THE JUNK DRAWER.

Everyone admits to having a junk drawer. A place to store something of a temporary nature, or something you don’t want to toss, but what good is it to keep? It ends up in the junk drawer. I have too many junk drawers.

My daughter-in-law came for the weekend since “the guys” meaning my sons, and old high school friends have this big mega bash every year over super bowl weekend. They play poker, drink a lot of beer, golf on Sunday morning…well you get the picture. So Laurie and I poked around my junk drawers for stuff for a project she is working on. The picture was taken after we reduced the quantity of junk in the drawers by half.

It was really nice because I cleaned out a large bag of crochet yarn that I’ll never use.  I took out most of my button collection;  It filled three large cigar boxes. Ribbons and badges from Community Club events will hopefully find a home in the local museum. Much of it represented past volunteer activities and some travel items like the museum patches above. Whoever heard of such obscure museums as the National Skating Museum?  The Cartoon Art Museum. I’ve been to an Eye Glass museum, a Bait Museum, a Knife Museum, a Funeral Museum, Bead Museums…   On the road with Jim, I (we)  visited every museum that came to our attention, no matter the subject or size. I wonder sometimes,  how many I’ve visited?

Among the buttons were whirley-gigs  I made when two young nieces and a nephew came to visit for a week one summer. I also taught them to play Hide The Button.

My mother visited Pope John Paul II when he visited San Francisco so many years ago. I have her holy cards, relics and a purported piece of the crucifixion cross; a metal from every California Mission she visited and more. My intention was to make a collage with her things. I’m  inspired anew.

I couldn’t hold in two hands the number of metal pins I saved with messages such as:  Our Owner’s Gay, from Chatom Vineyards. Elect Jeffrey’s for Sheriff; Warning: I go from 0 to Bitch in 3.5 seonds; USA Olympics, 2002; Chocolate Makes the World Go Round. TV4UBYU and so on. Useless.  Junk. For the Junk drawer.

Laurie and I enjoyed the process. I got my fix of “fur” for a couple of days. Koko sat on my lap for a bit while we watched three episodes of Home Fires on DVD. We cooked and ate well, too. Idiotically, I didn’t take a picture of Laurie, just Koko and Bix.

THIRTY THOUSAND GEARS AND CHEERS.

My friend Pam Munn recently moved to Thousand Palms and came by the park and picked me up so we could go to lunch and hob-nob around town. She warned me that an event called the Tour de Palm Springs was being hosted this weekend.

On the highway, it was disconcerting to be driving among sweeping globs of hundreds of bicyclers. In town, it seemed more controlled.

Ten thousand bikers registered for this 16th annual event. They were friendly, of all ages, and seemed to be having a grand time. They ride to support and raise money for 150 charities in the Coachella Valley.

I noticed a couple of bikers stopped to cool their feet in a fountain outside of this gated golf course. Pam told me the area has 106 golf courses, all watered with used grey water. I wanted to join them because my feet and one ankle were sore after the power walk of the day before. I walked with this group without a problem before the accident. I have to re-coop slowly.

She took me around the lower side of town which is surrounded by a mountain range. The land beneath the mountains is owned by the water company. It is their water shed and is protected but with access to mountain climbing and picnicking on water company property.

Pam spotted this pretty bird. I took the picture from the window. The minute we opened the door, it was gone.

In town, the event was in full swing, with bands and cheer leaders urging the bikers on to the finish line. I have no clue the distance nor route they ride for this event.

Families cheered on their favorite biker and watched and waited to take pictures as they crossed the finish line.

Once they crossed the finish line, they dispersed into the Tour de Palm Springs Street Faire as did we. Several blocks of streets downtown were closed to traffic and given over to the event. We enjoyed it very much. Had a great lunch, and still took time to do a bit of shopping. My swim suit turned into trash since the last time I used it. So, I bought another.

I waited patiently for the line of people having their picture taken with this 27 foot tall statue of Marilyn. Pam says she is prettier at night because she is lit up and her dress is painted with a pearly, luminous paint.

We stopped for a drink. The band was good but loud. It was impossible to talk without placing lip to ear. We didn’t stay long.

At this shop, I think it was Canyon Rose Boutique, the clerk asked us, “Where you from?” I told her Murphys. She said, “Oh, just minutes ago someone from Murphys was in here, are you together.” No. I told her the shop reminded me of Reza’s Bags in Murphys. “That’s what she said, too.” What are the odds?

I love kitschy stuff, so I took pictures of stuff and no one can have too many scarves doncha know. (I was only going to buy a swim suit, but…)

This woman was photographing her friend trying on and modeling a beautiful hat.

I believe this was Weitzmens Gallery. It has huge sculptures in front and massive paintings of good quality if you wanted to find it, it is easy to find.

There was a lot to see in Palm Springs that Pam and I didn’t get to. I have friends coming on Wednesday that will spend a couple of days and we’ll get another look.

My bike is practically frozen from being on the back of the bronco through so much changeable weather. It is about as mobile as this one. I’m planning to keep it at home from now on. After dinner in the motor home, Pam and I went to the recreation hall to hear some music, but it wasn’t much to our taste and she left at 8 p.m. This week she is going to give me painting lessons using acrylics.

A RUBBER DUCKY RACE.

The last two days have been heavy work days. My driveway got resurfaced and a dead almond tree was removed. I went out early this morning to look at how things turned out and misplaced my cup of tea. It is not a good morning when I misplace my cup of tea. I retraced my steps, looked at every fence post, every flat surface, and it has disappeared. And, it’s my favorite cup.

While my helper hand-spread asphalt in liquid form on my driveway, my house mate, Karen, worked on refinishing wooden chairs. Sanding the old varnish and paint off in preparation for a cheery coat of paint. I worked on genealogy and scanning  old family pictures.  On-line I shopped for an on- demand water heater to replace one beginning to make funny sounds at the age of 14.

While working with pictures, I  saw the Rubber Ducky Race I photographed while my young niece from Colorado and her  family were here for the reunion. Not only did they enjoy the race, but they  enjoyed the creek and the event. Officials dumped a bunch of rubber duckies in the water upstream.

Here they come. It is a fundraiser for the Humane Society. People buy a chance to win the race. Prizes are awarded for lst, 2nd and 3rd place. Each duck has a number on the bottom, you get a receipt and give the duck back for race day.

At the finish line, eager hands wait to pick out the first three that cross the line and give winning numbers to the officials.

Helpers gather up the remaining ducks, and stay wet and cool along with the adult helpers. Kind of a win, win for everyone.

The ducks are plopped onto a tarp and will come back to race again next year.

The kids enjoy other activities in the park put on by the Humane Society.

Brittany and Brianna get their faces painted. They wear rubber ducky necklaces received when they bought a ticket in the race.

This little girl asked for a purple dinosaur while her brother waits  his turn to be painted. There are games and food; the playground and the creek.

Pull up a blanket in the shade of a tree and enjoy a family picnic.  Isn’t that the way to spend the hot days of summer?

SOME DAYS ARE LIKE THAT

Theresa, my brother Clark’s fiance,  is an excellent cook and I should have taken pictures of the food, since I did such a lousy job of taking pictures of the people gathered at my brother’s  home yesterday. Some days are like that.

Dawn, my sister, with our visiting  cousin, Gary Rowe  enjoyed a rich artichoke dip with a variety of crackers and chips;   brie, pomegranate & pepper jelly, candied pecans, cookies,chips, and assorted drinks. I rarely indulge in such rich foods, but couldn’t resist snacking and drinking a good barbera wine. Theresa makes everything from scratch. Delish!

It is naturally an event when an out-of-town cousin visits.  Conversations around the table get quite spirited and old memories are displayed and hashed over for the fun and laughter they bring.

Clark was known most of his life as Corky, and only took back his real name late in life. He and my son,  Doug work together sometimes.  When dinner was served, I was full of goodies and could have skipped dinner.  I didn’t though.  Why resist the most beautiful Cobb Salad with roasted chicken and bacon, three different dressings;  four different kinds of quiche, jumbo shrimp, and apple cobbler for desert. Naw!  I loaded up and went home feeling like a stuffed toad.  Food for a King or Queen. Some days are like that.