La Quinta, California: It has been quiet on this website, but not quiet at our house. The fires are mostly out in Los Angeles and serious rain has cleared the air. Now, the serious rain - another atmospheric river - is causing trouble with mud slides in the Bay Area, and this rain storm is supposed to even hit us next week. If it's not one thing...
After the evacuees departed and we had the house back together, we met up with two of Dave's college roommates to attend the AMX PGA golf tournament in our town. This annual tournament usually draws everyone-who-is-anyone in the male golf world, and it is so easy to watch the golfers as the crowds are not crazy-huge.
We followed Wyndham Clark for several holes (he was a Duck) and also watched Tony Finau.
On the first day - a Pro-Am - the players are very relaxed and chatty, and we all had fun chatting with other fans (lots of Duck watching the matches today), hitting-up the gift shop, and having lunch at the La Quinta Golf Clubhouse. Another warm sunny day in the desert with our oldest friends.
Dave's cousin, Jim, and his wife, Nancy, were here for a week. The boys golfed several times and we all went out to dinner at a fancy Italian restaurant in Palm Desert, Castelli's. We had not been to Castelli's since the pandemic and can't recall why... other than it is ridiculously expensive. The place is all white tablecloths and tuxedoed waiters, but my meal wasn't as nice as I remembered. Off night?
More visitors, more dinners out, more cocktails parties in, more guests for brunch at the clubhouse, more golfing, more visitors from Oregon. Busy. Busy. Busy.
Anything to keep my mind off the news coming from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue! But such crazy stuff breeds more crazy stuff:
Speaking of DC, Lenny flew back to attend the Eagles v Commanders game with his dad. They took the train from Washington to Philadelphia and had a blast - even through the Commanders lost. Lenny is so proud of what his boyhood team have accomplished in just a few short years and is so optimistic about the next season. Lenny is always so positive!
And then it was Lunar New Year! Very quiet celebration this year - just the two of us. Actually nice when cooking Taiwanese or Chinese foods as the chef needs to be at the wok while everyone else is at the table eating! I made 53 chicken potstickers (for the freezer), tofu with chili crunch, twice-cooked green beans, Taiwan pickle and rice (of course).
We ate in the kitchen on our tea/mahjong table, and I'm going to state the dumplings were delicious, the tofu was on fire, and the beans were beans.
Our RV is currently at the dealer for her 1st year checkup. Just a few silly things that need to be looked-at or adjusted, but we are again planning a few spring trips in the Navion (we have the grandchildren for a week in March) and a longer trip north to attend the NCAAs and USA team championships at Historic Hayward Field. It is already shaping-up to be a fantastic year in The One True Sport. Two world indoor records on Saturday at the 117th Millrose Games in New York City. American Grant Fisher set a world record of 7:22.91 in the 3000m, and American Yared Nuguse set a world record of 3:46.63 in the famed Wanamaker Mile. Yowser! Wait til these guys go outside!
I will try to get a Five O'Clock column out soon, but there will be plenty to write about in the coming months. So much travel to come this year!
Until my next update, I remain, your "Year of the Snake" correspondent.