La Quinta, California: When I last left-off, we were in Las Vegas. It was so hot every place we had been the past few weeks and everywhere we had planned to be next, so we just went home to our own super-hot temperatures - with super-cold air conditioning and a swimming pool. Not to mention a washer & dryer. The kids were scheduled to appear, so it was nice to get home a few days early to unpack and get ready for their visit.
The RV was emptied and cleaned by the end of the afternoon we arrived, and she was returned to the storage garage, just in time for the dinner I put in the crockpot - the (frozen) veal Dave had leftover from his meal in St. George, with potatoes and carrots and a cup of chicken stock.
After getting the house organized, and having haircuts, I began baking for our grandchildren. Oatmeal cookies with dark chocolate chunks and dried cherries, Cinnamon Swirl Bread, a cherry tart and I made vanilla ice cream for the tart, while organizing birthday dinners for Leo and Lenny.
Leo has turned 13. This is a big birthday, and Leo was nicely celebrated on his day - he was away at camp with Lucile. His fellow campers really did it up for him!
Leo received a new fishing rod for his birthday, so he wasn't in our house ten minutes before heading down to the steamy pond/lake behind our house (on the golf course) fishing. The kid really can fish!
Lenny's folks gave Leo (Mr. Outdoors) a 6-person tent for his birthday. Leo thought he could set it up in our side yard and sleep there during his visit. Leo didn't count on the 115 degree temperatures... but whatever... let's just set up the tent in Bubbe & Bubba's family room. All of the furniture had to be crammed into a corner and the room became basically unusable during their entire stay, but was it ever fun and it only took the boys 45 minutes to put the thing up.
In the end, Leo slept in his tent all week, but Lucile put her sleeping bag between the two beds in the kid's bedroom and made her own tent:
Leo loves steak, so Dave grilled New Yorks for him. I made a big salad and smashed potatoes. The potatoes were tossed with garlic, olive oil and grated pecorino and roasted (like we had at a restaurant in St. George a few weeks ago). Delicious and, except for the final roast, were make-ahead. Dessert? Triple chocolate cupcakes from Tiffany's Sweet Spot in La Quinta.
For lunch the next day, we had the left-over steak in a steak salad and Leo declared me The Queen of Leftovers.
More fishing and bicycle riding and we went to the clubhouse for dinner one night. For Lenny's birthday (in July - we were away) dinner, we flew-in fresh salmon from Seattle. It was gorgeous... but dinner was a little delayed because Leo cut his thumb while slicing a lime. The amount of blood coming from this one-inch wound reminded me of an old Saturday Night Live routine. Lisa rushed him off to Urgent Care and Dave and I nearly had everything cleaned up and sanitized by the time Leo returned with a thumb glued back together. Did this wound stop him from fishing? Nope. Wrapped up in one of my disposable kitchen gloves, tape and rubber bands, the kid even went into the pool. There is no stopping a 13 year old kid.
He also had roasted asparagus and a cherry tart.
The next day, the Queen of Leftovers made a salmon spread for appetizers:
Gramps and I took the kids to NitroFusions in Old Town La Quinta one afternoon. It is a place that makes the ice cream to-order and freeze the cream with liquid nitrogen as you watch. I wasn't going to have ice cream, but when I read OLIVE OIL ICE CREAM with PISTACHIOS, I was a goner.
Everyone went home Saturday, and we started cleaning up again!
But I must admit, we watched a lot of live Olympics on Peacock several hours each morning. Caught nearly every second of the track & field and thought it was all very exciting. (Don't know why American men can't get a baton around one lap on a track though.) Four Oregon Ducks medaled: Cole Hocker won Gold in the 1500m, Sabrina Ionescu was on the USA women's basketball team (Gold), Jessica Hull (Australia) took Silver in the women's 1500m, and Elisa Melvis (German) won Gold on the women's 3x3 basketball team. Many more Ducks participated in the Olympics. Congratulations to all Ducks and every athlete competing. It was an honor to watch you all. I loved the opening ceremonies, loved seeing Paris in all her enlightened glory, loved the music, the historic symbolism, and that the Seine was the stage. The closing ceremonies were also entertaining, but I could not help notice the cultural differences between Celine Dion singing in a Dior gown on the Eiffel tower... compared to a girl in booty shorts twerking on a California beach with Snoop Dogg.
We will be at a loss all next week as our golf course is closed for aeration, and the clubhouse is closed for the annual deep-clean. Maybe I will find time to write a trip recap? We won't rest long - Lucile and Lisa celebrate birthdays next week!
Until my next update, I remain, your La Quinta correspondent.
What a wonderful time with your family!
Such a paradise for the grandkids, swimming,golfing,biking,camping and all their favorite things to do and eat!
You and DT are Gold Medal grandparents 🏅🏅🏅
I think Mary says it all !
You are the kind of grandmother all grandkids should have. We have a 1 year old granddaughter living in the PNW and your fun times with Leo and Lucille are a model for me! Thanks.