Saturday, January 20 through Saturday, February 3: More Snow, Friends, Travel Trailer, and So California

Tom and I enjoy playing Rummikub, a tile game that Richard and I played a lot. Tom's mother and sister play the game in Florida too. The Rummikub box is getting worn, but the game is still fun!

Saturday and Sunday were snow days. It was our second 5 inch snow dump --- ten days apart. The dogs have not been as happy on our walks, as the temperatures dipped into single digits for a day or two. We only received an inch on Saturday day and the remaining four inches during the night.

Sunday was another day of Williams Parks and Recreation Pickleball. There were three courts in the gymnasium. These two photographed are not regulation size. But, the third one not pictured --- lined out by me, Tom, and Gus --- is!

We found another Williams resident, Chris, who has played pickleball for three years. She and her husband are building a home off Highway 64 --- near the KOA. It was nice having the four of us playing together in six or seven games. Tom is getting more practice and is improving his skill.

With five inches of new snow, neighbor Jim Ramsey dutifully got out his snow blower and cleaned his driveway.

I, in turn, have ignored that project. Our two trucks are able to get in and out of the garage with no snowblower activity. So far, so good.

On Tuesday, Tom had an appointment in Flagstaff. So, I joined him. Several years ago, I received a $50 gift card to several restaurants. One of the restaurants was Red Lobster. I suggested that we use the card in Flagstaff that day. There we were. Lunch at the Red Lobster. I had a Maine lobster roll and Tom had a seafood pizza.

Later Tuesday afternoon, Tom and I went to Spenser's Bar at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel. A long-time friend, Lisa D'Arpa, is a bartender there several nights a week. Lisa is married to Jeff D'Arpa and they live in Flagstaff with two girls. Jeff used to be the general manager of Zion Lodge (when Richard and I worked there) and now he is the regional manager of several Xanterra properties in Tusayan and Williams. I had not seen Lisa in several years. It was fun reconnecting with her.

On Wednesday, the dogs and I walked up to the area of our Highland Meadows community that I call "the North Forty." While heading up one of the streets, my pastor of the Williams First Baptist Church, Joe, and his wife, Kelly, drove by and said hello. They sometimes drive to that area and walk their new dog, Devine. Kelly grew up with Dalmatians. So, she always enjoys seeing my three.

My sister Wendy, and her husband Kai, built a second home in Bend, Oregon. They headed up there for two weeks. It was fun seeing a happy posting of them both on Instagram. Bend has winter like Williams. So, notice the big parkas and warm gloves!

The snow is melting quickly. There is no forecast for more in the next two weeks. But, a cute photo of the dogs at the front door shows the reflection of the 5 inches of snow.

On Thursday, we hosted lunch for Melissa and Barry Barnett. I met Melissa and Barry on the Celebrity Eclipse Transatlantic cruise from Southampton to the east coast. They had a suite in the same corridor on the ship and were very friendly to me and Barbara. The Barnetts have a home in Albuquerque and a home in San Miguel, Mexico. They stopped by Williams on their way back home to Albuquerque --- after a week trip in La Quinta and Las Vegas. It was a fun visit!

For the past two years, I have had a standing breakfast date with Joe and Stephanie Hap. Every eight weeks, Joe has had to go to Flagstaff for follow-up treatment for lymphoma cancer. He is cancer free, but the maintenance program was twelve sessions over two years. Joe and Stephanie retired to Prescott, Arizona, in 2015. My town of Williams is between Prescott and Flagstaff. Joe's last treatment was Friday, January 26. Tom and I celebrated with them on Saturday at the Horseman's Lodge in Flagstaff. Balloons and a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon were in order!

Congratulations to Joe!

I have wanted a pair of casual red shoes for awhile. I ordered one pair from Amazon that did not fit. I ordered a pair from J.C. Penney's that were PINK not RED. So, while Tom and I were in Flagstaff, we went to the mall and went shopping for my red shoes. I found a pair I really like at Vans. And yes, they are bright red!!!

Sunday was church and then pickleball at the Williams Elementary/Middle School. We lucked out. The blue tape we marked off last week as a pickleball court on the gymnasium floor was still there!

United Blood Services hosted a blood drive at the Williams High School on Monday. I was called a week prior to make an appointment. Done!

I joined the Highland Meadows ladies for breakfast in Flagstaff. The selection this Tuesday was the Toasted Owl Restaurant on the east end of town. There were just five of us, and we all carpooled together. Thank you, Linda Czech, for driving!

Wednesday, we left Williams to head off to Southern California. The travel trailer is so easy. The dogs enjoy our mini vacations. The first stop was Newberry Springs Mountain RV Park on Interstate 40. It was a long drive for us --- almost 300 miles.

But, it will make the next day drive only 134 miles. This park is on the National Trails Highway, another name for the old Route 66. Once again, a great photo opportunity for the dogs.

Thousand Trails Soledad Canyon RV Resort will be our home location for six nights.

On Saturday, I dropped the dogs off at 2nd Home Dog Boarding in Acton. They have stayed here before, and owner Joe takes great care of them. Tom is getting a bachelor weekend. Becky drove to Los Angeles to attend the Requiem Eucharist for Jeane Edwards. Mrs. Edwards died on December 26 at age 92. She is the mother of a very special high school friend, Sara Edwards. There was a lovely reception at their San Marino home. It was wonderful to support Sara and her family, and to see some old high school friends.

Wednesday, January 3 through Friday, January 19: Returning home, Williams, and Winter Routine

Wednesday morning, I walked the dogs in the adjacent desert property. This would be their last walk there this month.

Then, it was time to pack up the trailer and begin the drive back to Northern Arizona. Tom and I both enjoy smaller roads and byways. So, we decided to return via Highway 62 --- through Joshua Tree and 29 Palms.

As we left the Palm Springs RV Resort, the tire monitor reflected that the truck's back left tire pressure was lower than normal. Over the next 30 minutes, we watched the pressure reduce ever so slowly. At a bathroom stop, Tom looked at the tire and saw that there was a foreign object --- maybe a broken screw --- in the tire. This needed to be resolved! As we entered Twentynine Palms, we googled tire shops and headed over to a place near the Marine Base. Mark Speer Automotive had a perfect place to pull around the truck and trailer.

Less than an hour later, we were back on the road!

We had already decided to spend a night in Needles. Last season, the dogs and I stayed at a very nice KOA there. We called ahead and were told that we didn't need a reservation. The plan was to not unhook the truck and trailer and call a restaurant that delivers pizza. River City Pizza Company fit the bill! The pizza and Caesar salad were delicious.

The next morning, while walking the dogs, I caught a very nice sunrise behind the Needles KOA.

We arrived home to Williams at about 2:00 p.m. We gave the dogs some time to run around in the backyard and then I backed in the trailer. We transferred all the food, clothes, and toiletry items back to the house. Then, we settled in for the night with some leftovers and adult beverages.

The next day, we cleaned up the inside of the travel trailer. Spending two weeks in the desert brought lots of sand. Tom vacuumed with the RIDGID HP Wet Dry Vac and I dusted, mopped, and washed all the bedding, throw rugs, and dog blankets.

By about 4:00 p.m. on Friday afternoon, the trailer was ready to be put back into the RV barn.

Winter has not yet come to Northern Arizona. No snow. It was recommended that we water the thirsty trees and bushes. We spent some of Friday and Saturday with three hoses --- rotating the water to different places and different plants.

Saturday afternoon, it was known that we needed to restock the refrigerator and pantry shelves. A grocery list was assembled and Tom went to Safeway. He returned later with lots of goodies --- including some yellowfin tuna. I decided to look up some online recipes for cooking the tuna. I came up with a winner --- blackened tuna with mango salsa. It was a hit!

I heard from neighbors Libby and Gus Beatty that the City of Williams was trying to get pickleball started as a recreational activity. Sunday afternoon, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., the elementary school gym was set aside for this activity. Tom and I showed up. There were about nine or ten other folks. Unfortunately, there were no keys for the gym doors. The weather was still nice, so we all drove over to the tennis courts near the high school. 

Most of the people were brand new to pickleball. Gus and I tried to orchestrate some drills. Tom was very helpful as well. The parks and recreation staff had purchased some paddles, some balls, and several nets. The one regulation net was missing a part. While the afternoon was a little chaotic, it was fun that pickleball has come to Williams!

Monday was a drive to Flagstaff. I had an eye doctor appointment at Northland Eye Care. Dr. Thomas and his staff said all was good, but my progressive lenses were four years old. My left eye has made some changes and a new pair of glasses would improve my vision. Can you say cha-ching, cha-ching? My new glasses were ordered and will be available in a week or so.

Tuesday was lunch with some of the ladies of my Highland Meadows community. There were just five of us on this morning. We dined at Rodeo Restaurant adjacent to the Ramada Inn. Four of us on the right are native Californians --- Shaula, Libby, me, and Jan. Sorry Patty!

Our first snow was in the forecast for later in the day. It didn't arrive until the evening. It is always fun opening the blinds in the morning and seeing the new snow!

The first walk with the dogs was with their "snowflake" matching coats from LL Bean.

The second walk of the day was without the coats.

We only received 5 inches of snow, so it was not necessary to get the snowblower ready for the driveway. And, this amount of snow was all that was expected. Snow in Northern Arizona melts quickly with the sunshine!

Thursday was another trip to Flagstaff. Tom had a second appointment with podiatrist, Dr. Rosales. We also stopped by East Flag Custom Upholstery. I am thinking about reupholstering the two living room recliners. They gave us three books with faux leather swatches to review.

One of the garage fluorescent light sets is no longer working. I used to call electrician Terry Kohl to come and fix the problem. But, Tom seems to be comfortable in the field of electricity. So, we went to our local True Value Hardware Store and bought a replacement ballast. That did the trick! Thank you, Tom!

On Thursday, January 11, my youngest brother John had a part in the CBS TV series called Life in Pieces. I only got a several hour notice, but it was fun to see him on the show.

I have been looking at the three swatch books --- possibilities for reupholstering my two recliners. I am gravitating to a teal blue-green color that would compliment a Native American throw rug that lies in front of my fireplace.

I had my realtor friend Danielle Worthington come by the house to see the options. She has a good eye for interior design and concurred with my selection!

 Sunday was another two-hour pickleball play. With the recent snow, it was nice that we could use the elementary-middle school gymnasium. There were eight of us who showed up. Tom, Gus, and I joined up with a younger woman, Ellie, to play six games. Fun!

Monday was a trip to Flagstaff to get my hair cut and colored. I have been going to the Tirzah Salon for many years. Tom has been very supportive of my goal to grow out my hair. But, he knows that it has been harder for me to daily style it. Tom recently saw a model in one of my Chico catalogs and commented that he liked her hair style. I shared a copy with my stylist, Shawna. She liked it and thought it would be more manageable for me.

So, I will try this out!

Steve, from East Flag Custom Upholstery, came to Williams to see the two La-Z-Boy recliners and present a proposal as to how much it would cost to refurbish them. He said that the recliner design is labor intensive. The quote was more than I expected, but I decided that would proceed with them. I really like the teal blue-green swatch color and the recliners are very well made.

Wednesday was a beautiful day. I took the dogs into town and we walked Route 66. They love all of our photo opportunities.

Tom and I made arrangements to meet mutual friends, Priscilla and Roger Lasch, for lunch in Chino Valley. All four of us worked together at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in 2006. Priscilla and Roger have a modular home in a gated community in Dewey/Humboldt. I had last seen them in 2012. Richard and I were staying in Cottonwood and we drove to their home for cocktails and appetizers. Tom was there too --- with girlfriend Susan. It was nice seeing Priscilla and Roger again. They have been married for 55 years!

Wednesday, December 20 through Tuesday, January 2: Palm Desert, Christmas, and a New Year

I walked and fed the dogs, we readied the travel trailer, and we hooked-up the truck. All by 8:00 a.m. We only had a 145 mile day to reach our next destination. And, we gain an hour in California. My friend, Linda Brockie, is a ranger at the Thousand Trails. She sent me several text messages about various sites that were open at the park. We arrived by 10:00 a.m. I generally like sites that are at the west end of the park --- adjacent to the large desert. Lucky Site #13 was available. I stayed in that site last season too.

That afternoon, on a walk with the dogs around the circumference of the park, I stopped by to see good friends, Linda and Rick Brockie. They lost their 5th Wheel to a fire in September. But, they have a new travel trailer and are very happy with it! Linda mentioned that another friend, Larry Parks, was going to teach his brother-in-law how to play pickleball. Perfect timing! Larry worked with Tom on pickleball techniques. Larry is way more qualified than me to teach the sport!

One of my favorite sushi places is Sam's Sushi in La Quinta. They have a delectable lobster roll. Last year, being on my own, I would order it for a "to go." But, Tom and I had a nice dinner at the sushi counter.

It was nice being back at the Palm Springs Thousand Trails. It is like being home. There are so many friends and fun pickleball. Tom and I hit the pickleball courts two days in a row.

By the third day, Tom was a little sore from the pickleball activities. So, we took a break and went to a local theater to see the new film Darkest Hour. It stars Gary Oldman and has good reviews. I liked it!

Before the show, we also visited a store that had been recommended to Tom by a friend. It was called Good Feet. They sell shoe supports for people with foot pain or balance issues.

I reached out to Pat and Bill Wheeler. While we are in the desert, it made sense to make a day trip to the Jojoba Hills RV Park in Aguanda. It is an hour and twenty minute drive over the Palms to Pines Highway 74. We decided to make the trip on Friday, December 29.

Christmas, once again, is at the Kuwata home in Pasadena. My sister Wendy and her husband Kai took over the holiday after Richard and I left Los Angeles almost fifteen (!) years ago. So, the plan plays out --- drop the dogs off at The Grand Paw Resort by noon on Christmas Eve.

Drive the 125 miles to the Jonathan Club in downtown Los Angeles and check into the hotel for a two-night stay.

The Jonathan Club concierge made Christmas Eve dinner reservations at Cafe Pinot --- a short walk from the club. Prior to our dinner, we visited the Tap Room on the 2nd floor of the club. The bar tender took a very nice photo! Tom and I were in festive burgundy.

As usual, the dinner at Cafe Pinot was very good. Downtown Los Angeles was lite up for the holidays.

The next morning, we had a buffet breakfast in the Tap Room and leisurely strolled down Figueroa to LA Live! and the Staples Arena. I told Tom it was a four or five block walk. Well, maybe more! One highlight was the recently opened Wilshire Grand Center. We took the elevator to the Intercontinental hotel lobby on the 70th floor. The views were not as spectacular as they could be --- hazy skies. This building is now the highest building west of Chicago.

The Wilshire Grand Center took over this tallest building prestige from the Library Tower built in 1989.

We arrived a few minutes early to the Kuwata home. We were asked to come at 2:00 pm. We brought wine and a pecan pie from Trader Joe's. All the Sheltons began to trickle in. It was going to be a smaller group for Christmas --- only 15 of us. We took the family photos at about 3:45 pm. There is the one of the six Shelton siblings.

And there is the photo of the family. Thank you, Tom, for being the photographer!

The routine for the day after Christmas --- check out of the Jonathan Club and pick up the dogs by noon.

It was an easy commute to the desert. We stopped at the Thousand Trails RV Resort and dropped off our suitcases and clothes before picking up the gang. The Grand Paw Resort is not inexpensive, but they do a great job caring for Ramsey, Kelsey, and Libby.

Tom and I have been having fun playing the game of Rummikub. I have met my match. Tom wins more than I do, but it is a great game of strategy, tiles, and luck.

I got a text from my friend Sara. Her Mom, Jeane Edwards died on December 26 at age 92. She had been in the hospital for three weeks with lung issues and it did not look good. Mrs. Edwards was an incredible lady and will be missed!

On Thursday, I played some pickleball in the morning. Tom sat this one out. The courts had been really busy the other day. In the afternoon, we drove over to Palm Springs and had adult beverages and appetizers with long-time friend Alan Buckelew, his daughter Erin, and his son-in-law, John. Alan and I both lost our spouses in 2016. Christine Buckelew died unexpectedly of a massive heart attack in February. Alan is the COO of Carnival Cruises, the parent company of Princess, Cunard, Holland America, etc. Since the death of Chris, his position has slowly evolved into more of a consultant. He plans to retire next November --- just before his 70th birthday.

Alan, Erin, and John rented a home in Palm Springs for Christmas. They were heading back to West Los Angeles the next day.

Friday, December 29, arrived. Tom and I loaded the dogs into the truck and we headed over to Aguanga, California. There, we visited long-time RV friends at the Jojoba Hills SKP RV Resort. Bill and Pat Wheeler and Walt and Pam MacQueston live there. Other friends, Claudette and Larry Van Dusen, dropped over for lunch from Wilderness Lakes Thousand Trails in Menifee. It was a fun three-hour visit.

The temperature at the park reached the low 80's. Rather than boil the dogs in the truck, I set-up a "pad" for them to lounge on for the hours we were there. It seemed to work.

That afternoon, we stopped at the local Stater Brothers Market to pick up groceries for the next few days. This market was started as a butcher shop and it has retained quality meat for all these years.

The next morning, while walking the dogs, I happened upon a beautiful sunrise. With this park and the palm trees, it can be captivating.

Saturday, December 30, I thought it best to introduce Tom to the beautiful La Quinta Resort. It is beautifully decorated for the holidays, sits in the majesty of the Santa Rosa Mountains, and was built in the 1920s. Many Hollywood celebrities and wealthy families have spent time here. It is currently operated by the Waldorf Astoria.

The main dining room bar was not yet open, so we had Cadillac Margaritas, guacamole, and chips on the picturesque open deck.

Oh, what do the simple folk do! After our drinks, we drove several miles to Fisherman's Market and Grill for a lovely dinner. For dinner, I had Cajun lobster tacos and Tom had fried clams.

The next day was New Year's Eve. Tom and I decided to play things low key. We did some laundry in the afternoon and had steak, baked potato, and sauteed brussel sprouts, and a nice Malbec for dinner. We celebrated the New Year "a la" New York City time with Prosecco Italian Sparkling wine.

Happy New Year! Happy 2018. What a difference a year makes. Life is good at our RV site, Lucky #13.

For the new year, I played several hours of pickleball. Tom came out for some games too.

The rest of the day was very low key. I must have contracted some 12-hour bug. I slept most of the day and night --- except to participate in some "doggy" duties. Tom was helpful with some "doggy" duties as well. The plan was to have crock-pot pork, cabbage, and squash for dinner on New Year's Day. That dinner was postponed a day.