Mini rally in Cathedral City

Prior to leaving Quartzsite, Tim & Marsha kindly invited us to follow & join them in Cathedral City.

We left a little later, but my lead-foot driver wasn't far behind. We checked into the Palm Springs Oasis Resort, and are back-to-back with the Lassens. Marsha made the reservations, and we were pleasantly surprised to find that Marsha had kindly requested we be given the larger of the two sites.

Everyone was glad to dump, do laundry, clean the coaches, take showers, and generally de-ickyfy. We love meeting folks at the QZ and other rallies, but we also like the pleasures of full hookups. If our coach had larger fresh water, black & gray holding tanks, we might be inclined to boondock longer.

Apologies to anyone I hugged or otherwise got close to in my un-showered state  :-[

Looks like the dreaded desert sinus infection got me again. I had all the symptoms by the time we arrived in Cathedral City. Fortunately, we'd stocked up on antibiotics in Algadones prior to arriving in QZ.

That's a campground we've stayed in several times, and not too far from our old condo.  I hope you got one of the close to level sites

Ned,  when I called the campground I specified level sites, we've been here before.  ;D  This is not a 5 star campground, sites are close together and are back to back sites....but at least we got in.  Seems that everything is full this week.  It must be all the QZ people coming in to get everything clean and to regroup.  The people here are really nice and made some changes so that Tom and Chris could be near us.

Tonight we are all "flopping" with our feet up.  We may do something tomorrow or not; today we cleaned coaches, got showers, and started to do laundry.

Marsha~

My oh My what fun.  Tim and I have visited with Tom and Chris, before; but usually the fellas are around.  Yesterday Chris and I went "shoppin for a bit" (said in Chris's wonderful accent) and I learned she is a Great bargain shopper!!  We took off armed with our lists and did a whirlwind tour of bargain hunting.  Chris was looking for new bedspread for the couch and as we were driving past Macy's she mentioned maybe Macy's would be having a sale.  I zipped through a lane or two of traffic and into Macy's we went.  Yep, Macy's was having a linen sale and she found a great bedspread on sale....really one sale....a massive savings....   She took her great find up to the cashier and it was even less than she thought, oh my goodness a real bargain.  She is my hero....my mentor.  I will never shop the same again.  We were so bushed from shopping we all had to go to Applebees for dinner.

One of the things on my list was a cloth hanging laundry bag and we couldn't find it anywhere.  Chris said, "ya know, I have my sewing machine with me".....Oh boy Oh boy.  We bought "duck" material along with the extras and will whip up my laundry bag before she leaves.

This afternoon we plan to hit "Burlington Factory" which just happens to be across the street.  Then this evening we are going over to Bob and Carol (Caltex) to have dinner.  What fun!

Photos to come!!!

Marsha~

When Marsha stopped at our coach to allow Chris to unload all her stuff, before I could ask what they'd bought, Marsha uttered Chris' favorite words: "We found bargains, just think of the money you saved".

We did enjoy the Applebees evening.

As I hit the Post button to post this message, Marsha knocked on the door to pick Chris up for round 2 of shopfest 

de-ickyfy

Click to expand...

Tom - I love it when you talk tech! 

Marsha and Chris - Oh those January white sales. 

ArdraF

LOL Ardra, I couldn't think of a more appropriate term. Sure was nice to clean the coach, dump my "QZ shoes" in the back of the SUV, take (almost) unlimited showers, and do laundry without continually checking the gray tank.

those January white sales

Click to expand...

I didn't see anything white, except maybe the off-white 'work light' that Chris bought me as a peace offering  ???  Looks like Tim and I will save lots more money today 

Snapped this shot when Carol & Robert came by to visit yesterday.

Tom,

They used the term White Sale back when I was a kid.  I think back then all linens were white, and they really were sales of linens, hence the term White Sale.  They were always in January.  I don't remember ever seeing colored bed linens back then.  Even most towels were white.

ArdraF

I need to update the bargain shopping activities. 

On Wednesday, Chris and I hit the Burlington Coat Factory across the street.  Lots of good stuff, infact I got a pair of jeans for $4.99.  They are a bit big, but I washed and dried them in hot heat, so we'll see what my efforts did.  That evening after our shopping, we all climbed in Chris and Tom's car and visited with Bob and Carol, enjoying their new fire pit table.  Tom has pictures.  It was prime rib special night at their local club house, so we all took advantage of the great dinner.

Today (Thursday) I was bushed.  No one told me this "bargain shopping" would be so much work and I had a ton of laundry to do, so I stuck around the campground.  (BTW, Chris did a fabulous job on my new laundry hanging bag.)  Thank you Chris!!! 

Yesterday before leaving for Bob's I was walking Charlie and literally fell ...plopped flat down on the street in the campground.  I didn't trip over anything, just somehow twisted my ankle and down I went.  Scrudged a few places, but no real damage.  However, today, I was a bit stiff.  Did laundry and took a "itsy-bitsy" nap.  Tom and Chris went looking at new coaches.  Tim worked on his year end financials... ;D 

In the evening we had snacks, sat out on the patio and eventually threw a few burgers on the grill.  Tom faded fast, but Tim was a trooper and played Mexican Train with Chris and I.  We lost Tim about 10ish, but Chris and I continued on like good Mexican train enthusiast.  BTW, I won.

Not sure what tomorrow will bring, possibly a run back to the Burlington Coat Factory.  WE are however, all of us, enjoying the warm beautiful sunshine and 70 degree weather.

Marsha~

Tom faded fast

Click to expand...

As some folks know, I've been a virtual zombie for almost a week with a sinus infection and allergies. While we were kicking tires yesterday, one of the sales guys apparently recognized my symptoms and said "you've got Quartzsite crud". I couldn't lie, and replied in the affirmative.

Later in the evening, Dr. Tim came to the rescue with a magic potion which provided some relief, and helped me sleep.

While looking at a couple of "tall" Newell coaches yesterday, Chris asked if they'd fit through the door of our covered storage. I thought "ah, here's an opportunity to get Chris to settle for a Prevost and for me to save some $$$". No such luck, as can be seen from this picture.

It's a 50' bay, so I couldn't use coach length as an excuse either 

A few pictures from our mini rally this week:

• Chris on the sewing project Marsha mentioned.
• Visiting with Robert and Carol.
• Happy hour with Marsha and Tim.
• The chefs prepare dinner in Marsha's coach.
• Marsha's boo boo with the slicer.
• Tim at the BBQ.

Robert & Carol and Tim & Marsha are wonderful hosts, making this a great mini rally.

However, I'm getting a little concerned about Marsha; She's had two 'slips' on this trip, but hopefully there won't be a third.

Thanks for the explanation Ardra, but I was only kidding. We used to have 'white sales' and 'January sales' in the UK when we lived there in the 60's and 70's.

Marsha,

You have no idea how talented Chris is with a sewing machine. Attached is a photo of a kilt and shawl she made from a bed sheet. It was at the 2005 Moab Rally. She threatened to do it and I thought she was kidding. May have to hire her to do a real one someday. ;D ;D

I am really jealous of your stay in Cat City with the 70degree temps.  We are at Camp Verde for a week and it certainly isn't 70 here   Because Peg still is very much under the weather we haven't spent very much time with them.  In fact, we are staying at Trails End near them because of all the rain their drive and buddy pad is very muddy.  The view is great and we were able to visit Ned's cousin and husband in Oak Creek near Sedona.  Courthouse Rock is the view from their home

When we lived there years ago our condo was behind what used to be the Chart House on Hwy 111.  The Valley is still my favorite place of all the places we lived in a stick house.

Regrettably, we said goodbye to Marsha and Tim this morning, and headed home. Stopped at the nearby Flying J on I-10/Ramon Road to fill up. Maybe it was our late start, but this was the quietest we've seen any FJ; Several truck lanes open, and no line inside the store.

We're stopped for the night at Antelope Valley Fairgrounds in Lancaster. Full hookups (50A), $25 for our pullthrough site and $20 for back-ins.

I'm finally starting to kick the 'Quartzsite crud' (not my term) of a sinus infection and allergies. Put it down to a combination of Algadones antibiotics ($4.50 for an equivalent to the Z-pack prescribed by many physicians here in the US), a change of venue for the last 4 days, and Tim's magic potion that he dispensed last evening.

We have a longer day tomorrow, so we'll hit the road earlier. My driver might let me share the driving.

Nice legs Jim!

George,

Just don't ask what's worn under the kilt; Jim might just say "nothing's worn, it's all in working order"  ;D

I don't think I will go there.  Or perhaps I say I don't think I will ask?