Thursday | 12 November 2020 | La Quinta, California: After a quick beginning to the courtyard remodel, the project has slowed. Arnold's crews are very busy at the Motorcoach Country Club. Happily for us, MCC does not allow workers in the resort Friday, Saturday, nor Sunday... so we always get a crew here Friday.
The blue pots have been delivered and basically placed where they will stand. (Irrigation will be piped-up through a hole in the bottom, so once set, the pots can't be easily moved.) Next the pots will be filled with soil and I will return to the nursery to purchase herbs.
Additional palms have arrived - more on the way. When? Who knows? Hopefully soon, as our gardener is planning to install annual color (yellow pansies) Saturday. As usual, in this valley, all dates are estimates.
There were odd cloud formations in the sky Friday evening. Were they fortelling the election result wait was finally over? Predicting a huge wind storm? Both! The wind was so strong and howled so loud, it woke us from our sleep Friday night. Our property suffered little damage - a few broken branches, one bush toppled over, and debris everywhere - but there were at least 100 trees down in this neighborhood, and along the links. Late Saturday afternoon, we headed-out in our car to see the destruction:
Palm trees rarely blow over in wind storms, but trees with limbs/leaves went down like it was their job. What a mess. Crews were out all day with cranes, chain saws, chipper trucks, and stump grinders. Late Saturday afternoon, the skies opened and it poured rain for a good twenty minutes. This was the first time it had rained since we moved into our new home in August. Houses in the desert do not have gutters, so it was interesting to see "where the rain goes" during a cloudburst. We were running around checking all the eaves, and am happy to report: the drainage works perfectly in the courtyard, flowing down a center drain, or out the pathway to the street.
A good day to test the fireplace. It worked at first try, and we were surprised how much heat the gas "logs" emitted. Nice! With the sudden change in the weather, we have enjoyed our cocktails fireside, instead of poolside, this week, and we were very cozy Saturday evening watching the Oregon Ducks beat Stanford on television.
Another exciting development? The first lemon from our "orchard" (two lemon trees and one orange) was harvested. There are many more lemons on the trees, and the trees should produce fruit through March... if we are lucky.
I have been cooking quite a bit... well, haven't we all? It has now been eight months since we have been to a restaurant.
I broke-out the rarely-used pasta roller attachment for my Kitchenaid mixer, made a batch of dough, filled pasta squares with a ricotta+spinach combo, then rolled it all up into tortellini. Fun project. My Driver requested a light cream sauce. Well, it wasn't very light, but it did include cream... and butter... and garlic... nutmeg... and white wine. A bit of fresh rosemary was infused in the sauce, before straining into the serving bowls.
We had Chinese food one night. Miso cod, with dry-sauteed green beans and rice:
The kids will return next week, so I will be upping the food production. And cookie production. Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Pie production. Gel floormats have been ordered for the kitchen, so hopefully my siatica pain will not return, but (Thanksgiving excluded), plans are for easier meals, and twice-a-week take-out... because... ta da... the restaurant at the Motorcoach Country Club has opened for take-out, and we have a bunch of credit to burn-through (our lot is still for sale). The MCC restaurant has it down: orders can be placed on-line and will be delivered to your car under the covered portico at the main entrance! So safe.
The restaurant at Mountain View Country Club (where we now live) has yet to open. Indoor dining is forbidden in our county at this time, so who knows???
I hope this finds you all safe and well. Stay home! Wear a mask! Wash your hands! Until my next update, I remain, your "hanging in there" correspondent.
Love your white sofas and fireplace…. a cozy look.
Must be so refreshing to have your courtyard coming together
along with each room being filled with new and fun things!
Your amazing to have cooked so many meals and still standing🎉.
I admit we have done takeouts and some restaurants…
Trusting for this virus to run it’s course soon.
I hate seeing all of the downed trees the day after a storm. Speaking of dining, it’ll be interesting to see how clubs deal with the dining requirement if they keep clubhouses closed. Ours offered takeout and delivery in Spring and just re-opened for the season. I never thought we’d be so excited for food in a Styrofoam container. BTW, love the fireplace!
I just love the look of your living room.