Indio, California: David and I have spent this week going full-speed. No time for blogging - when the kids go to bed, we pretty-much find ourselves following soon after... and bedtimes over Spring Break are not the same as bedtimes during a normal school week. Movies are watched. S'mores are made. Books are read. Snuggles are shared.
We had a dinner party on Wednesday. Our dear friends, Marie and Matt, and their daughter, Sarah, were in the desert for Spring Break, so we had them over for dinner. I made a huge Mac & Cheese, loaded with green chiles, red pepper, onion, garlic and jalapenos. I served a platter with four salads - 1) artichoke, lemon, olive oil and tarragon 2) Greek salad 3) Celery and date salad 4) Shaved fennel and orange salad with fennel pollen. After having a mac & cheese similar in Las Vegas a few weeks ago, I attempted a "stand up" casserole for the kids:
I found a bag of dried mezzi rigatoni (half-length of normal rigatoni pasta) and knew the boiled half-size noodles would fit my half-size quiche pan perfectly. No recipe, just made a roux, added a bit of milk and grated cheddar. The pasta was sauced, then the tubes were hand-tipped-on-their-ends. The sauce made everything stick together well and I kept adding more and more tubes to make a tight fit. Before baking, more grated cheddar was sprinkled on top. The result was really cute and fun for the kids and the entire casserole was consumed... as was the massive spicy one prepared for the adults. A very fun night!Most our days were spent riding bikes/scooters and swimming.
Lisa, Lucy, Dave, Lenny and Leo in the pool
There are three swimming pools at the Motorcoach Country Club. The above pool is the "main" pool and the largest of the three. The pool is well-heated and there is also a hot tub, and (at the far end) a one-foot deep baby (or tanning) pool. With so many small children in the resort visiting their grandparents, Leo and Lucy always found friends to play with.
On Thursday we took the kids to Cafe Italia for dinner. This is not the best Italian restaurant we have ever visited, but they have singing waiters and we thought the grandkids would really get a kick out of this unusual situation. Leo just loved the experience. Lucy was a bit shy, but perked-up when the entire staff sang (their Italian-food version) of Be Our Guest. The kids know this tune from a Beauty & The Beastmovie.
Another fun night with our wonderful family.
Bubbe was once again asked to crank-up her cooking skills when heart-shaped and L-shaped blueberry-buttermilk pancakes were requested at breakfast.
Though the heart-shaped pancake did appear to have an ear, I heard no complaints.
Lucy at brunch this morning: Bubbe can I use your phone to take your photo?
Leo rescued tons of Lady Bugs from the swimming pool this morning.Those eyelashes! The freckles!
Lucy poses in her pretty romper
And then - poof - they were gone. Drove back to Los Angeles. We were left with sad faces and piles of laundry.
Until my next update, I remain, your lonely correspondent.
RV PARK: The Motorcoach Country Club