Sunday, February 13, 2022

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


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