Fri. Nov 22, 2013 - Curt and Sarah

We hung at Kelly's house today because we got a chance to meet Curt's girlfriend Sarah

 

and visit with them both for a while as they took care of internet needs and car errands at Kelly's house before taking off to visit with local friends. 

 

Have a great day and enjoy that new car, Curt!
We hung at Kelly's house today, Mike brought in dinner tonight to cook for Kelly, Glenda and us, and we relaxed and watched some TV - a treat for us!

Thurs. Nov 21, 2013 - James, Jim and Jimmy Dempsey

We ha another three hours to go before arriving in Sacrament where we stopped at Cal Expo to unhitch so I could go visit with Jim senior at Rowena Palms.  I showed him the picture I borrowed from Jimmy III to hang on his wall, but took the picture with me to share with Kelly, Glenda, Curt and Sarah at Kelly house where we had a delicious crab and shrimp pasta dinner in honor and memory of my brother, Jim Jr.

 

Wed. Nov 20, 2013 - Slow travel Day

We had breakfast with Roger and Michal, then spent a couple hours at Courtyard by Marriott, so we got a late morning start.  It was grey and rainy as we drove up Highway 101, cut over to I5 above Paso Robles and didn't quite make it to our destination at Santa Nella for dinner at Andersons.  Instead, we had the rest of our leftovers and a salad in a rest area parking lot at crashed for the night.

Tues. Nov 19, 2013 - Camarillo, CA

This morning Mary shuttled me back to the South Carlsbad Beach 

where mike was packing up to leave the now empty campground

with a beautiful view of the ocean

We drove for about 3 hours and arrived at Camarillo about 3:00 where we spent the rest of the afternoon at Courtyard by Marriott ( we remembered this spot from when we were here in April ) then went to have a nice leg of lamb dinner  from Roger

and an evening visit with Roger, Michal and Toki.

Very nice sleepover accommodations, too! 

Mon. Nov. 18, 2013 - Visit with mary

Today Mike and I worked in the AM at Starbucks near our campground, had a quick and healthy lunch at Mozy's on the Coast Highway, then had another work session at the unbelievably beautiful Encinitas City Library.  There is about a 100 foot deck and lots of seating with plugs out there and along the windows on the inside.  Very nice view of the ocean from the deck.

 

All done with work - 

 Mike dropped me off at Mary's house a short drive away.

 

 

 

We had a short Hudson sighting

and we prepared for the dinner out with Mary's ( and now my)  TNT lady friends where the monthly meeting was at Laura's house.

Sun. Nov 17, 2013 - Encinitas Farmers Market

I spent the night at Mary's house last night - we had some catching up to do since it has been seven months since our last visit.  This morning Mary cooked a delicious veggie scramble for us for breakfast then took me to the Encinitas farmers market to meet up with Mike for the day.

We really like this market - a good blend between the true farmer's market in Sacramento and the prepared food - farmer's market in San Francisco at the Ferry Building.  Mike got a veggie slider for lunch at Annel and Drew's Kitchen

 

 

 

Sat. Nov 16, 2013 - Palm Desert to Carlsbad

Today we enjoyed the lovely desert morning

and our site at Thousand Trails Palm Desert

where I was able to pick a grapefruit from a park tree for my morning fruit smoothie breakfast drink.

 

Then we headed off into the fog rolling over the mountains between Palm Springs and the LA basin where it got really cold really quick, but by the time we made it to Carlsbad, the sun was out and it was a lovely evening. 

 

Mike and I drove to Mary's house to relax and enjoy a delicious home cooked meal, then we got settled into a campsite at South Carlsbad State Beach because the city recently changed the rules about street parking, so we didn't feel safe at the spot we have parked in the last several time we were here.  Good news is the state park is right on the ocean - very nice!

 

Fri. Nov 15, 2013 - Team 1010 producer James Domeski

This morning I joined several other crafters at the weekly craft sale at the Recreation hall.  We set up outdoors on the deck to enjoy the lovely weather ( plus there was an exercise group meeting inside) and offered up my knitted items for sale until 1;00 - there was not much traffic, but I enjoyed the relaxing time knitting and visiting with the other ladies.

In the afternoon, we went to lunch and then to Starbucks for another work session. 

Highlight of the day was the evening - we went to pick Jimmy up from his work at 6:45.

                                                
                                                    He gave us a tour of the radio studio

 

 where he works on production of the Team 1010  - KXPS sport talk radio show, check it out at AM 1010 in Palm Desert

                                      

Finally, we went to watch the Pistons play ( and beat) the Kings at the Beer Hunter - Monique was working tonight, and she set us up at a prime table and put OUR game on the biggest screen in front of that table - with the sound and everything. 

Deluxe treatment.  Good food.  Very nice night. 

 

Thurs. Nov 14, 2013 - Happy Birthday, Mom Dempsey

We woke up in beautiful Thousand Trails RV Resort in Palm Desert. 

Didn't stay there long, though - we went to find a place to work, get lunch and discover yet another library - this one in Indio.

Tonight we met up with Jimmy and Monique at the Beer Hunter sports bar and restaurant where Monique works.  We met their Palm Desert family, cousin Tami and niece Jennifer.

 We had a really nice visit while honoring the memory of my mom on her birthday.  She would have approved the venue where we could watch any number of college and professional sports games on the dozens of TVs in the house.  Monique has made it her mission to learn how to keep all the snow-bird sports fans happy by setting them up so they can view their favorite team from their tables.

Wed. Nov 13, 2013 - Las Vegas to Palm Desert

We got out of Las Vegas about 11:30 and drove through the Mojave Desert -

where we were welcomed back to California at a highway rest stop that was actually a small visitor's center about the desert and California.   We arrived at our Thousand trail - Palm Desert destination about 6:15 and spent no time in the park tonight because we had the pleasure of meeting up with Roger and Jeannie  

at their house and for dinner out.  They have a lovely home and we enjoyed catching up with each other's activities since they moved away from Lake of the Pines almost 3 years ago.

 

 

 

 

Tues. Nov 12, 2013 - Clark County Library

Final day in Las Vegas - we had a delicious lunch break

at Max's - Cuisine of the Philippines on Flamingo

 - walking distance from the Library.

 

Then we went home for dinner and to make the motorhome road ready - we are leaving tomorrow.  We are proud of the fact we were in Las Vegas for 16 nights and never once walked on the strip or in the casinos except to get from the parking garage to our conference in Caesars.    We did enjoy downtown Las Vegas for one day, though.  Las Vegas was very good to us!

Sun., Nov. 10, 2013 - Boulder City again

Today we visited a farmers market in a Las Vegas shopping center parking lot - there were food and craft booths - the produce was trucked in from California, but looked really good.  We got greens, staples and tomatoes plus some vegan prepared food from a young couple who wanted to work together so started their own prepared food company.

Next we went back to Lake Mead Nat'l Rec Area for another 5.5 mile walk along the rail path, then to Boulder City for lunch - this time at the Boulder Dam Brew Pub

where they are all about the building of the hoover Dam

 

Next we went back to the Boulder City Library

so I could get a picture

where they are ALSO all about the building of the Hoover Dam.

Looks like the pictures in Grass Valley of the gold miners at work.

Sat. Nov 9, 2013 - Downtown Las Vegas

Today we went downtown - wow!  The Fremont Street experience is quite a happening place. 

today there was a Chili Cook-off so we had lunch

Then took an afternoon work break at Starbucks before going back in the evening for the Veteran's Day Weekend USO entertainment.

There was an overhead electronic billboard built into the roof over 4 city blocks - very patriotic tonight.

With Live entertainment by Gary Sinese and his Lt. Dan Band.

Downtown tinsel town at night.

 

 

Fri. Nov 8, 2013 - Lade Mead National Rec Area

Today we took the morning off to beat the heat and the crowds at

Where we took a 6 mile round trip hike along an historic train track path that was in operation during the building of Hoover Dam in the 30's.

There are five tunnels along the way

and a lovely view of Lake Mead  - bonus!

After the hike, we had lunch in Boulder City just outside the Nat. Rec. Area and then we went to the Boulder City library to work for the rest of the afternoon.  Dang!!!! I forgot to take a picture of the library!!!  We are getting quite a long string of libraries to our travel scoreboard.

 

Mon - Wed Nov 4-6, 2013 - Annual Sleeter Conference

Another really enjoyable and eye-opening experience attending the Sleeter Group Accounting Solutions Conference - this is our 8th year.

  Over the years we have implemented several pieces of software and technology we learned about

 from speakers  ( here is Doug Sleeter)

 

and vendors  (here is Jason in the Right Networks booth)

(and here is Inspector Gadget who tells us about the newest technology)

 

 

at the conference to help us interact with our clients and manage our firm

 

and move to the business model we know have of reaching our clients remotely using the internet when it is appropriate - and we still visit in person when appropriate, of course, because accounting is also a people business.

Sat. Nov 2, 2013 - Red Rock Natural Area

Today we got some breakfast out at Manon - a really good French bakery

before heading out into the wilderness for an afternoon hike

where we had about a 2 mile hike to our lunch break

 

in the shadow of Keystone Thrust. 

A short hike to get out into the desert wilderness and away from the throngs of people who drove the 20 minutes out of Las Vegas to drive the 13 mile scenic loop through Red Rock Canyon National recreation Area.