Early December in the Desert

So far, this has been a Sandy Bucket List trip. As you may recall, on the way down we stopped in Las Vegas so we could check “go to Celine Dion concert” off her list. Another item that has been on her list for quite some time, is “eat at a place featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, a programme on the Food Network. From the show’s website:  Host Guy Fieri takes a cross-country road trip to visit some of America's classic "greasy spoon" restaurants — diners, drive-ins and dives — that have been doing it right for decades.

Our friend, and former La Quinta neighbour, Pat H, had a birthday in November, so we took her out for lunch to celebrate. Since Pat was the birthday girl, she got to choose the restaurant. She picked Grill-a-Burger, just down the street from her new home. You know it is going to be a fun place when the first sign you see says that complainers will have $10 added to their bill!  

When the menus arrived, Sandy was delighted to find that the restaurant has been featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.  Another item off her bucket list!  The menu was extensive, comprised of thirty different big burgers, a variety of mini burgers, where’s the beef burgers (chicken, turkey, fish, or veggie), as well as a selection of hotdogs, salads, and sides; all with cheeky names.

A peak at the Grill-a-Burger menu

It took quite a while to read through the menu and make our selections from all the choices ... and we just kept getting hungrier! The verdict, once we each received and devoured our burgers? Six thumbs up (two from each of us); this place does it right, all right. We will be back!

Happy Sandy checks another item off her Bucket List

The weather here is like summer to us. The first few weeks after our arrival, it was warm enough first thing in the mornings for us to enjoy breakfast outside.  As winter (or what passes for winter in the desert) approaches, the mornings are getting cooler, often with the temperatures in the single digits (Celcius) when we rise for the day. I have even had to wear long pants to walk the dogs some mornings!!! As winter settles in, we will likely have some light overnight frost that may delay the golfers’ morning tee times, and may even cause some damage to the cold sensitive desert plants. But it still gets warm enough for shorts most days, even then.

Kate enjoying breakfast outside

The lemons on our tree are coming along, but right now Sandy is out picking two or three oranges every day. An orange fresh from the tree is a real sweet and juicy treat. It sure makes getting your servings of fruit each day a lot easier!  We did, however, have to get a lesson about orange picking from our gardener last year.  Orange trees will draw the moisture out of the fruit if it isn’t taken off the tree in time, making for dry, woody oranges. We are making sure to get them off the tree this year while they are still juicy and good! Lemons don’t do that, and can stay on the tree for quite a while after they are ripe and still retain their juiciness. 

Fresh oranges from our yard

As you may recall, our development is right on the edge of town, so we do much of our cycling in the countryside, passed the neighbouring produce fields. It is an interesting time, crop wise, right now. There are lots of crops just coming up, and lots that are being harvested. We rode passed massive fields of leaf lettuce, today. They are fun to ride by as they are planted in wide strips of different varieties, showing off different colours. Today, I noticed one patch of lettuce that was deep purple, almost black.

Purple lettuce; harvesting crew in the distance

 For those of you wondering about the dogs, they are doing great. The big excitement in Benny's life is he had a spa day:  bath, hair cut, nail clip. Oh, and he is the only canine that is allowed up on the furniture, provided he can get there on his own.

Benny, before and after his special day

Rockie has started back to school at Dream Dogs and is absolutely loving the scent work class she is taking. She keeps her eyes glued on the instructor throughout the class and can hardly contain herself while waiting her next turn to sniff out the treats the instructor hides for the dogs to locate. A Jack Russell on the hunt; this is what she is meant to do! 

Rockie does her homework in the garage.  Benny has figured that out and likes to try to get in on the action. He gets really excited when he accidentally finds one of the hidden treats I set out before Rockie gets them all.  Ben's sniffer is no where as good as Rockie's, but it is fun to watch him try to locate the treats.

Rockie, not so patiently waiting her turn at school

A tired dog it a good dog. And after long walks, classes, or homework sessions, Rockie is one sleepy little terrier.   

All tuckered out after school, and sneaking a nap on the chesterfield!

You may have heard of the many serious fires in southern California, driven by the Santa Anna winds. These are hot, dry winds that blow from the desert towards the coast. There are a string of fires burning from north of Los Angeles, south, with thousands of acres burned, many structures consumed, and over 200,000 evacuees. For us, this brings back memories of the Fort McMurray fire.

Recently, we made plans with our riding buddy, Ed M, to go cycling this week in San Diego, about two hours drive from here. Routes were selected, Ed and I booked our dogs into camp, and travel plans were made. The next day, another fire broke out outside of San Diego, named the Lilac Fire.  As with the others, this fire was fast growing and out of control. With the unpredictability of the winds and fires, we made the decision to cancel our trip.

As of writing this entry, the San Diego fire was under control, but still burning and with lots of smoke in the air over the city. Here in La Quinta, we are safe from the fires, as we are on the east side of the mountains that separate us from the coast.  

Devastation caused by the Lilac fire, San Diego

 

That's about it for now. We are busy getting out on our bikes 3 - 4 times a week, joining in some other activities, and getting ready for Christmas.