February 20 to 26, 2022

Sunday ; Sunny and very warm.

This long weekend has brought an influx of visitors to Sky Valley Resort. We missed our pool exercise session yesterday and today because there were just too many people in the mineral pools for our comfort.

Joanne went into Desert Hot Springs by herself this afternoon to run some errands.

Monday ; Sunny and mild, very windy.

Deferred our plans for the day due to winds. Spent some time this afternoon planning our journey from here to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas.

Tuesday ; Sunny and mild, very windy. AGAIN ! These winds are becoming tiresome.

Took a propane tank to be refilled. Did some routine maintenance chores. Continued planning our trip from here to Rio Grande Valley in a couple of weeks.

Wednesday ; Sunny ! Cold ! ! ! BRRRRR !

This morning we drove into Palm Desert. First stop was Palm Desert Farmers’ Market to buy some mushrooms. Neither of the two vendors who were selling mushrooms a couple of weeks ago had any today. DARN ! We drove to Palm Desert’s famed El Paseo Drive (see Arnold and Selma in the Super Bowl electric BMW commercial) to have lunch at a Japanese restaurant specializing in ramen soups. No … NOT the kind one buys in a package for twenty-five cents ! The small strip mall’s parking lot was full when we arrived. I had to wait briefly for a parking spot to become available as a very elderly couple hobbled to their … <blink blink … GASP> Maserati, and vacated a parking spot.

Lunch was very good. We shared a large bowl of a vegetable ramen bowl, made with cream broth (as opposed to pork broth), then shared a Teriyaki chicken rice bowl.

After lunch I refilled the truck with diesel … which now costs over five dollars per gallon here in Palm Springs … then we went to Glossy, the best women’s bathing suit store in North America (according to Joanne). Unfortunately, today they only had one mastectomy suit in Joanne’s size that she liked. She had been hoping to buy two or three bathing suits.

We ended our errands day with a lengthy session at Wal-Mart, replenishing groceries and supplies. We arrived back home at Sky Valley Resort late in the afternoon, just in time for a long walk before dusk.

Thursday ; Sunny and mild.

Laundry day. Bill paying day. Lots of bills ! Trip planning day. Researched RV parks in the Rio Grande Valley in southern Texas. Selected and prioritized top three. Couple of long walks.

Friday ; Sunny and warm.

After a long walk in the desert this morning and an early lunch we headed to downtown Palm Springs. First stop was the Palm Springs downtown location of Revivals Thrift Store, our favourite thrift store in all of North America. We bought three items today, one item Joanne was looking for, and two impulse items I picked up. HA HA HA !

Next we went to the Palm Springs Convention Center to attend the first day of the three day annual McCormick’s Classic Car Auction. We wandered up and down the rows of hundreds of cars about to be auctioned, and when we were tired of that we went into the auction tent and watched a baby blue 1959 Lincoln Continental be auctioned. Selling price was $13,000. Good thing I wasn’t registered as a bidder. Because … I thought the damn thing was worth $25,000.

We went to the Palm Springs dog park and walked around the inside perimeter a couple of times as our afternoon exercise walk, and reminisced about the many times we visited here with Bo, who loved this dog park more than any other (as do we), and the one time we visited with Ozzie, who did NOT love this dog park, nor any other except his “home” dog park at Riverside RV Park Resort. Poor Ozzie, he was old and frail and insecure around strange dogs when we visited here with him, shortly before he died.

We drove to a Goodwill store, and browsed, but did not buy anything at this thrift store which we didn’t really like. We went across the street from the Goodwill to Trader Joe’s to buy a bag of cole slaw mix for tonight’s supper. HMPH ! A bag of cole slaw mix that cost forty-eight dollars and change. Admittedly, I picked up a few other gourmet and exotic food items on impulse. HA HA HA HA HA !

We arrived back home just after 6 PM, just as it became dusk.

Saturday ; Sunny and warm.

This afternoon I made a donation to the Ukraine Relief Fund of Red Cross Canada, to assist with humanitarian relief in my ancestral homeland. AND … my donation value is doubled by the Government of Canada’s commitment to match donations to this Red Cross effort. SO … I make a donation, I get a tax deduction for the amount of the donation, an equal amount of my tax dollars also goes to the same Red Cross fund, the Red Cross receives twice my donation amount … WIN / WIN !

Recent history in the world, particularly in the United States over the last six years, have made me more politically aware of, and vehemently opposed to, authoritarian rule by despots. Like Trump and Putin. And Joanne and I both find it impossible to continue to adhere to “pacifism” idealogy. Annihilate the fuckers ! And feel free to use my money to do so !

<calming self> < AHEM> But I digress ! HA HA HA ! Of course, the Red Cross likely won’t be using my money to annihilate anyone.

My father preached to me, since I was a very young child, that the two most worthy charitable organizations were the Red Cross and the Salvation Army. I have not yet found a reason to disagree with him.

And my grandparents came to Canada from Ukraine over a hundred years ago to flee circumstances similar to what exists there today.

DSK

February 13 to 19, 2022

 Sunday ; Sunny and hot.

Joanne has an inner ear and Eustachian canal infection that is slowly on the mend. I have a severe toothache under a capped/crowned back tooth. Decay ? Abscess ? Cracked tooth stub ? I need to see a dentist on an emergency basis VERY SOON !

This morning we left Sky Valley Resort at 11:30 AM heading east to Indio, Palm Springs’ most easterly “suburb”. We had lunch at Lala’s, a waffle, crepe, and milkshake restaurant that is a favourite of Joanne’s. Food was good, service not so much. After lunch we drove a short distance to attend a matinee performance of Neil Simon’s “I Ought To Be In Pictures” at Desert TheatreWorks. Great story, only three characters, two of them horribly miscast in this production, lots of “flubbed” lines, inept sound management. Well beneath Desert TheatreWorks’ usual standards of excellence.

Maybe the two gay owner/operators of Desert TheatreWorks should not have cast their thirteen year old daughter in the role of a “young woman”, perhaps an eighteen to twenty year old character. Perhaps they should employ a more competent sound manager than their young adult son. Ah, well … nepotism is obviously still alive and well in the theatre world in Palm Springs!

After the play ended we drove a short distance to Vallarta, a nearby Mexican supermarket, to see how it compares to the Vallarta supermarket location in Tulare, California, our favourite Mexican supermarket. We did not know until recently that there was a Vallarta location here in the Palm Springs area. We browsed the Vallarta store, replenishing groceries, including buying some new (to us) types of pan dulce (Mexican pastries).

We arrived back home shortly after 6 PM, after nightfall, tired and both suffering from our maladies. Some drugs and later a light supper helped us feel a bit better.

Monday ; Sunny and hot.

Another routine day filled with mineral pool exercising and soaking, napping, exercise walking, preventive maintenance chores, reading, photo processing and posting, online doomscrolling on Twitter, watching Olympics on TV, etc. … HA HA HA !

Tuesday ; Sunny, chilly, extremely windy.

After an early lunch I headed into Desert Hot Springs to have the truck fluids serviced. A week ago I gave up on the “quick lube” type businesses and made an appointment at an old fashioned auto service station in nearby Desert Hot Springs. The quote given a week ago for truck fluids service was $350, the time estimate was 3 hours. The actual bill today was $455 and the service time was 4.25 hours. I’m not certain that I made the right decision !

Wednesday ; Sunny, chilly, and windy.

After almost two decades of spending our winters in the United States we have had a long held belief, based on watching prime time TV commercials that U.S. “big pharma” creates a lot of “solutions” to problems that don’t exist. Tonight we watched two back to back “medical advertising” commercials, a concept that doesn’t really exist in universal healthcare Canada. The first one convinced us that “now we’ve seen everything”. It was for a new product, a $90 “personal” ECG machine, so that “now you can take your own ECG, daily or even twice per day”. HA HA HA ! Just what old guys with cardiac conditions and OCD … like me … need ! ! !

And then … <sputter> … the second commercial came along, and blew away the first ! HA HA HA HA HA … a new drug that helps … “along with daily exercises and stretching” … straighten out “bent” erections. Maybe I should get me some of that ? ! ?  <ROFLMAO>

And the third commercial in the series was advertising a new Palm Springs area “Disney themed residential development”. HUH ? ! ? What the hell is a Disney themed residential development ? ? ? A neighbourhood with fire hydrants that look like Goofy ? Stop signs held up by a scowling Donald Duck ? ? ?

This afternoon Joanne went shopping by herself in Palm Desert. It’s the first time in a very long time that she has driven the truck. And an even longer time since she’s driven it by herself in an “unfamiliar” urban area. She did fine !

Thursday ; Sunny and cool.

We didn’t go anywhere or do much of anything today. Joanne continues to feel unwell due to an inner ear and Eustachian canal infection. And I continue to suffer with a toothache. <sigh>

Friday ; Sunny and very warm.

Good weather has returned. So we today we had a long exercise session in the mineral warm pool and followed by a soak in the mineral hot pool. And just before dusk we went for a long walk.

This morning I phoned our family doctor back in Canada and made appointments for each of us in two months, immediately upon our return home. This afternoon I received a phone call from the Palm Desert dentists’ office where I had an “emergency” appointment for next Monday morning to deal with my toothache. I didn’t like their attitude, I didn’t like their “displeasure” at me not having dental insurance, and I didn’t like them asking stupid questions that I had already answered in their online new patient questionnaire, so … I cancelled Monday’s appointment ! Later in the evening I did some online research, then made an appointment to see a dentist in Nuevo Progreso, Mexico in a few weeks when we arrive in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas.

Saturday ; Sunny and hot.

SO … we had another lazy day.

DSK

photos from Taste Of Jalisco Festival

 

February 6 to 12, 2022

Sunday ; Sunny and very warm.

Worked on monthly financial reconciliations, and budget planning, and future winter travel plans / dreams.

Monday ; Sunny and very warm again.

Immediately after an early lunch we drove into Palm Springs / Cathedral City to get an oil change for the truck. And front differential, rear differential, and transfer case fluids changed. I dropped Joanne off at Cardenas (Mexican supermarket) to shop for groceries and I went to a nearby Jiffy Lube. <sputter> They were OUT OF STOCK of diesel oil ! I drove across the street to Meineke, who were “too busy” to do the work I needed. OK … bye ! I returned to the Cardenas mall, and before going into the supermarket to join Joanne I went into Harbor Freight to look for an item I need. They were out of stock ! <rolling my eyes>

After finishing at Cardenas we drove back to Desert Hot Springs and I went looking for somewhere to get the truck fluids service. I had ascertained a week or two ago that I did not want to deal with the Jiffy Lube outlet in Desert Hot Springs, which is why I went to the Jiffy Lube in Cathedral City today. In Desert Hot Springs I went to two independent service stations and chose the second one, making an appointment for service next week.

<sigh> Not a very successful afternoon !

And now Joanne seems to have a Eustachian tube infection ! <sigh>

Tuesday ; Sunny and hot. A “no shirt required” day. WOO-HOO !

This morning I made phone calls and paid bills. After a long exercise session in a warm mineral pool, and a short soak in a hot mineral pool, and a late lunch, I changed the fuel filter in the truck.

Wednesday ; Sunny and hot, temperature this afternoon 88°F / 31°C.

Our plan for today had been a day trip to go to and through Joshua Tree National Park, including having a picnic lunch. BUT … last night while doing online research Joanne discovered that the entry fee into Joshua Tree National Park is … wait for it … U.S.$30. Yeah … I don’t think so !

Plan B was to go to the Farmers’ Market in Palm Desert, followed by a date shake lunch at Shield’s Date Garden in Indio, and then maybe some thrift store shopping.

At the very upscale Palm Desert Farmers’ Market adjacent to the Palm Desert Chamber of Commerce I parked our truck beside a shiny red Ferrari convertible. With Winnipeg Jets affinity Manitoba license plates. Who the hell would drive a Ferrari from Manitoba to Palm Springs ? In the winter ! ? ! Perhaps a “retired” Winnipeg Jets professional hockey player ?

The Palm Desert Farmers’ Market was very impressive. I bought heirloom cherry tomatoes, gorgeous sweet local strawberries, and … <blink blink> … a mixed box of locally grown Oyster Mushrooms and Shitake Mushrooms. I really outdid myself tonight when I prepared Oyster Mushroom, Shitake Mushroom, Queso Fresco, and Crema Salvadoreña omelettes for supper. WOW ! ! ! ! ! Served with heirloom cherry tomatoes and sautéed kale. Strawberries at bedtime.

After the Farmers’ Market we drove to Shield’s Date Garden in Indio and shared a large date shake for lunch. We sat on a park bench on Shield’s garden walkway to have “lunch”, then ambled around the long pavestone walkway self guided tour around the farm learning about dates and other desert horticulture.

On our way back home to Sky Valley we saw an Angel View Thrift Store outlet in La Quinta that we had not been to before. We stopped and went in to look for swim trunks for me. I bought three of them. One can never have too many Palm Spring swim trunks ! HA HA HA ! Like many of the clothing articles in the many Palm Springs thrift stores they are unused, brand new, “last season’s fashions” donated by retailers and manufacturers. Oh, darn … tsk tsk … I’ll never make the cover of GQ wearing THOSE to “take the waters” at Sky Valley Resort ! HA HA HA <SNORT> HA HA !

Thursday ; Sunny and hot. Apparently summer has arrived in Palm Springs.

This afternoon we had a long telephone chat with Jeanine, our friend and former neighbour at Riverside RV Park Resort near Keremeos. Somewhat like watching an episode of “As The World Turns” after not seeing it for six months. HA HA HA !

Friday ; Sunny and hot.

This morning I went for a short drive over to a nearby RV parts store to refill our barbecue’s small propane tank. This RV parts business is always such a gong show ! On the way back into Sky Valley Resort I stopped at the office and paid our January electricity bill. Before having lunch we went for a long exercise session in the warm mineral pool. It was too hot today for a soak in the hot mineral pool after exercising.

After a late lunch and a long nap we went for a long walk. Typical day for us here.

Saturday ; Sunny and hot.

Late this morning we headed into Palm Springs, to Cathedral City’s main town square, to attend “Taste Of Jalisco”, a Mexican festival celebrating the city of Tequila, in the state of Jalisco, in Mexico. Tequila is Cathedral City’s “sister city” in Mexico. Upon arrival we wandered around the car show, which was a display of many “low riders”, presented by a variety of local “low rider” car clubs. It’s a SoCal Mexican guy thing. There were also displays of many very customized “low rider” bicycles, evidently created by and belonging to the teenage sons of the low rider car owners. HA HA HA … never saw low rider bicycles before, didn’t know such a thing existed.

From noon to 1 PM we watched a Mexican Folkloric dance group perform on the community stage. And interacted with the Jack Russell Terrier and Miniature Poodle belonging to the two gay fellows sitting beside us on the lawn. Between the first and second dance groups we wandered around the “market” area, viewing a variety of merchandise and food vendors. We returned to the stage to watch the second Mexican Folkloric dance group, but left after only a few minutes. The second group was a children’s dance school exhibition.

None of the food vendors was of interest to us, so for a late lunch we drove to Elmer’s, a nearby restaurant that we have been to before. Elmer’s is a “Pacific Northwest” (Washington / Oregon) small chain of restaurants specializing in breakfast / brunch dishes. I had avocado eggs benedict with fruit salad, Joanne had a garden salad and turkey sandwich. Food very good, but service slow. By the time my eggs benedict dish was brought to our table the Hollandaise sauce was cold. <shrug> Like many restaurants Elmer seems to be suffering from staff shortages.

After lunch we drove to a nearby Vons supermarket to do some grocery shopping before returning to Sky Valley, arriving home shortly after 4 PM.

DSK

January 30 to February 5, 2022

 Sunday ; Very sunny, very warm, temperature in the low 80’s, no wind … gorgeous !

WOO-HOO ! The next door neighbours’ sixteen year old cat has returned ! He was hungry !

Around noon we went for another long, relaxing exercise session in the warm mineral pool, followed by a long soak in the hot mineral pool. I decided to try something new today. After soaking in the hot pool for awhile, I went for a cold water plunge in the cold pool. YIKES ! Well … once will be enough for me, thanks. My heart bypass grafts will appreciate that. HA HA HA !

Monday ; Cloudy and warm.

Joanne is ill tonight with an upset stomach and … “food poisoning” ? How come every time we come to Palm Springs … she gets sick ? ! ?

When we walked over to the east side of the resort late in the afternoon to return a book to the library we “captured” two little, old, fat Chihuahuas running around loose. Within a few minutes their elderly, drunk, senile female owner came out of the mailbox room, scolding them for “escaping” from the golf cart where she had left them <rolling my eyes>.

Tuesday ; Cloudy and cool.

We spent the afternoon running errands in Palm Desert, including returning to America’s Tire to have the incorrectly installed dually wheel removed and reinstalled correctly. The service technician assigned to my truck did not understand the concept of the outer wheel “blocking” access to the inner wheel’s valve, preventing the installation of the inner wheel’s valve extender. <sigh> I explained / showed it to him. It was like a light bulb going off in his head. <rolling my eyes again>

Wednesday ; Cloudy, cool, extremely (Santa Ana) windy.

The wind was so strong today … (how strong was it, Dan ?) … that we spent most of the day hunkered down inside the camper. We spent some time this morning wandering around the neighbourhood searching for all of our stuff that we left outside, and that had blown away ! Towels, bathing suits, pool shoes, laundry basket, folding chairs, barbecue tools.

Thursday ; Sunny, but … another cold, windy day. Again too cold to go to the pools.

I did some maintenance on the truck. And a “home improvement” project on the camper. And some dreaming and planning of next winter’s travels.

Friday ; Sunny and warm.

We spent the afternoon running shopping errands in Palm Desert and Cathedral City ; Wal-Mart, Lowe’s, and Trader Joe’s. On our way home, stopped at a traffic light on Dillon Road, I saw a food truck parked on the side of the road at the intersection, advertising Salvadoreña food. WOO-HOO … pupusas ! Joanne had been commenting about how hungry she was, so … I stopped and bought pupusas as a late afternoon snack. Pupusa Revuelta (frijole, quesillo, y chicharrón) for her, Pupusa Queso for me, warm curtido y salsa verde on the side. They were EXCELLENT ! Well … except for the salsa verde, which I think was just ... puréed jalapeños. HA HA HA !

Late in the evening the camper’s propane alarm malfunctioned / failed due to age. I was unable to silence it by any method other than removing it from the wall and cutting the wires. <sigh>

Saturday ; Sunny and very warm.

I started my day by driving a short distance to a nearby RV parts business to purchase a new RV propane alarm. Late in the afternoon I installed it. Problem solved ! On my way back into Sky Valley Resort I stopped at the office and extended our stay until March 9.

DSK