26 February 2009

So sorry I have been letting these muzes slip but you can blame it on FaceBook and the game of Mafia Wars.  I spend my time going back and forth from that to Scrabble.  It is tiring and all consuming.

We arrived in Malibu on Sunday just in time for the Oscars, which I really enjoyed.  Monday we went to get our blood taken for our physicals scheduled for Tuesday.  We  then went to meet Brett at work and have some lunch and a trip to the Verizon store.  We got an air card for the computers and Chet took his  internet off his phone.  We think this will serve us much better.  We had dinner at Brett's and then played a game we bought him for Christmas called "Scene It".  It is the one for "Friends" and we had a very sweet evening.

Tuesday we had our physicals scheduled and on the way there my nephew called and told us my sister was in the hospital and her systems were shutting down.  I cancelled 1 of my appointments for the middle of the day so we could go to UCLA Medical Center to see her.

I had some some very exciting news about my diabetes....my A!C test was below the number for being diabetic.  This has been 5 years now and it has always been at 6.0 which was the dividing line.  I have never had to take any medications for it and have managed perfectly with a lot of finger pricking.  I had a 5.6 test result and the doctor said I was not considered a diabetic any more.  Yipppppppeeeeeeee.  My cholesterol was fabulous she said and that is with taking 2 Red Yeast Rice Extract capsules in the evening and 100 mg. of coenzyme Q10 to counteract the effect of the natural statens.  Everything is purrrfect and I am so grateful.

We went to see Carol and she looked much like our daddy did when he was in that condition. It was good to see her and today she was taken out of intensive care. Everything was stabilizing and she was doing much better.  I don't know how much longer she can go on but she has a very strong will to  live.  We left there and got out eyes examined and I ordered my new glasses.  The world will be a different place......

Yesterday and today we hung around here, ran some errands, did a little cleaning, and did some walking.  It was nice not having to do anything.  Tomorrow we will pick Brett up from work and either see a movie or see Mitchell and Andrea.  We still haven't seen them and that makes me sad.......

All in all, everything is good.  I am on 2 different types of inhalers for my 2 and 1/2 month run of bronchitis.  Hopefully this will help and I won't have to go on the oral steroids.  I am just wrung out from the coughing.

Sleep well my friends and family.....love to you...........

 

21 February 2008

We were walking through the desert, where we are staying, this afternoon and I, once again, realized what our eyes get to see.  We see the desert and we see icebergs, we see the North Atlantic from our living room and bedroom in Twillingate and we see the beautiful Ocotillo cactus, the majestic redwood trees.  We get to go to the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, the Winter Blast Pyrotechnic Convention at Lake Havasu,Arizona.  We see buffalo herds in the Dakota's, the Badlands in both of those states, Niagara Falls, Vermont's covered bridges, Key West.  We get to make pizza in an earthen oven while dry camping (no hook ups) in two different areas of the desert in Arizona and California.  A friend RVer built them and they have stayed for years, not disturbed.  We go off roading and see places we wouldn't see if we didn't do that, we get to ride ferries to and from Newfoundland, The Labrador, Change Islands, ride the narrow gauge train in Colorado up the mountains to Silverton.  We went around curves so tight that we could watch the back of the train circling around behind us.  Those are just a few of the things we have seen and will keep seeking more of.  I love my life with Chet, I love Chet.

We happened upon a silent auction at the visitor's center which is the yearly fundraiser for the archaeological society that is connected to the park here.  They had an ice cream social and lectures, demonstrations, etc.  We happened in to the silent auction and got a few things at a wonderfully low price.  We had a sweet afternoon.

Cal and Jose, our friends from Twillingate, sent the first pictures of an iceberg.  What a beauty amongst a lot of pack ice.  They have been having a lot of snow this year.  We keep  checking the weather on the web cam at Cal and Jose's restaurant.  Our friend who is spending her first winter there after she and her hubby moved from Ontario is sending lots of pictures of the storms and the ice in the harbour.

Well, my dears, we are off to bed as we have to head to Malibu tomorrow.  You have a good one and open your eyes to the beauty of this Earth~~~~~~~~~~

 

17 February 2009

It has been a while so I shall fill you in as we drive along the Colorado River on our way to Anza Borrego Desert in Calif. to spend several days.  We hope to hook up with other friends we have become closer to since our short trip to Quartzsite this year.  From there to Los Angeles to have our yearly physicals and a visit with Brett and Mitchell.  We have plans to stay for two weeks and then head north to Oregon and Jon and Erin's in Eureka.

We finally made it to Winter Blast after wanting to attend for several years.  It will be at the top of our list of things to do in the winter when we return to the West again.  Leslie and WC hopefully will be able to see this experience with us as they will be coming to visit their grandbabies that moved to Phoenix.  Phoenix was so nice and has one of our now favorite parks to stay at.

I haven't had much time to write a muze, knit, play our new Wii game or much of anything since I decided I wanted to play Scrabble with Jon on FaceBook.  Chet and I have been possessed and hope to be able to break the spell.  We are sleep deprived and I have been like a zombie.....Jon got us in to his Mafia Wars game and it was all over!!!!!  We have had so much fun but going to bed at 3:00 a.m. just doesn't cut it when one has to be out of a park by noon~~~~~~~fortunately today was a 2:00 p.m. check out and we didn't quite make that.  We are also shirking all of our most important duties-cleaning house and things like that.  We are retired, though, and only have to live by the posted rules or time constraints.

I am hit with the dubious task of trying to relate to you what the experience was like at the fireworks at Winter Blast.  It is very difficult to describe the inexplicable with words or pictures.  Saturday night was the BIG night and we were in the front row.  We had our folding chairs, which were dropped off to us. Chet left them in Quartzsite and Vicky and Terry Webb picked them up as they were left behind.  Chet forgot to get them from the fire circle the night I was being transported to the hospital by ambulance.  He had to go all the way back to the "Q" from Parker in the middle of the night to get the motorhome.  He did a great job in the dark, all by himself, and luckily only forgot the chairs.

The park where the pyrotechnic convention was held is huge and they used the infield of the stock car race track to set up the displays.  There were the professionally prepared and choreographed shoots and the ones put on by the amateur members.  The first 2 nights we didn't go into the park and were astounded as we watched from the side of the road.  We knew we were missing some of the ones that were at ground level but we did not feel one drop cheated.  Just before we were ready to go home there was a huge fireball explosion and we and the people around us gasped as we thought something had exploded.  Moments later, there were 4 or 5 more different colored ones so we figured out that it was not an accident.  What a sight that was....Friday morning we were invited to a brunch at a friend's RV and had a lovely time.  Dwayne and Betty were the hosts.  Betty made a deeeeeeelicious egg bake dish.  Saturday we met them and many other Escapee Boomers at the park for a barbeque.  It was Dwayne's birthday party.  They supplied the hot dogs and the rest was pot luck.  His birthday cake said "Happy Birthday "ED" on it as it was all they could get.  The story was that Ed died and didn't need the cake anyhow so it was left at the market.........it was decided to have an "ED" birthday party at the "Q" every year for whomever.  

Chet put our chairs down at the field to hold a spot and we were dead front and center.  I couldn't believe how close we were to the displays.  We were there from 2:00 until almost !0:00 p.m. between the party and the extravaganza.  We were bundled in lots of clothes and Minus 33 pants and tops.  I was cold but okay.  As we sat and waited there were "open shoots" and men piling up anvils and setting them off to see how high they would go.  They must have left their heads at home.  It was nuts; they were nuts but it was great fun to watch.  

At 8:00 p.m. the main evening show started after about an hour or more of "open shoots".  It was so awesome; I said orgasmic and Chet said it was like a whole body experience; one not being so different from the other.  There were hundreds of fireworks shot off; rockets that shot 2 to 3 thousand feet up and then exploding into pretty colors on top of the yellow rocket trail.  There were ones on the ground going from right to left and left to right in all colors, spinning wheels, huge golden ones that would fall all the way to the ground, white ones that exploded over and over until the sky was filled.  It was non stop noise, music, color of every imaginable kind, shapes; circles, hearts for Valentine's night, smiley faces, being set off right in front of us.  We watched the fire boxes burn where they were shot from.  What an experience, I can't tell you as it was so all encompassing that it became overwhelming.  Oh, oh, oh, it was sublime.

Sunday, we went back out to the solar Desert Bar which I wrote about in my muze about three weeks ago, the day after I got out of the hospital.  What a great feeling of people having fun.  We both had on our serapes and pictures were being taken over and over.  Chet had a solar burger with chili, as they tell you to get the chili to disguise the flavor of the meat...LOL...He sat at the bar and I held his hand and danced to the music.  It was perfect....I love to dance and he doesn't do it often so we had a great spot.  The band was great.  After the night before, and the spirit of the morning, we commented how lucky we were to have been directed to each other.  How lucky we are to have found the kind of love we share~~~~~we smile a whole lot~~~~~~

After the activities of the day we went to the last night of the fireworks.  I put on 2 pairs of Minus 33 wool pants and tops, a t shirt and a heavy winter jacket, a hat, a scarf that I made, wrapped twice around my neck and face and my serape draped over my lap.  Oh, I forgot my wool gloves and my Uggs.  Now this is a woman who plans on spending a winter in Twillingate.....  The fireworks were done by the amateurs and some was set to music.  There were all sorts of things going on and setups that had been worked on for a year.  There were spinning fireworks, huge rockets, things that were done with fire that were beautiful.  There was a big set up of a Jack-a-lope and it was lit and did not work the way it was supposed to.  It was sad for the people who worked on it but added a lot of laughs to the night.  It wouldn't quit and it kept having mini explosions for a looooong time.  They tried to put it out but it wouldn't die.  It was really fun and funny.  The big show of the evening was awesome.  It was huge and awesome.  One had to just yell and cheer.  I could go on and on but I can't tell you about everything as I don't want to type anymore.

We left smelling like smoke and sulphur and were covered in soot.  I got a piece in my eye but it only bothered me for a couple of hours.  The car was covered with soot.  All in all it was such a neat experience and would love for Jack and Lilli Mae to see it.

Before I quit I have to tell you about the little lanterns that were set off with paraffin dipped cardboard that was lit.  They looked like little hot air balloons floating up into the sky until they went out.  There must have been a few dozen, one after the other.  The BEST thing of the whole show were the explosions....there was one HUGE one we have on video and will try to figure out how to post it on the muze.  We have to be in the picture to put on FaceBook.  The heat that came from that was intense and so was the explosion.  

That's all folks..........

13 February 2009

It is Friday the 13th and I like Friday the 13ths......

Last night we went to our first night of fireworks displays.  We didn't get to go the night before as we got to the campground too late.  We parked up on a hill and had a pretty good spot to see most of the lower ones but had a direct line to the firing of the large ones.  It was spectacular.  At one time near what we thought was the end, there was a massive fire bomb and we just gasped.  We thought something had blown up.  It was swirling fire and huge.  It looked like a bomb had been dropped.  A few seconds later several more went off in various colors.  I can't explain what it looked like except that it resembled what a bomb attack looks like on tv.  No fire trucks or ambulances came or went so it had to have been one of the displays.  We waited a little longer and left to go to the grocery store.  Over about an hour later we were on our way back and the fireworks were still going off.  Tonight we will bring food and start earlier, planning on staying to the end.  Tomorrow and the next night are supposed to be the "Big" nights.....oooooooo all of the cameras are charged.

We have become possessed by Facebook....I am hoping it will level out.  Jonathan got us hooked on Mafia Wars and I have 7 Scrabble games going....that is too much, but fun.  Chet is happy as it is forcing me to learn how to navigate the computer......I still can't type worth a damn and get so frustrated when I am trying to "chat".  I get lost.......I have to watch my fingers too.  

The addition and subtraction in Mafia Wars is very hard for me too....I truly think I should have been in special ed when I was young but who knew then.......the wonder is it  is keeping the old mind stimulated and I want that as long as I can have it....................my mind that is.......

The weather is beautiful but cold at night so we hope to be able to stay in the car tonight for the show......Oh I wish you could all be here with us.......what our eyes get to see!!!

Blessings~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

12 February 2009 Early A.M.

We got on our way just under the wire as usual-when it is time to check out of a campground.  We sat at a rest area for 2 hours and had lunch and then pulled into Havasu around 7:30 p.m.  We were supposed to go to mile marker 165 but couldn't see the road to get to the BLM land for free camping, so we thought we would try the park nearest to the fireworks.  It was a chance and lo and behold, we got the last space.....the Gods were with us for sure.  We are at the river and will check it out tomorrow.  We are piled on top of each other here, not at all like Cave Creek, which is a particularly nice campground. 

I just wanted to say hi and go to sleep........

 

11 February 2009

It is now 5:19 a.m. and I can't sleep even though my body is screaming for the respite from my mind.  Words and different letter combinations whirling in my head, my Mafia Wars game I am playing and my next moves......not understanding people and their attitudes; why do they act as if the world owes them something; unfriendly, looking at you as if you are strange if you talk to them......the plague of the ones who think you want something and cannot be bothered to respond with a smile.  

I haven't written for days as the days run into one another and are gone before I know it, watching the seconds tick away as I play a game and realizing that it is my life ticking away, too.  Sleep where have you been for the past 5 nights......my rhythm is all askew and I don't like it as it is almost time to get up to get ready to head out for our next destination.  We have to be out of the park by noon and have to get all ready to close up the slides in the motorhome, take showers, hook up the car, etc., and I don't know where I am going to get the energy.  I feel a tension as this country is not at peace right now.  There are too many people in dire situations and it all seems to filter through my body with an uncomfortable feeling.

We are still in Arizona and have had a couple of days of just pelting rain, hail and cold weather.  I was wondering if I was in Oregon.  There is a beauty that comes from it as you can see the cactus filling with water and some sprouting little leaves overnight.  The Ocotillo are amazing as they are bare and when it rains they become all green with small leaves covering them.  You can see the Saguaro fill out as they drink the water; tall and beautiful and plump.  They shrink like an accordion when they don't have water.  The ground becomes like a green carpet instead of sand.  It will be a beautiful spring as the wildflowers will bloom.  The longer I am in the desert the more I am appreciating the stark beauty of it.  It is truly amazing.

We walked through some shops yesterday, in Cave Creek, and had a good time looking at the artifacts of Mexican flair.  The cloud formations above our heads were amazing; white and fluffy, dark ones and some that were almost black.  The sun was brilliant and blinding.  We had a good time talking to a shopkeeper but the people that were shopping couldn't be bothered with even a smile.  Why the need to be so unfriendly?  Is a smile so hard?

I talked to my sons and it is always good to hear the timber of their voices.  Words exchanged and feelings rise to the surface of my being.

I may as well get up and start preparing for the trip to Lake Havasu as I am no closer to sleep.  I just don't want run myself down though as this last 7 week bout with bronchitis really took a toll on me.  I don't have the energy for another right now.

I am feeling estranged from someone who means a lot to me and I don't know how to break through the shell that seems to always be lying just beneath the surface.  I have to realize my part and not get caught up in another's "stuff," but it does hurt to be ignored and to know it is not unintentional.  

I hope you are all well and not suffering too much from the tension that the news media feeds on like piranhas.  It is much better to take a walk or play Chinese Checkers.......

 

5 February 2009

I have been thoroughly chastised by my friend Carl for "spending entirely too much time on Facebook and ignoring my friends who look at the muze".  Sorry, all, I admit I have somewhat of an addictive personality and get hooked on certain games.  I used to play Literati( like Scrabble) into the wee hours of the morning until I got fed up with the horribly nasty chat that that went along with it.....Of course, I never added my 2 cents.

Right now, I am hooked on Mafia Wars, Scrabble and Wordscraper on FB.  I couldn't seem to get any of my friends to accept my Zombie game requests which I have "scrapped due to no content" according to my son, Jonathan or "Jonny Two Ton".  I am now "Tessa Sweet Lips" and I keep inviting my friends to play but am getting the impression that the gray hairs are a bit fuddy duddy as I had been called until I finally joined.  Tessa is having a lot of silly fun and I never watched the Sopranos.  I don't like the Mafia and what it stands for......I'd better watch it or I may get put on someone's "Hit List".  I NEED 2 more members to move up.....HELP!!!!!!!!

All is great and after 5 and a 1/2 years on the road I have finally come to the conclusion that I can pretty much do whatever I want whenever I want.  That is a very hard concept when one is as driven as I have been in my life....I guess this is what the word "retirement" means...I can go from knitting, which is being sorely neglected, to loving Chet, Solitaire on my phone and computer, to reading, to a walk, to Scrabble, to whatever games I want to play, to calling my kids and grandbabies, eat when I want, sleep when I want, play with my kitties, love my husband, sit outside, which needs more practice, get dressed or not get dressed and live in a big T-shirt, comb my hair or not, and plead for more Mafia helpers.

We are at the dump in the campsite as we don't have sewage, just water and electric.  I can get 2 loads of wash done if we use the public showers, which I will do here, as they are really clean.  I hate punctuation...........oh, but I am soooo compulsive...........

We will stay where we are until Mon. or Tues. and then head back to Havasu to the "Winter Blast".  It will be dry camping again.....at least there, as we have to save $ for the blow of the cost of Malibu RV Park.  We could park in front of my old house in Pacific Palisades again but can't handle the tightassedness of the "ones who think they are privileged" who live there and like to call the police.  There is no law against parking....  They seem to forget that we ALL have to sit on the toilet no matter what and at those moments we are ALL the same.............what a concept.....it should go on the news.

Oh dear, we are waiting for the water tank to fill with its 100 gallons before we get properly parked in our spot again.

We wish our friend DON, who has an infected hand, a speedy recovery......and warm thoughts to all of you who are being pelted with snow in NL today.  I can't wait to get the AC turned back on ;).

Carl, I have completed my assignment..................and I love you!!!!!! 

p.s.  Carl, Chet said he just finished posting the muze I wrote 3 days ago...........his bad.........I held up my part 8>).  He's retired too and ever as compulsive.

 

2 February 2009

My eyes are sore, my butt is sore, and I have a headache from eyestrain.  These are the joys of Facebook.  I never had a sit down job at a desk except for the harrowing years I spent inside the prison walls of schools.  Am I complaining?????  I guess so.  I really shouldn't be as it has been fun, tiring and kept me put so I could recover from my spell of bronchitis.

We put the computers away and WC and Leslie took a day off from grandparenting and we went for a gorgeous ride along the Apache Trail yesterday.  None of us bothered to check out the actual mileage.  We knew the actual dirt road part of it was 22 miles but that took some time to get to.  We stopped at Tortilla Flats to look at the bar and restaurant and had a lot of fun taking pictures in the men and ladies bathrooms.  The pictures are on Facebook under Chet's profile and mine.  They are very funny......  We drove and drove and drove, us in the back seat and I felt I was in an airplane.  I, of course, had to take my knitting which took up a 1/3 of the backseat.  I am finishing another blanket and I have to stop carting it around with me as it is too big and heavy.

We got to Roosevelt Dam and it must have been around 5 and found we had 100 miles to go to get back to our car.  Hmmmmm, I wouldn't call that good planning.  

We drove and drove and drove and got hungry so we stopped at an Outback restaurant and got to watch the end of the Super Bowl.  That was just enough.......there was a whole lot of traffic on the roads from people heading home from parties.  We assumed that as it was around 8 p.m. on a Sunday evening.

Today we didn't do much at all which was just great.  We went for a walk for about a1/2 an hour.  That was excellent as we had taken our first walk yesterday for 15 minutes.  We haven't done any exercise since 12/13.  That was a darn long time and a big backslide.

We will stay here for a couple of more days and then head back to Havasu to the pyrotechnic convention on the 11th.  I love fireworks and they are supposed to be spectacular.

Stay safe and well my family and friends.....Love