beluga

beluga

Monday, December 31, 2012

New Year's Eve

No, this isn't Dave and it isn't Lewis.....
fellow campers Monica and Lehn Lund and their two standard poodles, Oscar and Finnegan
wonderful succulent window box on  a cottage at Crystal Pier Hotel
not many interesting shells on the beach, but way cool Kelp...


Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach.  See the Christmas tree at the end?
our last western sunset of the year
Well, my organizational skills went for naught tonight, but at least some pictures appeared despite their odd placement.

Beautiful clear sunny skies greeted us this morning.  As we sat outside with our coffees, a couple stopped by to see Lewis.  They had their two black standard poodles with them.  We had a poodlepalooza at site 98!  The young couple are from outside of Calgary and have had poodles for some years.  We stood and talked for a long time.  Their daughter, Ava, tried to make friends with skittish Lewis and made good progress.  They gave us their breeder's name (in Ottawa) and left after much picture taking and a promise to keep in touch.  Fun!

After we took our dogs for a long walk, turned the radio on, gave them cookies and left them to rest,  we went to Pacific Beach for a walk in the sand.  Its our tradition to at least get sand in our shoes on New Year's Eve, no matter which coast we're on.  We walked out on the long Crystal Pier and watched the surfer' dudes and dudettes riding the big waves in.  A  hotel has cottages for rent right on the pier.  They reminded me of the small identical cottages that march along the strand to Provincetown, Mass.  Each one was white with blue shutters and fabulous window boxes outside.

I couldn't stay on the pier too long, however,  there were spaces between the boards and as I walked along I could see the ocean crashing 50 feet below my feet - Oooooh.  You know me and heights.

Paul and Polly stopped by just  as we arrived home and they came in to share a glass of wine with us for the New Year.  He and Dave made plans to play golf on the 3rd.  They'd better make an early tee time that day, Nina has invited us all to "the beast" for a bit of her special recipe Danish Gloegg to get us started on a good year.  Can't wait!

  Someone wrote a New Year's wish in the sand, so I'm sharing it and our very best wishes for a wonderful, happy and prosperous New Year to all of you dear friends.  Talk to you next year!



Sunday, December 30, 2012

Sunday - last one of the year

an iconic picture of "the Del", the Del Coronado Hotel on Coronado Island
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Ice skating at "the Del" on the beach.   Only in California.
kelp patterns on the Del's beach
unretouched shot of our sunset over Mission Bay...
  Rain, sun, rain, sun, rain, sun.   So it goes here in San Diego.  It rained hard during the night - cozy.  Clear morning walk for the dogs, then rain again.  The sun broke out for our second cup outside, then rain again.  Today's "plan" was to return the Redbox movie and then drive down to the ocean in Pacific Beach.  As I came out of Von's, the sky opened again.  Ah well, nothing we can do about the weather, right?

We came back to the campground, made arrangements to move to a waterfront (or more accurately, a water back site) on Jan. 2, and called it a day.

I'll try to add a few past pictures here.   Good news, they loaded, bad news, they loaded where they wanted to.  For an organization freak like me, thats a problem.   New Years resolution is to continue to work towards "going with the flow"...








































Saturday, December 29, 2012

Saturday - Reliable

Jesse and Erin outside the Museum of Natural History in Balboa Park
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this horse statue was made of driftwood, then cast in bronze - incredible
Nurse Sasha administering the hot water bottle treatment on Dave the other day

Reliable means - Reliable.  Thank God.
We needed a propane (LP) delivery and were told to contact Reliable Propane Co., directly and that they would come to our site and fill us up today, Saturday.  Propane fires our cozy furnace and also fuels the stove, so its not something we think about much, til we start getting low....  We waited all day long for them to arrive...I went to the grocery store by myself so Dave could stay back at Beluga and wait for Reliable Propane.  Cocktails came and went, no propane.  We'd given up and started combing the internet for places we could drive Beluga to for a fill.  Dark, rainy night.    Oven pre-heating for meatloaf and macaroni/cheese dinner.  Good conversation under the Christmas lights.   Knock at the door - Reliable Propane!!!!!  What a welcome knock, what a nice guy. He played his flashlight all around Beluga looking for the fill tank, located it, did his job, took his check, thanked us for being patient and off he went to take care of all the other customers waiting for his reliable service....Nice.

Here are a few more pictures from the last few days.  I have to parcel them out a few at a time, it takes almost 1/2 hour for them to load this way.....   Sorry, they are not loading in the order I'm asking for.  Be glad you get to see them anywhere, at this rate!

There is more than one way to skin a cat.....please excuse the format, its the best I can wring out of this blog right now.   Gotta love Google.





Friday, December 28, 2012

Christmas pictures

Erin smiles in the background as Lewis and Sasha join in the gift opening....
Nothing has changed, but I think I've figured out a way around Big Brother Google's roadblock to my picture sharing, so here goes - a few Christmas pictures for you....









                                                                                                                                                                                   


Jesse and Sasha relaxing with a pre-dinner cocktail


Uh Oh, Blogger is acting wonky again, so I'll leave well enough alone with these two pictures.    Read the post below - Friday - to be current.     Sorry.

Friday - they're moving in....

Another nice sunny day but....they're moving in.  I've talked about how weekends tend to make a campground fill up, couple that with the New Years Holiday and its getting very crowded here.  Poor Lewis, he does't take strange people encroaching on his visual territory  very well.  And little people with wheels are even harder to handle.  You know the rest, poodle on the lap, tail hanging down, big round eyes, bla, bla, bla.

Luckily, Nina stopped by this afternoon and invited us all to accompany her and Polly to Fiesta Beach for some off leash romping.  Nina, the Savior.  Thank goodness for Nina.

Fiesta Island is an island right off our campground that allows off leash fun.  There is a dedicated, fenced dog park there, but none of us (dogs included) enjoy that sort of thing.   So we followed her to a parking spot on the beach and then up over dunes to the empty interior of the island.   Lewis took off and ran and ran.  Sasha snoofed every bush and trailed along behind.  This is Polly's stomping ground so she did what she normally does.  Fun Fun Fun for everyone.  One man walked his black lab a little distance behind us and the two dogs (lab and Lewis) kept their eyes on each other.   Finally Lewis ran up and the two dogs sniffed and then parted ways - good boy Lew.  The only other dog we encountered was a tiny chihuahua walking with his people.  Lew and Sasha took him aside and smelled him thoroughly before letting him pass, but no worries from any of them.

We ended our walk back at the cars on the beach.  Nina threw a ball into the water for Polly to retrieve, which she dutifully did.  Lew chased her around in the sand and they both enjoyed the game.

 Our attention was on the two young dogs, but evidently Sasha was simmering in the background.  She waded right into the water and swam a bit, then climbed out and got very silly, scampering around like a youngster.  Once in a while she likes to swim out to retrieve a stick so we all scoured the beach for a suitable branch.  Finally Dave came up with a sorry looking reed but she looked very excited to see it.  He tossed it and we witnessed two or three absolutely perfect water entries from the old girl!  After swimming back and shaking she really got silly, bowed down to Polly several times inviting her to play and then  thundered off down the beach,  water flying!    What a treat for us to see her enjoying herself so clearly!  Theres life in the old girl yet.

I didn't take the camera with me, so no pictures or movies.  Even if I had remembered, I'm still having no luck with inserting pictures here, so.....If I ever get it sorted out you'll have a h ell of a lot pictures to wade through.....






Thursday, December 27, 2012

Thursday - The Del

Sun!  Dave opened the bedroom shade and I was blinded by sun.  Ah....

We had coffees outside, sitting in the sun.  It was so nice.  Lewis crawled up on my lap and dozed in the warmth.

After lunch we drove over to Coronado Island and explored the area a bit.  We walked on the beach at the Silver Strand State Beach and then found the wonderful old Del Coronado Hotel.   This Victorian Grand Dame was built in 1888 and was the largest resort hotel in the world at that time.  It is listed as a National Historic Landmark, but it is special to us for other reasons.   We enjoyed a wonderful stay there years ago with little Jesse and Dave's mother.  We were attending an  SPI conference in the heyday of such meetings and we enjoyed the royal treatment.  What a place.   It looks much the same, but with the addition of a lovely Beachfront Village in keeping with the original white wooden buildings with red roofs.   Brought back many wonderful memories.   These Beachfront Village units remind me very much of our beloved Colony, one and two story buildings right on the beach, full ownership with dedicated owner days a year and a rental pool for the rest, sigh..

Thanks Rob, for your phone call.  It was good to hear your voice and catch up on your lives.

Sunset tonight was different, no blazing oranges and reds, no spectacular cloud formations.  The sun slid below a few clouds at the horizon and painted just their edges with gold, a stunning effect.  Some day you'll see pictures, I promise.






Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Wednesday

Jesse and Erin got to Casper right on time last night and are settled in there for the next half of their holiday trip.  Dave and I spent yesterday quietly.  I napped on the couch and he washed a load of towels - what a nice guy.   A flaming sunset over the water, dinner of leftovers and an early bedtime finished off our Christmas day.

Today, Wednesday, is Dave's turn to feel yucky.  Hopefully this bug won't slow him down for too long.  We did manage to sit out in the sun with our morning coffees, so life is still good!   Jesse and I used Facetime to try and sort out my blog problems, but decided I will to wait til after the holiday to speak to a human in Tech. Support at Google.  

Dave and I had a Facetime call with Lisa too.  We love seeing her sweet face and hearing her laugh.  It was snowing greatly there and we could see it out the window behind her.  She was enjoying some quiet time while the rest of her family was out returning ill fitting Christmas gifts.

I understand "home" is getting pounded by a big snow storm tonight.  Stay in everyone (except you, Fred, Geneseo depends on you to keep the roads open!)  and enjoy mother nature safely.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Monday - Christmas Eve

The gremlin's are at work again, elves perhaps?  Have I done something wrong Santa?  I'll happily take a lump of coal if you'll only give me back my blog, please????

I understand that you haven't read anything from me in a while, and I thought I posted at least the written portions of a blog almost every day!  No pictures, but writing.  Hmmmm

Well, I'll try again.

We all had a leisurely morning (it was rainy again) and then got together for lunch and a drive up to La Jolla to see the seals on the beach at the Children's Pool.  Its not really a pool in the normally accepted sense, but a deep, protected cove that was given to the children of San Diego by Ellen Browning Scripps.   For years it was just that, a gently sloping beach protected by a long breakwall where children and their families could enjoy the sea safely.    Slowly, harbor seals discovered its safety and warmth and began using it as a sunning place and then a nursery.  Now it is closed off to human children and is there for the pleasure of the wildlife.  Needless to say the pro-children and the pro-seal folks have been facing off over this turn of events.

No matter, it is fabulous to stand and look down at the huge spotted seals lounging, scratching, stretching, yawning and playing in the cove.  We spent quite awhile there, until I got too chilly.  It was getting late, so we took a leisurely drive along the ocean ogling the wonderful homes, views and landscaping as we went.

I forgot to take my camera, so even if Big Brother Google would allow me to post them, I don't have any to show you.   We'll be here at this campground for almost a month, so I'll be happy to retrace our steps with camera in hand.

After Jesse and Erin freshened up at the Hilton, they came back to Beluga and we shared cocktails, munchies, then our "traditional" dinner of manicotti and rutabaga...Mmmm.   We were very full, but managed to eat a tiny piece of fruit tart before presents.

Bedtime was later than usual and we retired tired and happy.

My phone rang at 6:05 this morning (Christmas day) with a cheery Christmas message from dear Judi.

Dave and I had a big breakfast with Jesse and Erin before putting them on a plane headed for Casper, Wyoming (via Denver).  They'll spend the next week there with Erin's family. We'll really miss them here but I'm sure the Jacobson's are anxiously waiting for their sweet girl, so I know they'll all have a wonderful time.

I have some funny Christmas pictures of Lew and Sasha from last night, I'll try and get this thing sorted out soon, sorry.

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!!!!


Sunday - the move

Jesse and Erin cleaned out their cabin and we packed up Beluga this morning.  We left Santee Lakes Campground about 10:30 and arrived at Mission Bay RV Resort about half an hour later.  Beluga's "iffy" rear dual tire held air and we backed into our new spot without incident.  Jesse and Erin took the jeep and checked into the Mission Bay Hilton while we set up our new home for the next month.  The weather was just beautiful, sunny, warm and calm.  This is going to be a good place for us.

Lewis met up with friend Polly in the parking lot in front of Beluga and he was in seventh heaven.  This will be a good place for him too.   She whispered in his hairy little ear about a great off leash beach just around the corner.  He won't let us rest until we take him for a good romp in the sand soon, so I guess that will be on our schedule in the next day or so.

We mixed up a few gin and tonics and drove over to the Hilton to share them with Jesse and Erin.  They have a nice "adult only" area with a fire pit  and jacuzzi right outside their room.  For some reason they were upgraded to a bigger suite practically on the beach - thank you Santa Claus!  

The sunset tonight was spectacular, but I forgot to take my camera and I'm not sure I have figured out the google glitch that is keeping me from posting pictures, so you're not missing anything.

After another wonderful dinner at Cucina Urbana (thanks again Lisa and Hans) and some first rate people watching from our window seats, we are just about ready to fall into bed.  This vacation stuff is tiring.






Saturday, December 22, 2012

Saturday

Thanks everyone for the good birthday wishes.  I'm having a nice sunny day and looking forward to sharing dinner and the Nutcracker Ballet with my family tonight.    I'm a lucky woman indeed.

Jesse is beginning to feel better, and so am I, thats a good thing.  We're moving over to Mission Bay RV Resort tomorrow morning, God willing and the creeks don't rise.  We seem to have a flat tire problem on one of Beluga's duel rear wheels....Hmmmm.   Dave has aired it up, so fingers crossed we'll be able to go the 20 or so miles to Mission Bay.  He is hoping it is just a valve problems, so we're going with that for right now.   Positive thoughts often reward.

Big Brother Google is still not allowing me to post any pictures on this blog.  I'm trying to be patient, really I am.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Friday - its official

Yep, its official - I've got a cold or, the flu.....  It was inevitable given that I almost always have one around the holidays.  So now Jesse and I can be sniffing and hacking in unison.

Dave and Jesse went off to play golf this afternoon, Erin is catching up on some school work and laundry and I took a nap.  Woo Hooo,  fun day for us girls eh?

Here are some pictures from our good day at the Natural History Museum on Wednesday.




Oops, no pictures...the internet service is on the fritz and won't let me post any of them again today, nuts.

I'll try again later


Thursday, December 20, 2012

Thursday - two busy days

We're fine, no worries.  We're just super super busy these days with Jesse and Erin and having lots of fun.

Yesterday we visited the Museum of Natural History in Balboa Park (they were hosting an equine exhibit including with an exhibition of Vavra's horse photographs PLUS a chocolate exhibit together with the normal museum collections), phew.  Dinner after that at Urban Solace.   We all went to bed early I can tell you that!

Then, today after Dave and I returned our rental car and picked the jeep back up ($1200 and a new radiator and water pump later) we all went to the zoo.   It was a beautiful day - bright sun and cool.  We finished a fine day with a fun Fondue Dinner in the Gaslight District of downtown San Diego.  I can hardly believe its 10 o'clock already, we' off to bed.

I'll catch up with you later....


Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Tuesday - sick Jesse

Rain, rain, rain.  It poured this morning, mud everywhere, bla bla bla, again...

Jesse and Erin came for lunch about noon and Jesse was feeling terrible.  He arrived in San Diego on Sunday with a cold and stuffy head, but it has progressed to a sinus and double ear infection.  He's prone to these infections, and we all knew what was ahead. So,  instead of heading to the Natural History Museum in Balboa Park, it was off to the "Doctor Express" in Santee for a quick exam and some necessary prescriptions.    After just a couple doses he was starting to perk up a bit so we'll try the museum tomorrow - after Dave gets back with the rental car......


A small gold box arrived today, from JoAnn.  It contained one of our favorite delights.  They are called Venetians, almond flavored cake-like layered cookies topped with chocolate.  Mmmmm.  Well, they were really good, so good that we ate them immediately.  Jesse even upended the box to get every last crumb!

After Jesse returned with his prescriptions we just layed low in Beluga.  The weather started to clear a bit, but it was a good afternoon to just stay in.  Lewis is in love with Erin and he took every opportunity to sneak up next to her and stare into her eyes, perhaps give a kiss or two...



bored Sasha (I know, its hard to tell when she's bored)

bored Lewis

Tonight's sunset was quite beautiful.   Weathermen here tell us that the next few days will be lovely and sunny, keep your finger's crossed...



Monday, December 17, 2012

Monday at the Salk Institute

We gathered Jesse and Erin from their cabin around 10:30 this morning and drove to La Jolla for our scheduled architectural tour of the Salk Institute.  These iconic buildings were designed by Louis Kahn in 1959 and are unbelievable, called his finest design.    Jesse was in full goose bump mode!  We had a very spirited little woman as our guide and she took us all in hand immediately.  She wanted us to listen to her and learn and she wasn't shy about correcting anyone who thought their cell phone was more important than what she had to say...It was a wonderful tour, each of us took away something different.




our little group

the architecture students
Kahn's buildings were about lines and texture and settings and feelings.



This Chihuly glass chandelier was stunning, hung in the newer reception buildings    Its luminescent color popped in these grey surroundings.


We were quite close to the famous Torrey Pines Golf Course, so we headed there for lunch.  The course is absolutely perfect, not a blade of grass out of place.  Landscaped with many different types of pines, roses and ferns.


I loved the whimsical stone work everywhere, especially this fireplace that seemed to grow up from the ground.
We had a delicious lunch, comfort food to be sure.  Cream of tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwiches for Erin and I, the best he ever ate hamburger for Dave and pesto chicken sandwich and perfect fries for Jess.

On our way to check out downtown La Jolla we passed, or rather turned into the very interesting Torrey Pines Gliderport.   We were fascinated watching  people harness themselves up to colorful parachutes, walk calmly off the cliff and soar quietly over the pacific ocean.



the top of the cliffs were very eroded and it was a bit of a scramble, but we all made it, even me!







We even had enough time for a little window shopping in La Jolla village.  Everything was all decked out for the holidays.


Jesse and Erin will do a little work in the morning tomorrow and then I think we'll head off to the Museum of Natural History.


Sunday, December 16, 2012

Sunday - they're here!


Jesse and Erin have arrived!   Its so wonderful to see them again.  Their flight was early and after we picked them up we went straight to dinner.  Hans and Lisa recommended many restaurants for us to try, tonight we chose Cucina Urbana.  Wonderful!  I don't know whose dinner was the best, they were all that good.  We were early for our reservation, so we sat at the "community table" instead.  Space there was available immediately and we were hungry.  Turned out great, people came and went while we ate but it wasn't a problem.  Cucina Urbana was a very interesting restaurant, had a great menu that delivered what it  promised,  a knowledgeable staff in a wonderful and festive atmosphere.  Thanks Lisa....

At any rate, that is all I have to say tonight, its late and we're off to bed.  Tomorrow is another day.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Saturday's are often scary

Rain overnight, again....but by the time we were ready for our second cup the sun had broken through and we were all able to get outside again.  Thank goodness we have large mats on the ground outside Beluga, because the rest of the area is quite muddy.  The deep puddles have at last soaked in, so we have hopes for more time outdoors.  This campground does not allow any ex pens or show fences outside, so Lewis and Sasha have to either be on a leash or a tether.  Not our favorite.  Somebody always gets tangled or caught around something, but rules is rules I guess.  We were told that the fences aren't allowed anymore because of the encroaching coyote's and the probability that some one would leave their dog outside in an ex pen, thinking they were safe.....

Saturday is always a busy time at campgrounds.  People bring their kids for a weekend outing, and kids bring scooters, skateboards, bikes and strollers.   They also bring fear to a little pea brain.

When kids start flocking together on their bikes and scooters, Lewis quietly crawls up on Dave's lap.
Safe!


"are you sure they can't see me Dad?"

Sasha loves the sunshine, she's completely oblivious of the scary, wheeled  goblins flying by
We got a lot done today, choc. truffle cookies baked, car cleaned, presents wrapped, a bit of poodle mowing, groceries purchased and a delicious bbq dinner at Phil's with our new friends and fellow Discovery owners Pam and John.  We had a great time comparing notes and licking our fingers.

Jesse and Erin arrive tomorrow, we're all ready for them.


Friday, December 14, 2012

Friday - busy day

We woke up to rain this morning, again.....we're not liking it.  By the time our second cup came around, the sun had come out but it was still too cool to enjoy it outside.  One good thing, we dunked the last few,  ahem, broken cookies (from Judi)  that we didn't bother to frost.    Mmmm they were so good.

We had scouting plans today, so we got cleaned up and drove away before lunch.  We stopped at the Post Office, Walmart (replacement GPS), ate a semi-yukky mexican lunch and then looked for a self service doggie wash.  The desert dust needs to be washed off our crew, but its pretty cold here to do it outside.   The doggie wash place was tiny and very very busy - not good for Lewis, so we'll just let things slide....

We've made a bit of a plan change after checking out Paul and Nina's choice of RV Resorts on Mission Bay.  The campground is nothing special, a parking lot with lines really, but its location is very interesting to us.  Right now we're at a lovely park in Santee, about 20-50 minutes out of the city, depending on traffic.  Sites are large, lots of green space,  lovely lakes and quiet atmosphere.  Cute cabins on one of the lakes for Jesse and Erin to use - but, the rain induced mud, the increasingly aggressive coyotes and the distance from the city have made us re-think our choice.    So....on the 22nd we'll pack up Beluga and move all of us into Mission Bay RV Resort.  We've booked a lovely room for Jesse and Erin right down the street for the remainder of their stay t and reserved a so-so site for us at Mission Bay RV Resort, right on the water.  I guess we just can't have the perfect situation here, so we're trying all options!  A golf course, a huge dog off leash island, disc golf course, lots of restaurants and things to do, plus the OCEAN, won out over a calm campground for the second half of our stay and thats OK.

No pictures today, we were moving way too fast.  We even had to postpone a BBQ dinner with Pam and John.  We look forward to it tomorrow night instead.

I'm off to do a few loads of laundry, wrap a couple presents, maybe wash the dinner dishes and then to bed. Tis the season!


Thursday, December 13, 2012

Thursday - rainy day in San Diego

RAIN!!!  It started raining in the middle of the night - just a few drops at first.  Within a few minutes it picked up to become a real downpour and stayed that way until well into the afternoon.  I have to say, we haven't missed walking the dogs in the rain.  Full rain suit, wet, muddy dogs, lots of soggy towels hanging everywhere, yuk.

I spent this dismal day frosting and baking Christmas cookies   Dave and I had a good phone conversation with Barb Sullivan after lunch.  She's planning her California trip right after New Years and we had a lot to gab about.  I can't wait to see her when we get back to New York.

a good start
 
Dave is always happy to help


Dave followed up on the MVP debacle he's been chasing for months.  Fingers crossed this time will be the charm.   While on hold for the umpteenth time, he stared out the window.  Guess who he saw!  I grabbed the camera and ran to the bedroom just in time to catch the coyote trotting by our picnic table.  I guess they aren't just out in the dark!

just moving through





its beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

It really felt like the holidays here today.  Cookies cooling on racks, Christmas lights up and lit, and the anticipation of new friends arriving for a good visit.  How nice... Pam and John (ohtheplacestheygo.wordpress.com) and Hans and Lisa (metamorphosisroad.blogspot.com), fellow travelers came by this afternoon bearing wine, beer and goodies.  We all talked a mile a minute about ourselves, our lives, our rigs, our travels and time flew by.  Who knew we'd meet such interesting people on our travels.
I totally forgot to take out my camera, so I've no pictures of the group.  I know our paths will cross again this winter, so I hope I'll have another chance to get a picture for you.

Cindy P and Walter's new addition arrived and she sounds like a pip!  She's made good friends with little Luke and has been put in her place by Bijou so she is finding her place.  I'm so looking forward to getting down on the floor with her in a few months.

Glory - just flew in from Miami


pink sunset clouds over Beluga


Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Wednesday - Christmas trees and coyotes



Beluga snuggled into her Santee Lakes site
Today was the last nice day til the weekend, so said all the beautiful weather women on San Diego television.   The ones we can understand.  No cable tv at this site, so we're dependent on our antenna and it seems to bring in mostly Mexican stations.

We hurried outside to have our coffees this morning, before the rain comes.  It almost felt like a fall day, sunny, coolish, with dry leaves falling lazily from the big tree next to us.  Judi's cookies taste really good dunked.....

We met the camp host for our area.  Rae grew up in Canajoharie, NY, can you believe it?  She offered to come and let the dogs out for us if we're away too long, but I wonder if Lewis would step out the door with a "stranger".....Maybe we'll introduce them in the next few days.  It certainly would be nice to have an emergency person here at the campground.

Dave and Lewis enjoy the morning sunshine
We rolled out the awning and staked it down in case of winds accompanying the rain and got a bit more settled.  Dave assembled the outdoor Christmas decorations and I'm very happy with them.  "Festive" as the Desert Hot Springs Dollar Store lady would say!

some assembly required
After lunch we returned a few Christmas items and found the local Farmer's Market.  Small, but pretty good produce.  We bought organic grapes, green onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes and some delicious (so says Dave) pickled garlic.  We'll go back again when Jesse and Erin are with us.  I bought ingredients to keep us busy tomorrow making Christmas cookies.  Quite a chore in this tiny kitchen with its tiny oven, but we'll manage

our Christmas trees
We got back around 4:45 and turned on the Christmas lights - I love them!!!

 While we were gone we missed a visit from our new blogger friends John and Pam.  Seems we may have missed them a number of times today, but we'll get together tomorrow for sure, maybe Hans and Lisa too!

Cindy P and Walter got a new addition to their family tonight and I hear she's Glory ious!  Can't wait to hear how the first night went.   If I get a picture, I'll be sure to post it, hint, hint.

P.S.   Yikes!  Dave just came inside from taking the dogs out for their last nightly walk and he had a baseball bat with him.....Coyote followed him through the park and he couldn't shake them.  We heard them every night in the desert, but  in this more urban setting we didn't think we needed to be watchful.  No noise here, just right on your heels, following....  I turned Beluga's headlights on and I could see them sculking away.   I'm glad we have big dogs, but Dave was very uncomfortable even with them tonight.   We'll probably have to change our nightly schedule while we're at this campsite.