Scooter racing

Scooter racing
After parking for the night, we'll still have time for a little racing

Saturday 8 March 2014

To Flee or to Pee

Spotted my friend Penny out circle walking yesterday.  In addition to the short spiked hair and the capris (the Shangri-La dress code is still in effect), she was sporting a cast on her left arm.  It seems she went to the Castle Dome museum, which unfortunately doesn't yet have indoor plumbing.  For the convenience of customers, they have porta-potties outside.  It turns out that these also make a very nice, cool shelter for snakes.

Penny walked in and came face to face with a rattlesnake that gave a warning and then reared up, ready to strike.  She backed out in a hurry, fell down and broke her elbow.

On the plus side, she forgot all about having to pee.

I have heard reports that someone in the area was struck by a snake while walking in the desert.  The recent heat wave has awakened them (the snakes, not the snowbirds) and, as I suspected, rattlesnakes wake up grumpy. 

Wednesday 5 March 2014

Dum Dee Dum Dee Dum...

Life just plods along nicely when you have nothing to do and lots of time to do it.  I've spent the past two weeks reading and swimming....not at the same time.  For spy thriller lovers out there, try the books by Daniel Silva.  I've read at least a dozen since July and I'm waiting anxiously for him to crank out a few more.

Syd and Lynda left 2 weeks ago for Apache Junction.  Since then, I've kept a low profile - working on my tan and generally staying out of trouble.  Trouble, however, seems to find me.  Once again, the Beast started acting up - plumbing problems.  Suffice to say that I now have a new toilet and a big hole in my bank account.

Just so I didn't get too complacent, I got a panic email from my downstairs neighbor in BC to say that water was pouring into her apartment from mine.  Turns out the leak came from the condo above me and there has been some damage to my walls and ceilings.  Sigh....

I've decided to head home a couple of weeks early, to make sure that things get repaired in my condo. 

Forgot to mention that I have a new pet....there's a little hummingbird nest in my tree (yes, I have a tree).  Mama is getting used to me so I was able to get a nice picture.

Saturday 1 March 2014

Club Fed - 1880s style

No one could accuse the old Yumans of being soft on crime.  I took myself off on a tour of the Yuma Territorial Prison, built in the 1800s out of bedrock and adobe.  A couple of weeks in that place would have made me turn into a nun.  The cells were tiny and housed 6 prisoners.  All that was in there were 3-tiered bunk beds and a chamber pot.  If you didn't work, you didn't eat - they chained you to the cell floor and left you there. 

I was surprised by the menu for the prisoners.  Breakfast was usually steak, potatoes, eggs and beans; lunch was steak and beans but dinner was usually only fruit or veggies, bread and water. 

The museum was interesting - I was really struck by the incredible arts and crafts which were made by the prisoners.  Weaving with horsehair, making lace, bone and shell artifacts..... incredible what you can do with time on your hands and sharp instruments at your disposal.