Saturday, August 3, 2024

A Record-Breaking July, and NOT in a good way

Hi there, welcome back.  Our last chapter concluded on Sunday, June 30th, while we were in residence at the Escapees Co-op in Pahrump.  Monday, July 1st, happy second half of 2024.  Today was mostly a stay at home day.  I had PT at 2:30, but was back home by a little after 3:00.  We went to happy hour at 4:00, then came home and had dinner.  We then watched TV for the rest of the night.

Tuesday, July 2nd, we were on the road headed to Las Vegas for a Costco run about 10:30.  When we got into town we stopped at the Summerlin Omelet House restaurant for lunch.  We then drove to Costco and spent the family fortune on supplies.  After Costco we headed back to Pahrump, getting home in time to put stuff away and go to happy hour.  After happy hour we went home and spent the rest of the evening with the TV.  Wednesday Jackie had her Pokeno at 1:00.  Len was not feeling well, so I had the afternoon to myself and did some chores, including fixing a broken step on the porch.  We went to happy hour at 4:00, then came home for dinner and an evening with the TV.

Thursday, July 4th, Happy Birthday America!!  We went over to the clubhouse about noon for the 4th of July hamburger and hot dog luncheon.  We had over 40 members and guests come for the festivities.  After we helped clean up we headed back to the house and spent the rest of this very hot day inside relaxing.  Friday we left the house about 2:00 on a very hot day.  We first went to my PT, which took about a half hour or so.  Jackie waited for me today.  After PT we went to Smith’s for some grocery shopping, then we went to Teriyaki Madness and picked up two teriyaki bowls for dinner.  We then went and got haircuts.  We didn’t make it home in time for happy hour, so we missed two in a row.  We had the teriyaki bowls for dinner, then spent the rest of the evening watching TV, including a really weird horror movie on HULU called “The Stranger.”  This is the 2024 movie by that name, there are several others.

Saturday, July 6th, we got up early for the “First Saturday Breakfast” in the clubhouse.  This is a new thing started by this year’s Silver Seekers Board.  We had waffles and bacon and we brought the fixings for bloody Mary’s too.  After breakfast we went back to the trailer and spent the rest of the day inside staying cool.  We did go to happy hour at 4:00, then came home and had dinner.  We spent the rest of the evening watching the TV.  Sunday was another hot day.  According to the National Weather Service Las Vegas hit an all-time high temperature of 120 degrees this afternoon.  The old record was 117.  Wasn’t quite that hot in Pahrump, but way to hot to be spending any time outdoors.  We went to the clubhouse at 2:00 for the ice cream social, then we went out to Goodwill to check out the bargains.  We came home and did some great T-bones for dinner, then spent the rest of the night watching TV.

Monday, July 8th, was mostly a stay at home day.  I did have to go to PT at 2:30, but I was back for happy hour.  After happy hour we went home and spent the night with the TV trying to stay cool.  Tuesday, Jackie had a mani appointment at 10:30.  After she got back around noon, and after she had lunch, we went out and ran a couple of errands.  She had to go to the bank to make a Silver Seekers deposit, now that she is the “acting” treasurer of the group.  Then we had to go pay the Ice Man, the company that supplies bagged ice cubes to the clubhouse for resale by the Silver Seekers.  We got back home and did some chores, then went to happy hour.  After happy hour we went home and had pork chops for dinner, then watched TV until bedtime.

Wednesday, July 10th, was a stay at home day, and the usual Wednesday schedule.  Jackie went to play Pokeno in the clubhouse at 1:00, and my friend Len came over and we spent 90 minutes in the shed jamming on our guitars.  For dinner we decided to get pizza from the newest pizza place in town, Max’s East Coast Pizza, which uses the name “Mia Ava East Coast Pizza” on its building and website.  We have been seeing a number of reviews that say it is a pretty good place for pizza.  I was disappointed right off when I went to website and found nothing for online ordering of food.  Then I called the phone number and got an answering machine that said to leave a message and they would get back to me.  Not what someone calling in an order wants to hear.  I decided I would just go there and order it to go.  The place was not too busy, two or three couples inside, some eating, some waiting for an order.  I placed my order for their large (16”) New York style supreme, which came with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onions, and olives.  Then I decided to go ahead and try their Italian sub sandwich, The Soprano, which came with Salami, Capicola, Mortadella, Ham, Provolone, Tomato, Onion, Banana Peppers, Mayo, Mustard & Creamy Italian Dressing.  I would save that for lunch tomorrow.  It took the usual 20 minutes or so for the pizza and I took the food home.  I put the sandwich in the fridge for tomorrow and we had the pizza.  At best it was OK, better than the cheap mass produced fast food places like Dominos, Little Caeser’s, or Pizza Hut, but not nearly as good as the Pour House, Tower Pizza, or Nicco’s.  The dough was chewy, very little sauce and what there was didn’t have much taste.  The toppings were sparse.  It was cheesy and the sausage was spicey.  The final determination was, “it’s OK, but would not order again.”  Thus ended today’s experiment with pizza in Pahrump.  After dinner we watched TV and then went to bed. 

Thursday, July 11th, we had pretty much a stay at home day except for my PT appointment at 2:30.  Friday we headed into Vegas about 11:00 or so for my six week follow-up appointment for my hip.  We stopped a new Greek place on Blue Diamond Road called Kabob Grill.  The food was excellent and we will probably be back.  My appointment was short and easy.  They did take a couple of x-rays and I was able to look at my new “super hip.”  The PA checked my incision site and said everything looked good and they would see me in another couple of months.  After the doctor’s appointment we headed back to Pahrump and got home in time for happy hour.  After that we had dinner and then watched TV until bedtime.

Saturday, July 13th, Jackie had a ladies lunch at 11:00 and I did some chores around the house.  After she got back we stayed home the rest of the day.  Went to happy hour at 4:00, then came home and watched TV until it was time for bed.  Sunday we packed our bag and were in the car by 10:30, heading South to Laughlin for another three night stay at the Riverside Resort and Casino.  This was another Comp visit, with us only paying tax and the stupid resort fee.  We got in just before 3:00 and checked in.  We then gamed some in the casino.  When we ran our players club cards through the machine Jackie won two free dinners in the Prime Rib Room, for which we had already made reservations for tomorrow.  We also got two free buffets and one two for one buffet coupon.  We had dinner in the coffee shop and gamed until bedtime.

Monday, July 15th, we spent the morning in the room, then went down and used the two for one coupon for the breakfast buffet.  It was OK, but not worth what they charge, so good thing it was half off.  After we ate we drove into Bullhead city and spent the afternoon shopping at various places.  We got back to the Riverside, gamed a little, then at 6:00 went to the Prime Rib Room for dinner.  The dinners were free, but we did take advantage of the $2 movie ticket deal and got two movie tickets for later.  The dinner was wonderful and we had a great window seat overlooking the river.  After dinner we got in the car and went to the Tropicana to game a little.  We stayed until about 10:00 or so, then came back to the Riverside and went to bed.  Tuesday we left the room about 11:00 and spent the day in the Casino.  We went to the movies at 1:30 and saw “A Quiet Place – Day 0” which is a prequel to the other two Quiet Place films, both of which we have seen.  It was a great movie with a totally different cast and story line from the first two of the series.  After the movie we gamed, then went to the buffet with the free tickets we had.  Again, good thing it was free, because it was nothing to rave about.  We spent the rest of the night gaming and went to bed around 10:00.

Wednesday, July 17th, We were our of the room at 11:00 check-out time.  We stopped at the In and Out Burger in Laughlin, then hit the road for home.  We got back about 2:30, unpacked and relaxed.  We went to happy hour then came home and relaxed with the TV the rest of the night. Thursday Jackie went over to the clubhouse at 10:00 to play cards.  I did some chores and office work.  I had my PT at 3:00.  When I got home we had dinner and spent the rest of the evening watching TV.

Friday, July 19th, we had a 10:00 meeting in the clubhouse of the Silver Seekers Board to set the calendar for August.  We left the park around 12:30 and went out to a late lunch at El Jefe Mexican, then went to Walmart for some supplies.  After we got home we relaxed a while, then went to happy hour about 4:30, then stayed for Bingo.  Neither of us won anything.  Boo Hoo.  After Bingo we went home and watched TV until it was time for bed.  Saturday was a stay at home day.  We went to the clubhouse for a Silver Seekers lunch.  Today was enchiladas and rice and beans.  Don Olney, the Silver Seekers President, and his wife Sharon did the cooking and serving and several of us helped with the set up and cleanup.  The meal was quite good and we had about 30 people show up.  We spent the rest of the day in the house doing chores. 

Sunday, July 21st, was another stay at home day.  We went to the ice cream social at 2:00.  They were short on ice cream today because apparently someone went into the fridge in the clubhouse kitchen and took one of the gallon containers of ice cream.  We have had other stuff disappear lately too.  I am not sure why anyone in the park would think that stuff in the clubhouse kitchen fridge was just there for the taking.  After ice cream we did some chores, then spent the rest of the afternoon and evening with the TV.  Monday was mostly a stay at home day.  We did go out and run a couple of errands after lunch.  I was supposed to have PT, but they called the other day and cancelled.  We did a few chores and tried to stay cool.  We did go to the social hour at 4:00, then came home for dinner and TV the rest of the night.

Tuesday, July 23rd, was another stay at home day.  I did some work in the office and Jackie went out to take a jacket to the seamstress to have the sleeves shortened.  Other than that we stayed home.  Went to Social hour at 4:00, then came home and had pork chops for dinner and watched TV until bedtime.  Wednesday, my friend Len picked me up about 12:30 and we drove to another friend’s house for our jam session.  The other couple had found another couple that recently moved to Pahrump and were looking for jam partners.  They invited them for today.  They were Jeff and Debbie.  Jeff plays guitar and mandolin and Debbie is just a singer, but a good one, and also does the washboard, which provides us with a percussion element.  Jeff is a good guitar player and they were both very nice people.  We had a really good time and jammed until about 3:00.  Jackie went to Pokeno in the afternoon.  After we were both home we went to happy hour, then came home and did pot pies for dinner.  We then watched TV until bedtime.

Thursday, July 25th, was pretty much a stay at home day.  Happy Birthday to Jackie’s brother, Dennis.  The big 80 today.  I went to my PT at 2:30 and then did a quick trip to Home Depot for some things.  Jackie did some accounting work for the Silver Seekers in the office.  We skipped happy hour and just had dinner and then watched TV.  I did have my second night of Security Duty at 8:00.  Friday we left the park around 10:30 and drove to the Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue office so that both of us could give blood to the Red Cross.  We both gave our pint of blood, then drove our to the Living Free CafĂ© for lunch.  After lunch we stopped at Walmart for some supplies and the bank for some money.  We then went home.  We went to happy hour at 4:00, then came home and spent the rest of the evening with the TV.

Saturday, July 27th, we had another stay at home day.  I did some chores around the house, Jackie went to the clubhouse in the morning to play cards.  We spent most of the afternoon and evening with the TV.  I made stuffed peppers for dinner, they were really good.  After a night of TV we went to bed.  Sunday was a day of leisure.  We went to the ice cream social at 2:00 then went back home and relaxed for the rest of the day.

Monday, July 29th, was mostly a stay at home day.  Did a few chores and relaxed.  I had my last PT session at 2:30, so I am now done with that weekly chore.  After I got home Jackie went to get a manicure.  I went to happy hour at 4:00 and after Jackie got home we had dinner and then watched TV until it was time for bed.  Tuesday we stayed home for most of the day.  We did leave about 2:30 and went out to run some errands and go to Mom’s Diner for the monthly dine-out for the park.  Unfortunately, there were only five of us from the park that attended.  We still had a good meal and some conversations with neighbors.  After dinner we went home and spent the rest of the night with the TV.

Wednesday, July 31st, Jackie went to play Pokeno at 1:00 and I went out to our friend’s house on the North side of Pahrump for guitar practice.  My friend Len wasn’t available today because of other appointments.  Jeff and Debbie, the new couple we met last week were there also.  The five of us played until about 3:00 and had a great jam.  After the jam Linda, the homeowner, offered us homemade Prickly Pear ice cream and coconut macaroons as a snack.  Well, I couldn’t resist that, so I was a little late getting home, a little after 4:00.  I went for a little while to social hour, then came home and made a pot of chili.  We had dinner, then spent the rest of the night with the TV.

Well, the month of July is now gone and it is time to put this episode online.  Just as a sideline, this past month has gone into the record books as the hottest July on record for Las Vegas and Southern Nevada, of which Pahrump is a part.  July saw a new all time high temperature of 120 degrees in Las Vegas, a record number of consequtive days over 110, 11 days.  Also a record average high temperature for the month.  It’s getting hot out there.  Until next time, be good and have fun.  See ya.