Another day, Another city

When last I spoke, I was feeling pretty punk.  The Springsteen concert in Phoenix cured me.  We did not make it into the pit, but were close enough so that I (Hank always stays in back) got to be just two rows behind the pit, close enough to reach him when he came out on the walkway.....yes, I know I am  too old to be a groupie, but trust me, I was by a long shot not the oldest person in the audience!  It was a great concert, started off by Surprise, Surprise, one of Hank's favourites which Bruce almost never plays in concert, and finished off with Dancing in the Dark, my favourite.  Al in all, a great night!

The next day we were supposed to meet Hank's step parents for lunch.  His stepmother was ill, unfortunately, so Ed, Hank and I had lunch at one of Ed's favourite dives, La Perla, for some great Mexican food.

Ed having volunteered to take Hank to the airport, I just got on the highway and headed home.  As always in the desert, a lovely day for a drive, and I made it home in less than 4 hours.

In our complex, we have a wonderful clubhouse, and every year around this time, we have a party to decorate for Christmas.  And so it came to pass....

There are lots more pictures, but you get the idea....

On Sunday, December 9th, a different kind of party.  That day is Davey's birthday, and, as you know, I have been doing the same ritual since he died.  I go to a restaurant (since I have been in the desert on that day, it is always Davey's Hideaway)

have prime rib (rare) and bourbon (neat, no ice, water on the side), Davey's favourite food and drink, and commune with my husband.  And yes, I feel like he is watching over me, and making sure that I am alright.  His memory is warm and comforting, and I will always be grateful for the time I had with him.

The following week, Artie dragged me kicking and screaming the the Palm Springs Regional Bridge Tournament.  There were - count them - 7,000 players, from 0 to several thousand points, all gathered together for a week of lessons and bridge.

Luckily, the games are stratified, so I didn't have to play with the sharks in the big pool (to mix a metaphor or two), everyone was extradorinarily nice, and, to add icing to the cake, Artie and I came in second on one day, might have placed in another (we didn't stick around to wait for the results), and even earned some red points!  (Don't ask!)

So, where was Wally (Art's life partner, as opposed to his bridge partner) during all this?  Decking the family out for Christmas, of course!

Somewhere along the way, I managed time for a few movies - first, opera in the movies.  The San Francisco Opera is getting in the game, and have filed Puccini's La Rondine in HD.  Not as polished as the Met, of course, but not bad.  I saw the original performance in San Francisco, and the sets and costumes are amazing, as is the singing, of course.  And all of this for under $20!

The other movie I saw was Anna Karenina.  A gorgeous costume drama, again great staging and acting.  All in all, an adult movie.  Not great, but at least one thumb up!

And then off to Puerto Vallarta.  My friend Bobby (or, as he is affectionately known, Brother Bobby) lives hear, and has just founded the first Gay Men's Chorus in Latin America.  I had to come down and support him, didn't I?  However, I can't say it is too much of a sacrifice.....

The top pictures are the Westin, where I am staying now.  The bottom one is a picture of the palapas where Davey and I always came to when we came to P.V.  Ah, I told you, he's everywhere.

Well, I am off to see if I can be of assistance to Brother Bobby before the big Christmas concert tommor.  More after that.

And if I forget to say it later, all the best for whatever holiday you are celebrating this time of year.  I will propose to you my favorite toast:  health, wealth and love, and the time to enjoy them!

Be yourself; everyone else is taken. (Oscar Wilde)

Thanksgiving dinner was lovely.  I adore turkey, and as a single person, don't ever make it.  A group (15, to be precise) of us went to The Four Seasons (no, not the hotel, but the  golf  resort community here in Palm Springs) for Thanksgiving.  (Canadians, eat your hearts out - all you could eat, in lovely surroundings and great service, for $25.00, taxes and tip included, bring your own booze). 

The chef, above, used to be the chef at the Clinton White House (and yes, I asked him  to confirm the rumour).  The bone in ham, with gran marnier  sauce, was to die for.

And a good time was had by all, followed by a party at another friend's place for dessert, as if we could eat anothr thing.

So, aside from  eating, how do I spend my time.  Well, there is the pool.  As some of you know, the first retirement skill that I developed was reading on the float without getting the newspaper or magazine wet, and, well, practice makes perfect.

Driving.....

....to the street fairs, of which there are many...

and, as always, bridge...

(Art, with man-bag, encourages me...)

One way or another, the days whiz by.

Last Wednesday, I drove to LA (about a 2 hour drive) to catch a one hour flight to Oakland for - yes, of course, a Bruce Springsteen concert. 

Laura, above, a friend of Hank's, was coming to her first Springsteen concert.  In spite of the look on her face (it is somewhat comforting to know that even beautiful young things can be rendered plain by the camera), she loved it!

I also managed to squeeze in an Opera in San Francisco, although just barely.  Tosca is one of my favourites, and apparently everyone else's too - there were no seats, rush or otherwise, to be had.  I did manage to get into standing room  though - hell, if I can stand for Bruce I can stand for Tosca - and did score a seat for the last act.  It was a traditional production - the kind I like best, of course, and the voices were lovely, as is just about always the case in San Francisco.  

People sometimes ask how I can go from  Bruce Springsteen to opera and back again.  I don't find it so surprising.  David used to say that every genre of music has good musicians and bad ones, good pieces and bad ones.  The trick is just to find the good ones.  Or, you could just blame it on the breadth of my interests......

Anyway, on getting back to Palm Springs, I found myself sick sick sick, headachey, ache all over, stuffy nose sniffling coughing sneezing kind of sick (hence the delay in writing), and, really, should not have driven to Phoenix yesterday to meet Hank for yet another Springsteen concert - the last of this tour, I promise - but I did.  As I sit here by the pool witing for Hank to arrive for the days activities (we are trying for the pit, don't you know), I am  feeling better, and glad I made the effort.

News at 11 for more details....

Happy Thanksgiving!

Yes, I know, shocking.  Another post already.  But it is Thanksgiving (at least for the American lot), and a time for reflection.  Later this afternoon, I will be joinging 13 friends for a feast at the Four Seasons Resort and Golf Club (pictures to follow).  For now, though, I am sitting on my patio, reflecting on past, present and future.

Past.  I have had a good one, I have been very lucky in life, with work, love and friends, and although I still think about David every day, I still feel lucky to have had him for as long as I did, and he is with me in spirit still.

Present?  Well, for those of you who haven't been here, or don't remember the previous pictures, here it is:

(yes, this is a real Wurlitzer Juke Box.  Come see!!)

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So, having worked out this morning (yes, this morning.  This is America; the gym was open on Thanksgiving)

(friend Howard - and many others - were there too)

I am back at home, drinking coffee, and reflecting....

...and this is what Thanksgiving in the desert looks like.....

(yes, this is the view from my patio...)

Future?  Hopefully, more of the same.  Work (I love it, and it and it pays for my other, expensive, habits), continued good health,  travel, concerts (rock and opera both), bridge, and time with friends.

And I hope that you are remembering the things that you are thankful for, and that you have many more of them in the coming year. 

Welcome to the Promised Land!

Ah, but one needs to suffer more rain before getting to the promised land!

And more work, too!  Actually, it seemed like more fun than work.  I had done the training last year so that I could teach the administrative law courses that I first took as a student lo these many years ago.  When I was finally given the opportunity to teach, I jumped at it.  Those of you who knew me from the old banking days know that I taught, briefly, at the banking school in North Carolina, and loved it.  David liked to tell the story of passing by my classroom, looking in through the peephole in the door, and seeing me sitting on a desk in the front of the room, swinging my legs, and having everyone in stitches.  Nothing quite so risque here, but everyone seemed engaged, and it was really exhilirating!  Maybe I missed my calling.  No, not teaching children, but maybe history in college?

Anyway, as a reward, Gerry (otherwise known as The Juke Box Man) took me for a lovely Japanese dinner in White Rock.

It was a really pretty plate - too bad I didn't think to take a picture until I had almost demolished it!  One of those places you sometimes find in strip malls, nicely decorated little places with good food and a cheap price!  It is one of the things I love about Vancouver!

And for all my bitchin' about the rain, we did have a lovely fall in Vancouver.

I waited too late to take those pictures too - the trees were much redder a week ago - but you get the idea!

Friend Arlene came up from Seattle for the weekend.  We hadn't seen each other for a while, and talked and talked - and walked and ate too, of course - and on Monday morning, she dropped me off in Bellingham on her way home.  And, finally, off to Palm Springs!  The plane was three hours late, but otherwise uneventful, and neighbor Michael, god bless him, was there to pick me up at the airport.  (The wonders of being able to track planes on the computer!)

The deal was airport pickup in exchange for dinner, and I kept up my end of the bargain as well!

Michael's such a creature of habit!  Bagels and lox at Manhattan at the Desert it was!  (Not that I was complaining, altough matzoh ball soup is my habit of choice!)  Michael had put the heat on (it is the desert, folks; it may be 80 during the day, but it gets chilly at night!), and it was good to be home.  As neighbor Vinnie (and no, I didn't make that up, and yes, he is from New York) said to me the next morning, "Welcome back to the promised land!"

It doesn't take too long to get used to the new surroundings....

(that's my house, to the right of the flagpole!)

.....and the neighbors....

(Yes, Marilyn!  Isn't she great!)

Oh, and not to mention a completely different set of activities.....

From the sublime (listening to Jazz at Melvyn's on Sunday nights)

....to the ridiculous (playing bingo with the trailer trash, as we fondly call ourselves!)

...and being served a cake in the shape of a turkey at bridge!

Welcome home!  It doesn't take too long to settle back into a routine; the gym in the morning, bridge several afternoons a week, the occasional lunch or dinner with friends (Laurel, friend from Salt Spring days, is here, and invited me to lunch at the Seven Lakes club, and Art and Wally took me to the Twin Palms, both to be recommended, but then you foodies know I am not too fussy!), and afternoons at the pool.

Life is good!