INCLINE VILLAGE VACATION

Friday past, Doug, myself, and a lot of baggage loaded into Ken’s seven passenger Tahoe and headed for a rented condo at Incline Village. It has five bedrooms, four bathrooms, a hot tub, a foos ball table, books, television, and, plenty of room for our gang of 11. (Missing was grandson’s Mason and Alec.) Our first stop was the Great Basin Brewing Company for lunch, in Reno.

Ken is growing a mustache, and his son, Stewart lives in a house close to his campus at Univeristy of Nevada at Reno. All college kids like a free lunch, and it gave Stewart, who has facial hair, a chance to rib his dad on his “paltry” mustache.

After lunch, we picked up my oldest daughter, Kristanne and her son Austin at the Reno Airport and drove to the condo.

On Saturday morning, (Virginia and her gang have yet to arrive), Doug, who is known for his fabulous omelets was relaxing when his brother said, I’m hungry now, where is that omelet?  I love this, Doug, in pidgin English, said, “you-want-omelet-now? OK.” Ken got his plate of eggs in about one minute, including a do it yourself kit.

The omelets were full of veggies, cheese and ham, made to order, and delish.

Later Saturday morning, youngest daughter Virginia, her husband Cedric and their boys, Theo and Owen arrived. Theo and I started a jigsaw puzzle, all the while wondering if all the pieces are present. It was a challenging puzzle.

We are a games playing family, and soon Laurie and Kris were playing RummiKub. Virginia read her paper she brought from home.

Stewart drove up and he, Doug and Ken had a game of Elevator going at the other end of the table.

It was chit-chat, relaxation and games. Elevator, Thirteen, Phase 10. People jumped in and out of the games, as they changed throughout the day.

Theo and Austin went out, played in the snow, came in, jumped in the hot tub and came up to make their lunch before going back in the tub. Theo taught Austin to put the “right” kind of potato chips in his turkey and cheese sandwich.

Cedric tried a hand game Austin brought that is popular at his school. It is a Japanese game where you toss the ball on the end of the string and catch it in one of two cups and on a peg. I think it is Chandra? Much harder than it looks.

Cedric spent part of the afternoon baking pies for dinner. We all demand a pie fix. His are the best.

We play a lot of cards. Stewart laments that in his generation only a couple of his friends actually play cards. Virginia brings a card game she discovered in Mexico, an auction game we play only once. I think it is called Ah Fiance.

Laurie cooked Saturday night’s dinner. A big pot of Mexican chili with cilantro and cheese, her  home-made corn tortillas. A black bean and pepper coleslaw, a bowl of guacamole, and dipping chips. Hardly anyone was hungry enough for desert.

By bedtime, the puzzle was unfinished. Theo, Cedric, Laurie, myself and Owen all worked off and on during the day on the puzzle. More tomorrow.

 

 

 

DIPAOLA FAMILY AND KAYAKING

Yesterday, we spent the afternoon and evening with cousins Rick and Mike DiPaola, and family, and friends, at Mikes house on Long Pond. This long pond is Mike’s back yard and happens to be 4 miles long, a fact that would make it a lake in California. A heavenly place and a wonderful time. Ann’s hospitality, says Jim, is always abundant. (True.)
I was thrilled to be able to try kayaking, something Mike and his friend Steve regard as their major recreational activity-as in every day. I kayaked once with my grandson, Stewart and have wanted to try it again. So, off we went.

Mike has a number of boats about the place of various types and sizes since the whole family, (except maybe Ann) go kayaking.

We loaded into the boats and paddled across the pond to a quiet cove. I got a lesson on invasive species and the strange Massacusetts’ laws that prevent a fix. Pond weeds that choke the pond could be eradicated by the introduction of sterile carp. They eat the stuff then die after five years without reproducing. Nope! The carp introduction is against the law in MA. The guys once found a dead kingfisher that dove for his breakfast and got caught in the weed and drowned.

Mike talked about other plants and trees and the tranquility offered by kayaking on a quiet pond, de-stressing at the end of the day, and enjoying nature. That’s what appeals to him.

Steve demonstrates the best way to relax, just rest your elbows on the sides, lean back and enjoy a quiet float. Relaxation and exercise is the best part of “paddling”. The guys kayak winter and summer. They know how to paddle against the currents in a river and still move forward. Experts, in other words.

Mike’s brother Rick has NEVER gotten into a kayak. Mike claims that he is still working on him.

We enjoyed good food and chat, but the entertainment was provided by Vinnie, a two year old Boston Terrier, who continually played with his “trained” humans. An amazing little guy who could jump fences and chase for hours, if you were willing.

Mike put his plastic bottle on the handle of the pick to challenge him for awhile.
We spent the morning at the Festa Parade. More on that tomorrow, but, lunch time, knowing we will soon leave the area, Jim had his final fish & chips at his favorite restaurant, Gene’s Famous Seafoods in Fairhaven. Its been written up in USA Today and a couple of other local papers. But, no matter, the cod is the greatest.

VALUE IN RELAXATION

This is our “shake down” cruise in the new motor home. We sit in beautiful Yosemite Lakes this morning. Its quiet here, and the crystal clear water riffles over the rocks. Lovely! We arrived yesterday after a breathtaking drive over 120 through Groveland.
Jim has busily worked on technical installations these past weeks while I played with my guests. It was my turn to orient myself around the kitchen, place pots, pans, dishes, the appliances, my clothing etc. where everything worked best for me. Small inconveniences are easily overcome for a week, but when you spend as much time on the road as we do, it is necessary to minimize them. The signal here is slow, as it often is, no cell phone service at all on this 400 acre preserve, but Jim’s antenna installation works well and we have an internet signal without waiting until 8am for the lodge to open. Yes! That is a major convenience, to sit in your own space and do email and blog BEFORE breakfast. It purifies relaxation and reduces my stress. (I’m the self stresser of the family.)
I’m looking forward to Yosemite National Park which is only 90 miles from Murphys and five miles from our park.