It is Boxing Day and we are still on the lam in Palm Springs. Palm Springs to this old Cleveland boy is like SoCal on steroids. It is this worthless expanse of sand and scrub trees that some swindler seventy five, or so, years ago sold some poor hapless soul that this is just the place to grow golf courses. The land was cheap and there was an inexhaustible supply of it. We came out here last year to have a family Christmas at my second wife's home on, guess what, a golf course. The concept was great but the reality was straight out of an Alfred Hitchcock movie.
This year we have decided to utilise the hard learned lesson of staying at an ex wife's home and securing lodgings at a timeshare. This is more like it. We are in our own little world for a few days. We have several bedrooms in the event some friend(s) need a place to crash. There is a gas grill on a patio and several pools complete with Jacuzzis within walking distance. There is a Von's a block away as well as several movie theaters. There are two HD TVs in the place with DVD players so things are really self-contained.
We had a brunch at the club house at the golf club and the watched the frenzy of grandchildren opening brightly wrapped Christmas presents. A little nap was in order after the orgy and then it was off to a very nice restaurant at the hotel that the kids were staying at. A little wine, OK a lot of wine, and a little prime rib, OK a lot of prime rib and the day was a complete success.
OK, I seem to have skipped the January through November part. In reality, 2017 was a fairly undramatic year compared to previous years. We didn't take any cruises through the Panama Canal or motoring trips across the country.
Much of our time was devoted to the SLBYC, IE Seal Beach Yacht Club. Jamie was asked to become the club's treasurer. It was billed as a "two to four hour a week undertaking". That was a load of horse manure, She is at that stinking club all day, every day. I was nominated to the club's board of directors and when asked what the first thing I would do is, I replied "fire Jamie. I didn't get elected and feel that I have dodged a very large bullet.
I on the other hand have been named Food Manager for the club. I will, among other things, be selecting the menu for friday night dinners at the club. I also will either cook or help cook sometimes.
We have made many new friends at the club. We sailed to Cat Harbor on a Catalina 42.
Somehow some people said that I could drive and navigate a boat off shore. So we ended up going to Avalon on a beautiful 48 foot Californian and a few weeks later went on it to Marina Del Rey. We also went to Two Harbors, IE The Isthmus, on a 42 Hunter so life hasn't been too bad.
In March, we motored up to The Cliff House at Mussel Shoals. I ended coming down with the Flu so I don't remember too much as I was delirious with a fever. We continued on up to The Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo and stayed the first night in the flintstone room which is literally made out of real stone boulders. I didn't sleep all night. In my feverish condition all I could think of was if we had an earthquake I would end up squashed like a piece of roadkill. The next day Jamie moved us to a much safer room. Staying at the Madonna had been one of my bucket list items but I don't remember much. Three weeks when I was better, we drove up to Cambria and spent two nights there. While in the Paso Robles/Templeton AVA we visited a lot of wineries and bought A LOT of wine. Clever marketers these wineries, get the visitor shitfaced and they will buy a lot.
I on the other hand have been named Food Manager for the club. I will, among other things, be selecting the menu for friday night dinners at the club. I also will either cook or help cook sometimes.
We have made many new friends at the club. We sailed to Cat Harbor on a Catalina 42.
Somehow some people said that I could drive and navigate a boat off shore. So we ended up going to Avalon on a beautiful 48 foot Californian and a few weeks later went on it to Marina Del Rey. We also went to Two Harbors, IE The Isthmus, on a 42 Hunter so life hasn't been too bad.
In March, we motored up to The Cliff House at Mussel Shoals. I ended coming down with the Flu so I don't remember too much as I was delirious with a fever. We continued on up to The Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo and stayed the first night in the flintstone room which is literally made out of real stone boulders. I didn't sleep all night. In my feverish condition all I could think of was if we had an earthquake I would end up squashed like a piece of roadkill. The next day Jamie moved us to a much safer room. Staying at the Madonna had been one of my bucket list items but I don't remember much. Three weeks when I was better, we drove up to Cambria and spent two nights there. While in the Paso Robles/Templeton AVA we visited a lot of wineries and bought A LOT of wine. Clever marketers these wineries, get the visitor shitfaced and they will buy a lot.
