Bakersfield, California: After a 3-night stop in Merced to visit with Dave's family, we are once again On The Road. It was a quiet three days, though Dave's Mom had a lot of visitors this week, including a multi-day visit from Gene, her boyfriend from Wyoming. Popular lady.
I did a little baking in my new Advantium oven. Still totally P.O.'d it does not have a display clock, as every photo of the oven on the GE website shows the clock lit up and a digital time displayed. False advertising. Class Action? A Reader wrote to say the lack of a clock is an energy saving device. Not working that way for me. Every time I want to know the time, I have to turn on my dang phone... or... turn on my Fitbit... or, last resort, opening the door of the oven displays the time of day for 30 seconds. Stoopid! There is a small wall clock on order for the kitchen wall. Dang it. Even a $99 microwave has a clock display. Though very similar to my (9-year) old Advantium oven, it will take a little time to figure-out the new version... and soon we will be in Indio and I won't use the RV oven for months, preferring to cook in the outdoor kitchen's gas oven, and forget everything I have learned. It's a process. Or do I just have too many dang kitchens?
One more complaint? Though we can't actually see the clock unless the oven is in operation, the clock will STILL have to reset for daylight savings time.
I'm working on a new, less sweet, Pumpkin Bread recipe. Less sweet and snacky, more breakfasty. And the recipe needs to use an entire can of pumpkin. If the experiment ever turns out, the recipe will appear on this blog. Hopefully before pumpkin season gives-way to asparagus season?
Topped with pumpkin seeds!It's pretty though. Version Two was an improvement on Version One. Maybe the third time will be the charm?
The oranges need another month or two to ripen,but they are free for the picking for all travelers camping here.
We arrived to the Orange Grove RV Park, just east of Bakersfield, in plenty of time to rest a bit before the Oregon v Washington football game. No real dinner tonight, I just made a platter of tailgate food: Buffalo Chicken Meatballs. The meatballs were prepped this morning before we left Merced, so they only needed 30 minutes in the oven before serving. Easy. This appetizer has all the yummy spicy flavor of Buffalo Wings, but no frying and no messy fingers.
No matter how easy or delicious or healthy the snacks, the Oregon Ducks still lost to the Washington Huskies in Seattle tonight, 3-38. Ouch. Embarrassing much? No? Well, maybe you are not driving around the country with a gigantic "O" painted on the back of your motorhome.
Lisa, age 4. Taipei.
NOTE TO SELF: I had the most wonderful and unusual dream last night. Unclear as to our location, but in my dream, Dave and I were asleep and it was the middle of the night. A noise awakened me and I went downstairs to inspect (again, no idea where this house was, nor the floorplan), only to find a 4-or-5-year-old Lisa giving her stuffed Grover a bath in a bathroom sink. She was in a violet nightgown and standing on a step stool. Grover was completely soaked as Lisa pulled him straight up from the basin to allow the water to drip from her beloved stuffed friend. Though I cannot recall our conversation (it was probably something like what the what?), Lisa was very excited and animated and chatty, as she was in her early years. The most magical thing was hearing her voice. Her little girl voice! The dream was like going back in time... though as far as I remember, Lisa never gave Grover a bath. As a matter of fact, Grover is still in Lisa's girlhood bedroom in our Portland home to this day.
Lisa, with Kathy & Woody's girls (Kelsey, Kari and Katie) in Bangkok, 1986.Lisa is (far right) holding a Glow Worm toy, and Kari is holding Lisa's Grover.
The dream was just enchanting and I have thought about it over and over today. Have you ever had a non-real-flashback dream?
Until my next update, I remain, your dreamy correspondent.
RV Park: Orange Grove RV Park. Large pull-through and back-in full-service sites. 50 amp. Laundry, free wifi, fitness center, large rally function room, store, ice, propane. Close to Highway 58, but really quiet. All the free oranges you want (in season). We paid $43 with a Good Sam discount and a $2-off coupon they gave us when we stayed in May.