Indio, California: It's getting to be a habit. DT flying up to Portland for a week on TrackTown business, while I remain here with my pals. Except our pals have mostly left for their summer homes.
I would like to report that I have enjoyed quiet days since My Driver departed for Oregon, but our bus has been pelted with strong (up to 40mph) winds the past three days and there have been times when I have felt my sea legs wobbling in our swaying motorhome. Oh, how I dislike Coachella Valley wind storms and all the sneezy dust they churn in my direction.
To verify my weather reporting skills... Dave said the pilot came out of the cockpit before departure and told everyone it was going to be a bumpy ride. Dave said the first twenty minutes of his Palm Springs-to-Portland flight were simply awful.
I mean, 40 miles per hour!
Happier News: our Roma tomatoes are turning red and getting soft and juicy. The fruit are really small this year. Not sure why - I bought the same plants/brand as usual. Nature? Weather? Wind? It hasn't been very hot yet this season. We have had to re-prop, re-tie or re-cage the poor things ten times already due to all the wind endured. Maybe the tomatoes are seasick?PS: In case you are wondering... no, it is not due to the new awnings. Due to the winds, the new awnings have only been extended a few times.
Jose, me, Bill, Tom, Brent (photo by Crystal)My lone social outing was on Monday. After dropping DT at the airport, I met our posse at The Cafe at Shields Date Garden for lunch. The only reason we went to this restaurant is - after working for years at the Motorcoach Country Club dining room - Jose is now working at The Cafe (seriously one block away from MCC). It was so wonderful to see the always-charming Jose. The menu at The Cafe is so huge and my salad was so good, I could kick myself for not going sooner.
I mean, Jose!
Not a lot of cooking around here this week without My Driver to feed. Since we are observing Passover, I've been making a few annual holiday favorites, such as Matzo Brei... except why just have scrambled eggs and crumbled matzo when you can have scrambled eggs, crumbled matzo, cheese and tomatoes? DT is making the same thing in Portland for his dinner each evening.We are such an exciting couple.
I'm hanging in there, needlepointing, and I read a great book, but am anxious for DT to come home. We will begin prepping for our departure next week.
Selfie for Shirley in England (wearing my birthday necklace from Shirley).The selfie was snapped just as I was suiting-up for battle... i.e., going to the nearby grocer one day before the StageCoach Country Music Festival begins. The non-navigable store aisles are again packed with beer, Jack Daniels, cowboy hats, sunscreen, chips and bottled water. The usual calm parking lot is filled with garbage dumpsters and porta-potties. It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad World in Indio in May. There are 30 motorhomes renting in our RV resort this weekend for the music festival... and I am praying the wind dies-down before the festival begins (and my husband's plane lands) tomorrow morning. Blowing sand does a number on musical instruments. Voices. Lungs. Eyes.
I mean, Emmylou Harris!
It's only one dollar!Our resort restaurant and bar (and by restaurant and bar, I mostly mean bar) is closing for the season Saturday night and everyone (and by everyone, I mean the 80-or-so coaches that remain) is going up to eat all the food and drink all the inventory on Saturday night. Should be fun!
Until my next update, I remain, your single correspondent.
RV PARK: The Motorcoach Country Club