September 14, 2012

September 14, 2012

After breakfast, I got caught up on logging our cache finds.  I also loaded some caches for the area where we are parked...Pittsburg and Antioch.

Bill had some running around to do so I went with him.  Although we have spent quite a bit of time in the area over the years, we went to places we had never been before.

At 5:00, we went to Lori's.  Natalia left for Burbank this evening.   Sniff, sniff!  She has grown up way to fast.

Bill, Lori, Tucker, and I went for a short walk tonight.  Two of the ponds at Lori’s apartment complex are home to ducks and turtles.  There is also a white egret that flies in for the night.  It has a wide wing span.  Lori thinks it has a nest in one of the trees just off her balcony.  She sees it in the area.

September 13, 2012

September 13, 2012

I loaded some caches into the GPSs this morning.  After eating lunch at the new In N Out in Pleasant Hill, we went on the hunt,,,for cashes, that is.

We only found two caches.  That wasn't a very good day.  Most of them were on Diablo Valley Community College campus.  Maybe we'll go back on Sunday when classes are not in session.

At 3:00, we drove to Petaluma to shop before meeting JP and Rosie for dinner.  It is a trip of about an hour.

The old downtown area has a lot of funky little shops.  Natalia bought a pair of really nice leather boots.  Tucker and I spent some time sitting on a bench.  I was people watching, while Tucker was watching for Lori and Natalia.  At one point, he put one paw on my knee.  Then he put both paws on my knees.  I took it to mean he wanted on my lap.  Wrong!  When I tried to pick him up, he growled at me.  I took that to mean "No!".

At 6:30 we met JP and Rosie at a Thai restaurant for dinner.  The food was very good.  And there was plenty of it.  We all left with very happy tummies!

The drive home seemed like a quick one.  Lori really knows the area and possible shortcuts when traffic warrants it.

Tucker is a good traveler.  Lori had put his dog bed between the middle seats and he rode there the entire trip.  There was a sigh or two coming from his direction once in awhile.  Or maybe that was Grandpa!

September 12, 2012

September 12, 2012

Most of our morning was spent at home doing chores, like a haircut for Bill, silver wear washing, Honda insurance renewal, and estimated tax to pay.  Whee!  What a morning!

We headed for Lori's at 4:30.  Traffic was a parking lot on the east bound lanes of Hwy. 4.  Thankfully, we were going west.

Lori, with Natalia as chief baker, had planned a farewell party for Natalia, who leaves for school on Friday.  Dee Hannigan and her two boys, Colin and Jason, and Natalia's boyfriend, Mario, were there.  Of course, the food was great, but the highlight was sitting around the table talking.  We've all been friends for years.

September 11, 2012

September 11, 2012

Remembering 9-11.  A dreadful day not to be forgotten.

Lori, Natalia, and I went to a noon movie, Hope Springs, with Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones.  I guess it would be correctly classified as a “chick flick” since there were only women in the audience.  It was a good movie.  While we were watching we ate popcorn for lunch.  That's nearly as good as toast.

I had a problem with one of my prescriptions, so after calling the Walmart in Loveland, I was able to get some help from there.  The pharmacist told me what to do.  I want to Walmart here and, sure enough, it worked.  

At Walmart in Pittsburgh, California, I was able to get help from one of the pharmacist.  I get the medication I needed for my blood pressure.  I’m sure during the ordeal my BP went up, and when the problem was solved, it went down.

Joshua hurt his hand during a football game last week and yesterday he hurt his foot while tackling a teammate during practice.  He sounds like the walking wounded, doesn’t he?  Nothing was broken, but it will take a bit of time to heal.  Until then I guess we will have to call him “Chester” (from Gunsmoke).

September 10, 2012

September 10, 2012

We left Lodi at 9:15 and drove on Hwy. 12 across the Delta.  We really like going across the Delta, but the road is getting in worse shape every time we travel it.  We turned onto Hwy. 160 and driving along the waterway.

We parked at the Antioch Fairgrounds RV Park.  At 11:00 Lori came to fetch me.  After getting Natalia, we went to Sam’s Club for a new tire for Lori’s van, and to eat lunch.  On our way back to their apartment we went to a thrift store for a few things for Natalia’s new “digs” in Burbank.

I stayed with Tucker and got acquainted while the other two went back to Sam’s for the van.  Tucker really does like to have his tummy scratched and will stay in one spot as long as there are scratches to be had.  And I had plenty to give him.

Bill came with the loom that we brought from Fort Collins.  It will be interesting to see what projects Lori will weave on the bigger loom.

After dinner, Bill and I came back to Antioch while there was still some light.  There were hundreds of cars in the parking lot, here to watch a World of Outlaws race on Fair Grounds dirt track.  We didn’t go to see them, but could certainly hear them as they sped around the track.

Today’s Travel Totals:  Mileage, 40.

September 9, 2012

September 9, 2012

Before leaving the casino parking lot with the coach, we went for breakfast at McDonalds.  Walmart was just across the street so we went for some last minute supplies.

And, yes, there was a cache there.  I love my iPhone.  After logging our find, we went home, hooked the CRV on, and were soon “On the Road Again.”  

Honk, honk! Yahoo! for California just a little ways from Reno.  It was certainly a much prettier drive than what we endured for the last two days.  Trees are nice.  Maybe I’ll write a poem about a tree.  Oh, no!  I think it has already been done.

We hadn’t been in California very long when Road Construction signs started appearing.  Our direction (west) was split.  Trucks and RVs had to go to the right at the split, which was the left lane of the Interstate going west.  Cars could choose either way at the split.  Most cars shifted to the east bound of I-80 which had been barricaded to have one lane going west and two lanes going east.

Are you still with me?  Just hang in there, OK?  All this was happening because major work was being done on the two right westbound lanes.  There was an 18 wheeler in front of us and between us was a little sports car, a Porsche.

We came to another division in all this mess.  You know how Bill is about sports cars.  He followed the Porsche.  Not a good plan.  I repeat, NOT a good plan.  We were on a very curvy, twisting, winding road through some beautiful forest land.  It would have been a fun drive in that Porsche, but in our “house” it was a different matter.

Finally, we made it to Grass Valley, on to Sacramento, and then onto I-5 to Lodi.  We parked at Flying J and spent the evening watching yesterday’s Oregon Ducks game that Bill had recorded, until my “friend” Dwight called to tell me the Broncos were behind at the half-time.  You can be sure that I called him to be sure he knew the Broncos won!

Today’s Travel Totals: Mileage, 189---Geocaches---1

September 8, 2012

September 8, 2012

We were late leaving Elko this morning, due to a mix up in a prescription that I need.  I will see if I can solve the problem when we get to Reno.  The challenges just never stops.

We just passed a sign that read “Report shooting from highway” and listed a phone number to call.  That’s a new one for us.  This must truly be the wild west.

We got to Reno at 3:30 and parked at Walmart, although we knew we couldn’t stay there overnight.  I left Bill to take a nap and went to one of my favorite craft stores, Ben Franklin Crafts.  Imagine my disappointment when I got there and discovered that the store was closing.

Now you might think I would of been thrilled with their 30% off everything sale.  But truthfully, I would rather forego the savings and still have the store.

While I was there I met two clerks in the fabric department.  They were fun to talk to and they, too, are saddened by the closing.  Sniff, sniff!  I was glad to have made the new friendships, but dispirited by the fact that it couldn’t continue.  Double sniff, sniff!

We went to In N Out for supper.  It had been a long time since we’ve had the good fortune to eat there.  Happy tummes!  Yum, yum, yum.

After getting the motorhome full of diesel at the station at Walmart, we drove to the Atlantis Casino to park for the night.  We’ve stayed here before so we knew just where to park the “big beast.”

Today’s Travel Totals:  Mileage, 303.