STILL HERE IN FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH RV PARK   Dec. 30, 2013

It is hard to believe that we are here for over two  months already.  We are so busy most days  that we don't know what day it is.  But here we are and tomorrow is New Years Eve.  We are going to a dance here at the park to celebrate, with music and dinner.  I hope I can find something to wear that fits me, that is a problem right now.  After all the eating out, pot lucks, and just plain laziness in the last year and a half since I retired I have put on more lbs.  I must get them off, so I joined a stretch and strengthen class three days a week here.  It is an hour and a half class and we stretch and use weights and  lots of exercises for all areas of the body.  The first day I went, I couldn't move the next day, today was my 3rd class and I feel much better.  Today we had 58 people in the class and 12 of them were men.  I walk to the class and that is about a 1/4 mile uphill so that helps too.  I am bound and determined to wear my old clothes.  I am eating less too and not much bread, which is my downfall.  Joel is in very good shape, and he walks a lot and goes to the class too. 

On new years day we are invited to a Tamale Party (oh no more food) and I will try to be good, but after that,  oh no on Saturday is the all you can eat pancake breakfast.  I will start cutting back next week I promise. 

I got rave reviews on my performance in the xmas play and today went to the drama club to start rehersals for our next show.  It will be in February and is "Gilligans Island" the musical.  It is a funny show and lots of songs.  I will have the part of the movie star, hm hm.  Looking forward to strutting my stuff on stage, got to get into some slinky dresses.  I got my hair done last week and goodbye brown, and hello blond streaks.  Everyone didn't even know who I was and I got lots of compliments from the men and women alike. 

I am going to try and play paddle tennis, which is a smaller court tennis, with doubles.  I hope it doesn't conflict with my ping pong club.  Joel and I love to play ping pong.  He plays regular tennis almost every morning from 7-9 am.  I am still rolling over in bed at that time.  I am also going to go to the water zumba classes.  That will be a lot of fun.  Anything with music in it I love.

Well, want to wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.

STILL IN NILAND, FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH RV PARK

Isn't it funny how time flies when you are having fun.  Here it is the 17th of December and we have been doing so much since we came here on Oct. 29th.  Our activities keep us pretty busy, the ping pong club, tennis, atv-ing, drama club, talent nite, karaoke, and of course all the pot luck dinners which keep beckoning to me. 

Tonight we are going to the Howl, a once a month activity sponsored by the Atv club, we roast hot dogs, everyone brings a covered dish and coffee and tea are served.  After which we sit around and gab and admire the gorgeous sunset.  Then after that I am singing a song in the xmas show tonight and I am wearing my elf costume for it.  Then next Sunday is our xmas pageant and I have a lead part in that. 

Last Sunday, joel and I took a ride to box canyon, which is about 35 minutes away, you will enjoy the pics I took of it.  It is a very popular hiking area and dirt bike and atv riding mountainous area.  Afterwards we got off at the chiraco summit, an exit  off I-10.  We had lunch at a cute café, walked around at an old fashioned gas station, and then walked over into the George Patton Museum and learned a lot about how he had a huge military training camp right near us.  Took some pics there too. 

Next week is the xmas feast and lots of pot lucks, oh my, I guess I will have to start my diet after the new year. 

Last Friday night we went with our neighbors to celebrate a birthday in Indio at the Augustine Casino, which was having a seafood buffet.  Before we went there we went to a small rv show and looked at lots of diesel pushers and I liked mine better.  Joel was glad to hear that.  Then we went to the buffet and Joel went to look at the food.  He never makes a big deal over food but he came back and said it looked awesome.  You could order off the menu too but when I saw the buffet, we all had the buffet.  I won't tell you how much I ate, it was sort of like feeding time at the zoo, according to Joel.  There were lobster tails, king crab legs, fresh oysters, every kind of shrimp know, lobster ravioli, filet mignon in wine sauce, all the usual salads and veggies and for desert, well I will tell you that I topped off my meal with 2 ice cream bon bons, chocolate cheesecake, and crème brulee.  All of this for $27.95, we will be sure to go back.  It was a great evening.   I was glad to read your post and was sad you were not coming here, but I guess you will have a great time in  Florida, maybe next year you can make it out here.  Guaranteed a great time at the Fountain of Youth Spa.   Want to wish you, Ron, and little boy a wonderful xmas and happy new year.  Look forward to hearing from you.  Sincerely, Esta and Joel


Had to throw in this gorgeous sunset

 

 

 

 

 

Beginning of our Box Canyon Ride, it is almost 15 miles long

 

 

 

Lots of curving roads

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful scenery

 

 

 

Perfect for hiking

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Statue of Patton in front of Museum

 

 

 

 

 

Joel enjoying all the history

 

 

 

 

Another gorgeous sunset

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dec. 10, 2013 FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH SPA RV PARK IN NILAND CA

Had a nice thanksgiving, ate far too much and had a new treat, a corn bake, delicious.  The people in this park make the best potluck foods.  I will have to wait till after the holidays to lose some weight so that my clothes will fit me again.  The weather has changed to real chilly,  50's during the day but hot sun so it is really tolerable.  The nights are in the forties but our heat pump keeps us nice and warm.  It if gets much colder we will have to turn on the furnace.  Yesterday I was cooking using the electric fry pan and the toaster oven and then put on a small electric heater in the kitchen area just to warm us up a bit.  Bad move, I blew a breaker somewhere in the coach, because of all the heating appliances.  No tv, no outlets, no fridge, oh dear.  We checked the breakers in the bedroom and they were all ok, the gfi in the bathroom was ok too, so we checked the fuses and ok too.  Then Joel went out to the bay with the inverter and lo and behold the inverter has a breaker too and it had popped.  One click and we were good to go again.  We learned a valuable lesson , too many heated appliances.  It seems the kitchen works off  the inverter, duh, didn't know that until now.  Glad we learned another interesting bit of info about our coach.  I guess all Monaco and holiday rambler coaches are made like that.  Today we stuck around the coach and our neighbors came in and visited us.  I think the main reason they come is to play with our cat Peanut.  They used to have cats and they love them.  Then we went to the Café for dinner tonight.  I got my days mixed up and thought the special for tonight was Pork Loin.  Tonight was liver and onions which I love, but Joel unfortunately doesn't love it that much so he had fried shrimp.  It was good not to have to cook all the time.  I have been taking advantage of the fresh market that comes here two mornings a week and have been buying lots of fresh veggies.  I now make sautéed spinach and squash and eggplant, and I will be branching out into brussel sprouts this weekend.  I have been putting more effort into my cooking and it has been beginning to show.  I and Joel are eating a healthier menu, lots of fruits and veggies and whole grains.  Well, the weather man said we will be warming up this weekend.  Lots of activities coming up for xmas, the parade, the xmas pageant which I have a very big part in, xmas singing show, I also have a song, ping pong pot luck dinner, and other pot luck and block parties.  Something is always going on around here.  Well, y'all stay warm and will post again soon.