Monday November 22 to Monday Nov. 29

Was a cool week, only in the 60’s!  But we kept busy by going to the fitness center.  Carol & I did some shopping. Got laundry done. Attended the park breakfast.  We 4 went to Temecula shopping, which took a long time as the GPS led us astray!

Wednesday Jenna and Lilly arrived, we are very anxious to meet these two little girls. Mag & Joe we are glad to hear you survived the day.  We are thinking about you!!!

Saturday was a 200+ mile day trip to Joshua Tree National Park, the Keyes Lookout and the Cholla Cactus Garden.  Again we saw some incredible rock formations.  What an awesome view from the Keyes, which included the San Andreas Fault line.

Turns out I volunteered myself to be the Captain of Thanksgiving Dinner for tables 25 & 26.  Had a meeting with three ladies to work out the potluck food for our tables.  Thursday was the Turkey supper for Thanksgiving with lots of food.  Was 16 of us, it was nice to meet more people and we even got on the dance floor again.  Sunday we watched the Grey Cup on Carol & Larry’s new TV outside and were all very disappointed with the fact that Montreal won. Monday morning we had a 11:15 tee off at the Seven Hills Golf course.  We enjoyed the day, but came home pretty tired.
Happy Birthday Shirley H!

Hugs to all

R&B

Joshua Tree Nat'l Park, Keyes View

Everyone looks very pleased with themselves!

Monday, Nov. 15th to November 21, Sunday

Monday Marc & Heather left us to go to Borrego Springs for a month; they will join us again at Rio Bend RV in Seeley (El Centro).  Today was such a beautiful warm day, we went for a bike ride then got about 3 hours pool time.  The tans are really coming along!  Warm daytimes, but heat on at night!

Also, got the HHR repaired today.  Had to have the same part replaced, as was already replaced in Ottawa by Myers???  Good news it was covered again by warranty, so it was pretty to see the bill $0.00.

Tuesday we 4 went to the driving range then to Marie Calendars Restaurant for lunch.  We managed to get a couple of hour’s pool. Then Carol and Larry came over for happy hour and a hamburger supper.

Wednesday, 4 of us off to Menifee Lakes Golf Course for 18 holes!  Good time was had by all…..however we didn’t make it to the 18th hole! But enjoyed the 19^th hole.

Thursday, 86 degrees and another couple of hours around the pool, plus we did some afternoon shopping, had supper at Carol and Larry’s.

Friday went to the park waffle breakfast and the wine & cheese but generally rested up on this a cool 63 degrees day.  Kerry we were glad to hear you and Ruth (Grandma) arrived in St. Catherine’s safe and sound.

Saturday, rain for the weekend….but we 4 decided to travel to Temecula, good size city with lots of stores.  Went to Costco, Wal-mart and Sam’s, stopped for lunch at Chili’s, and then home for happy hour.  Guess you could say we made the very best of a very rainy day!

Sunday, more rain and cool temps!  We went to the fitness centre and worked out for an hour, then back to Carol and Larry’s to watch the football game and also enjoyed a great supper with them.  I will post again next Monday.

Hugs

R&B

Thursday November 11th to Sunday November 14th

Wild crazy day Thursday, lots of wild.  Gusts up to 50 miles per hour.... we are told it is most unusual for this area.

We 4 went out for lunch then it was off to Wal-Mart, the boys were looking for some things and we girls just roamed the store.

Friday some pool time then we went at 3 o'clock to a wine and cheese party put on by the owners of the park and met a few more people.  Heather's birthday Friday, so we along with Marc, Carol and Larry went out for supper at Heather's now favourite restaurant.  It was great celebrating with them. Saturday the 4 of us drove to Palm Desert to a flea market.  We travelled over the Santa Rosa Mountains which offered a wonderful aerial view of Palm Springs and the entire valley.  Saturday evening there was a dance, but we were all to warn to go!  Bruce went down to check out the band, and they are good, so hoping to make it next week.  Sunday was more pool time, and then got together with a group of BC and Saskatchewan people to watch the CFL Football game. That was a lot of fun!  The score was so tight right to the end of the game so there was lots of jesting back and forth.  After supper the 6 of us sat outside around the gas fireplace.  Pleasant way to end the day and the week!

Hugs

R&B

Desert road down off Santa Rosa Mountain

The Birthday Party

The BC vs Sask football game!

Tuesday, November 9th and Wednesday the 10th

Tuesday, November 9^th and 10^th

We had a pretty good drive to Hemet, it was about 2 ½ hours of 4 – 5 lane freeways with thousands of car and trucks.  So we were very glad to get here in one piece.  We are settled into the Golden Village Palms RV Resort, site 615 next to Carol and Larry.  Marc & Heather are just up the street at 625.  We had a great happy hour last night getting caught up on each others news and winter plans. We are staying here till about December 10^th.

Wednesday morning had lots of sun and the temperature going to 65.  We left about 11:30 for the Seven Hills Golf Club here in Hemet.  We paid for 18 holes but, had to tee off at the 10^th hole, we only did 15 holes before deciding we all had enough it was just getting to cold.  Had a quiet drink with Carol and Larry, had supper and I think we will hit the sack early – just so much fresh air!  The Blog updates will slow down now, maybe once a week. But I hope we still get e-mails with your updates.

Hugs

R&B

Sunday, November 7th Monday Nov. 8th

Sunday we went for a walk around our area of Northridge and into the big mall near the Park.  Also got the laundry done, I finished off one book and started another.  The plot of my new book is the murder of a Doctor on

Mulholland Drive

at the Hollywood Bowl Overlook.  So that inspired our Monday drive to

Mulholland Drive, I printed off the map of all the overlooks and off we went.  We stopped at about 6 outlooks starting at Westridge Canyon, most gave us great pictures of valley/canyons on both sides of the road, but the best one was the Hollywood Bowl Overlook which offered a closer view of the Hollywood Sign, the Hollywood Bowl outdoor theatre and Los Angeles.  Once finished

Mulholland Drive

overlooks we hopped the 101 to Hwy #134 to Pasadena.  We wanted to find the street the Rose Bowl Parade was on, but never did.  Sorry Ruth, we thought we would get some pictures for you!  We stopped for lunch and then worked our way back home. Today the sun was out, temp only 66ish with high wind gusts but tomorrow is supposed to be much better with less wind.  Less wind is a good thing on a bus travel day! But it is time to leave the San Fernando Valley and LA.

Hemet is our Tuesday destination http://www.goldenvillagepalms.com/rv-park-resort

Carol and Larry, Heather and Marc we are looking forward to seeing you guys.  I see we have “Elvis in Concert” on November 18^th.   

Hugs,

R&B

View of LA from Mulholland Drive

Universal Studio

Click once or twice to see all the information on the picture.....

Saturday, November 6th Wonderful day with Neil & Margaret

We met Neil and Margaret about 11:00 at the Getty Center.  In 1983 J. Paul Getty Trust purchased about 750 acres in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains. Architect Richard Meier designed the building, but artist Robert Irwin designed and conceived the central gardens. The Center opened to the public in December 1997.

We toured the incredible art collection then went for lunch at the restaurant there.  Neil & Margaret kindly paid for our lunch, which we thank them very much. It was a good opportunity for the Stewart boys to catch up on the last 39 years.  After lunch we continued touring the gallery, stopped for a coffee break and then it was time to say goodbye.  It was a wonderful day with good company and good conversation.

It was much cooler today only in the 60’s and we are expecting rain this evening and tomorrow.  Tonight is actually the time change, somehow got mixed up the other day.

Hugs

R&B

Neal and Margaret Stewart

Robert Irwin designed the central gardens

The Getty Center on top of Santa Monica Mountain

Friday, November 5th Temperature in the 90’s again!

Hollywood, been there, done that!  Not as exciting as we thought it would be and not nearly as glitzy glamorous as we heard it would be. 

Hollywood Boulevard

and Vine have all the Star’s stars!  But the street is not all neon lights, its full sex shops, tattoo parlours and junk stores.  We took the hop on hop off bus tour which was good as we were taken down

Hollywood Blvd

, Sunset Blvd into Beverly Hills along

Wilshire Blvd, Fairfax

Avenue.  We got off at the Farmers Market and the Grove, which was a very interesting place to walk around and have lunch.  We got back on the bus and drove

Melrose Avenue

, passed the Hollywood Forever Cemetery then back up to

Hollywood Blvd

getting off at Vine – Hollywood and Vine!  We found Roy Rogers Star plus his cement signature and boot print at the Chinese Theatre + Dale Evens Star, and got pictures for Gwen.  Walked back up to

Highland Street

and found the third floor of the Kodak Building which offered a good photo opp of the Hollywood sign.  On our return trip we took the

Laurel Canyon Road

to

Ventura Blvd

and travelled through Sherman Oaks and Encino back to Northridge.

Tomorrow we are meeting cousin Neil and his wife Margaret at 11am in the parking lot of the Getty Centre.  Should be a wonderful reunion for the Stewart boys!

Hugs

R&B

I'm sure you have seen this sign before!

Shopping center on Hollywood Blvd.

This is the trolly on The Grove, beside the Farmers Market

Wednesday, Nov. 4th another LA scorcher!

It was a wonderful relaxing day, got an extra hour as the time “fell” back last night.  We went for groceries in the morning, staples at Vons and meats at Costco, home by noon.  Lunch over with and we went to the pool, swam and suntanned, swam and suntanned till 3:30, temps of 90+ by then, but we were the only ones there!  Back home and relaxed in the shade with a good book. We had a great BC salmon supper thanks to Carol and Larry’s gift! Thank you guys!

Tomorrow it is back on the road with more sight seeing planned.  The temperatures are expected to return more to normal for the weekend. Darn!

Hugs,

R&B

Tuesday, November 2nd we are in LA and Nov. 3

After arriving Tuesday we thought we just needed a rest.  So on with our bathing suits and down to the pool!  The temp was in the 90’s, the cement almost burnt your feet as you walked into the pool, the pool was delightful and the two lawn chairs dried us off and even offered up 40 winks!  After a light supper we sat outside till 9:30 and came back into a nicely air conditioned bus! 

We talked to cousin Neil this evening and have arranged to get together Saturday; B is looking forward to reuniting with his cousin and his wife Margaret.

Drive along 101 into LA

Now doesn't this look like the perfect place to spend a night or two!

Wednesday we decided since the temp was going to 96 degrees that it would be a good beach day.  So we left about 10:00 drove over to the 405 San Diego Freeway (parking lot) and down Wilshire Blvd to Pacific Ocean Highway arriving at Santa Monica Beach and pier. We drove ahead to Venice City Beach (Muscle Beach) and Fishing Pier, parked and walked the boardwalk back to Santa Monica Pier about 2.5 miles + return trip in 97 degrees!!!  We saw many strange sights, strange people and even a dead body, in a black bag zipped up, with a dozen police investigating that turned out to be a move set!  The walk was worth doing.  Oh, gas in Santa Monica was $3.69 per gallon, so we were grateful we didn’t need gas which has been around $2.93-$3.12.  Once back in the car, we drove north on the Pacific Coast Highway as far as Highway 27 or the Topanga Canyon Blvd which snakes its way through the Santa Monica Mountains back up to Highway 101 which is called the Ventura Freeway, got off at Tampa, right on Nordhoff and home.  B had the energy to walk to the pool; I chose our shower stall and a cool drink. The evening has been gorgeous and we sat outside till 9:00 again.

Good talking to you Shirley K and Joe, nice to get caught up with each others news.  

Hugs,

R&B

Santa Monia Pier

Lynda K do you have this picture? Guess you could say end or start of the trail!

Oct. 31, Nov. 1 and 2 – we are in LA

Quiet Sunday, went for a walk downtown, B walked the beach and I continued reading David Baldacci “True Blue”.

No kids for Halloween trick or treat!  Good thing as we had no candy!

November 1^st, Monday

Repairs did not go as planned.  We arrived at 8:00, talked out the plan but unfortunately the shocks would take a week to get to Santa Maria, so they completed the manifold, exhaust leak and sent us on our way by 4:30.  We spent the night in the Santa Maria Pines RV Park with intention of moving on Tuesday to Las Angeles.  We sat outside till the warm wind gusts finally got the best of us. Our day time high was a sunny 84!

November 2, Tuesday arrived in LA

We left sunny Santa Maria and arrived in Los Angeles about 1:30 to a temperature of 90+… It is very hot, guess we will get to use our air conditioner.  We are in the Walnut RV Park in Northridge, just beside Hollywood!   http://www.walnutrvpark.com/ and can stay for 7 days if we want.  It was cheaper to buy the 7 days than just pay for 5…go figure! 

We had no internet last night, so wanted to post this early.

Hugs

R&B