different types of solitaire. I am abysmal at adding, particularly 13 and you have to do that for one of the solitaires. I ended up with the refrain, "'This will be fun!!' she said." Mom and I laughed a lot. She observed that it was a good thing that I had an adding machine at work. ("And a computer!" I exclaimed.)

It's in the 80s but less humid than it was on Thanksgiving and yesterday. It really is very pleasant. Of course, I am not sitting in the sun, but we do not need to put the a.c. on.

I am wearing my "Amherst, Mass.: where reality is optional" tee shirt. I'm not sure Mom would approve but if we go anywhere I'll change. I have to change my shorts for slacks anyway. I'm trying my best to act my age, but it isn't easy. 

We might be going to the Pow Wow next week. We are definitely going to see 'Kramer vs. Kramer' at the Rancho Mirage Library. We'll have to get there early to get a seat -- that's the one with little bags of popcorn and bottled water. It's all free. Around the corner from that room there is the internet cafe with a food counter run by the Aspen Bakery. I didn't know that they serve sandwiches as well as the bakery products.  Mom said she saw an older man spill his coffee on his (huge) sandwich and the counter person gave him a free half sandwich to replace it. Wow.





 

Magical Mystery Tour!

Deb (and Paul) gave us the best Christmas present ever! The five of us stuffed ourselves into two cars and motored off.

 

Deb and Mom waiting for Mom's car to come out of the garage.

 

 

Deb and Paul's rental car. They are going TDATT (Top Down All The Time). BTW, it's 89 F.

 

 Yes! Deb signed us up for a two hour windmill tour (beginning at 10 a.m. when it was only 79 F.). It was wonderful! Randy, our guide was so informative. He was a wealth of solar and wind energy and some CANaturalGas information. Luckily, the bus was comfy and air conditioned.

These blades are about 150 feet long.

 Each base for each windmill is 15 to 20 feet down with about 15 truck loads of cement thrown in.

 

 The newer the windmill, the bigger they are. This is a fairly new one. There are about 221 windmills there, not all functioning. Each successive model is sturdier and produces more electricity.

Yup, it's desert. That's my foot and cane on the left. By the end of the tour, here, we were fairly thirsty.

And where did the little bus bring the weary tourists? To the Windmill Market where they gave everyone a complimentary date shake (about 6 ounces!!). Randy was sure to tell us that they use fresh dates and ice cream, not a mix with date crystals. Then the owner came around giving us a taste of a date called harbiner which tasted like caramel. It was delicious and very different from the medjool dates.

By then it was lunch time and we were off to the Perlita which is a great Mexican restaurant. The carne asada (beef) was delicious! 

Then back home where I began food prep. It's now 3:21 p.m. and the stuffing is made and cooling.

 

I added sausage to these veggies to put into the stuffing.

And the green beans are washed and devoid of their ends. It takes a long long time to cut the ends off that many green beans! (It's green beans for seven people.) Tomorrow I make the caulimash and turkey. Woo hoo!

Tonight, Deb and Paul are making prime rib for us. I feel so pampered. It's great. I really think I need a nap before dinner, but the pool is calling to me. Do you suppose if I wiggle my nose, the bathing suit will put itself on me?? 

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Just in case I forget: I wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving, however you celebrate it. I count my blessings and the first is being with my family. I'm very grateful to have so much bounty in my life, not only of food but also of good wishes and good friends. Some of us are separated by miles but not by thoughts. Cheers! 

 

 

Catching My Breath

As usual, it has been a whirlwind so far. Today is the first day that I woke up "in California time" at 8 a.m. (as opposed to 5 a.m. or some ridiculous time).

After Howard's birthday party which was fun! fun! fun! where I imbibed no less than two (count 'em!) vodkas and soda, I decided I had better go back on the wagon. So last night at trivia at the Ace Hotel, I was seltzer water all the way. However, I still had a great time. Here I am with our host, Bella da Ball:

She was in top form and remembered us from last year. After all, how often do they get three generations from one family for 9 p.m. trivia? The lady who calls Bingo right before joined us. I can't remember her name, but she's about to turn 90 years old and has appeared on America's Got Talent. I actually think I saw her dance -- maybe it was on FaceBook.
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Today: a movie and later dinner with friends (who come down from LA usually for weekends). We're going to Rick's Desert Grill which features Cuban food. They give you free deviled eggs for an appetizer!

I'm in charge of cooking Thanksgiving dinner for 7 people. Cross your fingers!

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I hesitate to post this because it is so so rough. But many people have asked to see it. This is "No Bridge" from my landscaping class with Iola Sylvan. I have to do a LOT of stitching to pull it together. Needless to say, the tulle will be smoothed out and taut. It then 'disappears.'

 Well, I have to run. I need to make lunch for Mom and Emily and then I think we're going to go see "The Orient Express." Today is "cheap movie day" at one of the theaters. I'm really getting into this senior citizen frugal thing -- the Living Desert has a discount rate for those over age 62. Woo hoo!

Cheers!