Monday, October 24, 2005


Tarra, Alonzo, Ari, Analy, & Alia at Park Sierra. Posted by Picasa
10/24/05 We are still here on our lot at Park Sierra, although I am happy to report that since our last posting, we are both feeling much better and enjoying it more. Last week we had a few appointments at Kaiser for some routine tests with a few more scheduled in the next few weeks. Perhaps we will be able to start heading south earlier than anticipated.
This past weekend we had a visit from Elaine's daughter, Tarra. She brought her new "family" with her -Alonzo, her "significant other", and his three daughters, Ari, age 10, Alia age 8, and Analy, age 3. (See above photo) While they were here, we were on the alert, keeping them occupied at all times - the little girls, we mean. When they first arrived, they enjoyed seeing all the amenities of the park on a long walk. They were excited about the chance to see some wildlife, although we didn't see as much as they were hoping for. Twice we did see a tarantula right near our site, something Elaine and I hadn't noticed here before. They also enjoyed playing games outside, as we were having perfect weather. Elaine helped the older girls make bracelets with some crystal beads, and Analy got one too, which Elaine made for her. It was great to see them and we appreciated the fact that they drove 3 hours from the Bay Area in order to see us.

Sunday, October 16, 2005

10/16/05
Today is an absolutely perfect day, weatherwise, so I took a few pictures of our park for you to see. Park Sierra is a co-op RV park under the Escapees RV Club, which means it was built by the first members 12 years ago. It is the only RV park we have ever been in where the RVs are not parked in rows very close to each other. Here we each have a small lot, with a shed for storage, a cement patio, surrounded by oak trees & Manzanita bushes, with many wild creatures as neighbors: Quail, rabbits, deer, hawks, bobcats, ground squirrels, tree squirrels, and many other birds too. There is a huge clubhouse with a library, billiard room, craft room, laundry room, exercise mezzanine, kitchen, restrooms, and video library. There is also a pole barn for rig repairs and equipment for park maintenance. Volunteers do a lot of the work of the park and costs are kept low this way. We love it here and would welcome visitors when we are in residence. The very best times to visit are in the spring, especially March and April, and the fall, with October being another good month to be here. These are the months when we are usually here too.

The clubhouse at Park Sierra. Posted by Picasa

Front View of our lot (#414) at Park Sierra. Posted by Picasa

Our view from the side of our lot. Posted by Picasa

Patio side of lot. Posted by Picasa

View from the back of our lot. Posted by Picasa

Back view of our lot. Posted by Picasa

Saturday, October 15, 2005


Mary, Adrianna (15), Laura, Michaela (10) Posted by Picasa
10/15/05
Sorry about the lack of updates recently. We both have been having a few health challenges which have taken all our time and energy. While we were in the waning days of the Crabfest, Elaine woke up one day feeling like she had "thrown her back out". She lessened her physical activity and upped her intake of over-the-counter pain medications, and waited for some improvement. The Crabfest ended on Oct. 2 and we left Winchester Bay on Oct. 4, making stops in Canyonville, at the 7 Feathers Casino to see friends, Pat & Tom Bryant, who live near there. Coincidentally, we also had a nice visit in the parking lot with Diane & Jim Fisher-Baker, Boomer friends whom we camped with on the AZ deserts last year. Continuing south, we got a call from Laura & Gordon Bornkamp, who were staying with Chuck & Betty Goehring at their place in Lake Shastina, and we spent an enjoyable evening with all of them. They had all been at the Crabfest but there is always so much activity during those days, that we hadn't really had a chance to visit in depth with them and we welcomed this opportunity. Chuck and Betty had just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Congrats, Chuck & Betty!!
Reno was our next stop so that I could have a visit with my daughter, Laura, and her daughters Adrianna and Michaela. (see photo above) Laura's 33rd birthday was Oct. 11 and we celebrated that early by having a nice seafood dinner at the Peppermill, where we were staying in the parking lot in our RV. Bruce and Maria Roberts, a couple who was on our Panama trip with us in 2004, were parked next to us and we had great visits with them. Elaine also spent time with them in the casino while I was with Laura, mostly talking and watching my granddaughters at swim practice. They swim on the Reno Swim Team and are both excellent swimmers.
Heading back into California, we stopped in Fremont to see Tarra, Elaine's daughter, and her new partner, Alonzo. We parked in front of their place and they made us feel very welcome. Unfortunately, I became ill with a gastrointestinal virus and was sick almost the whole time we were there. Elaine had some good bonding time with them, however.
On Oct. 11 we arrived back at our lot at the SKP park near Coarsegold, CA called Park Sierra. It felt good to be back again, although we mostly seem to use this place to store some stuff in our shed, and as a staging area twice a year to get ready for our travels. The people here are very friendly and supportive and we enjoy the many social events. Wednesday I was feeling much better and drove Elaine to our doctor. He put her on muscle relaxants and pain medication for her back. However, by now she had caught the virus I had previously and couldn’t keep anything in her stomach for the next few days. She spent the next 3 days sleeping off and on. Today she is feeling much better, with regard to both the gastroenteritis and her back pain, although she is still very limited in her movement.
We had intended to be here several weeks, cleaning up our car and rig and packing it for a winter in the AZ deserts. Now however, our departure will be delayed until we are feeling 100% ready physically, and we have had a few more doctor visits for some other tests and procedures, such as mammograms.
The weather here has been very warm and dry until today, when some light rain showers have been occurring. As soon as we have another sunny day, I will get out there with my camera and take some pictures so you can see this lovely park where we have our lot.