Tuesday, September 13, 2022

The End of Summer Approaches

Hello again. Our last chapter concluded on Friday, August 19th, while we were on our lot at the SKP park in Pahrump, Nevada. Saturday was pretty much a stay at home day, however we did go out for about an hour in the afternoon to get a geocache. Today was International Geocaching Day and if we found and logged a cache today we got a virtual souvenir for our collection. We don't have many unfound caches left in Pahrump, at least not many we can reach with our low slung car, so we haven't been doing much caching. The first one we tried to get was gone. It was a desert cache and at ground zero, where the cache should have been according to the GPS, there were trinkets typical of those found in geocaches, but no cache. We did find the second one we went to, logged it and got our souvenir. We also checked on a couple of our hides that had recent DNFs. One was indeed gone and will have to be replaced, the other was exactly where it should be. After our caching stuff we went back to the coach and spent the rest of the afternoon and evening in the coach.

Sunday, August 21st, we spent most of the day around the coach. I did go to the clubhouse at 2:00 for root beer floats and we both went out about 3:00 to do a Walmart run and also stop at Smith's for a couple of things. After we got home we spent the rest of the evening relaxing. Monday we went out after lunch to run some errands. I had to drop my ColoGuard box off at the UPS store and pick up mail and then we stopped at Albertson's for some things we couldn't find at Walmart yesterday. After we got back to the coach we relaxed a bit then went to social hour at the Clubhouse. We had scampi for dinner then watched TV until bedtime.

Tuesday, August 23rd, I went to my Ophthalmologists office here in Pahrump about 12:30 to have my follow-up exam after my eyelid surgery two weeks ago. The doctor looked me over and took out the sutures and said I was healing well. I have one more follow-up in six weeks. After I got back to the coach we spent the rest of the day relaxing and doing chores. Wednesday Jackie had her afternoon Pokeno game and I spent some time doing some maintenance chores and also some leisure activities while she was gone. A nearby storm cell created an hour and a half long dust storm, one of the worst I have seen in the area. Later in the evening while watching the news we learned there were a number of traffic accidents in Pahrump during the storm because of poor visibility. We had leftovers for dinner, then relaxed with the TV the rest of the night.

Thursday, August 25th, was laundry day again. We left the coach about 1:00 and stopped at the Artesian Cellars restaurant for lunch. This is a small, local winery with a cafe. The menu is limited, but what they do serve is pretty good. We also bought a bottle of Gurztimiener wine to take home for future use. After lunch we went to the laundromat and did laundry. We finished about 4:30, went home and put everything away and relaxed for the rest of the night. Friday we were out about 9:30 headed to the nail salon. I got my toe nails trimmed and Jackie got the full mani-pedi. While she was getting spruced up I ran some errands. After she was done we went to the Pour House for lunch. Jackie likes the Indian food there, specifically the lamb dishes. I like their pizza. After lunch we headed back to the coach. We went to happy hour and then spent the rest of the evening with the TV.

Saturday, August 27th, we left the coach after lunch to run some errands. We stopped at the UPS store and picked up our mail and then went to Home Depot so I could some things I needed for my various projects in and around our shed. I have finished the air conditioner installation and am now working on the ceiling fan for the outside patio and a couple of new electrical outlets. I picked up most of what I think I will need to finish up this summer work. After we got home we went to social hour at the Clubhouse and then spent the rest of the evening with the television. Sunday was a stay at home day. I spent a couple of hours working on the ceiling fan project outside. I took a break so we could go to the Clubhouse for root beer floats, the Sunday social activity, at 2:00. After ice cream I spent another hour or so cleaning up from my various projects outside. We had homemade chicken pot pie for dinner. Jackie found a recipe online and it was wonderful. A definite keeper. After dinner we watched TV and relaxed for the rest of the night.

Monday, August 29th was another stay at home day. Jackie went to the Clubhouse to play cards with a newly formed pinochle group. I stayed home and spent some time playing guitar with a new guy at the park, Bob. He and his wife are here as long term guests but are near the top of the waiting list to get their own site. He is just trying to learn guitar and I told him to come over and we would spent some time playing together. The best way to learn guitar is just to play. We played for a little over an hour. I did some office work and relaxed. We went to the social hour at 4:00 and then came back, had dinner and watched TV until bedtime. Tuesday I had a meeting of the Audit Committee at 1:00. After the meeting we left and went to Walmart for some supplies. After we got back we went to social hour in the Clubhouse and for the first time in a couple months we had two tables of people. We also learned that Bob and his wife, the guy I was playing guitar with yesterday, got their lot today, so they are now officially members of the Co-op. Yea. After happy hour we had dinner and watched TV until bedtime.

Wednesday, August 31st, I left the park about 9:30 and headed over the hill to Las Vegas for an appointment with my Urologist. Jackie didn't go as this appointment was only for a urine flow analysis and wouldn't really take very long. She likes to play Pokeno with the girls in the park on Wednesday afternoon, so she stayed home. The only thing about this test is that they specify that you must appear at your appointment time, in my case 11:00, with a full bladder really needing to pee. Since I had an hour drive to contend with I had to plan carefully. I took water with me and as soon as I was half way there I started drinking. I got to the office a half hour early and continued drinking and by 11:00 I was ready. The test is interesting in that they put a cuff around my “member” and have me pee into a funnel at a target. Simple for any man, right? We have all aimed at stuff all our life. Every few seconds the cuff would inflate and cut off the flow, then measure the pressure. Very interesting. The test took all of ten minutes, after which they did an ultrasound of my bladder. Seems I didn't completely void my bladder, which was of some concern, but other than that, I was done. I have another appointment in a couple weeks for the camera up the pee pee thing. Eeks. After I was done I stopped at Arby's for lunch and headed back over the hill. I was home before 2:00 and spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing. We went to social hour at the clubhouse and then spent the evening with the TV.

Thursday, September 1st, Happy Anniversary to us. Today marks the day in 1998 that I left Phoenix and moved to Indio, California to start my life with Jackie. Although we didn't get married until 2004, this is still a very important anniversary date for us. We relaxed for most of the day and then about 4:30 we left and went to the Stockman's Steakhouse at the Pahrump Nugget Casino for a celebratory dinner. Stockman's is one of the only fine dining restaurants in Pahrump and we have never eaten here before. We had a wonderful meal, expensive, but we expected that. We had a calamari appetizer and I had French onion soup and a porterhouse steak. Jackie had salad and lamb chops. Everything we had was very good and the service was excellent. We will probably go back there in February for our wedding anniversary. They also gave us a free piece of cheesecake to take home. After dinner we stayed and gamed for an hour or so. Jackie lost some, but I ended up $30 ahead. After we went home we watched some TV and then went to bed.


Friday, September 2nd, we went out after lunch to run some errands. We picked up mail and then stopped at Albertson's to get some steaks for the Labor Day cookout here at the park. We then went to Walmart to get a new coffee pot. Our old Mr. Coffee, which we have had for at least four years or so, broke. It still made coffee, but the lid hinge broke, so time for a new pot. They had a really nice black and stainless steel Black and Decker on clearance, regularly $59 only $23.99, so that's what we got. It matches the microwave under which it sits and the carafe is a stainless steel thermos, so the coffee stays hot if you take the carafe with you. We thought this might come in handy for mornings we do coffee outside, after it cools off of course. After our errands we headed back to the park. We went to happy hour at 4:00, then went home and did some burgers on the BBQ for dinner. After dinner we watched TV until bedtime. Saturday we left about 1:00 and went to ChatThai, our favorite Thai restaurant for a late lunch. We had a really great meal. After lunch we went to the UPS store and then stopped at the local Amazon clearance outlet to see what they had. Jackie got some lipsticks, but other than that they didn't have anything we needed. After our browsing we went back to the coach. We went to the social hour at 4:00, then relaxed with the TV the rest of the evening.

Sunday, September 4th, was a stay at home day. I had a meeting in the Clubhouse at 1:00 with the Communications and Technology team at the park, discussing up coming Zoom meeting commitments. We are still trying to work out some bugs in our ability to Zoom Board meetings at the park. After the meeting I stayed for the weekly root beer floats and chatted with people for a bit. I then went home and we spent the rest of the day inside. Monday was Labor Day. We pretty much had a stay at home day. At 4:00 our usual happy hour group got together in the Clubhouse, but instead of just cocktails we had a pot lunch BBQ. Everyone brought their own stuff to do on the park's BBQ and a side dish to share. We had about 20 or so people and had a really good time. After the BBQ we went back to the coach and spent the rest of the evening with the TV.

Tuesday, September 6th, was another early day. We were out of the house and on our way to Las Vegas by 7:45 for an appointment with Jackie's Ear, Nose and Throat doctor. The last time we went, a few weeks ago, she saw a Nurse Practitioner and was not happy with the results of the treatments that she provided. She wanted to see an actual MD, so she made another appointment. We saw a Dr. Yip, a youngish Asian woman who was very nice and spent considerable time explaining things to Jackie. I was also a bit surprised to hear her say it COULD be at least partially related to allergies in addition to the the damage to the larynx caused by acid reflux. I have thought all along that there was at least some allergy component involved. After the appointment we went to a Broken Egg brunch restaurant and had a late breakfast. There are several of these in the Vegas area and we have always been happy with the food. After breakfast we headed back over the hump and arrived back home a little after 12:30. We immediately went over to the Clubhouse for a Town Hall meeting. The meeting was quite active as a lot of the people in the park are having issues with the park is being managed. After the meeting we went back to the coach and spent the rest of the day and evening relaxing. We did spent some time going over the shore excursion choices for our Panama Canal cruise next February. We learned that reservations had opened and that some excursions were filling up. We ended up picking four, one in Columbia, one in Guatemala, one in Cabo San Lucas, and one in Grand Cayman. They are pretty pricey, but we figure we have never been to Guatemala or Columbia before, and are not likely to be going back, so we should see what we can. They other two were just for fun.

Wednesday, September 7th, Jackie went to play Pokeno in the Clubhouse at 1:00. I did some chores and some guitar practice, then drove to Walgreens to pick up Jackie's prescription from yesterday's doctor visit and then did a quick Walmart run. We did happy hour at 4:00 in the clubhouse and then came home, had dinner and watched TV until bedtime. Thursday we had a meeting of the Silver Seekers Board at 10:00. This is the group that is in charge of the Clubhouse, cleaning and planning activities. I went over early to help with the Zoom broadcast. We are trying to provide Zoom access for all meetings whenever possible. After the meeting we had lunch, then about 3:30 we left and went to the UPS store to pick up mail before going to the Intermountain Medical Center so Jackie could see her Neurologist for a follow up exam. Her headaches seem to be lessening over time, so they just discussed the progress and adjusted her medications. After the doctor we headed home and spent the rest of the evening watching TV.

Friday, September 9th, I left about 10:00 and went to the Sheriff's Office for my last training session for my appointment to the Peace Officers Advisory Review Board. After my session I stopped at Smith's for some things, then headed back home. I was finished by 3:00. We went to happy hour then went home and had dinner and spent the rest of the night with the TV. We are now about three weeks into this episode and it is time to get it published. Until next time, consider the words of comedian Ellen DeGeneres. “Never follow anyone else’s path. Unless you’re in the woods and you’re lost and you see a path. Then by all means follow that path.” See ya soon.