In the Redwoods

Not much bloggin' goin' on lately but I am having a great time in Redwood Country with my sis!  One of the most enjoyable aspects is the weather, which hovers between 50-70 degrees all the time; it is usually cloudy/foggy in the AM and the sun emerges around lunchtime. The sunshine is softer than Florida sun and has a deeper yellow hue which, when it hits the rain/misted leaves, glistens and is super-pretty.

Wine is cheap in California and I found my favorite "everyday" vino, Blackstone Merlot, for $5.99 at CVS versus $11.99 at Publix.  Even more exciting, there is a "new" pourable margarita cocktail that is sooo refreshing and fruity- it is dangerous!   It is a heavenly concoction of grapefruit, tangerine and tequila and it is smooth and delicious and available in mass quantities at Costco.  You can see that we bought two cases to tide us over until the cruise (Aug 25).

It is also medicinal; Sharon's hubster Norm, had hip replacement surgery 3 weeks ago.  Between naps with the dogs, he chases his Vicodin with a margarita.

When I get a burst of energy, I work a little on my RV which never fully recovered from the onslaught on Lovebugs in northern Florida.

It required some scrubbing and following that, an application of Rejex, "Nothing Sticks But the Shine!" (a thin-film polymer coating, used instead of wax or polish, to provide the ultimate, durable high-gloss protective finish for vehicles of all types).

I mentioned in my last blog that I had vehicle body damage from whatever I hit in the road and decided to do the body repair myself.  Here are some photos of the project.  I have custom paint in waiting, but it has been too humid to apply.

BOO-BOO's

Fiberglass Filler

Sanded, ready for paint

After all that work, my parts have been a bit grumpy.  Thankfully, muscles are pummeled back into anatomical position thanks to the students at the nearby Arcata Massage School.  Even though they are supervised by proctors, they do some of the weirdest techniques!  One of them stuck her fingernail on the end of my toes with pressure.  She got the message that it was not a soothing move when I came out of my semicoma with a startled mini-scream.  


While looking for an activity that does not require a lot of standing or walking (since my Sis needs an ankle replacement), we hit upon the Ladies Flat Track Roller Derby event at the fairgrounds.   I knew nothing about it except what little I had seen on cable and thought it would be a grin to watch "women with intimidating nicknames in short shorts, tatoos and facepaint beating the crap out of each other at high speeds!"  

This is Serious Fun!   There has been a tsunami in The Roller Derby World and there is even a cartoon category for ladies' roller derbying!   While men have always had football, now women have Roller Derby!  It is enticing to think one can legally--in a game--knock people down, speed skate and adopt a dangerous nickname to wear on your shirt.   I would probably do this if I were 30 years younger!

For those unfamiliar (including me) with one of the only full-contact sports for women, here's a quick rundown:

Each 30-minute half is broken into shifts called jams.   A pack of eight players, called blockers, hold the front position while two jammers wait in the back. When the whistle blows, the two jammers try to break through the pack and out the other side. 

Once the jammers make their way through the hips and elbows of the blockers, they are able to begin scoring, earning a point every time they legally pass a member of the opposing team.


This poster sums up my position on the subject:

Today, an extraordinarily dreary weather day Sis and I took the loose coins to the nearest CoinStar and went to the Bear River Casino where we did not win any money.  So, we lunched at the Eel River 100% Organic Brewery (it's a California thing) where 

the beer was bold and cold ...

....and wall art reflected local industry-related witicisms.


In about 10 days, I will be going up to Portland to attend my grandniece's 5th birthday and reunite with family members.  My sister and I are in charge of the kiddie gift bags and the Safari Treasure Hunt.  We went to the Thrift Shop and bought 12 stuffed animals for $2.20.   Between now and then, we must think of clue-rhymes to help 5 year olds look for a specific animal like: 
 "I go Meow and I'm not a Bat.  
Look for 4 legs and a tail and find the *___."  


*Answer:  Cat