Adding a bit of colour

I went to PickleBall with our neighbour Barb yesterday morning and caught on to a few more details of the game. Its the 1st/2nd serve thing that is throwing me off... not to mention you don't score unless you served... and since 2002 my short-term memory is almost void so I find myself really struggling just to remember who served the ball 30 seconds ago.... now if we could pause the game and wait 5 minutes until the information meanders its way to my long-term memory, I'd have no trouble at all, unfortunately.... that's not an option.

We added a bit of colour yesterday... Brad went to town while I was at Pickleball and picked up some soil and flowers to brighten the site up a bit. This site was, you know... that site that everyone talks about before we bought it, so there was quite a lot of work to be done, and still there is plenty more we'd like to do but some things will have to wait until next season.

I think he's getting used to this version of 'Camping'

Flowers for the yard

Fresh soil for the planting areas

Ready to be raked

Discovered that one of the sprinkler lines had broken. Maintenance was quick to repair it.

Raked and ready

Determining positions

All finished

Adds a nice touch, I think.

Unfortunately, we're not going to make it to Bloggerfest this year, Brad just isn't up to it right now. We have a lot on our plates at the moment with 'life stuff', so I just have to bear with him and help him get through it. We hope everyone has a great time and hopefully we will get to it next year.

Boys day out

Brad and our neighbour friend Dave went to a car show in San Diego on Tuesday, they had a great time not sure if it was the car show or being away from their wives but a change is as good as a rest, they say....

I love the giant kissing sailor statues in this picture.

While the cat was away, Karen and I went for lunch at the resort restaurant 'The 15th Hole' and were surprised to see Bob & Barb arrive shortly after us, they accepted our invitation to join us and we had a nice lunch and a lot of 'getting to know you' chatter. Then Bob paid the Bill, Nice one. Thanks Bob! Back to our respective 'homes' and did a bit of housework before relaxing in the living room.

Robbie relaxing on the couch with his Mummy

Karen and I took the dogs out in the Golf Carts and drag raced around the park. If Cooper was in front Robbie barked at him, If Robbie was in front, Cooper was whining. 

My afternoon view laying on the couch.... love it.

Sun setting behind Robbie as he waits for Dad to return and put on the BBQ

Before the boys left we had decided since we were just doing burgers for supper we'd invite everyone to join us. Another throw together dinner success. Barb made some delicious crusty bread appetizers which in the rush of it all became a side dish and the boys picked up some salads as well.

The previous owner left us with the truck portion of a 5th wheel towing thingy, since we have no use for it I posted it on the resort FaceBook page hoping to get rid of it. Having no idea what it was worth, I googled it to find out its $1100-$1500 new. I posted it for $700 but honestly just want to get it gone... I'll lower the price if no one comes at $700.

Yesterday was a quiet day, we just relaxed. Brad did a bit more gardening and I watched, then went to Karen & Dave's and played Dave a couple of hands of Crib - he won both... he must be cheating, right?! LOL

I've been looking at our route home - straight up the I-15 and wonder if there is anything along the way that we shouldn't miss. I had a few comments while driving south about you missed this and that so thought I'd ask ahead of time, then we can plan stops in to our route....

Is there anything we should/could see/do along the I-15 between roughly Ontario, California and Lethbridge, Alberta???

Something came up and our return home timing has had to be altered.  This will require us to just go straight up instead of the winding tourist route we had hoped to take. We'll have to save that for next season.

Water woes and Big thanks to Doug13

It's Monday and that means Brad has a massage. Great chance to get some stuff done.

I did a load of laundry and then set about dealing with our water tank. The water tank has been on my mind for a while now because the water in this resort is atrocious unless you run it through a filter and water softener. When we first arrived we didn't know this and I filled the water tank to full because at the time we didn't know how long we'd be here so get it while the getting's good....

However, we've been here almost 2 months now and that water has been sitting in there... and sitting in there.... So today, I resigned myself to deal with it. Drained the tank, refilled and drained, refilled and drained.... I was concerned about hard water settling in the pipes, water pump, etc. and yes, I ran it through the water pump as well as just dumping it.

Problem solved, the tank once again has water in it - only half full this time, and it's water that has been filtered and softened. One less thing to worry about.

Also, I had asked around yesterday if a couple of friends had a mallet since Doug13 commented with the how to for fixing the pull on our sliding window. That damn thing has been such a bloody nuisance. I had been sure that Brad took the mallet out of our tool bag before we left home saying we didn't need it. Perhaps I went Rogue and grabbed it anyway, I don't recall but today I decided to take a look and make sure I didn't have one. 

Voila, there she was in all her rubberized glory! 

Bradley..... oh, Bradley.....

Following the directions Doug13 gave me in that Blog's comments, we managed to put her back together again. Now I don't dare touch it until it dries completely, likely 24 hours in this heat but I will look at it carefully before we begin using it again to make sure it is good and dry. Then it will be time to clean the windows after that foaming stuff got everywhere.

This is a Bonus week.... tomorrow Brad is going to San Diego for something or other with our neighbour Dave. I'll let you know what it was when he brings me pictures.

Now.... what can I get up to tomorrow?! tee hee hee

Spent the day in Palm Springs

We decided to go to Palm Springs for the day yesterday and came across a market. It was quite packed but we managed to find parking and off we went for a little retail therapy.

The palm trees in Palm Desert have a burnt look, not sure if they apply something to them for bugs or if they actually burn the bark.

Come on Mum let's go shop!

Brad noticed this display of old foofoo hats

He wanted me to try one on, I don't think so Maynard!

Brad had a hotdog for lunch

I ordered the ribs

We wandered around and found some interesting things for the site, picked up a couple of business cards so we will know where to go when we're ready to put decor on the site. I found a summer dress (I almost never wear dresses, but it gets hot here...) and a tank top that reads 'Sassy since birth'. Perfect.

Once we got home I went across the creek and played a couple hands of Crib with Karen. If you recall, everyone is teaching me how to play. I'm still learning but getting better. We tied in 2 games.

After supper Brad asked if I'd play him.... uh..... okay. Brad is pretty damn good at Crib and I seem to recall beating him once before but in the hundreds of games we've played over the years, once was all I could manage. This time at least I didn't get skunked.

Brad won game 1

I kicked his a**,  game 2

Wouldn't you know it... Brad wins the tie breaker.

Today, Brad is going for a massage and I am looking forward to sitting outside in what 'they' say will be warm temperatures. Its been cool here for 2 days (hence the sweater in the picture above). Brad threatens to send me to Saskatchewan every time I moan that its cold here... It's all relative, of course. Expected to be in the 20's again today, at least that's what they said yesterday... 'they' have likely changed it since then.

Personally, I think we should go back to the old weather teller system because this new fandangled way of predicting the weather frankly sucks!

Julian, Dinner and a Movie

On Thursday we drove to Julian, California with Dave & Karen. We had never been that far down that particular highway and the scenery was beautiful with both mountains and open prairie. 

Of course, you don't go to Julian without stopping for a Julian Pie. They have a viewing glass so that you can watch as they make the pies but they had already finished for the day when we arrived. The pies are made fresh every morning.

They have a vast variety of pie options and when I went to the washroom I saw a Help Wanted sign for a 'peeler' so you know those pies are truly 'homemade'.

A family restaurant next door

Don's Market for groceries also next door

An old time store across the road

They sell all kinds of things from decorative items to tea, jams and soap

Karen & Cooper

A street in Julian proper

On Friday, we determined to 'take the day off', Brad couldn't sit still but I managed to just relax for most of the day. Karen came over and she and I played a couple games of Crib, everyone has been graciously helping me learn the game. We tied over 2 games and hope to break the tie at some point over the weekend.

Around 5pm Brad decided we should go for dinner and a movie so we ran off to Temecula and stopped at Blaze pizza. Another place that you pick your toppings in Subway style and they cook it for you on a fire. Only takes a couple of minutes and your order is ready.

After pizza we went to see The Post and quite enjoyed it. We both love Tom Hanks and I like Meryl Streep, the movie is done well and the story line of course, is very interesting to Political/History buffs like us. I especially enjoy the intricacies of events that took place during my lifetime or close to it. Comparing 'background' details to what 'we' are told at the time is fascinating to me, and learning the who's who of those details is always enlightening. Learning details that I never would have know otherwise is always a bonus.