Baptised in LA

It rained heavy Friday night and was nice Sat morning so we thought the rain storm was over. The fellow camped next to us runs tours into LA so we went with him. Took the MetroLink...a commuter rail service...into LA. Nice trains and we got to see a lot along the way...Jack pointed out so many things to us including the place where Micheal Jackson is interred, unfortunately I couldn't get a picture of it from the train.

Got into Union Station...so much to see just at the station. Part of it was built many years ago and then there's the new part built in the last 10 years or so. Fantastic skylight dome in there. From there we walked and took buses to the fashion, jewellery,financial and fabric districts. Each of these districts are several blocks square and the prices are really cheap, but its hard to know what to buy especially the first time you see it. There was store after store of nothing but fabrics from floor to ceiling, some of which was priced as low as $1 a yard! Lots of gold jewellery...but who knows how good it is??? In the fashion district they had men's suits for 2 for $99 and several stores of beautiful formal and wedding gowns. There was also an area that was like a flea market...reminded us of being in Mexico or Jamaica. By this time it was pouring rain and we got drenched even though we had our umbrellas and I wasn't able to get many pictures.

Stopped for a bite to eat at Clifton's Cafeteria. It's been around since before the depression. Lots of neat things to see and the food was good. Took the subway back to Union station then the MetroLink back. We did all that on one ticket that cost us $15 for the two of us...not a bad deal...too bad it rained so much that it was hard to really enjoy it! This morning of course is bright and sunny.

Airplanes

It was sunny and warm today so we went to Palmdale and found the Blackbird Airpark and the Joe Davies Heritage Airpark...two parks side by side. One is a part of Andrew's Air Force Base and the other is run by the city of Palmdale. Lots of really neat fighter and training planes. I took a lot of pics but haven't downloaded them yet. Hard to post pics from here...the connection is pretty slow.

Also found a Sam's Club...Wal-Mart's version of Costco...but you need a membership to shop there so we went to the HUGE Wal-Mart that was right beside it. Also stopped at BevMo. This place is the size of a Safeway and sells liquor, snacks, olives, onions, glasses and anything else you'd need to serve a variety of drinks. Their sale today was buy a bottle of wine get the second one for five cents. B got a 1.75l of Clan MacGregor Scotch for $12.99 (it's $29.95 in Washington). When we got up to the cashier I joined the BevMo club (like a Safeway Club Card) and got $3 off B's scotch and $1 off the bottle of Triple Sec I got. Too bad we're limited on the amount we can bring home!

We also went back to the 99 cent store we found the other day and a store that sells clothes, housewares etc really cheap. B got 2 polo shirts for $3.99 each, and they look really nice....only problem they don't have pockets!

Bird Rescue

Yesterday the wireless internet at the adult lodge kept cutting me off the internet so we drove over to the family clubhouse and got on fine there. As I was posting my blog a bird flew over my head...he'd gotten trapped indoors so B opened the door and we herded the bird out to fly away.

It was so nice and sunny this morning and there was no cold breeze so we decided to go up and soak in the hot tub...it was nice!! Went back to the trailer for lunch then I went to the clubhouse for the craft session. Yesterday we made 3D cards and started an Easter Centerpiece. Today I finished the centerpiece. There are a lot of people in the park who live in their rigs full time and just go from park to park or work in a park for several months at a time. I can see how they how they get hooked on it. Today my "housework" consisted of shaking out the mats, sweeping the floor, taking out the garbage and B dumped the holding tanks...half an hour and the housework is done!!!

Does anyone know why it gets so hot in the desert during the day then so cold at night???? Been thinking about that and I wonder if it's because there isn't enough moisture in the ground to hold the heat...kinda the same principle as a microwave???

Kitty Cats

Yesterday we went for a drive north on Hwy 14 past Palmdale and Lancaster to Rosamond and visited the Exotic Feline Breeding Compound's Feline Conservation Center. As luck would have it we got there about half an hour before feeding time so we got to see all the cats then went back and watched as they were given their food. Most of them got fed chicken and some had horse meat. We saw one that even got a mouse...apparently they buy the mice (dead). The cat didn't care if the mouse was alive or not he/she still played with it the way cats do, before disappearing into his "bedroom" to eat it. It was wierd hearing the cats crunch through the bones. After they ate they washed themselves just like house cats!

Edward's Air Force Base is in the same area but since 9-11 the base is closed to visitors unless you have reservations for a tour. We stopped at a casino, but they only have table games so we didn't stay long. Found a Costco and bought some batteries for my camera as well as a bottle of scotch and brandy....in California liquor is sold in the grocery stores.

The weather has been between 3*C and 19*C but when you look out the trailer window you think it should be nice and warm with the sunshine and dry ground...but is actually is quite chilly. Apparenly we're in high desert here but when we get down around Palm Springs that is considered low desert...either way we've been told that it gets cold at night in the desert!!! Ah well, we toasty and warm in the trailer!

Soledad Canyon

On our way down we saw lots of sheep with their little lambs right beside them. After we left the casino we were driving in the Sacramento Valley and saw lots of rice paddies, olive and nut groves and orchards that were just starting to come into bloom. They had bee hives ready to do the pollinating for them. Turned off the highway to go into Lake Minden...one of our T.T. parks. We had a choice of Hwy 99 or 70 then turn on Marcum Rd. According to the chart in the book 70 looked easier and shorter...what a mistake!!!!!! Unknown to us they've been reconstructing Hwy 70. It was beautiful to drive on but they closed Marcum Rd. The GPS was telling us to turn but there was no road. Took the next exit and again the GPS told us to turn where there wasn't a road. Wound our way around the narrow country roads, asked directions a couple of times, made a U turn in a wider part of one road, stopped at the Post Office...it was closed for lunch...luckily a guy stopped and told us which road to turn on...FINALLY FOUND IT!!!! It's a nice park but we didn't unhook and it was too far to walk to the clubhouse with the computer.

Left there in the morning and decided to take Hwy 99...maybe it wouldn't be as rough as I-5...it was better but still pretty rough in spots. Drove through the San Joaquin Valley. The fruit trees here are in full bloom and look really pretty. Tonight we stayed in a Flying J truck stop. There's a Jack in the Box here so we went for breakfast. Hwy 99 connected back to I-5.

I-5 was really rough and B was getting pretty disgusted. Pulled into Soledad Canyon T.T...really easy to find this one!! It's a huge park. Went for a walk and saw the adult and family clubhouses, the adult and family pools, climbing wall and duck pond, etc. The family pool is the biggest, nicest shaped pool I've seen, but it's closed for the winter.

It was cool and breezy yesterday, last night it rained for a couple of hours and today is bright and sunny, not too hot because you're in a canyon here. Tomorrow we'll head out and explore the area.

Reporting In

We're in another casino parking lot...but this time I can connect to the internet right from the trailer!!! How cool is that???? We went in and signed up for the club card, they gave us $5 each to play with and told us that every Tuesday and Thursday is seniors day and you get the buffet for 2 for 1. Today's Tuesday so guess where we had dinner!!! $14.95 for the 2 of us and it was a WONDERFUL buffet!...only problem is we ate too much. B's out walking around the parking lot to wear some of the food off. This place is HUGE and there's lots of RV's and lots and lots of truckers in the lot. Sounds like it could be a bit noisy tonight, but that usually doesn't bother us...if it did we could have parked in their RV park here with full hook-ups for $25...free sounded better, even if it's a bit noisy!

First couple of days it was cool, cloudy or rainy, but today started off at 7*C and by this afternoon it was 30*C...had to take off my sweatshirt!! We also put out the awning...it was soooo wet and drippy but dried very quickly. I'll post again when I get a connection.

Olympic Torch

The Olympic torch went past the school at the end of our street this afternoon and the WHOLE neighbourhood came out to watch it!! My friend M wanted to see it too so she came for lunch and went down with us. It was quite the sight but the girl ran fast and it was in sight and gone in the blink of an eye...good thing she was preceeded by several trucks from the sponsers and lots and lots of police and RCMP in cars, vans and motorbikes. The school kids were all dressed in red and white, had made hats and many had their faces painted. The atmosphere was very electric to say the least! There was even a bunch of elementary kids standing in a group and singing "O Canada" while we were waiting for the torch!

It's Thursday already???

We had our Women's ministry Secret Pal Meeting Monday. It was my turn to help so was busy making centerpieces and setting tables, came home had dinner and went back for the meeting....it was fun and the speaker was really funny! Now to get the paperwork done so we have a record of who has who for their secret pal.

Today after B got home from his Men's Group we headed out to the RV show. Think they finally heard all our complaining about the trailers being too high...there were quite a few that will actually fit in our garage, unlike a couple of years ago when we had a devil of a time to find one. Thankfully we didn't find one that either of us wanted to trade the Tango in on...not sure I'm ready to try and re-organize another trailer so soon...haven't got this one organized the way I want it yet...after all we've only had it a year and a half...not 34 years like the Prowler!!

On the way home we stopped to see grandkids. Ch was so excited because he went to the eye doctor and he needs reading glasses???? Who ever heard of a 9 year old needing reading glasses???? Thought that only happed when you got old!!!