Thanksgiving 2008 Number Two

11-25-08
We left Carlsbad at 9:15 AM and arrived at Peg Leg Smith Monument in Borrego Springs at Noon.
There were a lot of motor homes and trailers, but only a few people around. Most of the group had gone to Julian for apple pie.
So far about seventy WIN motorhomes and trailers are here. Everybody is ready for Thanksgiving.
I signed up for clean up and we put our name down for a dessert. The host of the gathering has lists attached to her motor home. There are lists for cutting the turkeys, keeping the food in the refrigerator, heating up the food, serving the food, set up the tables, and for clean up. It is well organized. Here are the WINs carving up 12 turkeys.












The turkeys, stuffing, gravy, and mashed potatoes are purchased, the rest of the meal is brought by the members of the group.
At the 4:00 PM circle meeting we met everybody. Some people we have not seen for a while, and some we saw two months ago on the Lake Powell house boat trip.
After the meeting we spent some time with Lola and Bruce at their motor home.
At 7:00 PM I went over to the camp fire.

11-26-08
I woke up during the night and listen to the rain hitting the roof of the motor home. After checking the vent in the roof, and the TV antenna mechanism for leaks, I tried to fall asleep again. I was happy that I had fixed those two trouble spots after the last rain, but the two bed room windows still have small leaks. I give up.
After Hugs and Mugs we went to the State Park Visitor Center for the "Ghost Mountain" movie.
The movie is about an artist and his wife, building an adobe house on top of a mountain, near Borrego Springs. It seems they were the first Hippies. Their three children were born there.
We needed some refreshments after the show and stopped at the coffee shop for a coffee for Doreen and chocolate chip mint ice cream for me. At the Market we bought two pies for tomorrow.
From there we went to see Ron Carlson. Two years ago he said good by to Peg Leg Smith and moved his motor home on the ten acres he had bought. Today he informed us that he also bought a house in Borrego Springs.
At the 4:00 PM Circle Meeting we met the new arrivals and got all the information for the Thanksgiving dinner. I hope it does not rain tomorrow.
In the evening we went to Lola’s motor home and saw the movie "A Christmas Story".

11-27-08
When I woke up black clouds came across the mountains. I went for a walk and took some pictures.












At Hugs and Mugs the people, who had the food in the refrigerators, put it on tables and the people who will heat it up took possession of the food containers.
81 hungry WINs started at 1:00 PM to eat all the turkey, and side dishes, plus desert. The second shift servers were first in line. Lola was a second shift server, so Bruce, Doreen and I had the pleasure watching her eat her food. We are always on the last table to be served.














I got my part of turkey though, I was in the line twice. The dark clouds came nearer to Peg Leg Smith Monument by the minute. We could see the rain falling in Borrego Springs. Luck was on our side. When we were finished with our dinner a few drops came down and we took off for our motor homes.
We did not manage to eat all the food. We get another chance tomorrow.
Almost everybody took a nap after that big meal.
When I woke up, Bob Parker came to the door and made me aware of the beautiful rainbow.
In the evening we burned a WIN candle, it is a log about 10 inches in diameter and about 15 inches long and cut length wise in eight sections. There is a wick in the center, and it burns from the inside out. We can guess which section separates and falls first.

11-28-08
Doreen left this morning, at 6:15 AM, for home. She will attend a birthday party at 10:00 AM. She had brought her own car.
Before Christmas I like to stay in the desert, it is less hectic here.
After Doreen left I hiked up the mountain and walked along the ridge. It was not the smartest thing to do alone. I made it back though. I was glad that I used Doreen’s walking stick.













From up there I counted 67 rigs, we are 81 in the group,which means, Doreen and I are not the only two people in a motor home. Other people doubled up too.Bruce left his trailer in Apache Junction and is staying with Lola.
We have blue skies now, not a cloud in sight.
At 1:00 PM we attacked the turkey and ham again. It was just as delicious as yesterday.
There were less people though. Some have left already.
Tonight was dancing at the American Legion. Unfortunately it was Karaoke Night. One local lady was horrible. It hurt to listen to her.
We can be proud of our participants, Sharon and Dick. The dancing was fine though.

11-29-08
Because of the cloudless sky it was cooler last night. When I got up this morning it was 54 degrees F. in the motor home. During the night I woke up and took the cover from Doreen’s bed and added it to mine. Tonight I have to get a blanket out.
After Hugs and Mugs I drove to the large metal animal figures which are placed along Borrego Valley Road and county S-3. They are almost full size and life like.
















I also bought 10 pounds of red grapefruit at the self service fruit stand. There is a pipe with a slot for the money. You put $ 3.00 in the slot and you take a bag of oranges or grapefruit.
From there I drove to Gary Magee’s house. He was in town and I had a little visit with him.
At 1:00 PM we had seven kinds of soup and the leftover desserts. There was plenty of food.
Some of the group went to Fonts point after the circle meeting. There will also be dancing tonight, but I will take it easy.
I spent some time at the camp fire though.
Since Bob Parker installed a counter on my blog I have over 100 visits in the last two days.


11-30-08
After Hugs and Mugs I went to the State Park Visitor Center and had another look at the displays and checked out some of the books.
At 1:00 PM we had the ice cream social. We ate plenty of that good stuff. Since a lot of people had left already, there was no shortage.
In the afternoon we sat around, and then had our circle meeting. After the meeting we went to Ron and Barbara’s motor home and looked at Ron’s solar panels. He can raise and lower them from the ground. This is a good idea, one WIN had fallen from the top of his motor home while setting the panels on an angle..
The weather is fantastic now, with pleasant temperatures. It feels like in the high 70’s.
Bagpipe Bob brought potatoes and marshmallows to tonight’s camp fire, that was a wonderful change.
This is the end of our Thanksgiving outing. Some of us go to the slabs near Niland, California. The rest go to different places, but most of us will meet again in Quartzsite, Arizona, in the last two weeks in January.
This is a picture of Borrego Springs in the winter.



And those pictures were taken in March 2008