La Quinta, California: Since returning from Las Vegas we have been very busy with house guests, social engagements, golf, and house projects. A quick catch up:
Marcia and Red's second daughter, Ali, visited them from New York City. One night we all went to dinner at Arnold Palmer's in La Quinta. Fancy and Fun.
A few days later, we had a visit from Dave's co-worker from back in the Olympic Track & Field Trials days in Eugene. Jess and her mom came to town for the tennis tournament. We all went to brunch at our clubhouse and took a driveway selfie:
Marie and Matt stayed with us for a few days of fun and golf. Lots of good food and laughter. Old tales were told. Weather was terrible.
Meanwhile in Los Angeles, the kids had two weeks from school. The second week was going to be with us in the desert, so Lisa and Lenny had to keep two kids occupied in the rain over the first week... while working from home. Such. Terrible. Weather. One day, Lenny took Leo and Lucy to MB2 Raceway where they were able to drive karts.
On Friday (31 March) Lenny drove the kids out to us. We decided to meet at Tacos Gonzalez for lunch. Imagine our surprise when Lucile entered the taco shop on crutches. Apparently she fell and has a hairline fracture near her ankle and must stay off the leg for two weeks. She told us about her X-ray and how we would have to wrap/re-wrap her ankle/foot each evening. Marcia and Red came over for dinner (they were leaving for home the next morning after a 3-month stint in La Quinta) and we all just hung-out chatting in the evening.
The next morning, Lucy hobbled into the kitchen on her crutches, threw them aside, and started a rehearsed dance routine with her brother. It had all been an April Fools joke! Lenny said she had thought of this scheme herownself, and had planned everything down to the hospital visit scenario. There were several things that didn't add-up: her crutches were too tall for her, but she explained they were out of small crutches. At Children's Hospital in Los Angeles? Bubbe don't think so! Lucy also said she fell at school... which does not explain the above photo taken at the race track? No matter, we went along with the story and applauded her after the Big Reveal. 24 hours is a long time to wobble around on crutches for a gag. Maybe living with a screenwriter has influenced Lucy? Maybe she should be an actor? Anyway - kudos to our eight year old trickster.
As you know, the weather in SoCal has just been awful this year. Eleven Atmospheric Rivers SO FAR. Flooding. Snow pack records. Rain records. A drained/dry lakebed is refilling in the San Joaquin Valley. Biblical stuff. Mother Nature gave us a reprieve on Saturday and Sunday. The mercury climbed finally into the 80s. The pool was heated. (ASIDE: first time to use our new pool heater and man-oh-man does it work! So well. So fast.)
Lenny stayed over Saturday night as well because we again had tickets to the Coachella Valley Firebird ice hockey game - this time against the Colorado Eagles. Another fun night and second row tickets again. This was the first time Lucile attended hockey game. With the fast action so close to our faces, and all the noise and banging when a puck or player crashed into the plexiglass barrier is very thrilling. Firebirds won!
The adventure continues. I hope to post really really really a lot of photos very soon.
Until my next update, I remain, your grandmotherly correspondent.
Glad to see you and yours out enjoying the “real” one true sport. Ice Hockey