April 29, 2010

Thursday 29~~~~I woke up at 4:00 AM coughing so bad I had to get up to breathe, so I packed our lunch for our first day on the road heading to Oregon. The wind was still fierce, but we left Vegas about 9:30 AM. We stopped for gas about 30 east miles of Bakersfield, California, we had enough gas to get to Fresno when we left Vegas, but with the strong head wind we fought, we would have run out if we tried to make it without fueling up. We got out of the truck at the service station and the wind was so cold, (43 degrees) we both ran for our jackets in the trailer. I told Kent we were only one hour drive out of Nevada and we were already in cold, wet weather. I guess we will have to pack our shorts away for a couple of months again. We drove to Fresno, Ca. and we stopped at and Elk's Club where we stopped for the night. It has beautiful green grass here and a small lake, I wouldn't mind spending a few days here another time if we go through here again. We had a wonderful dinner of beef fajitas that I made and we watched our Thursday night TV show, "Survivor"!!!! We will head for Sacramento in the morning where we will stay through the weekend watching Nate play ball.

April 28, 2010

Wednesday 28~~~~It is so windy here this morning, I got up at 5 AM to see if anyone had blown away in the night. I was so wide awake, I stayed up drinking my morning coffee watching the palm trees blow and sway with the wind. We went over to the Casino for a buffet breakfast after Kent got up and then we drove over to see Gary at Bally's Casino. We walked on the sky bridge over to the Bellagio Casino where we watched the water show in a large pool that they have outside in front of the large Casino. It has large water spouts through out the pool that shoot water up in the air in rhythm to music they play over stereo loudspeakers. This is a must see while in Las Vegas. We then toured the indoor terrarium that has such beautiful flowers and water works. When we left there we said our goodbyes to Gary, and we went home where Kent started getting things outside ready for a early take off in the morning for California. I helped Kent do what I could and then I came in to fix dinner. I could hear Kent talking to someone outside, Kent had invited a couple from England who have rented a very small motor home to tour the "Grand canyon" to see our 5th wheel. They saw Kent working outside on our trailer and they had never seen a 5th wheel before, so Kent invited them in to look around. They were so sweet and so interesting to talk to, they met each other a few years after each of their spouses had died and neither one had any children, so they are traveling together and really enjoying each other. (picture) We are leaving for home in the morning, it will take at least a week, as we are stopping to go to Nathan's ballgames in Sacramento, California this weekend. He is Kent's grandson from Portland and he is on a traveling basketball team and we are very proud of how good he plays ball. It will be fun to be so far from home and get to watch him play. Kent caught me with the camera drinking the small frappacino they were giving out for samples today when he stopped for his treat of the day. I guess I have to admit they are very good and I like them too!!!!!!!!!!

April 26 and 27, 2010

Monday 26 ~~~~~Gary came over and picked up Kent and they drove out to the Cashman Ball Field to get our tickets for the game tonight, the Las Vegas 51's against the Sacramento River Cats a Pro AAA team. There is a lady in the office who gives us free tickets each year we are here. I stayed home and read and enjoyed the sunshine. We went to the ball field about six and we had wonderful seats right in front of home plate. It was $1.00 night and they had 1 dollar hot dogs, pretzels, popcorn and peanuts. The game was very good, with lots of hits and a couple of outs by trying to steal bases. There was 3 home runs, so it was a lot of action. We had a lot of fun sitting together with our friends Gary, Dan and Gail. (pictures) Tuesday 27~~~~This morning Kent and I drove to Costco for a few things and then we drove down the strip to the California Casino and visited with Gary awhile. Next we went back home and went to a movie at the theatre in Sam's Town Casino, it was the "The Last Song" movie, starring Miley Cyrus. We really enjoyed the movie and the story line and her acting was good. We went home and watched television the rest of the night. We aren't leaving for California in the morning because the wind is so bad today and it is supposed to be worse tomorrow. We will leave on Thursday morning and drive extra miles so we can be on schedule to see Nathan's game on the way home.

April 23, 24, 25, 2010

Friday 23~~~We had a delicious breakfast with Gary at the Casino buffet. We had the 5th wheel with us and we parked it in the camping row while we ate, so we could get off to a fast start. (picture) We arrived at Sam's Town RV Park in Vegas mid afternoon and believe me it is plenty warm here. We didn't do much today but sit around and watch TV and read our books. Our friends Cyndi and Howie are in Vegas getting some work done on their trailer, so we got together tonight at our place and we played a two games of cards (hand and foot) , the guys really waxed us girls , they won both games. (picture) Saturday 24~~~We went to the 4:30 Mass and from there we drove down town Vegas to the Strip and watched all the activity there. It was so hot and there were so many people walking the sidewalks. It makes you wonder where they are all going to, a lot of them had little children walking with them in that heat. We stopped at the Cannery Casino and donated $20 to them in about 10 minutes and from there we came home and watched a movie. Vegas is not my favorite town, but Kent likes to stop here and see all the activity. Gary will be here tomorrow, so he and Kent can check the town out and I will stay home and read and work on the computer. Sunday 25~~~~Gary arrived about noon, we sat outside and visited in the shade until after 2PM and then we drove downtown Vegas to Bally's Casino to get Gary checked in where he will be staying for a few days. We played a few games of Keno in the Casino there and then we came back to our place where I fixed Salisbury steaks with mushroom gravy over wide noodles for dinner. Kent loves this dish, it is one that Tress made for us and now I make it for him. About the time I had dinner ready to serve, I called Kent and Gary in to come in and they weren't outside, so I waited and waited, then I called Kent, they were two trailers down and he said they would be home in a few. After a few and a few more, I went looking for them with my flashlight. Here they were at the neighbors and Kent was helping him fix his awning that had come down and he couldn't get it to fold back up. Gary is not a handy man, so he was watching and Kent helped until they got it up. It was very heavy and a lot of work, but Kent is always there to help someone, he is the best!! Our dinner was really well done when we finally ate, but we ate every bite as we were all starved, it was 8:00 by then.

April 20 and 21, 2010

Tuesday 20~~~~~Kent and Gary are in Keno Tournament this morning; I stayed home to have some time to myself to sit in the sun and read, to try and make reservations for my trip to South Dakota to my 50th High School Reunion. I don't know how it can possibly be that many years ago, when I don't feel any older than 50 myself. I called my sister Jan and we sure had a good time laughing and talking on the phone. We will sure have fun if we are both at our reunion. I had a big meal all planned for dinner tonight for Kent and Gary but they ate too late and too big a lunch today and they aren't hungry, so I will fix it another time. They did pretty good in the Keno tournament today, Gary came in second place and Kent came in fifth, after he took out his cost of the tournament, he was only $25 ahead but that was better than $25 behind. Kent was so tired he went to bed at 10 o'clock tonight and fell right to sleep. I stayed up and did some reading while I listened to the soft sound of the rain that came down on the roof. Wednesday 21~~~~Gary came over for coffee this morning and he drove us to meet our friend Gail and her friends for lunch at the Casino. After lunch Kent and Gary went to spend Kent's $25 he won yesterday in the tournament. Lady Luck was with him, as he turned it into $150, so we came home fat, full and happy today. We are meeting Gary for breakfast in the morning and from there we are headed to Vegas for 6 days and then towards home.

April 17, 2010

Saturday 17~~~~We were up early this morning on our way to visit our friend Gary in Mesquite, Nevada. We went over to the Riverside Casino for breakfast before we hit the road. We had two free breakfast coupons to use up and we like their breakfast. It was quite warm when we arrived in Mesquite and I could hardly wait to turn the air conditioner on inside. Gary came over after we were all set up and the three of us went to Mass at the beautiful new Church they just built here. Gary drove us all over and showed us around town after Mass and then we stopped at the casino for a short visit before heading home to watch television for the evening. Sunday 18~~~~ We drove over to Gary's condo this morning for breakfast, Gary was to make the coffee and we bring the bagels, Gary had three different buns to eat toasted with cheese and cream cheese, plus our bagels. Needless to say, we didn't eat any lunch today. After breakfast, we did our laundry at Gary's place and then we drove over to visit our friends, Dan and Gail who also live here. We watched the Country music awards on television this evening and called it a day. We are driving to the Zion National Park in the morning.
Monday 19~~~~We got up early this morning, I packed us a picnic lunch to eat at the park. Gary picked us up at 8:00 AM, it was a little cool this morning, but it was warm by the time we arrived at the Zion National Park, one of 380 parks in the National Park System. They have dual shuttle buses that take you to the up the canyon, letting you get off at different points on the way. We started at the visitors center open year-round where we watched a 22 minute orientation film about the Zion Park and we enjoyed the museum with its pictures and artifacts from the park. Spring through fall, Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is open to shuttle buses only. We rode the shuttle to the top, getting off at different levels, Park elevations range from 3600 to 8700 feet with annual precipitation 26 inches at the plateau level to 14 inches at the lowest elevation. We got off the shuttle at different stops (shuttles come every 8 minutes) to view and take more pictures before heading back down to enjoy our picnic lunch. The colors of the rock formations, sand stone and the various shapes of the peaks and ledges with the water falls coming down made it a very enjoyable day for us. Another place of beauty in our beautiful United States of America to visit. 15 minutes from the South entrance of the park is a McDonald's so Kent could got his Frappacino fix, we came home where I gave the guys hair cuts.

April 14, 2010

Wednesday.....After going to the canyon we decided to go across the river to a old mining area. We ran into a couple guys in a jeep and we asked where the mines were? He looked us over and said, " just down the road a ways"; "Yap you can make it up that wash in your 4 wheel drive truck". Off we went up this gorge on a old mining road, every time we thought about turning around one of us would say lets just look around the next bend up there. Well after going about 5 miles in we finally decided it was time to turn around. I made the mistake of stopping to get an interesting Quartz rock, Sharon jumped out of the truck and proceeded to start collecting all kinds of interesting rocks to put in the back of the truck to take home. After about 30 minutes and 100 Lbs of rocks later I told Sharon she was going to have to start walking if she didn't stop picking up the rocks and get in the truck. As always she finally conceded and got in the truck with about 50 additional pounds of what she calls valuable rocks to take back to Salem. I was starting to have flash backs of a movie we have watched together where Lucy got carried away gathering rocks. With the additional weight of these rocks I hope I don't have the same experience Desi Arnez had in the movie, "The Long Long Trailer." It was a interesting excursion seeing a number of old mines on both sides of the road. After seeing the mines you wonder why the miners started digging in that spot and how long they dug before they quit and moved on to another area.

April 13 and 14, 2010

Tuesday 13~~~~~Today is another beautiful day here in the desert. We went over to the Riverside casino for our free buffet breakfast we received for staying in the campground here. Breakfast was very good, we both had the omelets the chef makes to order for you as you watch. We finished up with doughnuts and ice cream, I wonder why I don't lose any weight anymore!!!! I would never think of eating ice cream for breakfast at home, what has happened to me??? This afternoon I went to the salon where I got a haircut in February when we were here, the stylist who cut my hair was gone and she is cutting hair in a tattoo parlor. That shouldn't have surprised me because her body was covered with tattoos when she cut my hair. She did a good haircut, but she about sheared me, so I thought I would try her again and tell her not to cut so much off. Now I had to again try someone new which I really don't like to do because I don't think a tattoo parlor is my idea of a place for me to go for a haircut. LOL I told these stylist's I was a retired hair stylist and I was going to be very fussy about my haircut because everyone cuts it too short if I don't watch their every snip of hair. One stylist (Angela) was brave enough after my speech to still want to cut my hair because she said "I know how to measure"!!!! She gave me a great haircut and she even taught me a new way to dry and style my hair so it has the messy look with less work. I hope she stays there as I will be going back to her! We also had fun talking shop and talk about hair and how much I miss doing it. Kent really liked my cut and he was really happy to know he wasn't going to have to listen to me belly ache about how short my hair is for 3 weeks. Wednesday 14~~~~After lunch today we went for a drive to the Grapevine Canyon just a few miles from Laughlin, NV located off State Hwy. 63, six miles west of Davis Dam at mile marker 13. A fresh water spring flows in the canyon in non-drought years and it was running when we were there. We parked the truck and walked ( 1/4 mile in) stopping to take pictures on the huge boulders at the entrance to the canyon. (pictures) There is evidence of the Prehistoric Indians who lived there etched on the boulders, they are believed to have been created by these early people. Archaeological research of the rock shelters indicates that the ancestors of the modern day Mohave peoples and the Southern Paiute people camped here periodically in the shelters of the rocks for a few days while using the area. The shelters were used as early as 1100AD and continued into historic times. The petroglyph pictures can be seen on the boulders and the cliff faces on both sides of the canyon. Some researchers speculate the the petroglyphs formed a part of a ritual or ceremonial observance, perhaps what happened in the area centuries ago. There are a lot of carved symbols of big horn sheep who might have been there. Determining the exact age of the petroglyphs is difficult, evidence from recent research indicates that the age of the etchings spans a time period from as recent as 150-200 years ago to more than 800 years ago.
It was very interesting climbing all over and seeing the etchings, the beautiful desert flowers in bloom and the massive boulders. These boulders are so huge and the flowers are all over, iwish I could have dug up some to take home. If you are ever in the area, take the time to go see this, it is so close to Laughlin where so many people go year round.

April 10, 2010

Saturday 10~~~~We left for Laughlin, Nevada this morning where we will be staying a week. We have a neat spot at the Riverside RV Park up on the hill overlooking the strip and at night the view is beautiful with all the Casino lights so bright and colorful. we got here about 3:30 and Mass is at the Casino at 4:00, so Kent finished setting up the cable while I went to Mass in the "Bingo Parlor"
of the Casino. It sure seems funny to see all these people sitting at those long bingo tables attending Mass, I think it is great that Don Laughlin (who the town is named after and who owns the casino) provides this room for the church every week to use for Mass. The Mass attendance for last week was 2043 and the collection was $15,030.26. That is a lot of money for a small church here in the desert to collect. Kent said he saw an ad that said they have church services for the Lutheran's there now also. Sunday 11~~~~ There was a Keno Tournament at the Avi Casino about 10 miles from here, so we drove over and Kent played in the tournament and we both played in the free slot machine tournament. Neither one of did any good on the slots, but it was free, so it was fun to play the machine for 10 minutes and see how much money you would have made if you had been playing money. LOL I spent most of the afternoon watching the Masters Golf tournament in the lounge area. They had lovely over stuffed lounge chairs to sit on, so it was very nice. I was happy to see Mickelson win the tournament, everyone cheered when it was over and he won. Needless to say, I didn't gamble much, so I came home with most of my money. Kent didn't win the Keno tournament, but he won most of his entry fee back. I think he needed his Keno buddy Gary there to pick the numbers with him, they do real well together. We enjoy the TV shows on Sunday night, so that is what we did when we got home.

April 8, 9, 10, 2010

Thursday 8~~~~ Today we didn't go to the pool, it was cool in the morning, so we stayed home to do some errands. I cleaned house and later we went to WalMart and to Costco to develop all the pictures on our camera's. We don't print them off anymore, we just have them put on a disk, as we had 325 of them again and I don't have time to put them in albums or the money to pay for all those pictures. LOL Kent loves those sausage dogs at Costco, so we usually eat lunch there when we shop there. Today the sample ladies really had some good samples. I keep telling Kent that we need to buy a small freezer for our trailer to put some of those good buys in. Friday 9~~~Here is a picture of the mountains that surround everything here. I just love them and I wish I could have this beautiful view back home when I wake up in the morning like I do here. Our friends Bonnie and Ruebe are leaving to go home to South Dakota tomorrow morning, so we drove over there to visit with them this afternoon. Ruebe had a doctor appointment this morning to get the results of his lab work earlier this week. Everything came back good, so they will head home happy people again. Kent is convinced that the "McDonald" Frappuccino's are better than "Star Bucks" ones, so he insisted on going to the "McDonalds" nearby to buy one for everyone before we leave. I rode along to help carry them. We bought 8 of them and the girls at McDonald's got quite a chuckle out of Kent and how many he bought. Everyone loved their drink and I think he has convinced 8 more people to make the switch! Now is a good time to seriously think about buying McDonald Stock if you don't have any yet!!!! Mosher is just getting started on his "Frappuccino" drink campaign!!!! (pictures) He can even drink them standing upside down!!!! Tonight we drove over to the campground where we almost stayed and didn't because of the phone problem to visit one of my clients I used to do her hair at the shop in Salem. I knew she came to a place near Palm Springs in the winter, but I had no idea where she was. When I called to make the reservations at the Sky Valley Resort, I hung up and I told Kent that the name of that park sure sounded familular, I got to thinking about it and I looked up Deanna's address and low and behold, it was the Park she and her husband have a home in. What a great visit we had with each other and our husbands got to meet each other. She and Dan got married about the same time Kent and I did, they are selling their home here, as Deanna says she doesn't like the heat and the desert. We plan to get together when we get back to Salem. (pictures)

April 5, 6 7, 2010

Monday 5~~~~~This afternoon we were invited to our friends for dinner tonight. Brenda fixed a delicious prime rib with baked potatoes and salad for dinner, she is a very good cook, we have spent Mother's Day over there the last two years with them and the food is always great. I baked one of my yummy carrot cakes with cream cheese frosting for dessert. We had a lot of fun visiting and catching up on everything since we last saw each other last year. We didn't stay very late after dinner, so they could have more time together as a family. Tuesday 6~~~~We spent the day at the pool again today and we enjoyed our new friends John and Marianne who we just met and who are newly retired. Kent is again helping them with all the things he has learned about RV'ing that can save a lot of money and also a lot of problems. I would say Kent is an RV'ers best friend!!! Wednesday 7~~~~Another fun morning day at the pool, we met Bonnie, Ruebe and their kids this evening at the "Oasis Tavern"
where we enjoyed a few beers and listened to the people singing Karaoke. Bonnie and I sang a song and Brenda sang a couple. They have so many people singing, it takes forever to get your name back on the list, so we left before our next song came up. You have to write down your song and the number in the book and the artist who recorded it, so it takes awhile to find it all and these locals know the book by heart and get a lot of songs in real fast. Ha We sure do have fun singing together though and it is a lot of fun. (Pictures) I have more pictures of Bonnie and her kids, and I can't find them, I will try and post them later.

April 4, 2010

Sunday 4~~~~~This morning we went to Mass in Palm Springs, when we walked up to the church, we could smell the aroma of Mexican food being cooked in the front of the church. What a delight to find it all cooked and set up when Mass was over, with people selling tickets to use at the different tables of food they cooked. Kent had a couple of tacos and I had a taco and a tamale. They had a table with a kettle of beans cooked and several sauces, and toppings for the taco's plus a lot of other Mexican foods to choose from, it was a real neat thing for us to experience on Easter Sunday so far from home. We had no kids to hurry home to and no Easter Bunny at our house with eggs to hunt for, so we took our time with the festivities. (picture) Later this afternoon we went over to have dinner with our friends Bonnie and Ruebe Heckenlible who are here visiting their daughter who lives here while Ruebe is visiting his Doctor out here. Their son and family from Port Angeles, Washington are also here and today was also Brians's birthday and there were a lot of friends there celebrating the day with them also. This is the family who has the parrot that loves Kent and who bites (draws blood) on the rest of us. (picture) We played several games of Beer pong (pictures) and another game of two teams on each side of the table; it was a race to see who could drink their beer in the cup and then flip the cup upside down on the table before the next person in their line could drink and flip theirs. I had a little trouble with my first round, but I nailed it real fast on the second try. (pictures) Kent and Ruebe had fun with this game also, we finished up the day with a dice game that was a lot of fun. You start with $3 and it keeps going around the table until all the dollars are in the pot and one person has one left. (pictures) It was another beautiful warm Sunny California day and we sure had fun with our friends.