DESERT ROCK CONCERT SERIES AT THE CIVIC CENTER PARK

October 21 – Pam and Joe invited us to go to the Christopher Cross concert this evening. It was part of the Desert Rock Concert Series held at the Civic Center Park in Palm Desert. It was sponsored by the Desert Recreation District and it was FREE.

We stopped by KFC for chicken dinners to take to the park. It was a perfect evening for a concert and chicken and good friends in a beautiful park!! All we needed was a bottle of wine but it was not allowed!

Lead-off singer was a kid from Canada, Jackson Cooke. He was good but a little too hard rock for our taste.

Later under a full moon -

Christopher Cross took the stage. (Picture from his earlier days.)

He of course included his hit song from 1980, Sailing. He put on a good concert although it was a bit low key.

Christopher is front far right.

That was a great way to spend a beautiful evening in the Desert!! Thanks Pam and Joe for thinking of it.

NOW AT TT PALM SPRINGS, CA

October 19 – We arrived at TT Palm Springs Monday morning. We were greeted enthusiastically by Linda the Ranger. She said they had heard we were coming and were excited to meet us!! We were happy to be able to park in one of our favorite sites, next to the Pickleball courts. As we were parking, Linda’s husband Rick came over and introduced himself and extended another warm welcome to us. We really felt special!!

Rick and Linda.

While we were talking with Rick, a friend that we had met at TT Chesapeake Bay walked by. It was Joe of Pam and Joe. They are leasing an annual site here.

This morning I went out and played half a game with Rick and a couple other men. Then it started to rain. We stopped playing with a score of seven all.

Ken and I decided to go to the $1.50 Cinemark to see Salt -- A good way to spend a rainy afternoon. We really enjoyed the movie, an espionage thriller staring Angelina Jolie.

We had asked Pam and Joe to join us for the movie followed by Happy Hour at the Elephant Bar. They couldn’t make the movie, but we all had a great Happy Hour!!

On Wednesday morning the courts were almost dry so eight of us played.

From left to right: Lynn, Mary Jo, Ken, Old Friend Paul, Linda, Rick, and Roy another friend from the past.

And, on Thursday morning, we had a few more players.

From left to right: Paul from Wilderness Lakes, Ken, Bill who plays very well but we did not know him, Linda, John who says he plays but recently had hip replacement surgery, Roy, Cindy a new player, Paul, Faye, Dick from the past, and Rick.

It's been great to be back at TT Palm Springs!

KEN’S SON RICHARD VISITS US AT TT WILDERNESS LAKES, MENIFEE, CA

October 15 – 17 – Ken’s son Richard lives in Chula Vista, CA about 85 miles south of Menifee. This weekend, Richard and his friend Marlo brought their four children up to spend some time with us at Wilderness Lakes. They rented one of the rental trailers on a large site next to one of the many cannels.

We prepared a breakfast of finger foods for them on Saturday morning – boiled eggs, sausage links, donuts, fruits, juice and coffee.

Marlo and her two children Emily and Anthony; Richard (center) and his two boys, Russell and Jake with Grand PaPa Ken.


We planned that we would meet at the pool later and then have hot dogs and hamburgers at the campground dining room. Ken and I did not make it to the pool because we were tracking down a fire ring to use for a campfire after dinner. But we did join the group for lunch and CANDY BAR BINGO. The kids had a ball playing BINGO and each of them won several candy bars. It was a great way to occupy the children.

Later we went to the Ocktoberfest German Beer Tasting sponsored by the campground. They offered about 10 different German Beers for sampling (root beer for the kids). A great way to occupy the adults!! We don’t often get anything FREE from TT!!

Ken gets his first beer sample.

Faye had several samples!!

Ken found a beautiful Fraulein that made him happy! Guess she brought back memories of his Army days in Germany!!

Richard’s group arrives.

Ken is going to take Emily’s soft pretzel!! They were really good.

We prepared some of Ken’s Carolina Bar-B-Q with trimmings for dinner followed by Som-Mores around the campfire!!

No pictures of the campfire because my fingers were sticky from toasted marshmallows!!

Sunday morning Richard and Marlo treated us to Home Town Buffet in Hemet. We arrived for breakfast and stayed for lunch!!

This weekend was a great opportunity to meet Marlo and her family and to see how Russell and Jake had grown. Thanks for coming up, guys!!

MORE PICKLEBALL AT TT WILDERNESS LAKES

Saturday morning, we took Richard and Marlo over to the Pickleball courts to show them what the game is all about. Mike, Al, Carolyn and Paul were just finishing up a game.


And Mike and Edie, demonstrated the game very effectively against -

Carolyn and Jim (I guess white men can jump, at least a little).

I loved this picture with Jim and what looks like a Pickleball nose!!

I interrupted their game to get a special picture of Jim and Kim.

Sally and Stan, this picture is for you since we last saw you when we were playing around with Jim and Kim in Michigan!! See, we are thinking about you way out here!!