BEDDO/CORNING ON THE ROAD: A View From the Desert, a View of My Bowels...

December 12, 2014

Well, guess what happened since I last wrote on November 30^th? Hmmmm?! It was my 58^th birthday…..it was, really! Very exciting day for all of you I’m sure. It was for moi. Let me run a recap by you in case you’re curious as to just how I spent this august day:

1) Woke at 7:30 AM, put bathing suit on, went to “big pool” for our first water aerobic class. Now, we’ve been consistently attending our water stretching class five days a week – the singing one, which we love. The big pool class, we were assured by the energizer bunny instructor, is MUCH better, with lots of energizing exercise. We’re used to a vigorous class at our Poulsbo Athletic Club so thought, “Cool, we’ll add these two days to our week and get a little more oomph out of the class than singing. It was NOT as hardcore as Poulsbo, so was a bit of a disappointment. Still felt good, however, to move a little quicker, a little differently.

2) As Ton-Ton sped off to his blood draw, I started the laundry and waited for our 10 AM water stretching class. The dear women there, most of whom don’t really know my name, sang me happy birthday twice. Blessed me!

3) We took ourselves off to the big pool for some righteous, 80 degree sunshine. We not only basked, swam and basked again…we had a couple of wonderfully thorough conversations about all sorts of stuff.

4) Showered up, top down. 5 Guys burgers here we come! Yes, after seven months of towing the food line and renewing my health, I decided to DIVE full circle into not only a burger with a bun, but French fries! For dinner I planned on In N Out burger and then a Cheesecake Factory piece of cake.

5) Delightful, delicious cheeseburger with half a regular size fry in ma’ belleh! OK, was not as fulfilling emotionally as I though it would be but hey, fries! In ma’ belleh!

6) Home again, talking with a few new friends here, I felt a rumble down below, with what felt like a possible breach of my sphincter. I continued pointing my listening face at our talking friend as I backed up slowly toward the door – it also seemed prudent to listen to my sphincter voice bellowing. At the door I was up the stairs heading for the bathroom when…..my sphincter gave way. Luckily my undies and shorts were holding their ground, but the explosion in my panties, I could feel, was not to be taken lightly. I’ll spare you a written word picture of the disaster that ensued, but be assured, it was on the grounds of the recent Hawaiian volcano spewing hot lava over a peaceful village.

7) Lesson learned: do not think you are smarter than the food you shouldn’t eat.

8) Because of my unexpected and unwanted anal leakage, In N Out was off, as was any thought of cheesecake. I spent the rest of the evening happily reading.

9) The Day After: not feeling so well, stomach a bit achy, muscles a little sore. We rolled out and did a bunch of errands later THEN picked up my vanilla cheesecrack. Didn’t want to eat it that night so stupidly left it sitting on countertop all night. Made for a watery, mushy mess – which I still hooved down for dinner the next evening.

10) Second Day After: never dressed, never showered – because I didn’t want to. Spent all day messing around in my underwear and skimpy top, while the Tony ran his own errands. Probably wanted to get away from my skanky ass. I went to my bedlove around 2:00 PM, rolling around eating pistachios and reading three books at once, cats lolling near me on the bed. I love my hibernation chamber so much – everything is at hand, including my happiness.

The 10^th also brought around my first day of my online writing class. I signed on and began my new journey, looking forward to seeing which way this path will take me. I loved it. Assignment: read books in whatever genre(s) you may want to write in; read archives of articles from the Washington Post called “Writers on Writing.” Devoured them; write ten minutes a day, mandatory. Can do.

I’m finding that my head is BLOWING UP with ideas to write and write. I am jotting them down as fast as I can, filling pages of a new writing journal my sister Dawn sent me for my birthday. I feel stared at, as if everyone around me can see words, sentences, paragraphs spilling out of the top of my head, my mouth and nose. I feel alive!

December 19, 2014

Saying goodbye to a happy place is never easy when RV’ing. As humans, we personalize everything we see and touch: patches of lawn, oleander bushes, neighbors packed tight to our rig, those who walk by with their dog(s) everyday, the laundry room, library and pool(s). My lightbulb here is that I want everywhere we stop to be home – if even for 24 hours, or a mear two weeks.

We’ve been at Indian Wells RV in Indio, CA since November 15^th and have enjoyed every moment. When you arrive as a new camper, the permanents are watching you pretty carefully as they swim and stroll and attend doughnut day: are you worthy to get to know, they ask themselves and each other? New acquaintance making in the RV world is like treading water in a pool; circle, circle, move those arms and legs; occasionally stop and sniff around the various statements made, beliefs aired. Do they mesh with your world or not? Most of the time, even if political or social beliefs are 180 out, they’re interesting enough topics to pursue and discuss. Sometimes, not so much.

Decoration at Indian Wells...Santa Pops Out!

I know this about myself now: my feet itch like crazy after about three weeks. This is the longest we’ve stayed anywhere after four years on the road, the exception being a month at a county park in Florida last year. We made dear friends there too, whom I’ve never received an email response from in a year – and we promised to stay in touch! I found myself pulling back, shutting down the social circles we had tentatively made here, and realized that’s my way of not saying goodbye – a social necessity I detest. I, in fact, am glad to be moving on, despite our wonderful moments here. They’re done, buh bye.

That leaves us to finish packing and stowing today, leaving the RV at the Walmart parking lot, finish a bit of shopping at my favorite stores - Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s (which are far away from our next destination, Desert Hot Springs). Always, always bittersweet moment to pack up. I know I go into a sad little denouement during the travel time from one spot to another: an ending and a beginning. Usually by the time we reach our new spot, I’m excited about setting back up and meeting new people.

For those interested our camp break-down goes something like this:

1) Tony concentrates on the outside pack-up such as sewer and water hoses disconnected and stowed. Electric unplugged and tucked away. Chairs and rake refolded, BBQ cleaned and stowed. Check coach (storage) doors are secure, start rig, pull out and reattach tow dolly.

2) As we are both “pilers” of stuff collected and unpacked during our stay-times (magazines, books, newspapers, flyers from the Chamber), Jackie works on tidying the inside: clear off dashboard of loose items (measuring tape, TC’s hearing aid container, electronic fault finder, wipe cloths, screws/nuts/bolts/washers, TC’s extra glasses, tools); clean off driver’s seat and floor of towels, bathing suits, tool bag, newspapers, etc.; clean and stow TV tray and Macbook; clean and stow all items collected on Jackie’s table (leather bag o’ junk-drawer-type stuff: post cards, fan from the Ryman in Nashville, woolen ball, receipts to enter into spreadsheet, nail clippers, cat comb, et al), glucometer, tablets, TV clickers, phone, writing journal, scissors. Bundle garbage and recyclables and replace with new bags/containers. Kitchen items: salt and pepper put in cupboard, butter dish in sink, dishes put away; sink, stove and countertop cleaned and disinfected, pots and pans stowed in oven, stove top refolded over burners; Sodastream stowed on bed; soap, sponge, cat food spoon and green cleaner put in sink, sink tops returned to place. Bathroom counter cleared off and all items stowed in cabinets or sink, litter box cleaned of poop, trash tossed and bag replaced, toilet cleaned from top to bottom. Bed made, cabinet doors shut, cpaps pushed back, shades up.

Green clean all of rig: window “sills” wiped down, windows cleaned, windows closed, shades up. Wipe down kitchen and bathroom counters, dashboard, kitchen cabinets and drawers. Clean all mirrors. Sweep always gritty floor, Swiffer constantly swept floor. Make sure cats are inside, check under couch for Blackie-Me-Boy. Make sure antenna is down. Check check list on door: Fridge, Antenna, Vents, Windows, Cats, O’Head, Step, Door Locked – the final check to avoid disaster.

At 1:30 I’ll be fitted for a pair of hearing aids provided by Labor and Industries, due to the heavy duty work atmosphere I spent my life working within such as canneries, fish processors,WSF repair yard and engine rooms. Yes, HEARING AIDS! Causes me to pause and think of my body aging – yes it is happening Jackie, can be seen plainly in pictures - the sagging skin, belly weight, LINES.

As for these new hearing aids, I’m feeling the need will be greater in the future and I may as well get used to them now – at no cost to me. Not only has my hearing declined sharply in the last few years, but I have tinnitus in my left ear – a constant high pitched ringing. Found an L and I preferred hearing aid clinic with am extremely creepy dispenser-guy, Dean, and it is working out well. My intuition tells me that Dean is a hedonist. I've had three visits to him - and more to come - to adjust my hearing aids for my benefit and explain some of their tricks, which he is very good at doing. His remarks about his newly sober life, partying with frat buds (he's 63), barely contained excitement while not looking at my cleavage...creeper. Tony confirmed

Now ensconced in our home away from home in Desert Hot Springs (DHS) – Catalina Spa! Or "Cat Spa" as we locals lovingly call the joint. I feel so happy being here at our first and favorite spot. This is the place that has the best mineral hot springs – think 20 people – spa tub. Next to that is the mineral springs pool, adrift with groups of chatty people. The cats are in heaven with tons of sand to roll and poop in – yes, we clean it up.

December 20^th, 2014

Today we will spend the next four with the Hunter’s – John, Sandi and Holli – here for Disneyland, beach and pool. The pool we can provide, in spades. Having never been to the Coachella Valley, we’ll be touring around as well – Joshua Tree, the tram, the ritzy El Paseo, Palm Springs itself. And the pools…

We are very excited about sharing this beautiful valley with them. We’ll get Holli to spend the night, or as many as she’d like with us, with the promise of a blue mineral pool always in her dreams.

While the Hunter's stayed at Aunt Rose's beautiful home in San Jacinto, about an hour's drive from DHS, they trekked to us every day for a tour of one kind or another. I've experienced Joshua Tree National Park just north of DHS as a highly spiritual, centering natural occurrence. As we drove through the park in their rental car and got closer and closer to the hundreds of acres of unique and beautiful extruded rocks, we had great conversations among all of us, conversations we're often too busy to have back home. It was lovely.

Rose and Holli at the Soboda Country Club

We stopped at several campgrounds, John, Sandi and Holli hiking a bit in the rocks. It is incredibly beautiful with the blue sky, sun warming those up-thrusting rocks, campers sitting around their fires (smells delicious!), walking back from their rock climbing or hiking. Lots of youth. Joshua Tree camp sites are primitive,especially for an RV - no water, no electricity. We stayed their on our very first venture out in Blue and not only drained our batteries but damn near froze at night. In other words, totally unprepared for this life.

Grandpa and Holli at Joshua Tree

Tony and daughter Sandi in Joshua Tree

TC and JB FRONT Photobombing John and Holli

John and Holli returned the next day to hike some more, which we loved. Sandi, Tony and I hung by the pool in the sun, then met the other two at Rose's for the Seahawk's game. Go Hawks!

We also hung around downtown Palm Springs and watched the world go by, ate at our precious El Gallito, and spent a warm evening walking the Gucci-rich El Paseo Ave. The latter was a hit with everyone!

Tony, Sandi, John, Holli and Jackie at El Gallito

Our El Gallito...TC, Sandi, Holli and John

They flew out the next day, back to the wind, rain and power outages - but what a great time they had in SOCAL! Next up, Alex!

Had my hearing aids fit and tested with great success yesterday. Strange wearing something in my abnormally itchy ears but it does improve what little sound I need help with at this time of my life. Many visits to follow, as outlined above.

Christmas Dinner at Catalina Spa

My 1950's Christmas Pillow Covers...Love Them!

December 29, 2014

My online writing class, “Writerrific”, has me turning around looking for my truth, irritated, annoyed, angry, intrigued. The instructor has two rules that I don’t wish to follow: 1) No foul language; 2) Don’t say anything “mean” about your classmate’s writing. Bullshit. How can one write from the heart with rules?!

I’ve done my assignments, only one that involves writing so far – write yourself as a color – barf. I’ve duly read everyone else’s depiction of being various colors, some really, really good, surprisingly – that’s my “intrigue” – some difficult to read because they’re not well written.

There are some who are quite worried about every assignment, questioning the teacher endlessly. The amount of classmates and their geography is fascinating…all over the US, Australia, the United Kingdom. The instructor is quite the author with many books both written by her, and she acting as a ghost writer for others. She’s enthusiastically upbeat in her remarks to all the classmates; it’s OK with me, but kind of smarmy.Likes to throw in her love of Christian writing with another classmate so inclined. Again, barf.

My next assignment is called a Bubble exercise. I am to clip a newspaper article, then find ten or more sub items that I may use to write about the subject, then ten or more about the sub items, etc. You jot these items around the initial subject, thus a “bubble” is formed. It’s brainstorming, really. Haven’t started it yet – of course Betty, the class favorite, began immediately. It’s supposed to rain the next few days so I will attempt the assignment, AND finishing this blog…

December 30, 2014

Back from a long day driving the valley visiting doctor for poop analysis: four of five tests for bacteria came back negative; more blood tests; eat a bland diet; drink ginger ale. She had on her “irritated doctor face” when I took her on a short trip through Jackie-land from June to present. She obviously does not approve of my meat and veggies diet although couldn’t quite condemn me due to the success I’ve had in conquering my diabetes. Crappy dresser too, and yes, my super-judgy self is holding that against her. Sausage roll for bangs, please!

I was really down when I left her, feeling scolded for not, in her opinion, eating properly. She said that my guts are in turmoil from….something, and that I need a bland diet such as rice, apple, toast (the BRAT diet minus the B due to high carbs). I told her I likely wouldn’t eat any of those, although in retrospect a little rice, toast and apple wouldn’t kill me. I have a phone interview with my Doc on the 5th and I’ll run all this by her to see what her advice is for me.

I am also not to go in the pool until this is diagnosed, as I may be spreading whatever I have to others. She posits that I may have gotten something from a pool, water at a park; suggested I drink bottled water until we clear this up. So many “ifs.”

While TC and I were in the store yesterday – Vons, which is really Safeway – I saw a group of four handsome Asian boy/men picking up large red Dixie cups, teased them about their drinking that night. “Yes ma’m”, they confirmed. As I walked past them one ventured, “Do you want to join us?”, as the others were shushing him. HA! I felt both totally creeped out and a smidge flattered. My mind ran through what I would have done as a drunk 20 years ago, may have made a terrible choice, as drunks often do. I told them those party days were over for me 20 years ago and they politely congratulated me. HA again!

January 6, 2014

We moved just down the street from Cat Spa to Desert Pools, which we've heard is being revamped. Haven't been there in a couple of years so are looking forward to seeing what the haps are there. I drove through the park with the car picking a spot out suitable for the cats - god forbid they should be mentally damaged by our move!, while Tony checked in at the office. On my return he reports being chided for my drive-through (not allowed!). The office manager, Linda, in her Seahawks shirt was welcoming, informative and slightly irritating.

Roku, or, Kitty Boy, On Rock at Desert Pools

We eventually changed sites (not allowed!) which I made Tony take care of as I didn't want to hear her lecture us on the rules. Nice spot, cats are happy, no one around.

We've settled in for our not usual RPI week (usually two as an RPI Preferred customer), headed to the pool, braved the 27 degree mornings and 45 degree nights. Looming is Friday the 9th when we need to have a secured site elsewhere.....but where?

Meanwhile.....we have a club dinner to attend (masses of fun and great people, crappy ribs), three movies I picked from the Palm Springs International Film Festival, friends to talk with, overused the data allowance, daughters to worry about, assignments to write.

I have been thinking again, alot. Couldn't sleep the other night due to many hurricane thoughts running, nay, leaping/jumping/meandering through my Norwegian brain. I think I slept four or five hours, worrying through my poop problems, moving the RV, feeling like a fat hog when I saw a picture of myself - I thought I looked nice that day!

I spilled it all to Tony the next morning, trying to clear the old bean, and it did. We have been talking about volunteering at this park as they've advertised the need for office and maintenance staff, worked through our presentation and credentials.

We are on the staff for 30 days and will see what that brings.The advantage is we have a free spot, with one free wifi connection for the duration. Our downside, which may not be a negative, is the restriction of 30 hours a week, split between us.

Had a marvelous lunch with our friends Nina and George Pederson at their iconic mid-century home in Rancho Mirage. George is a fantastic cook and served us lobster tails, scallops in dill butter, white asparagus, rolls and colseslaw. They are also fascinating people and although we are on opposite sides of the political spectrum, we steer away from those topics, in general, and lend our conversations more to our activities, and lately, our health issues.