BYE, BYE, PALM SPRINGS

Today was our last day in Outdoor Resort until next Fall. This morning Ron and Steve helped Dad pack up while I made our last breakfast. Then Steve and Dad drove to L.A. where Dad will stay with Steve until next weekend and Kim and David III's wedding. Then he will be on the Central Coast for awhile until he decides what he wants to do next. I hope he comes and visits me because I miss him already.

After Dad and Steve left Lisa, Ron and I hung out by the pool for awhile. We are packing up to leave tomorrow. But it was our last pool swim here this season. We cleaned up and went to La Palapa for shrimp tacos, a favorite treat that we will miss while we are away.

Then we took Lisa to The Lodge for a nightcap. It is a lovely five star hotel where President Bush stayed last month. It overlooks the valley. Actually we went there with Ron and Amy when they were last here.

Tomorrow we go to L.A. to prepare for Lisa's graduation party which we are giving on Monday. Lisa graduates in San Diego on Sunday. So much excitement!

ANOTHER WONDERFUL GIRLS' WEEKEND

Last weekend I was blessed with another visit with my best girl friends. I flew north to Walnut Creek on Thursday afternoon. Mary (Woolley) Schaub and her husband, Fred, picked me up at the Oakland Airport. Her sister, Roseann, and my cousin, Carol, joined us for dinner, a beautiful sunset and the rest of the weekend.

On Friday morning after Mass we went back to the airport to pick up Mary (Waguespack) Burch. She flew in from Seattle. We had lunch on the Schaub's beautiful back patio by the pool and did what we girls always do best----visit.

Also we gave each other little gifts. I made the girls t-shirts. Well, Ron helped me print the saying online. I ironed them on. I hope you can read them from the photo. I stole the idea from a couple of ladies that Lisa and I saw at Disneyland. It is kind of cute, I think. I could have bought all one color t-shirt. But, I colored us up. See? You crafty girls out there may have a laugh at me.

In the evening Mary and Fred's daughter, Theresa, and her family joined us for dinner. They are such a lovely family. The three children, Stevie, Lauren, and Ricky are precious. Young Steve is quite a kick. We then helped Theresa put together the supplies for several different projects; one for Scouts, one for Little League and even something for the swim team, I believe. Anyway it was fun. Once they went home we ladies sat around the table talking until after midnight.

On Saturday Roseann made a great breakfast for us and then we shopped most of the day away. We chose a Cuban restaurant for dinner, Havana. It was scrumptious. We even had a pitcher of Mojitos. The whole Cuban experience was a first for all of us and we loved it.

Sunday morning after Mass Roseann made breakfast for once again. No B&B could do better. However, so much work for Mary and Roseann---all that planning and cooking. Fred took all our digital cameras, downloaded the pictures and printed them so we could all go home with copies. How sweet is that! We were back at the airport by 3:00pm. The weekend went all too fast. For that I am sorry. But I do thank God for such precious friends and this opportunity to be with them. There is truly nothing like it.

MOTHER'S DAY WEEKEND

Last Friday Dad, Ron and I left Palm Springs for a delightful weekend. Dad and Ron took me to the Amtrak station in Glendale. Uncle Mike picked Dad up for visit with him and Aunt Jeanne in Aqua Dulce. Ron went on to visit with his Mom.

I went to San Diego to be with Lisa. She picked me up and we went to the school where she student teaches. I was able to meet her Master Teachers, who praised Lisa to the sky. That was fun for me and made Lisa quite happy also. We went from there to Gringo's for dinner. I never had such a large margarita in my life.

Saturday, after a Starbuck's start, Lisa and I spent the morning gathering supplies for her final project for her student teaching job. She is doing some really neat stuff there. In the afternoon Lisa, and two of her friends, Annie and Amberly and I went out to the point of Point Loma which is Cabrillo National Monument. That was so beautiful. It has the most wonderful views of San Diego and Coronado Island. That evening Lisa and I went to dinner at the Olive Garden. We did that in remembrance of Angie. Olive Garden was her favorite restaurant.

On Sunday Lisa and I had breakfast on the boardwalk at a lovely cantina. Then I took the train back to Glendale where I could spend the rest of the day with Tessie. We stayed over night and met up with Dad on Monday morning and drove back to Palm Springs.

GRANDPA AND AMY

Yesterday Dad mentioned that I hadn't put the picture of him getting a big kiss from Amy in the blog. I didn't want to make any of you too jealous. So here it is with some other great photos of Dad. I do receive many requests for more photos of Dad. It is kind of embarassing because I end up on them often.