The Holidays

Now that we have started the new year I will try and catch up on what we did over the holidays.

We sent out our Xmas cards on Saturday the 19th after filling them on the patio in the warm sunshine. That evening we met Paul and Michelle Mahoney for dinner at a sushi place. We met them two years ago at Larry and Rose Mackey's wedding, hit it off, and re-united here in Palm Springs, where they live. Mark and Carol arrived the next day for a ten day stay here in the park.

Monday we went over to the golf course here on the park and practiced putting and pitching in the practice area. We came back and climbed into the hot tub for about an hour enjoying the 104 degree temperature. After dinned we drove out to "The Living Desert" to see the Xmas exhibition they have for the holidays called "Wild Lights". It was cool in the desert and we bought some very good hot chocolate to sip on as we walked the park. Thousands of light to look at...very nice.

Sunny Tuesday but higher winds and we took the awning and Xmas lights down for the day. We checked out the "Fitness Center" here and plan on signing up for the next three months after the first of the year. They have about four treadmills, three bikes, and several stair master type machines as well many many weight machines as wells as free weights. Very much first rate. The have flat screen tv's in front of each of the treadmills, bikes, and stairmaster alond with the remote control so you can watch whatever you want while working out. That night we watched "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" at Mark and Carol's rig before coming home and going to bed.

Wedesday the wind was gone and the sun back in full. We put the awnings back out and the Xmas lights back up. I washed the CRV then put the tire covers on the motor home and we were set up for the remainder of our visit. We drove over to Minerva Lane which is the "Candy Cane Lane" of Palm Springs. Spectacular! The house are way over the top with lighting. While we were cruising the lane slowly in heavy traffic we saw several fire engines coming slowly down the lane going the other way. All of them decorated elaborately with Christmas lighs and playing Christmas music. Good timing on our part. After that we drove over to the Riviera Hotel, which has been remodeled in art deco and is furnished in red, black, and silver. We went out to the pool area which was free form with gas fire pits and sitting areas along the poolside. Also some very nice cabana areas, bed type lounges, and elaborate chaise lounges. Wished I had brought the video camera as it was dark for still photos without a tripod and the flash took away the feel of the darkened areas.

On Christmas Eve we went to the movies to see "Blindside" which was a hit with all of us. We had a big BBQ rib dinner that night and watched "National Lampoons Xmas Vacation" before getting to bed. Christmas day we had a huge turkey dinner with all the trimmings. It turned out great.

As for the rest of the time we have played golf a couple of times, went out to dinner with Paul and Michelle again, watched "Up In The Air" with George Clooney, and visited with Harry McGovern. Harry is a good friend of Mark's he met on a cruise ship about 35 years ago. He is a partner in an engeneering firm that designs and builds freeway overpasses and bridges. He and his wife Ann have a house here in the valley at the "Big Horn Country Club". We went over to visit him here. His wife Ann was at their main house in Rancho Santa Fe. We ended up going over to his country club and watching the Laker game in the bar. It was really nice to see him again as Harry and Ann were on the Hawaiian cruise and vacation we took back in the 1990s and we had only seen them a couple of times since.

New Years Eve was laid back and we all watched the ball drop in New York. The next day we sat outside and watched the Rosebowl on our compartment tv, enjoying the nice weather.