Home Sweet Home (Daisy on Euro Chair)

Sunday February 8,2009

This week found us visiting two areas of interest.The Salton Sea and Coachella Valley Preserve.Salton sea is a large body of water aproximately 36 miles by 16 miles.With a depth of some 56 feet.It was created by a flood overrun of the colorado river.The "salt" content has killed off fish.You can google it if your interested.The Coachella Preserve was interesting since we were able to hike along a trail and observe the upheaval of earth created along the san andreas fault.We didn't see any wildlife known to live there.When you leave the "hut" where the info center is located, the path is thru dense vegetation of high palm tress with large "skirts" around the trunk up to the top.It was reminisant of the scenery in the origonal jungle shots of the origonal 1933 movie King Kong.I almost expected to bump into Robert Armstrong and Faye Ray!

As you might have see, circuit city is the latest casualty of the current financial mess we're experiencing.Their loss was our gain.We had been trying to decide on a new digital camera for some time.With the prices as low as they were we got a new Nikon DSLR.So hopefully our pictures will gradually improve in quality as we learn the D60's operational capabilities.Don't get your hopes to high, I'm a slow learner!

Another amazing thing happened a few nights.After five weeks of dry weather- it rained.Thru most of the night.It cleared up in the morning and went back to sunny and a little cooler than before.Daisy has been going on the three and a half mile walks we do every other morning now.We' ll increase to four miles soon.Daisy stays amazingly fit compared to some other doxies we have met.She maintains her 12 pound figure rather well. We did succumb to giving her some Ice cream shake.Bad idea she was up in the middle of the night for a couple of walks and couldn't settle.That's it.We won't fall for that cute little face trick again.No more people food.That's her at the car window before the ice cream lick trick.

The other thing we did is to go to a weekly street fair in Palm Springs.Now that was cool.Lots of foods and pastries.Very interesting artist and craft products.A couple of good musicians were scattered throughout.Their music sounded like the sound track from spaghetti westerns.Soft mexican style guitar and wood flutes.I really enjoyed it.They played contemporary tunes in that style.talented guys. We spent a few hours there and came away with a bag of goodies.Daisy walked a while then went back to the truck for some rest.Of course we put the goodies in the back of the truck so Daisy wouldn't get "curious" and run up another national debt style vet bill. This coming week we plan to visit the Living Desert Zoo & Gardens.Hopefully we will get some good pictures for you.Amost forgot to mention stopping at at a small airport in thermal.Named after famed aviatrix Jackie Cochran.

Some memorbilia from Jackie's many accomplishments were on display.For those who don't know her history, suffice it to say she was not more well known because she didn't get lost!She makes "Amelia" look like an amatuer.What a lady, what a pilot.Anyhow, my other point is I was able to "stumble" out on the ramp.Not usually easy in this day of security.There was the most pristine restored flying boat I've ever seen.It was converted to turbo prop power with a couple of Pratt & Whitney PT-6's.I'll post a picture or two for my aviator types.Stay well............

The long and winding road.......

So, dad thinks I'm cute...............Your thoughts?
I'm ready for my closeup mr. Demille

Saturday, January 31, 2009
Hooray....Daisy is back to normal after her mild case of pancreatitis.A bland diet and two kinds of liquid medication for a week did it.She was able to go with us to visit my cousin in Santa Ana earlier this week.We all had a good time there with Rich & Bev.Their house was truly beautiful.Lots of room and beautiful decor flowing out to a terrific yard marvelously landscaped with designer pool and hottub.Daisy was remarkably comfortable with our stay.Normally she would pester us to go "home".I thought she was going to stay there.She loved Bev and the enormous kitchen that presented lots of possibilities of falling food.Lindy and I enjoyed ourselves immensely.Bev prepared a couple of great dinners and lunch on our arrival.Later the first day we drove into town at Laguna beach.After a visit to a superb bakery for some good coffee and pastry, we made our way to a unique aviation art store.Lindy And I hadn't been there in almost 20 years.Great paintings & pictures of mostly military aircraft.Good stuff.Next day Rich and I went to the aircraft museum at Chino airport.Also visited 20+ years ago.Totally new and lots of "new" airplanes.Always fun looking at the past in aviation.
We left the next afternoon after a fine lunch at nieuport 17.A great aviation theme restaurant we first visited in late 80's.Expensive aviation art decors the walls of the building designed after a bavarian hunting lodge.The owner is a naval aviator who flew flying boats in the 50's.After a delicious meal we said goodbye to our gracious hosts of our visit and departed for home.We made a quick stop at March AFB along the route home to see what goodies their BX might have.We bought a few things we couldn't live without.You know, wine, M&M's, more wine etc.The day after we arrived "home" we got up and prepared to start our walking routine as usual.Well, this was a very clear indication that Daisy was feeling good again.She gave every indication that she wanted to join us and in fact walked the three mile hike with us from that day on!Today we went into Palm Springs.We enjoyed it but clearly the town has gotten touristy.For grins we stopped in at Bentley/Rolls/Astin Martin car dealership.We found a few we liked but reasoned they would not be practical in NH!Right.They were beautiful.More lottery tickets please.Anyhow, as the song says "It Never Rains In Southern California".We've been here one month and it hasn't rained a drop!It was cloudy just one or two days at that.It rained about 50 miles north but it seems the mountains contain the weather and prevent movement to the valley and south.We start our last month here tomorrow before heading to Vegas in March.
'til the next time.......................adios

Daisy sporting her green "Puppia"

Hello to all my friends back east.I miss you but not the cold and snow.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Just completed our third full week in southern california and are enjoying it a lot.We take our three and half mile every morning and Daisy has decided to join us this past week.She does real well in realizing it's an exercise walk and not a stop and smell the roses dog walk.Unfortunately, a few nights ago Daisy got up in the middle of the night to throw up.We found she had eaten a macadamia nuts somewhere.This went on three nights.An immediate trip to the vet determined pancreatitis.She passed another nut or two.She's on liquid medication and all appears normal.But then other than throwing up the nuts, she was her normal self before the diagnosis.

We're two days into the medication and all appears well.Fingers crossed we are concerned because macadamia nuts are toxic for dogs.Daisy is our focal point as you probably know so we will do whatever necessary for her health and well being.

A couple of nights ago, we went to a doo-wop concert.We saw, The Crests, The Diamonds, The Drifters and Danny and the Juniors.Pretty good show, however most of the origonals are gone.I was "google-ing the groups on my blackberry to see who was origonal.I was depressed to read that Danny, from the group with the Juniors, had died of suicide in '82 and others on stage were very obviously to young to have recorded in the fifties.The songs were still good.Except for the "younger" new lead singer of the Crests who botched the words in the bridge of "Step By Step".I think I was in a small minority of diehards who realized he flipped the words.We got to meet the acts in the lobby after the show.That was a real treat.I got to speak with the "Juniors" two origonals now in their upper sixties.They started in high school in Philidelphia and Dick Clark helped a lot.All in all we had an enjoyable evening.

Lunch at "Hogs Breath" was neat too.Owned partly by Clint Eastwood, it was decorated with some full size paintings of Clint from various movie scenes along with lots of pictures.Nice atmosphere and good food.Yesterday, we drove up to an outlet mall that was impressive because it had lots of unique stores we don't normally see.Plus, since it was an outdoor mall, Daisy didn't have to stay in the Toyota.However, we had worn shorts in the warmth of Palm Springs and now forty miles north, the weather was decidedly cooler with a 12 to 15 knot breeze.We froze!I'm sure you folks in the northeast are finding that interesting with what your dealing with.It's all relative.Dress appropriately and we all can be comfortable.This week we are looking forward to visiting my cousin in Santa Ana.We haven't gone that direction so we will get to see some "new" things.For now, as Porky said,That's all folks.