Rat Stew

This past summer, when I posted my You Tube homage to Julia Child ... describing how to prepare Ratatouille, my intention was simply to provide a little entertainment and instruction for my friends. Nevertheless, I felt a certain pride of authorship and chose to make it “public”.

My 15 minutes of YouTube fame surprised me. The video has logged 2700 hits and I’ve received kudos, comments and queries from lots of folks I’ve never met, including Barbi from Australia.

She recently sent me a message asking for specific quantities and more detailed instructions. Within the course of our exchange she told me that she had also tested many different recipes and was at her wits' end…about to give up the whole notion of preparing a tasty “Rat Stew” as they call it down under.

I’m happy to say that Julia’s recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking worked as well for Barbi as it did for me ... as she writes in her last email:

Yes, it worked, very well indeed! I think your recipe works well because you have only a limited number of vegetables- I have seen some French recipes calling for about 12 different ones, in order to give many colours - never mind the fact that they all congeal into an unappetising mess! I've seen recipes with wine in them, with the veggies all cooked together for 5 minutes,- oh, every variation you can think of! Many thanks again- we are almost into summer here and this will make a nice luncheon or sandwich filling. I am DELIGHTED!!!

Barbi

Last week, as we put the garden to bed, pulling all the exhausted plants and adding buckets of rabbit, chicken and horse manure to the raised beds, I began plotting my strategy for growing next year’s ingredients for Rat Stew!

Bon appetit!

Unplugged Weekend

View from the motorhome at The Lakes RV & Golf Resort

At Eddie’s request, I chose not to take my laptop on our RV trip this past weekend. Instead we brought books, magazines, movies and golf clubs to entertain ourselves. We also left the tow car at home, effectively making us “sit still” for four days.

The Lakes RV and Golf Resort is a lovely, quiet little spot in, of all places, Chowchilla. Just two hours from home in California’s central valley they offer guests 2 free rounds of golf with every overnight stay. I played both Saturday and Sunday, and Eddie caddied and drove the cart. As the name of the place implies, water frequently comes into play and I “hydrated” my ball a couple of times...but the weather was perfect and we had a wonderful long weekend.

This time we left the dogs at home with our friends Philippe and Penny, who house sat for us. Penny’s passion is cooking and she was looking forward to exercising her considerable chops in our big kitchen over the weekend. She also loaned me a book that she’d told me about a few days earlier…Trail of Crumbs: Hunger, Love and the Search for Home, by Kim Sunee. I devoured it in two days.

Like Penny, the author of this touching and thought-provoking memoir was orphaned and abandoned in South Korea at 3 years old. Like Penny, she was also adopted by an American couple. The story of her journey from Korea, where she was born, to New Orleans, where she was raised, to France, where she spent 10 years as a young woman includes a generous sprinkling of her favorite recipes from each of those regions.

Kim’s search for identity is the main theme of the book, though, and echoes the feelings of isolation and loneliness that Penny has told me she experienced while growing up in a culture where she was “different”. Although deeply grateful to their adoptive families neither woman experienced a real sense of belonging or rootedness. Both women have also found preparing and sharing meals to be a solace, an expression of their spirit, and a way to connect with and nourish their relationships with family and friends.

When we walked into the house today, we found a note from Penny, welcoming us home and directing us to a Korean feast in the refrigerator…Chop Chae, Kim Chee, seasoned spinach, pickled bean sprouts, and cucumber salad. I know this is a gift from her big, sweet heart, and I feel blessed that I met her and enjoy her friendship.

If you are passionate about food, travel, love and self-discovery I hope you’ll read this book. I also hope you’ll take time to “unplug” now and then...to spend time with the people you cherish, and to savor the beauty of this moment.

Hasta pronto!

Back in Cali!

Mount Shasta got a dusting of snow this week!

Despite numerous changes of plans, a flare-up of my pinched nerve, missed visits to old friends and favorite sites…not to mention the electrical dramas experienced by La Casita on this trip…it has been yet another lovely adventure.

Watching so many “top dogs” perform at the Basset Hound Club of America Nationals, and meeting so many of their devoted owners was an excellent experience. Jim and Sharon Dok, who bred our girls, gave us lots of good advice on their care and feeding. In fact, the girls all got their Ear Magic treatment (and a treat) just moments ago!

Nancy Ingram, prior owner of Piper, also encouraged us to put her back into Field Trial competition. Nancy said that when she ran Piper as a youngster that she was a “natural”, and even introduced me, via email, to the president of the Northern California Basset Club that organizes those events.

So...I am beginning to envision myself in trousers, hiking boots, a battered fedora and one of those vests with lots of pockets, walking through the fields with a pack of hounds, crying “Tally Ho!"

Another highlight of this month-long trip has been getting to know my powerful new computer that John built and configured for me…he actually hated to see it leave his lab! It’s big, it’s blazing, and it automatically synchs with my laptop before and after I travel.

I spent the last two days with John learning new routines, locating files, changing my email application from Eudora (to which I’ve clung for the past 15 years) to MS Outlook. Last night he packed up THE MONSTER, Eddie put it in the basement of the rig, and we are carrying it home. We celebrated and said goodbye to John and Jan with Margaritas and Mexican food at El Paraiso in Canyonville, where the chef always brings me a couple of KILLER pan-fried jalapenos that make me WEEP!

This morning we pulled out of 7 Feathers RV Resort at 9 am and at 2:30 pm arrived at Almond Tree RV Park in Chico. We drove through a bit of rain and noted happily that Mount Shasta had received a dusting of snow since we drove north a few weeks ago. The dam is still alarmingly low and as we passed through the area I prayed for a long, rainy winter…California needs it so badly!

Tomorrow my schedule is to do a little work in the morning, babysit Lila Blue in the afternoon, complete Step 1 of her Pastel de Tres Leches birthday cake, and find out how I can help Mari prepare and get ready for this fabulous two-day celebration of the Little Sweet Potato’s first birthday. So…I guess as they say, I should “hit the hay”.

Hasta pronto!

Never a Dull Moment...

Sippie (Nosey Neighbor) finds this all so DULL!

I haven’t been blogging regularly, but there are many reasons why…including the Basset Hound Nationals, side trips and fun outings, resting up from all that, work in the mobile office, and a few dramatic moments with the motorhome, which we call La Casita. This is a catch up entry, ‘kay?

On the morning of our third day out Eddie was in his birthday suit and ready to jump into the shower when, once again, I heard him exclaim “Oh Crap!”

Apparently there was no hot water…so he got dressed, checked the water heater, and quickly called our friend John, our electronics guru, for both tech support and moral support. John lives 10 minutes away from where we were staying and came over right away….bless his heart! The men quickly determined that it was a failed safety sensor on the hot water regulator. Fortunately, they found a new valve at the hardware store and by noon they had it installed and we had a working shower again. All was well.

Three days later we woke up in Washington on a Saturday morning to find that the coach was running on the inverter (battery power). Again, Eddie quickly got dressed, checked the shore power, the breakers, and finally the switch that transfers power from the generator to the batteries to shore power. It was FRIED and there was no John nearby!

Fortunately, considering it was a Saturday morning in a small town on Puget Sound, Eddie consulted the Yellow Pages and found an experienced, confident and creative young electrician (also a John…though it was a Sean…Irish for John) who was willing to come out that same afternoon and was able to re-route the power around the switch and get us back up and running. Another crisis averted!

In the meantime, Eddie called the Country Coach repair facility in Eugene, Oregon, to order a new power transfer switch. We then canceled our reservation at Outdoor Resorts on the Oregon coast in favor of fixing our electrical system. You don’t want to mess around with the wiring of a rolling home…trust me…it gets better!

On Thursday we left Washington and drove to Eugene. We pulled in at Carrier & Sons, hooked up, had a little dinner and prepared to get out of the rig at 8 am so they could put it in the bay and work on it.

On Friday morning we went out for an unusually early and quite delectable breakfast, did a little shopping and visited another RV repair, remodeling and restoration company in Eugene…the Oregon Motorcoach Company, which was highly recommended by our friends Tommy and June, also CC owners. We were given a tour of the new facility that was founded by the heirs and employees of Bob Lee, the founder of Country Coach, who sold his company in good faith before the CRASH of the RV industry. That’s another story….

While there, we met some of the folks who bought into the full-time RV dream and are living through the fall-out. I should say that I met a couple of them.

Eddie was still touring the plant, discussing the mechanics, electronics and new flooring, while I was talking to Betty from Lubbock, Texas and Leilani from Honolulu, two of the ladies who were waiting for repairs on their motor homes. Leilani, whose Power Take Off (PTO) system had failed, found herself obliged to wait for three weeks for a replacement component, and was planning to leave her rig in Eugene, unhitch her tow car and find a vacation rental on the coast until she could head south. God bless her…I hope she gets out before it snows up here…this year the weather is so unpredictable.

Leilani was a real inspiration! She travels alone and DRIVES her 40 foot rig by herself. As I gazed at her in awe, she gave me one of those unique island hugs and told me that I could do it, too. Eddie happened to observe the tail-end of this conversation, smiling and shaking his head. Finally he told her, “You drive half an hour with Lisita and say that to me.” I admit, I’m a distracted driver. Even my own children have refused to ride with me since the day they earned their driver’s licenses.

Betty, probably more akin to me, told me that once she had driven 70 miles down Highway 10. (Try to imagine this conversation in a classic, warm, West Texas accent…I can’t write it but it is SO charming!) “It was straight, flat, and I even passed an 18-wheeler,” she said. But, she went on, “Still, when my husband told me to turn into the RV park, I prayed. I told God, if I make this turn I promise I will never sit down behind this wheel again.”

As bad drivers we bonded instantly. Betty and her husband Dan have a developed lot at Outdoor Resorts in Newport, exactly where we were planning to be today. She graciously gave me her address and phone numbers and told me that we could stay at their place next year if they don’t happen to be there. I actually hope they WILL be there…I’d love to catch up with her again!

This is so long…but here’s the grand finale…finally!

Our coach was repaired a little after lunchtime. I gave the doggie girls their last relief, we hooked up the tow car and we were off. We arrived at Seven Feathers RV Resort in Canyonville around 3:00 and were all set up about half an hour later when, again, I heard Eddie exclaim “Oh Crap!”

Actually, by now he’s progressed to more colorful expletives. He’s discovered we are on inverter power again. Fortunately, he’s still dressed, but the drill is the same. Check shore power connection, check breakers, call John (we’re blessedly close to John again) and then call the repair facility in Eugene to find out WTH is going on!

I tried to stay out of the way, took the dogs for a walk, watched Eddie and John run up and down and in and out of the rig, teleconference with the technician in Eugene, rewire and finally remove the GFI on the interior power outlet circuit, and FINALLY…we have full power again! Hail Mary!

Tomorrow morning the boys will go to the hardware store and replace the failed GFI and hopefully we’ll be golfing by 11 am. We’ll be here for four days, about the time the rainstorms are expected to come in…and then we’re off to Chico to celebrate Lila Blue’s first birthday.

I acknowledge that this was long, but I hope not dull. Believe it or not, I am actually LONGING for a dull moment at this point. Not really…but no further electrical adventures would be welcome and sweet.

Hasta pronto!

Grooming 101

Piper doesn't much cotton to grooming ... she pouts.

Our friends and hosts, Jim and Sharon Dok have been breeding and showing Basset Hounds since 1978, and have bred more than 50 champions. They are also licensed AKC (American Kennel Club) judges, and are the official “hosts” of this year’s Basset Hound Club of America Nationals in Shelton, Washington.

They graciously invited us to stay at their property on Puget Sound, in spite of all the work and business associated with putting on a national dog show. They have full RV hookups overlooking the water and next to the kennel, and have also made their house our home during our stay.

We’ve had some lovely times…conversation, cocktails, dinners and all-dogged-in couch time. We’ve also met the former owners of two of our dogs who were returned to the breeder because they did not show well, but are still remembered and loved by those folks. Karen told us that she showed Sippie dozens of times in southern California, but she was competing against much bigger dogs and just couldn’t win. Well, Sippie is quite the BIG GIRL now! Sharon says all of our dogs are overweight…D’OH!

The show starts tomorrow and this afternoon Sharon was grooming the dogs that will be shown on the first day. When I got to the kennel she was finishing up the grooming of Saint Patrick, (sire of our Lana Turner...out of the dam Carmen Miranda, who was out of Ava Gardner...Lana comes from a long line of glamour girls). Patrick, now 12 years old but still a very well-known and highly regarded stud, will compete in a “veterans” class tomorrow. I was hoping I could help Sharon get her dogs ready, but she, who seems to have endless energy, said that our girls REALLY needed to have their nails done.

She proceeded to show me how to clip, file and care for their nails…which she explained were way too long, and likened their discomfort to overgrown toenails in tight shoes…OUCH! She did Lana’s nails and then I did Sippie’s and Piper’s. I am now quite confident that I can give them proper manis and pedis at home.

She also showed me how to clean their long, droopy ears, which are prone to infection due to a lack of air circulation, and require routine preventative care. In fact, the day before we left home, Lana turned up with a nasty ear infection and she’s still on meds as of this writing. I think that by following Sharon’s protocol we can also give our girls better ear health and avoid the antibiotic regimens.

The biggest lesson was on how to “express” the anal glands. I won’t go into that because its downright disgusting, but proper care on a regular basis can prevent health problems that may require veterinary care.

So…I’m going home with a list of tools, medications, shampoos, ear wash and powder, Eddie has a grooming station project in the works, and when I take the girls to the doggie spa this month I will DEFINITELY have a discussion with the groomer about anal gland care.

And, to not end on that note...here's a little clip of the dynamo Sharon feeding her brood....

Good Eats!

Eddie chops while Lana supervises from the couch.

Our heirloom tomato plants were full of nearly ripe fruit when we left home a week ago, so we picked about 20 pounds of them and put them in a basket in the basement of the coach. We thought they'd make it to Washington where we could share them with friends.

No such luck. When we pulled in to Salem on Tuesday afternoon I checked them and a few had spoiled. So although the kitchen in La Casita is compact it is complete, and we set about blanching, peeling, dicing and freezing them...about 4 quarts worth.

Lana supervised the entire process from the couch. Though she doesn't eat tomatoes she is all eyes and ears when something is going on in the kitchen.

As we stowed the zip-lock bags of chopped tomatoes in the freezer we reminded ourselves that "there's a pot of chile, a pasta sauce, a minestrone, and an osso bucco"...and that's Good Eats!*

*This is a reference to our favorite TV cooking show with Alton Brown, the scientific chef. Our hosts here in Puget Sound just offered us a pail and a fork to go clamming in front of their house so we HAD to watch this amusing and instructive tutorial again.

Send in the Clams

Noir Is the New Green

Carlos offers Eddie a taste of Pinot Noir on the vine.

African coffee and French toast for breakfast in the rig this morning, a bit of work in my mobile office while Eddie solved several of his NY Times Sunday crosswords, a little doggie walk around the RV park, and then we were off to visit an organic, sustainable vineyard on the South Umpqua River.

Recently retired from his position as an instructor at Umpqua Community College, Carlos Figueroa of Wild Rose Vineyards is a chemical engineer who abandoned the Bay Area some 20 plus years ago to raise his family in the country and grow organic wine grapes. He likens the southern Oregon wine business to Napa in the 60s and he wears the tie-dye to prove it.

After tasting his Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Gris Port he took us on a personalized tour of the vines and gave us samples (warm off the vine) of some of the grapes that will be harvested next week. It was the most intimate and interesting visit to old world viticulture and terroir, or “sense of place” that I’ve ever experienced.

Carlos showed us where he had planted vines in an old rock quarry by auguring six-foot holes in the shale, irrigated the plants for only three years and then let them adapt to the hillside environment. He also explained why he sets his vines on three-foot centers in his quest for quality versus quantity and uses about 5 miles of netting to protect the fruit once it begins to ripen...as opposed to the propane-fired cannons or bird-bangers used by most commercial vineyards.

I’m not an oenophile, trust me. However, I am taken by the simplicity and trust in nature that has resulted not only in delicious organic wines but such a generous and enthusiastic grower. Thank you, Carlos, for a perfect introduction to southern Oregon wines...and you, my friends, can click here for more information on

Wild Rose Vineyard

Lest We Forget...

One of the ways Eddie and I pass the time on these long drives is to tell each other our life stories. This often includes family history and much of yesterday's conversation was about his father's life. This was prompted by the movie we watched the night before.

Katyn is the first Polish movie either of us had seen and this compelling, Oscar-nominated film reminded him of the horrors and hardships his family endured during WWII in Poland.

On September 1, 1939, the Nazis invaded Poland from the west. Seventeen days later, the Soviet Red Army invaded from the east, marking the beginning of WWII. On October 6, Russia and Germany divided, annexed and took control of the country, effectively obliterating the Polish Republic from the map.

While the Nazis busied themselves with rounding up the Jewish population and putting them on trains to the death camps, the Soviets systematically captured the entire Polish military and the "elite" of the country -- sending them to Prisoner of War camps in Russia. Supposedly, Stalin's motive was to deprive Poland of any military and intellectual talent in preparation for the "sovietization" of the land.

Katyn dramatizes what is known as the Katyn Forest Massacre, where more than 15,000 military officers and another 5,000 scientists, engineers, university professors and lawyers were held and then executed. Eddie's father, Wladyslaw Ruminski, was one of the officers who was captured and was on his way to the camp when he and the other soldiers in his cattle car managed to batter down a wall and escape from the moving train in the dark of night.

Wladyslaw rarely spoke to his son about the "war years", but as Eddie grew up he found old photos, eavesdropped on conversations with friends and family from Europe, and gathered a few facts from his older sisters. Many questions remain. Eddie was born in Warsaw while his family was in hiding, but who sheltered them? What role did his father play in the Resistance? How did they escape through Germany to the Displaced Persons camp in England? Eddie was a year old when they left Poland and 4 years old when they emmigrated to Argentina and his earliest memories are of Buenos Aires.

Next week his sister Renee is traveling to South America to visit their older sister, Wanda, who was 5 years old when the war began and almost 12 when they arrived in Argentina. Eddie is certain she recalls more of the war years than he and Renee, and we hope she will share those memories...lest we forget.

Click here to see Katyn trailer

On The Road Again...

I took this picture as were were leaving a KOA camp in Little Rock, Arkansas two years ago. It always reminds me how important it is to have a routine for getting back on the road.

Eddie and I have designated duties at check-in and pull-out. My outbound chores are to settle the hounds and make sure everything inside the rig is stowed and latched down. He handles the utilities and everything on the outside.

This morning after a final check of the signals on the tow car, he fired up the diesel engine and was ready to release the brake when he suddenly exclaimed "Oh Crap!" As he turned off the engine and exited the motorhome he told me he'd forgotten to unplug the shore power.

After disconnecting and stowing the power cord he got back in mumbling "That would have been embarassing." Yeah...sort of like driving away from the gas pump with the nozzle still in the tank.

So you see, even the most experienced and meticulous RVers can skip a step or forget something in their excitement to get back on the road again.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN by Willie Nelson

July Birthday Celebration

Mari, Maria and Yazmin all have July birthdays, so last weekend we celebrated with Mexican food and a BIG OLD SUGARY CAKE! We had a fun and relaxing time and were sad to see everyone leave.

Check out the new photos and a couple of videos of the Little Sweet Potato in the Photo Album list at right (top 3). Best views are full screen for photos and HQ Video for the movies.

Hasta pronto!
Lisa

Celebrating Independence!

I spent last weekend with the kids and made a little video of Lila Blue feeding herself, motoring around on her knees and taking her first "supported" steps. Click here to view it. Wishing you all a very happy holiday!

Fisherman's Delight!

On Wednesday we had a scheduled power outage at home so we decided to run some errands in Monterey. As usual, we had lunch at the Sand Bar & Grill on Fisherman's Wharf, where we had our first date about two and a half years ago. I always have the sand dabs, and Eddie loves their steamed clams...fabulous!

The day was spectacular and we watched a large group of kids taking sailing lessons in the marina. We also found out that the huge cruise ship in the harbor was actually a "floating condo".

After lunch we stopped at a shop at the end of the commercial wharf to buy fish, but chose live abalone instead! We've never prepared or cooked this gourmet shellfish, but the shop owner was very helpful and told us how to do it. We were still a little daunted, but when we got home we went to YouTube and found out everything we needed to know...and more...about abalone.

Unbelievably, the wild red abalone, indigenous to our west coast of the United States, is endangered. Pollution and increasing demand from the world market lead to a rapid decline in the wild population and the eventual closure of commercial diving for abalone. Our abs were farm raised. They are grown in cages, fed kelp from Monterey Bay, and are available in various sizes or stages of growth. We chose six small ones, which worked out to about $6 a shell!

On Thursday Eddie shucked, cleaned and pounded them and I cooked them by dipping them in an egg wash and then seasoned flour. The ab guy cautioned us not to overcook them, so I fried them in HOT olive oil for about 20 seconds on each side. I served them with lemon slices, steamed asparagus and rice pilaf. YUMMY! Here's Eddie's how-to video on "shucking the abs"...click here. For more pix of the harbor and the cooking process...click here. Best view is full screen slideshow.

Hasta pronto!
Lisa

Mari's First Mother's Day

Watching my daughter mother her child is a remarkable experience. She's so relaxed and confident in her new role, and Lila Blue is such a happy baby! We arrived on Thursday night and I spent most of Friday babysitting my little sweet potato while Mari went to work, then again in the evening so Mari and Jeremy could go out for dinner. She is growing and changing so fast...eating fruits and veggies, crawling, playing with dogs, vocalizing, and expressing her opinions already!

Saturday morning we went to the Farmer's Market, saw some friends and then Eddie and I did some shopping, fuddy duddying in the rig, and grilled home made burgers in the afternoon.

Sunday morning was brunch at Mari's house with Jeremy's parents Craig and Jan. Mimosas, grilled andouille and italian sausages (Eddie's homemade), a Greek quiche, fruit salad and croissants in the sunny back yard made for a fabulous celebration of Mari's first Mother's Day, and Jan's first Grandmother's Day.

Monday morning Mari stopped by the RV park to say goodbye and give us one last snuggle with Lila Blue before we took off for Oregon. Five hours later we arrived at the 7 Feathers RV Resort and hung out for awhile before dinner at Jan and John's house. Jan made BBQ ribs, green beans, yams, fruit salad and Killer Fudge. I ate so much I hurt and went to bed as soon as we got back to the coach.

Today Eddie and John are off doing "boy things" and I'm working in my mobile office. I need to get back to that now, but I promised I'd blog. For latest photos of Lila Blue go to Photo Albums or click here. Best view is full screen slideshow.

Hasta pronto!

Lisa

Food Safari Weekend!

An excess of gardening left me with pain in my hip and left leg last week and forced me to cancel my golf game on Saturday morning, but at least I was able to help the boys make Cajun-style Andouille sausage on Saturday, and then learn how to cook a Korean dinner on Sunday.

Eddie had prepped all of the meat for the sausage on Friday, but the stuffing usually takes a couple of hours. This time, though, he put his new industrial-strength stuffer to work and he and Rick stuffed more than 10 pounds of sausage in less than an hour. It was finished smoking by Saturday evening and we snacked on it before dinner. Fabuleux!

On Sunday, Darlee and Philippe showed up with three tote bags full of vegetables, seasonings, several different meats, and incredible homemade kimchi that Darlee started several days ago. The idea was for me to learn how to cook a traditional Korean meal, and indeed I did! Click here for a video on how to prepare Beef Bulgogi.

We prepared two different sauces for chicken and beef bulgogi and set those aside to marinate while we made seasoned bean sprouts, seasoned spinach, cucumber salad and chap chae, which is basically vegetables and sweet potato glass noodles.

We had a wonderful time preparing the meal (and devouring it!) and I am confident I can repeat the performance with the recipes Darlee left me. There were lots of leftovers too, so I'll be having bibimbap for lunch today. Kam sa ham nida, Darlee!

For photos see Photo Album titled "Andouille & Bul Gogi" or click here. Best view is full screen slideshow.

The Lovely Mess

That's what I call the state of our house after one of our big blended family weekends. As I put away the seasonal decorations, wash the table linens, sheets and towels, pick up the odds and ends left behind, and reminisce with Eddie about all the emotion and commotion, I feel blessed, truly blessed.

Mari, Jeremy and Lila Blue arrived late Friday night and we stayed up even later to "celebrate" at Eddie's Bar. Still, I somehow managed to get up early enough to watch Lila Blue while the kids slept in...a rare treat for them these days. I fed her a mashed banana for breakfast, which she enjoyed and I found delightful. Then she had a bottle of Mommy's milk before her morning nap.

Tammy arrived around 10 am on Saturday and we set about making her grandmother's Russian Easter Cheese, or Pashka. This is a ritual food served at an Orthodox Easter in Russia. It tastes like cheesecake without the crust and is deadly delicious, as well as decorative. Anyway, it took an hour or so for Tammy, Mari and I to make it, mold it and set it away to "drain" for two days.

On Saturday night, Philippe and Darlee joined us for a pre-Easter dinner of roast leg of lamb. James, Maria and Yazmin stopped by after dinner and we stayed up late AGAIN! Nevertheless, we were all up early Sunday morning to decorate the cupcakes, hide the eggs for the Easter Egg Hunt and prepare for the Sunday afternoon feast...where 15 happy diners enjoyed Honey Baked Ham, baby carrots, green beans, brussels sprouts and my Killer Scalloped Potatoes.

Following dinner, the kids hunted for Easter Eggs...this year many of them included dollar bills, which even got the "big kids" involved! Maria and Rosamaria graciously did most of the clean-up so I could spend a little time with Lila Blue before they left on Sunday evening.

Speaking of Lila Blue...she's six months old now, is very verbal, sits up on her own, loves to be held and is a completely happy and contented baby. I can't wait to see her again on Mother's Day weekend in Chico. We are also looking forward to another family gathering on Memorial Day weekend. Hopefully, the pool will be open!

Photos of our Easter Weekend are at right or just click here.

Hasta pronto!

Lisa

Million Dollar Motorhomes

Before I met Eddie my idea of RVing was a Winnebago, or perhaps a classic Airstream trailer. Over the past couple of years I have learned that there are Class A, B and C motorhomes. Then there are 5th wheels and trailers, followed by station wagons with tents and sleeping bags, which is what I was accustomed to.

Marathon Coach is the Mercedes of Class A motorhomes. Yesterday afternoon Eddie invited me to tour a couple of them that are on display at the Motorcoach Country Club.

Generally referred to as Prevosts, they are custom-built conversions of commercial bus chassis from Prevost, a subsidiary of Volvo. They are high-tech, super luxurious, and very expensive...the two we looked at were priced at $1.7 and $2 million.

Paul Newman, Michael Andretti and Whoopi Goldberg are among the many celebrities who have purchased these luxury liners, and they are the preferred entertainer coaches…leased by rock bands, film production companies and sports figures.

Obscenely expensive, but lovely to look at. I’ve posted some photos I took of the two we toured in Photo Albums…or just click here. Best view is slideshow/full screen.

Hasta pronto!

Last Days in the Desert

Now we’re at the stage where we are counting how many days of fun we have left. Today is Saturday and we’re leaving on Tuesday morning, so we’re packing it in...the FUN, that is! I was able to play golf for the last three days and on Friday I played twice.

Although Eddie is officially retired, he still has a business at home…and I’m still consulting…so we think of this time as vacation. However, for most of the folks at Motorcoach CC this is a lifestyle, and an enviable one, indeed!

This afternoon we joined the club residents for jazz, wine and appetizers, and met some more of the vibrant and interesting folks who live here in their motorhomes (and fabulously developed outdoor areas) through the winter. Everyone asks us “when are you going to buy?” Well, aside from the fact that this lifestyle is beyond our financial reach, we truly love where we live now, and wouldn’t want to abandon it for six months every year!

Nevertheless, after the afternoon event, Steve and Marjo took us on a great cruise of the resort canals and waterways…where we watched the sun go down and the moon and stars come up while listening to tunes from the 60’s...which make 60-somethings feel YOUNG again! This day reminded us of how much we enjoy our time and our friends here, and we decided that we will return for a full month next year.

For the latest photos click here or go to Photo Album at right titled Our Last Few Days in the Desert. Best view is full screen slideshow.

Hasta pronto!

Champagne Golf

Our caddy and cart boys were amusing and gracious! Click on photo to enlarge and see cigars and champagne!

The Men’s Group at the Motorcoach Country Club plays host to the Ladies’ Group every spring…complete with Mimosas, Bloody Marys, beer, iced tea or bottled water at every other hole, and caters a luncheon and prize presentation after the game. The Ladies’ Tournament also includes caddies and “cart boys”… the husbands of the ladies in the field.

Our caddies fetched errant balls (numerous), coached us on the tee (they love to do that, don’t they?) marked best balls, lined up our putts, and cleaned our clubs while the cart boys served us drinks. Unfortunately, June and I picked cards for different groups, but Gail and I both pulled the number 9, along with Deborah…whose go-to-club is a 9 iron. Christy, the hostess of the after-tournament party, showed up late and moved to our team on the second hole. It was magic!

There were 39 players in today’s scramble. We didn’t win, but we all had great fun and everyone in our group had a few bravo/high five shots. Thanks to Gail, who hit her first shot to just off the green and then chipped it in for a birdie on our first hole, we started off confidently.

Deborah’s 9-iron then found the green consistently for a run of pars, and I made a natural sandy par on one hole, thanks to our caddy who told me to PUTT it out of the bunker, over a hill and straight to the pin...and by golly it worked! Christy left us a couple of makeable shots from unlikely positions, and also saved us with a couple of remarkable clutch putts.

Okay…I know I’m boring the non-golfers in my audience, but this is a chronicle, right?

Our caddies, Joe and Gary, were instructive, patient and amusing and seemed to have a good time playing girl-golf with us, and the cart boys kept the cool drinks flowing until we finished up and got to Christy and Jerry’s lot overlooking the waterway for more refreshments, lunch and prizes.

I managed to take a few pictures of the shotgun start, a few of the picturesque holes, and the after-party, but for the most part I just tried to PLAY…which is what I came here to do! Photos are in album at right titled Champagne Golf, or you can simply click here. Again, best view is full screen, slide show.

BTW… June reached the green on the first six holes. It must be the Pilates, girlfriend! Wish I could have seen those!

Hasta pronto!

A PJ at PC Day.

Watching the sunset...and the sprinklers...on the golf course as I finished a LONG day at the computer.


My desk was on fire when I got up this morning. Normally, I’m addicted to adrenaline. Normally, deadlines are a welcome incentive to get up, get moving, and get ‘er done…but today I quickly realized that I was going to be obliged to sacrifice play for work. I was hunkered down over the laptop from sun-up to sun-down.

I never got out of my PJs…they’re light, non-binding and, in a pinch, can pass for resort-wear. Fortunately, Eddie found some repairs and improvements to make, some shopping to do, and when he finished with all that he took off in the golf cart to check out the neighborhood and hang with Tommy.

I truly love what I do, and feel blessed that my business allows me to work from home or the RV. However, looking out our “picture window” at people playing golf was rather distracting and frustrating.

We had planned an early dinner at Outback, but getting dressed and going out was more than I could bear. I opted for a long, soothing hot tub in our splendid private patio…watching the sun go down and the stars come up…and again thanked the Universe for my fabulous, if at times frantic, LIFE!

Tomorrow I’ve been invited to join June and a few of her friends to a local event…a luncheon and Ralph Lauren fashion show in La Quinta. I’m still a working woman, not one of the “ladies who lunch”, but God knows I deserve to be after this day!

Hasta pronto!
Lisa

Fear of Flying.

Flying the green, that is. The Motorcoach CC golf course is, as I’ve mentioned, small but quite challenging, with water, water, everywhere! The first time I played it two years ago I put dozens of balls in the water. I’m doing much better this year, and yesterday only got wet a couple of times. And this time, most of those shots were over the green, rather than short of it.

This year they put in a gorgeous new ladies’ tee on the 4th hole. Only 58 yards and slightly elevated, the tee box is right in the middle of two waterfalls. For pictures of this hole (and my par shot) go to Desert Dogs and Golf in Photo Albums at right or click here. Since there was no one behind us, we also took the opportunity to practice with more than one ball on occasion. On one hole I hit 7 iron and flew the green, clubbed down to 8 iron and overshot, then 9 iron and overshot, and finally found the green with a pitching wedge.

June has invited me to join her ladies’ league scramble on Thursday morning and I don’t want to be the embarrassing guest, so I’m trying to play everyday and figure out which club to use on each hole. Today is very windy, however, so when June stopped to pick me up this morning we took a look at the palm trees bending to the right and said forget it!

Instead Eddie and I went shopping. I had a pedicure and then bought some cute golf shirts, summer golf shoes, and a bunch of cheap “water balls”. Now we’re inside the coach watching the 50 mph winds whip at the flags on the course. Hopefully I’ll get out tomorrow, but today I’ll have to content myself with watching golf on TV.

Hasta pronto!

Happy Campers!

View from our "picture window"

It was a failed $15 oil pressure sensor that turned off the engine and cast our ship on the rocks Saturday afternoon. On Monday morning, the diesel mechanics connected a laptop to a port in the Command Chair, asked the patient a few questions and that was that. It took most of the day to finish the repair, though, as the Cummins Engine guy had to come over with another computer and his proprietary software to re-calibrate the Electronic Control Unit after they installed the new pressure sensor.

I am currently developing a technical paper with a client on Automotive Networking Busses, so this actually MEANS something to me, and I found it all terribly interesting. Nevertheless, it was a relief to get out of there and get on the road again Monday afternoon. We drove only 2 hours to Bakersfield and on Tuesday morning we finished our run to the desert.

Eddie was a little uneasy at first, but eventually he relaxed and began to trust that La Casita had made a full and complete recovery. I made a very short little video of him on the road. Short...because he didn't want to talk, okay? Click on the link below to see him decline being interviewed.

Eddie Drives the Rock Star Bus

The Mojave Desert is in full bloom and there were swaths of blue, orange and yellow fields of color everywhere. However, there were also huge flocks/swarms/herds of butterflies everywhere. It was sad to see them crash and splat all over the windshield, and it was clear that they were feasting on yellow flowers. The windows looked like a Jackson Pollock painting after an hour or so.

Arriving at Motor Coach Country Club was a beautiful thing after spending two nights in the asphalt service yard in Fresno. Palm trees, piles of petunias, emerald fairways and greens, sparkling waterways and, of course, gorgeous, fully-functioning luxury motor coaches were a sight for sore eyes.

Our friends Tommy and June welcomed us and three other couples to their beautiful outdoor home and a fabulous St. Paddy’s Day celebration of corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, leeks, green Guiness, and assorted green desserts. A few photos of our DRAMA, our arrival and the party are posted in the photo album at right titled St. Paddy's Day...or just click here. Slide show view is the best view, of course.

Before, over, and after dinner, there was a lot of discussion about what “full-timers” and other folks who spend considerable time in their motor homes are going to do…now that so many of the major coach manufacturers have gone out of business. Service facilities, parts, and trained mechanics will no longer be available and that has caused a certain amount of anxiety in the luxury liner crowd.

The former owner of Country Coach (our coach manufacturer) is an industry pioneer, and although he sold his company several years ago, he still feels a commitment to his customers and has opened Oregon Motorcoach Center with a service facility in Eugene and mobile service fleets. This may help ease the pain and keep folks on the road.

On Wednesday morning the Bumble Bee crew arrived to give La Casita a wash and wax and we now have a clear and glorious view of that wretched golf course (a little par 3 nine-holer, but with 7 forced carries over water….aaargh!) that I will start playing tomorrow. I tried to get out for a little putting practice this afternoon, but my mobile desk was on fire after two days of delays.

Eddie did some fiddle-faddling on the rig, went to Walmart and Trader Joe’s, and then hung out with his good buddy Tommy so I could get a handle on my projects. Tonight we’ll sup on some of June's incredible leftover corned beef and vegetables, get to bed early, and tomorrow I’ll just work for a few hours and start enjoying this glorious desert retreat.

Hasta pronto!
Lisa

Detour de Force*

We set off on Saturday before 10 am, expecting to arrive in Bakersfield 4 hours later…a reasonable pipi-stop/feeding/resting lapse for the hounds…and spend the night halfway between home and our destination of Outdoor Resorts in Indio. Halfway down the grade from San Luis Reservoir a light on the “Command Chair” told us that we had low pressure in one of the dualies. I’m not sure how to spell that, but the rig has dual tires in the back, and the inside one…which you can’t even SEE…was apparently low on air.

Eddie assured me, however, that since we have FOUR tires in the back, hurtling down a 6 degree grade at 65 mph did not pose any risk. Nevertheless, he pulled into the first truck stop he encountered in Santa Nella to check it all out. He just had six new tires installed on the rig in December and was aghast that one of them was already leaking at an ALARMING rate, but it turned out to be a loose valve stem. Apparently that’s not so good, but it was fixable and we prepared to drive on.

While having the tire work done (as I naively and happily stayed in the rig and checked my email and Facebook postings to the tune of the compressed air squawks) Eddie chatted with a flatbed trucker who was having a lube and oil change on his rig. This driver's family owns bee hives that they transport around the country to pollinate crops and he was picking up a huge load of hives that had just finished their job in California and he was taking them home to Florida.

About 35 miles south of Santa Nella, after a bit of conjecturing about why bees make wax and honey and resolving to learn more about bee-havior, we felt La Casita’s engine hiccup and Eddie said uh-oh. I hate when he says that. More lights on the Command Chair were showing up, including the STOP ENGINE light. Eddie pulled over. Then he restarted, got back on the highway, watched the ENGINE WARNING turn to STOP ENGINE signal and then the motor just QUIT!

Long story short. We tried to find Roadside Assistance, but diesel engine techs are, in the main, trained to work on tractor/trailers, not RVs. In fact, they won’t touch them. So, after Officer Mello, the young, kind, funny and absolutely charming California Highway Patrol officer knocked at our door and suggested we call a tow truck, we did.

Short story long. It took about two hours for them to load the 40 foot long, 16 ton motorhome on to a Peterbilt tow truck (with 500 HP Caterpillar diesel engine…for those who care) and another hour and a half to SLOWLY drive across the central valley to Fresno.

We unhitched the tow car and Eddie followed as I rode inside the motorhome with the dogs…eating the last half of the Trader Joe’s White Cheddar Popcorn, which would be my supper…as the sun set. The amazing tow truck driver, David, backed us into the RV repair lot, which has electrical and water hookups so one can wait for service (in this case, on Monday).

In lieu of our planned dinner of ravioli and homemade spaghetti sauce we had cocktails (and tried to remember all of the idiomatic phrases we could for what we were doing…drowning our sorrows, wetting our snouts, throwing back a few…please share yours) and went to bed happy that we were not sitting on the side of California’s Highway I5.

Today, Sunday, the first thing we did was go to the sales office of Paul Evert’s RV Country empire to meet our angel, Lynn, who gave us the gate code and special instructions so we could limp in and settle down in their repair lot to wait for service. When I was on the side of the highway trying to find road service she answered the phone and stayed in touch with me throughout the ordeal. That’s another story.

After that, we made the best of our situation…walking and playing with our doggie girls, a great lunch at Sweet Tomatoes salad bar, shopping at Trader Joe’s, washing the tow car, meeting some of the other folks in the repair lot who are dealing with the reeling of the RV manufacturer’s industry, and, tonight, watching The Changeling in the new flat screen and DVD setup that Eddie has engineered in La Casita. After all, it was a great day in beautiful, downtown Fresno.

We may be crippled, but we’re not dead yet!

Hasta pronto!
Lisa

*tour de force (feat of ingenuity)

Cajun Cookin'

During the 1990s I traveled frequently to New Orleans on business and became a big fan of Cajun cuisine. Among my favorite dishes were Bananas Foster at the Royal Sonesta, beignets and chicory coffee at the French Market, Turtle Soup at Commander’s Palace, Strawberries Romanoff at Le Madeleine, fresh oysters at Acme Oyster Company, mufalettas from Central Grocery, and boiled crawfish at Whitey’s Bar.

I returned over and over for those dishes, but I only ate Boudin sausage one time…at a little hole-in-the-wall café on a bayou road. They listed it on the chalkboard (no menu here) as Hot Boudin. It is a mixture of ground pork, rice, green onions, parsley and various spices stuffed into a hog casing. Steamed in a crock pot, it is one of the best “peasant foods” I’ve ever tasted.

Well, since Eddie has become obsessed with sausage making I asked him if we could try to make our own Cajun Boudin. The most difficult part of this venture was finding a fresh pork liver. That is a very long story, but Eddie was determined and he finally found a local slaughter shop where he could purchase one.

On Saturday we stewed the pork shoulder and pork liver, made 12 cups of rice, and chopped the onions, garlic, and parsley. Then Eddie ground up the meat and the vegetables, mixed them with the rice and spices and we started stuffing. He’s become quite expert with the hog casings, which look like little shriveled up worms when you start working with them.

His technique is put the nozzle of his air compressor in one end while I hold the other end until they blow up like one of those clown’s twisty balloons…only about 5 feet long. Then we come back in the house and feed the casing on to the stuffer.

The rest was simple…he fed the stuffer and I held, twisted, and cut off the links. We ended up with about 30 sausages, most of which we vacuum packed and froze. For pictures of the process and the finished product go to the Photo Album titled Louisiana Boudin Sausage.

Eat your heart out, Emeril!

I Heart Lila Blue

I just came home from a long weekend in Chico with Jeremy, Mari and the little sweet potato, Lila Blue. Poor baby was sick with a cold and ear infection, but she is such a little trooper…she hardly complained.

Of course I gave her a bath on the night I baby sat for her so the kids could go out for dinner, and of course she loved it. Now, however, she expresses her fascination and joy, as you can see in this little video....click on View HQ video for best resolution.

Lila Blue Loves Her Bath

We also made some meals, went out for lunch a couple of times, walked to the Farmer’s Market, visited the other grandparents, and took LB for her first studio portraits. It was a relaxing and beautiful time and I feel so grateful to be able to “blend” with their family from time to time.

Lila Blue weighs 15 pounds now, recently had her ears pierced and still has an abundance of beautiful hair. Mari and Jeremy are crazy in love with her and are blessed with good jobs, good childcare arrangements (Grandma Jan and friend Mendi share duties), and a wonderful circle of friends who support and care for them.

For the latest baby pix, click on the top link in the Photo Album list at right…Lila Blue at Four Months.

Visiting St. Augustine, Florida

Learning about the Red-Earred Slider from one of the locals.

My sister Kate bought a second home in St. Augustine a few years ago, and about 9 months ago moved there to begin remodeling her 1960's bungalow. As an artist, she has an unerring sense of design and loves making a "nest", but the last few months of living in the construction zone have been pretty grueling. Finally though, she has a working kitchen, two bathrooms and about half of the house restored, so she was "guest ready" last weekend.

We spent several days touring the city and Anastasia Island, the barrier island that shields the city from the Atlantic Ocean. She bought tickets for the local trolley that takes you to all the points of interest, orients you and gives you a quite detailed history lesson on the "first American city". We spent two days on the trolley line and I realized it could take weeks to see everything I'd like to see here.

Originally sighted and claimed for Spain by Ponce de Leon during his quest for the Fountain of Youth, he named the region La Florida in 1513. The city of St. Augustine was founded in 1564, more than 55 years earlier than the Pilgrim's landing at Plymouth Rock, making it the longest continually habitated city in the U.S.

Since its founding, many flags have flown over the city of St. Augustine -- Spanish, British, Confederate, as well as those of various pirates. The street names, historic houses and public buildings are predominantly Spanish, but the cultural tapestry is rich and colorful.

The region also includes one of the most important sites in African American history: the first free community of ex-slaves, Fort Mose. More than a century before the Emancipation Proclamation, slaves from the British colonies were able to follow the "Underground Railroad" to the Spanish colony; where they were granted freedom if they declared their allegiance to the King of Spain and joined the Catholic Church.

St. Augustine's development as a tourist destination in the late 1800's was due largely to the vision of Henry Morrison Flagler, a real estate and railroad tycoon. One of the original partners in the Standard Oil Company, Flagler opened the world's most luxurious and exclusive hotel, the Hotel Ponce de Leon, in 1888. He also developed the Florida East Coast Railway that reached as far south as Key West. The railroad was key to developing his resorts and hotels along the Florida coast for the wealthy of America's Gilded Age...or the New York Elite, as our tour guides referred to them. The Hotel Ponce de Leon is now home to Flagler College.

Another notable institution in St. Augustine is the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, the largest school of its type in the United States. The school has grown from three small buildings on five acres to 47 major buildings on 72 acres of land. Our tour guide told us that Ray Charles was once a student here.

Of course the peak experience for me was our visit to the World Golf Hall of Fame. Another history lesson, a chance to experience an old style putting green -- complete with long turf, gutta percha balls and wooden putter, a look at the "locker room" filled with artifacts and memorabilia from so many of golf's legends, and lunch at Bill Murray's Caddyshack Restaurant was everything I expected and more.

You can see some photos on the album at right, or use the text links to learn more about this charming and historic city ... but if you get the chance, go visit St. Augustine!

A Perfectly Lovely Holiday

It's been a hectic, joyful, hilarious, calorie-intense two weeks and I am loathe to leave them. We spent time with most of our children and grandchildren, my sister from Florida, my neice and her husband from Paris, and old friends who came by for cocktails, brunch, or an overnight visit.

The photo album at right, titled Holiday Season 2008 says it all...best viewed in Slideshow.

We feel truly blessed, and hope that 2009 brings you all peace, prosperity, good health and many sweet surprises.

Love,
Lisa and Eddie