Eureka - California 2014

7-31-14

When I arrived at the Eureka Moose Lodge they had only one empty site. I have never seen that many RVs at the lodge before.

In the evening when I went to the bar to do my computer work, a lady approached me and asked me whether I was a WIN. She was a prospective member. She was traveling with four WINs. A few minutes later they appeared. They are Jack, Judy, Peggy, Rosa and Jo.

When I got back to the motorhome, Claudia, Nicolette and Jacob came to visit me. They had their new puppy with them. It is very cute.

8-1-14

Nicolette and Jacob were staying with Scott’s mother and Pete today. In the evening Claudia and Scott went out. I had the day for myself. I went to the Senior Center for lunch and spent some time with the WINs and prospective WINs.

In the evening I went to the lodge for Karaoke. There was no dancing, and the singers were terrible.

Peggy, Judy, Rosa and Jo were playing Mexican Train in the lodge. I was invited but thanked them and went back to the motorhome.

8-2-14

In the morning I went to Claudia’s house. I watched Dakota play with the little puppy. Dakota is very gentle but the little guy bites Dakota and then hides under the couch.

While Scott worked around the house, Claudia and the children went to the Freshwater County Park in Freshwater. Claudia’s friend and their children were there too. I came later.

The children showed me their jumping in the water skills. Nicolette jumped first.

Here is Jacob getting ready.

They had a lot of fun on the float.

The mothers are enjoying the sun. In Eureka it was about 60 degrees F and here, eight miles away from the coast, about 80 degrees F.

  

Nicolette and Jacob really enjoy the water.

Nicolette jumped from the railing.

At the park is also a playground.

  

The dam is in operation only in the summer. The rest of the year the creek flows freely. To assist the salmon go upstream, when they are spawning, ladders were built for them.

In the evening I went to Old Town for Art Walk. A lot of stores were open. In the open place, before the gazebo, belly dancers were entertaining the crowd.

Young ladies were parading in front of a lingerie store.

There were several good bands playing on the sidewalks.

A couple was dancing to the music on stilts.

The carriage was not very busy this evening. 

8-3-14

This morning we supported the lodge by having breakfast there. I have seen Jack only once. He has a back problem and stays in his motorhome. Jo brought him breakfast from the lodge.

  

After breakfast we went to the Redwood Acres Fairground where they had a Flea Market. I did not buy anything. Rosa could have stayed another hour. She bought little things.

After lunch I went to the boardwalk.

The Madaket, the oldest operating passenger boat in the U.S., was cruising in the harbor.

I walked all the way to the Carson Mansion. The weather was perfect.

In Old Town the carriage had customers.

A live turkey was sitting on a garbage can in Old Town. I had to look twice to be sure it was a live one.

Claudia, Scott, the children and I went for dinner to a Chinese Buffet. Back at the house the dogs were the main entertainment. After they play for a while they have to take a rest.  Peach Ann learns from Dakota. She is scratching on the door. They both go out and dig in the garden. Dakota is happy to have a playmate. The cats would not play with him. 

8-4-14

In the morning I brought my car to the body shop. They will have it for four days.

I walked back to the Moose Lodge instead of asking for a ride. When I checked the mileage on my GPS, it showed 3.4 miles. It felt a lot longer though.

After walking one hour I stopped at a barber shop for a haircut. From there I had to walk another half hour.

The four WIN ladies left today. Jack is staying until his back is better.

At 7:00 PM the Friendship Circle Dance Club had their Monday night dance in the lodge. The theme was Hawaiian.

At 8:00 PM was the business meeting and a lady from Hawaii was dancing a traditional Hawaiian dance.

Then snacks were served.

Everybody felt strong again and headed back to the dance hall. By 10:00 PM most people were worn out and we went home. I had to walk only five hundred yards.

It was a wonderful evening. The band was good and the people are very friendly.

8-5-14

This morning I walked to the Senior Center. It took me an hour and fifteen minutes. Before lunch a three piece band played dance music and some of the dancers I saw last night were at the center and dancing. One lady came to me and asked me to dance.

The lady I really wanted to dance with had already her volunteer, server apron on. I only know her from the Senior Center. She told me that she would like to dance with me but she was getting ready to serve lunch.

The band will be again at the center beginning of next month.

I went by bus back to the motorhome. With one transfer it took twenty minutes. 

Jack left this morning.

I am studying for my driver test. The subject is very boring, but I better do not fail the test.

8-7-14

Yesterday the weather was lousy. In the afternoon the temperature was 60 degrees F. with no sun.

Today the sun came out. I picked up my car in the afternoon. The front looks really good. I wish I could protect it from stones and dirt when I tow the car. I have a solid, protective mud and stone flap across the back of the motorhome. This does not work one hundred per cent though.

This morning I had visitors. Two deer came by.

In the evening I went to the waterfront, where a very good band was entertaining a large crowd.  

Members of the Friendship Circle Dance Club were in the audience and of course were dancing. I joined in and danced a few times.

People on kayaks and a sailboat were listening to the music too. On one of the kayaks a person had a little BBQ and was cooking something for the group.

8-9-14

Yesterday evening the lodge had a deep pit cooked beef, pork and turkey dinner for $ 10.00. Customers had a choice of either one meat or all three. I chose all three and it came with half a stuffed, baked potato and corn on the cob.

It was a big dinner with a sumptuous dessert.

A lady asked me whether I was alone. Then she sat beside me. We talked through the whole dinner. She mentioned her late husband several times. Just before we left the lodge she told me that she has a boyfriend. I am not very smart when it comes to women. I had similar experiences in the last two years. I have a feeling that women think that I am a gypsy.

Today the lodge had a picnic with a chili cook off and hamburgers with salad and fries.

There were also a few games for children and adults. I had Nicolette and Jacob with me. At the angler game the lady asked Jacob how old he was. He told her that he was ten years old. The lady told the other lady behind the canvas cover: “ A ten year old girl”. This was to inform the lady behind the canvas what to attach on the hook. Nicolette told the lady that Jacob was a boy. The lady took a look at Jacob and then hugged him. It does not bother him. He says it happens all the time. The girls in his school class like his hair. They wish theirs was a wavy as his.

The children went on the swing and other equipment while we were waiting for the hamburgers.

The cooks participated in the dunking game and had to try off. I was able to take a picture where the ball hits the red target.

Nicolette and Jacob got bored and I decided to take them to their favorite pizza place, instead of waiting for the hamburgers.

8-13-14

Sunday I took the children to Freshwater for swimming at the dam. One family had brought two pedal powered boats. They let everybody use them. Nicolette and Jacob and their friends had a lot of fun on the boats.

Monday evening I went again dancing at the lodge. Nicolette and Jacob are at camp this week. They come home in the evening though.

Tuesday I had dinner at Claudia’s house.

Today I went to the Department of Motor Vehicles and took my driver test. I passed and answered only two questions wrong.

I took three pair of new jeans to the tailor for shortening the legs. My waist size is down to 34 inches again. I will work hard not to outgrow the new jeans.

8-15-14

Yesterday evening I went with Claudia and Scott to the Discovery PAL Camp where Nicolette and Jacob spent their days during the week.

The kids were to spend the night at the camp. Scott had everything figured out. This was going to be a date night for him and Claudia. We were the first to arrive at the camp. Scott parked the car strategically for a fast getaway.

When we arrived the children were kept in the building and veranda to stay away from the incoming cars.

Jacob was playing with Scott with a ball attached to a post.

People are getting ready for the potluck dinner.

  

We were lucky to be sitting on one of the first tables to go and get food.

  

Scott was eating faster than usual and then sneaking out and setting up the tent for the children.

  

After dinner we were waiting for the skits the children were performing.

One of the counselors was starting a campfire.

  

Then the counselors started the entertainment.

  

Some of the children really got into the act. My grandchildren are embarrassed. I was shy too when I was a child.

Jacob acts like he is not there or part of the skit.

  

Nicolette is not much different.

The proud parents and grandparents liked the entertainment.

Here are a duck and a unicorn. 

After the show the flag is lowered.

Scott and I hurried for the car. Claudia stayed for a while and talked to the children. After a while Scott got out of the car and looked for Claudia. When the two came back to the car we take off. The rest of the parents set up the tents for their children.

The story would not be very interesting to tell if it was not for the ending.

When we got near home Claudia’s telephone rang. It was her friend, who still was at the camp, and told Claudia to pick up Nicolette and Jacob. The overnight stay at the camp had to be canceled because of a sewer problem. 

Scott and Claudia dropped me off at the house and both had to go back, take down the tent and forget about date night. Sometimes life is not fair.

Actually what is date night? It has been so long that I have had a date night that I have forgotten what it is.

Today I went to the Humboldt County Fair in Ferndale.  It was Senior Day and I did not have to pay for admission.

The sea lion show was interesting.

The juggler was working with two chain saws and a ball.

In the flower building were interesting flower arrangements on display. This display won a prize. The flowers are real. I thought they were made from plastic.

In the barns the 4H children exhibited their farm animals.

The railroad club had trains going.

For $ 7.00 one could ride a camel. I saw only adults on those beasts.

The children had a lot of fun on the carousel, ferries wheel and other mode of entertainment.

Nicolette and Jacob were today at Scott’s mother and her friend.

8-17-14

I took the children again to Freshwater for swimming.

Nicolette was not to enthusiastic about going. She did not want to get wet and freeze. It was still foggy in Eureka. I told her if the sun does not shine in Freshwater we will come home.

The sun was shining. She still was not to wild about going in the water.

When she was able to use the paddle boat, things changed. Nicolette and Jacob used the boat for about an hour. Then they started jumping of the diving platform. 

  

Several people got baptized while we were there. A church group had a picnic at the park.

The owner of the paddle boats wanted to see how many kids would fit on the floating platform. When there were a lot of children aboard he went on one side and many of the kids were sliding off. He carries a lot of weight.

When we were ready to leave Jacob noticed that he had no shorts with him. We looked all over in case they fell out of the bag. He had changed the last minute from his shorts to his swimming trunks, and left the shorts on the floor in his room.

I put a towel on the seat in the car and we went to Rita’s a Mexican restaurant. The food was very good.