I LIKE BEING BUSY.

Friday night, the park hosted T/3, a two person band from St. George’s Utah. They set up on the grass and played for everyone from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

With the special effects of electronics they can sound like just about any musical group you have heard before. With a wide repertoire, they had something for everyone, from Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville, some country, Nancy Sinatra’s, Boots, Franks, Something Stupid Like I love You, to some hard rock numbers, and fast dance numbers like Big Wheels Keep On Turning, Rollin’ On The River. I don’t have a good enough memory to cover it all, except to say, it was very enjoyable. Last year at Thousand Trails Palm Desert we heard one of the worst musical couples where most people walked out at the intermission. So, it was a happy comparison.

T/3 stands for Troy, Tyra and their little dog Tinkerbell. She has a great, strong voice that can growl through the rock numbers and caress the softer music while Troy is a whiz with the special effects. We didn’t get to meet Tinkerbell.

It was light out when they started playing, but by 9:00, the sun put on a beautiful display over the roof of the lodge.

Yesterday and Friday, I worked several hours on projects unfinished from home, but I like being busy even if the biggest appeal of the road is relaxation, carefree time away from daily cares and chores.

We got out late in the day and visited Tongue Point and the Semihamoo salmon cannery, and enjoyed a museum that was closed for the season on our last visit to Birch Bay. We returned by a circuitous route home, catching the scenery and I found a spot we hope to revisit for some pictures on another day.  We spotted a ranch that sells fresh green peas after we’d gone to our grocery for major shopping. The little beach store we stopped in on Friday had only bare necessities.  We were up late, woke late, a busy morning and I have Yoga, so, as my son Doug often says in his emails….yakatcha later.

BLACKBERRY PICKING, PLUS…

Norma, Jose and the kids missed the family & friends reunion, but we both were able to squeeze in an afternoon for a bit of berry picking and barbeque Sunday last.

Jose was scheduled to work, but decided he needed the day off more than the work. He commented on how quiet and peaceful it is here, especially when we walked up the canyon and got into the berry patch. We couldn’t have asked for better weather. Six year old Abbie got something picky caught in her sandals. Help dad!

 

The berries were fat and plentiful and early this year.

Doug and Jose did most of the picking and we put a quart of berries in my freezer, and another in Jose’s ice chest.

Anthony agreed that berries and ice cream is delicious.

Little miss Abbie had a  good time with some hair ornaments that were headed to the Good Will. She has the most beautiful, lush hair you’ve ever seen. Of course, I’m jealous since I inherited my father’s thin strands instead of my mother’s beautiful tresses.

It was nice to take an afternoon away from a far too busy schedule.  I’m still fielding work progress on the Oregon property. Yesterday, I did a final program on the Quyle Kiln’s 60th Anniversary for Public Access Television. Today, I’ll finish a written piece for Ceramics Magazine. I finished my inventory for insurance, a massive photo project, that took five days to complete between refining the watering system to withstand the water reduction requirements of the drought. (I always take on projects instead of saying no.) And, finally, I can think about what I’m going to pack to return to the Motor Home. I’m looking forward to being back on the road.

TRANSITIONS.

Normally, if I’m a member of an organization, I like to contribute  by attending meetings, taking on a job and helping out. Because of my traveling lifestyle, I make it to two or three meetings a year. I enjoy that Len, a club stalwart, is always there to play music while others chat and visit. He learned to play accordion as a child and transferred that to piano and organ. He played When The Saints Come Marching In for me.

Club members are a fun bunch and my dinner partner, Earl Randall, worked in Judge Connit’s court, Alameda County,  and knew practically everyone in the Sheriff’s Department that I knew, including having met my husband and his best friend Jack Baugh. It is such a small world. The Elks Club Dinner was Wednesday night.

Last night, Suzy and Ron Hayes, invited Karen and I to have dinner with them before I leave today. I could not ask for better neighbors and I treasure them.

Ron and I share similar philosophies of life and we like to rail against our ineffective politicians as in fire them all and start over. I always tease Suzy that I’m going to marry him when she’s done with him.

Karen and I usually have one dinner together. I try to see all of my friends when I get home. I managed pretty well this time despite unexpected issues to take care of.  Karen often cooks dinner and brings me a plate to share. She took me out for tacos at Sidewinder, but as close as we are, living in the same house, we didn’t manage a sit down dinner together until we got to Suzys.

Today, I leave for Incline Village to have a belated Christmas with my family since not everyone could make it to Calaveras County in December. We’ve rented a condo and almost everyone skis. Ahh! The card games and cooking together, the loud banter, just seeing everyone under one roof is very precious to me.  Then, transitioning to my rambling life with Jim and leaving the busy chaos of home behind for a while. I’m grateful to have such plenteous choices and two distinct lifestyles.

 

WE RIDE FOR THOSE WHO CAN’T

We meet a lot of veterans on the road as we travel like this Air Force Veteran.  He and a Navy buddy ride together and are proud to have ridden all the way to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C.  I visited the Memorial;  I don’t remember what year it was. We, like many others, traced the name of a friend.  It was an emotional experience. Especially the notes, and flowers, and meaningful (to them) trinkets that people lay next to the wall where their loved ones names are etched in stone  forever.

We’ve seen several of these Veteran Biker Groups on various missions.  Just seeing them reminds us of All Gave Some, Some Gave All.

Wherever I see a vet just minding his own business, I feel shy about walking up to him and thanking them, but we do smile in a friendly way and say hello. If they have cameras we  offer to take their pictures for them.  It is one thing I can do, as small as that may be.  This duo let me take their picture for my blog, and we took their pictures in front of the ruins we were all admiring, with their cameras.

Both of these guys made the trip All The Way in 2011 and in 2012.  The theme is We Ride For Those Who Can’t.  I didn’t ask their names,  but I’m going to make a point of doing so the next time we meet a veteran biker and post their pictures on the blog.

I fly to Vegas this afternoon for a visit with my son and daughter and their families for two days.  Then, home to Murphys for my family reunion. Besides everyday business to catch up on, each time I return home, I make it a point to finish one major  project  I started.  I’ll be in touch via this blog and give you a look into what goes on in my very active community.

We’re parked in the City of Farmington, in  a huge parking lot behind the shuttle service that will deliver me to Alburquerque Airport later this morning.   Then Jim will head for high ground, cooler temperatures, hopefully, and more rest for his injury which still plagues him.

 

TIME IS FLEETING

Closer to leaving Murphys and joining Jim gives me pause to realize how much and how little I got accomplished in my time at home. I didn’t catch up with everyone I wanted to see or everything I wanted to do. Yet, I finished some complicated projects. There is never enough time in our hurried lives. It makes sense to stop and smell the roses.

I took time out to have friends for dinner. We call Paul, The Famous Paul Moeller, because he is known by everyone in the county. He has videotaped every event to the tune of 3 shows a week since 1983. Unstoppable, at 84, we know he has to slow down, but doesn’t. And Pam Quyle, hard-working, involved with everything that is art. She has been in this county the longest, from childhood. She is owner of Quyle Kilns, and meets people from everywhere in the world on their way to Big Trees. She educates everyone who walks in her shop and has this unlimited memory of everyone in the county, especially connected to the old-time families. Always finding a home for someone who needs a place to stay because she has this big  heart and  fields  a steady stream of people  in need of help.

And Margo, the most popular and well-known woman in Murphys. You can’t walk down the street with her because she gets stopped too many times. Everybody knows Margo. She pours wine for Chatom Vineyards and has as many local friends as out-of-town friends, and many from other countries. She speaks German, French and English.  She doesn’t have to work and keeps planning a second retirement.  Chatom doesn’t want her to leave.

I promised cactus to anyone who wants a piece, so Pam took my picture hacking off a hunk for Margo who loves cactus. Still more than half of it to go. Any takers?

As I look at my pictures these past couple weeks from the new camera, they seem mushy and over bright. Slightly out of focus. I’ve got to test it and see if I can discover the problem before the  warranty is up.  And, I ordered plane  tickets for my return to New Mexico , and now the things undone loom larger.  Still, can’t forget the  roses.

WEEKENDS WITH KIDS

Traveling the way we do, we forget what it’s like raising kids. At my daughter’s, a couple of neighbor boys slept over in the living room.

We fed the boys breakfast on the patio and 13 year old Michael fell asleep at the table. It must have been a hard night.

Grandson, Austin spends at least one Saturday per month at the local Home Depot on a building project they sponsor for kids. He has a work apron, a pre-cut wood project ready to assemble. Glue and nail with decals. He paints his projects at home. This little tool box is for his father, for Father’s DaySmart marketing teaching kids to enjoy working with tools in an age where they press computer buttons on their video games and spend time glued to some type of screen or another. The kids are rewarded with a certificate of completion  and a button to pin on their apron. Austin has completed quite a few projects.

Part of that marketing strategy gets the parent in the store to do some shopping, which we did, looking for a clothes line. I spotted an employee wearing a very hardware store type of earring, a heavy nut. Rather fun, appropriate.

Then we spent the afternoon at Laurie and Ken’s playing Rumikub.

Son Ken fixed tacos for everyone.

Weekends with kids- family time, is pretty good stuff.