ALERT! WE HAVE CHANGED OUR DECEMBER SCHEDULE!!

Nov 16 - Upsetting News!  We just discovered that Ken MUST be in Richmond, VA before his birthday (December 14) to renew his Driver's License!!  We were looking for possible air travel and discovered that on certain days SPIRIT Airlines offers fares at $66/pp one way ($132 round trip).  With fares that low, we decided that I should go with him!!  We selected dates that were available at the cheap rate:  Depart LAX Monday, December 03; Return Wednesday, December 12.  I should point out that the cheap seats come with a lot of "additional charges"!  The fare for both of us round trip ended up at almost $500!!!

We are fortunate that Ken's son, Mike and wife Diane, live in Richmond.  They have invited us to stay with them AND the use of their car while we are there.  So we don't have to get a hotel room or rent a car!!

We have rearranged our RV schedule for a few weeks in December.  Our friend Al, Ranger at TT Wilderness Lakes,made reservations for RV storage with electric while we are gone.  Then, instead of driving to Palm Springs when we return, Al changed our reservations for us to just stay at TT Wilderness Lakes until December 07 when we go to TT Palm Springs.

DAY OF THE WINE HAPPY HOUR

Nov. 16 - Friday, Barbara and Joe planned a Happy Hour at their place.

Our Hostess, Barbara

And our Host Joe

Even though it was Barbara who planned the Happy Hour gathering, I asked her if I could provide the Theme!!  "The Day Of The Wine"!!!   Last year when I first heard of The Day Of The Wine, Ken and I hosted a Wine and Cheese Happy Hour and I introduced the Beaujolais Nouveau wine, released only at midnight on the third Thursday in November from the Beaujolais Winery in France.  Due to the firmentation process, Nouveau is best if drunk within six months.  No aging.  Thus Nouveaut makes a great wine for Thanksgiving!

Although Beaujolais Nouveau wine is classic, I discovered that all Nouveau wine does not come from France!!   I went to Trader Joe's and bought four bottles of Charles Shaw "Two Buck Chuck" Nouveau wine to share at the Happy Hour!

Before serving the wine, I explained the Nouveau story to the group.  Bill is facinated with my disertation!!  HA HA!!

A fun evening of wines, drinks, and snacks was had by all!!

These are the guys!!  A serious bunch this evening!!  Richard, Bill, Rick, Ken, Joe and Walt.

And here are the girls!!!  Sexy group!!  Barbara, Becky, Pam, Cheryl, Faye, and Pat.

Thanks, so much Barbara and Joe for getting us together!!

PICKLEBALL AT TT PALM SPRINGS, CA

 Nov 14 -  Quite a few players at TT Palm Springs.

Larry and Bernard.

Don and Jessie.

Barbara and Joe

Rick and Susan.

Larry and Ken

Rick and Pam

We are putting in a third court in the road near the Pickleball courts for use when there is a large number of players waiting.

Nov 16 -  When we rose on Friday morning, Ken said it was raining.  Oh, No. No Pickleball this morning!!  But when I looked out of the door, the sun was shinning!  There had to be a rainbow somewhere!!!  Surely enough.  Here it is!

Nov 17 -  We did play Pickleball yesterday but no pictures.  This is some of the action on Saturday.

Gary and Paul.

Jessie and a player I have not met yet.

Linda and Larry

I missed the action for this group.  Here are Larry, Linda, Trish and Jim P.

Two new players I have not met yet.

Trish and Paul

Unknown player and Linda

John and Unknown Player

Unknown player and Jessie

Jim P. and Ken

AFTERNOON AT THE MOVIES AND MEXICAN RESTAURANT

Nov 13 -  Back in October, I reported that we had discovered the great find of Mary Pickford Theater in Cathedral City where we could enjoy first-run movies for only $5.50 with FREE popcorn (with our Super Senior Card)!!  A group of us went on Tuesday to see the new James Bond movie, SKYFALL!!

Skyfall was a good and exciting movie, but I, personally, thought it had too much action, not enough sophistication, not enough sex, and not enough of the well-known James Bond theme music!!

After the movie, we all went to El Portal Mexican Restaurant on Date Palm for the $1 Tacos.  Some of the group ordered other Mexican dishes and margaritas!  It was lots of fun having the group there.

Pat and Bill.

Richard and Becky.

Joe and Barbara and Margarita!!

Pam and Walt.

And, Ken and Faye.

Nov 15 -  A few days later, the group decided to go to the Thursday Night Street Fair in Palm Springs.  But, first, they wanted to stop by Sherman's Deli, only a block from the Street Fair.  Some had been there before and raved about their Deli sandwiches!!  We joined them at the Deli but skipped the Street Fair.

Have you ever seen such a Reuben Sandwich in your life!!  Only in New York!!  But I think this was Chicago based because they had Chicago Knockwurst and Chicago Hot Dogs!

Ken and I each ordered a Reuben; eat half and doggie bagged the other half.  After having the half sandwich a couple of days later, we absolutely could not eat dinner!!  We will definitely have to return to Sherman's!!

Side Bar:  While at Sherman's, we all planned Happy Hour on Friday and Thanksgiving Dinner on Thanksgiving Day!!!

ENJOYING VETERANS' DAY GESTURES OF APPRECIATION

 Nov 11, Veterans' Day - A number of restaurants, etc. around the country express their appreciation to Veterans by offering free menu items to the Veteran.   We discovered that the Palm Springs area does not have a TGI Fridays or a Chili's, so Ken decided he would like to go to Hooters for their wings!  Other friends who are Veterans were going to Applebees and California Pizza Kitchen but Ken stuck with his decision to go to Hooters!

Funny thing.  When we got the location of Hooters we could not find it.  We went into a service station on the corner and asked where is Hooters.  The cashier did not know and asked the young man who followed me in if he could help.  He searched for Hooters on his iPhone.  "Permanently Closed".  So I asked if he could look up California Pizza Kitchen.  He said, "That's where I work!  It's in the next block."  He told us about the Veterans' Day specials and gave us the directions.

We have to say, California Pizza Kitchen was a good choice.

 They had free pizzas and drink for the Veterans.  Ken ordered the three cheese Pizza and I order an appetizer of While Corn Guacamole with tortilla chips.  Everything was delicious!!  Not only that!!

The manager came to our table and shook Ken's hand and offered him a coupon good for another visit to the California Pizza Kitchen!!

Nov 12 - Denny's offered free All-You-Can-Eat Pancakes to the Veterans, so late Monday morning we went to Denny's.

Ken was not in the mood for Pancakes so I ate the flapjacks and Ken ordered Biscuit and Gravy.  UUMMM Good!!

A big Thank You to all the Veterans who served our country, and to their families.  And a big Thank You to the businesses who offered gestures of appreciation!

ENJOYING LAST DINNER AT TT WILDERNESS LAKES

Nov 05 - This was wonderful!!  Because we were leaving TT Wilderness Lakes on Wednesday morning for a couple of weeks, our good friends Pam and Walt invited us to their place Monday evening for dinner.  Pam had prepared.Beef Bourguignonne with Noodles and a salad.  It was delicious!!  We had never had Bourguignonne before and we are so glad to have shared it with them!  She is going to give me the recipe!!

Thanks a lot Pam and Walt for a delicious dinner!!

Sidebar:  Ken did not like my glamorous hair!!!!  It is different!!!