Now a bit of humour from the Out and Abouter

I just threw out my nice romaine and washed the crisper drawer. So much for Caesar salad for a while I guess.  Got a real laugh out of this...if only.

All guns recalled in the US after one found covered in romaine lettuce.

“We just can’t be too careful when it comes to the possible risk of E. coli contamination,” said the head of the CDC, Ned Sanders, speaking to reporters shortly after his agency informed Americans they would need to turn in their guns, in the wake of a firearm being found in close proximity to some romaine lettuce. “We wouldn’t want anyone to experience extreme diarrhea, as well as being mortally wounded in one of our nation’s near-daily mass shootings.”

The move comes after a continent-wide warning to destroy all romaine lettuce was issued late yesterday in response to concerns surrounding an outbreak of E. coli. At last count, 32 people in the United States and 19 in Canada have become ill from eating the appealing lettuce – nearly as many as the 37,200 people killed by guns in the U.S. in 2016. Thus it was no surprise when every effort was made to protect Americans from the poo leaves. It was having that caution extended to guns that came as something of a shock. 

“I have to say I really didn’t see that coming,” said NRA President Oliver North. “As you all know, I’m a die-hard gun rights advocate. Cold dead hands and all of that. But we just can’t have folks getting sick out there from E. coli. Nasty stuff. It’ll make you feel like the headwaters of the Colorado River got moved into your butt. It’s just not worth it. Turn ’em in folks. It’s for your own good.”

Rocky Rhodes, leader of the Oath Keepers – a heavily armed, far-right American militia that appreciates guns the way a Shih Tzu likes barking – agreed. 

“You can’t have a well-regulated militia if every other guy is falling over from gut bother,” Mr Rhodes said, referring to the Second Amendment, and its stipulations regarding the bearing of arms in the United States. “If that E-Koh-Lye has made it under the pillows, and into the glove boxes, and all up in the armouries of ‘Merica, then hell. We’re just gonna have to live without these here handy weapons. Heck of a shame though. They sure never hurt no one. Not like that damned romaine.” 

While the logistics of gathering up the estimated 400 million guns currently in circulation in the United States are certainly daunting, with there being little doubt that people could get hurt otherwise, a rare bipartisan effort has emerged to accomplish the task.

“Not on my watch,” said Republican Senator Marco Rubio, often accused of being in the pocket of big lettuce. “If even one person gets sick from eating a gun, or shooting some salad, I will never be able to look at myself in the mirror again. Will it be easy? No. But if you’d have told me on Monday of this week that by Wednesday no one in America would be eating caesar salads, I’d have called you crazy. And look around you now. We can do this, people. Nay. We must.”

And on this Thanksgiving Day

A story from the LA Times

On Thanksgiving, I want to highlight an act of generosity. The story is about Paradise — a town reduced to rubble but a community that has banded together in the face of daunting challenges — but begins with Rancho Santa Fe resident Bob Wilson reading a news story.

The businessman learned in the Los Angeles Times about the class of 2019 at Paradise High School and their uncertain future. It’s estimated that 80% to 90% of students lost their homes to the fire. Classmates have been scattered across county and state lines and don’t know whether they’ll see each other again. It’s unclear how this group of kids is going to graduate.

This touched Wilson. He says he decided to donate $1.1 million to the community — meaning all 980 students and 105 employees will receive $1,000 checks.

“When I read about what happened in the L.A. Times, it occurred to me that how significant high school was to me,” Wilson told the Paradise Post. “It was the last carefree time in my life.”

This last year at The Times has been wild. But now we’re under local ownership with a mandate to tell the stories of Californians — and hopefully touch people in the same way that we touched Wilson.

A new Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes from Laurie R. King

Just loving this stuff.

We had a wonderful golf game yesterday...this is paradise for sure.  We get the super twilight which is two drinks each and a power cart for $16 each. So wonderful to play golf, drink wine, view the wonderful San San Jacinto mountains and enjoy all the mid-century houses on the golf course.

YouTube Channel for Rancho Mirage Library and Observatory

I just went onto this and subscribed and it is just fabulous as they have all the lectures given on astronomy and other topics. So we can catch up on what we missed and see things we miss when we're not here.  Wow, what a resource!

They have the Melissa Riche talk we went to so for those of you who are mid-century modern buffs I really recommend it. It was excellent. And when we were at the library yesterday I picked up my holds on Mod Mirage by Melissa Riche and the latest Alexander McCall Smith No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency novel, "The Colors of all the Cattle".  I haven't read him for a while so looking forward to it.

Here's the link to the YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Rancho+mirage+library+and+observatory

On the tour yesterday we learned that the small dome is actually the washroom! The architect felt the structure needed some balance. Pretty cool! This Tuesday they release the times for the next round of Star Gazing Parties in December so Jim and I will both be online at 10am trying to get a space. Last time the 900 slots went in 8 minutes.

We got to look at the sun through this smaller telescope. They have four smaller telescopes for the star gazing parties so people have lots of opportunity for viewing and also everyone gets a chance at the big telescope. The docent  is "flipping the meridian". The walls are the height they are so light from houses etc. doesn't interfere.  Rancho Mirage has very low light pollution so a great location and being right in the city it is so accessible. To get to the other major telescope in the area you need to drive an hour and a half up a mountain.

The other three smaller telescopes.

Inside the big dome. It rotates, of course. People from all over the world are able to use the telescope due to the electronics.  I guess this is standard these days.The whole facility cost 4.5 million. In 2019, every school child in the Coachella Valley will have a chance to have a learning experience at the facility.  Someone put up a big grant for this. There are very deep pockets in Rancho Mirage.

And the main event...the big telescope!

A very fun Tuesday

Loved this cartoon in the Desert Sun...the biggest turkey of them all. 

Santa Sleigh at Michel's for sale.

And got some cool duds at TJ Max.

And went to the Observatory tour at Rancho Mirage Library...wow...what a facility. Make that a post for tomorrow.

Bill's

Well, it was Monday. Great pizza as usual and walked across the street to check out the Hotel Zoso which has taken over from the Hard Rock Hotel. It seems the group running it now is at the request of the bankruptcy court.  We were never very attracted to the Hard Rock. It seemed pretty overpriced but these folks are offereing a Happy Hour everyday from 4pm - 7 pm so we may give it a try. It is a rather cool looking bar and prices are good for the HH. No one was in the bar at around 3pm when we were there and yet Palm Springs was really rocking elsewhere. I guess the Thanksgiving visitors have arrived. I think a lot of schools are out this week.

The rock memorabilia is gone but Jim loved this photo of an aquacar. He has always been intrigued by the concept. Of course, they were a lousy car and a lousy boat but cool idea all the same.

The bar could be fun.

And if you need a laugh today, check out Linda's blog...very funny!

http://linfish69.blogspot.com/2018/11/tuesday-morning-chuckles.html

Melvyn's Bar at the Ingleside Inn Sunday Jam Session

Great fun and to be in a place where so many of the "greats" were. It really is a time warp and although young and old...mainly old. So charming to see Matt, the Maitre D', escort on his arm, some of these ancient old dears who could barely walk to their reserved table. Jim got talking to a "regular" who was seated beside us and learned various things about the band...sax player (who is amazing) very rich and just doing it for fun, drummer needing the money, etc. Their table was set up with drinks when we arrived and before their arrival...large white wine for him and two 1/4 bottles of champagne in a bucket for her. She went through two more while we were there for a total of four. There was still another set to go. It almost seemed like a social club with so many people knowing each other.

And having fond memories of the Sunday endless Champagne Brunch Roger and Kerry treated us to when they were in town one year and staying at The Ingleside.

I may just put up my Christmas decorations today!

Psychologists claim putting out Christmas decorations earlier makes you happier.

https://tipsforhome.net/health-tips/psychologists-claim-that-putting-out-christmas-decorations-earlier-makes-you-happier/?fbclid=IwAR0qKmrki0jAnnOY_XylGHCMkSYxH1eweWeT_T2fTKF6QBt3yHgDEf9oaTM

A wonderful time at Las Casuelas

We arrived at the right time and got our favourite table to see the band, the dance floor. and everything.

So much fun...old. young, every nationality...and everyone rocking it up! "Janice size Margarita"

Our great old rockers...we love them!

And then we saw this very cool Vespa ..thinking about you, John.

Language learning and other things

Jim has been enjoying his Spanish Conversation group at the Mizell Centre and he is always finding wonderful resources for language learning. The latest is Alba Learning which has parallel texts mainly in Spanish/English but also French/English so you can read the texts and listen to a beautifully read rendition. They have short stories, poems, and even songs.

This link brings you to Kate Chopin's wonderful "Story of an Hour".

https://albalearning.com/audiolibros/chopin/historia-sp-en.html

Jim is so far ahead of me in Spanish that I've pretty much decided not to work on learning Spanish but I may work on my French. I am also interested in learning a bit of Mandarin since there are so many Mandarin speakers in Vancouver. I have registered for a free online course but haven't done much with it so far.

And yesterday we got to Fisherman's for the first time this season.  The grilled catfish was wonderful as usual!

Before we went for lunch we went to a leather place to get some treatment for his leather jacket that dried out a bit when he forgot it in Palm Springs last year.  When you're leaving on a very warm April day you aren't really thinking about a jacket!

There was a interesting antique place close by so we looked around and I spotted this pink flamingo that is like one of the three that Mary and Derek gave us when we moved into the Flamingo apartment in English Bay.  Mary, you'll be interested to know they want $75 US for this one. As I remember you still have some yourself.

Our Thanksgiving dinner thanks to Trader Joe's

And sunflowers for the table, of course!

The dollhouse I never had...

I was always quite fascinated by dollhouses but I didn't have one.  This is a very cool print and we'll have to stop by this store to take a look.  We pass it all the time. This seems a bit familiar...perhaps I already posted something like this already...ah...memory.

FIT FOR PRINT

Denver artist Christian Musselman can’t help his obsession with Palm Springs. This fall, five of his limited-edition prints complement the colorful modern furniture and décor of the H3K Home showroom.

The first debuted this summer, depicting a stack of homes in distinctive midcentury styles, each teetering with activity. Dogs, drinks, and dancing mingle with a conical fireplace, a cactus-filled bullet planter, butterfly chairs, a Nelson Saucer Bubble lamp, and a rotating tram car. Musselman’s It’s-a-Small-World-meets-Barbie-Dream-House fantasy illustration sums up the scene as well as any local could.

My wonderful Canyon Sands Bookclub

What fun today to see everyone again and to talk about books and food....our topic.  I chose "My Life in France" by Julia Child to talk about and shared stories of being introduced to all sorts of wonderful food during our first trip to France rather like Julia Child's experience of being exposed to all this wonderful dining after being raised in a "meat and potatoes" family in Pasadena, California.

One of the things I mentioned was our introduction to mussels in Beziers in 1972. We couldn't believe this guy was eating this huge plate of what seemed like fish bait to us but he was eating with such gusto and enjoyment, Jim said we had to try them. The beginning of many thousands of mussels.

We have been so wonderfully welcomed here this year. Is it because Trump had been so wretched towards Canada...perhaps. You just gotta love Americans...well, most of them.

And it's so sweet that the bookclub has named our little Canyon Sands lending library "Kathy's Corner". She was such a special person for all of us. I don't think anyone of us met anyone quite like her.

A quick photo of today's sunrise

From inside the window with my small camera...doesn't do it justice.

And the ever wonderful Rancho Mirage Library

We went to a lecture by the author yesterday, A wonderful presenter and so interesting. Very cool to see the place where the Obamas stay when they come to the desert.

No longer overshadowed by neighboring Palm Springs, Mod Mirage reveals in photos and stories the historic homes and communities of Rancho Mirage that make up its significant midcentury heritage.

Mod Mirage documents the architecturally innovative homes and communities that were built on and adjacent to the historic Thunderbird and Tamarisk Country Clubs from 1950 to 1970, in what is now the community of Rancho Mirage, California. Some of the midcentury’s most distinguished architects, including William Cody, Donald Wexler, William Krisel, E. Stewart Williams, and William Pereira, designed many of these structures, many of which are hidden behind country club gates and not easily accessible to the public. 

This is the first book to focus solely on Rancho Mirage’s rich architecture while also discussing its influential social history. 

Melissa Riche is a writer, researcher, architecture enthusiast, preservationist, and media consultant. She has written about architecture and design for twenty years, including articles for Atomic Ranch magazine and the Desert Sun newspaper and historic nominations for the Palm Springs Preservation Foundation. She is the founder of Mod Mirage, a group of midcentury modern homeowners in Rancho Mirage, California. Melissa and her husband, photographer Jim Riche, live in Tamarisk Ranchos, a William Krisel–designed midcentury modern community.

Another wonderful day in Paradise

We played golf yesterday and got teemed up with a really nice couple who were elementary school teachers in Victoria. Such fun and we all played well and no sore backs so far. He is a member at Royal Colwood and has a 10 handicap. Now, what a deal...super twilight was $16 each and included two drinks each and a power cart. As someone said, they are paying you to play golf!

We split a Western burger in the bar for dinner after the game and then came back to having our first fire. Wonderful to be cool enough at night for that. And sipped a Speyside single malt...$16.95 at Trader Joe's. At home you would pay at least $50.

The ever amazing Palm Springs Art Museum

We went on the second free Sunday of the month and were treated to Indigenous singers and dancers and also you could even do bead work in the activity room. This current exhibit, Unsettled, is quite wonderful and one of the first things we saw were two Emily Carr paintings on loan from the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Unsettled is a sweeping presentation of contemporary art by more than 75 artists living or working in the Greater West. This provocative exhibition looks to the future while also honoring the past and those who created cultures and places millennia before it was declared ‘unsettled.’

The exhibition’s fertile terrain is a “super region” that runs from the top of Alaska, through the North American West, and all the way down to Central America, and the work created here explores the geography of vast frontiers, rich natural resources, diverse indigenous peoples, and the inevitable conflicts that arise when these factors coexist.

For more:

https://www.psmuseum.org/calendar-2/617-unsettled

Since there are a lot of photos I'll post over the next few days. Sometimes the explanation comes before and sometimes after. I've left space inbetween so you can tell what goes with what.  A crazy little programming error with blogger.

This work was called "Erasing the Border"