Tuples and Attributes

My hat collection has continued to grow and now some of them are sprouting/sporting feathers!

The hats had taken over the top of my dresser and were threatening to spread to other pieces of furniture so I have found them a new home:

For those of you who might remember her, that’s a picture of Tuple, my previous dog, hanging above the hats.

Got these done just in time to celebrate the 4th!

Took these while out walking this morning. The ridge the coyotes are on is just outside the front gate to our little community.

Here’s the beach I launch the kayak from:

Took that yesterday morning after a nice long paddle.

And just because I haven’t posted one of her lately, here’s Brindy chilling out while I wash the sheets:

When I lived by the ocean, I used to go kayaking several times a week. I had two kayaks and even built a customized trailer to haul them around. When I moved to the desert, I got rid of my kayaks and all the accessories.

But here in Nevada, I actually have access to a lake less than 10 minutes away. I’ve joined a “country club” for the summer and they offer kayaks for free as part of the membership. This morning I went kayaking for the first time in 15 years or so.

I was really nervous about getting on the water again: new place, unknown equipment, and a body that is 15 years older. I was also afraid that the experience couldn’t live up to the joyous memories I had from years past.

I needn’t have done all that fretting: I had a glorious time this morning. I spent a half hour paddling and can’t wait to go back and do it again.

Paddling in northern California years ago required dressing for a possible dunking in cold water. Here the sun is the main source of worry: I have to completely cover up or I’ll be seeing my dermatologist even more often than I already do. Hence this très chic outfit:

I ran across a canoe-shaped vase and immediately thought of the Tiki Room at Disneyland. If you’ve been, you know that canoes full of flowers drop from the ceiling and the flowers (I especially remember the bird of paradise) begin singing. This is my paean to them:

My dad used to enjoy reading The Kiplinger Letter. However, he died almost 13 years ago and I have been pulling one of these out of the mailbox once a quarter or so ever since. Every one of them has promised “last issue enclosed”.

Not sure how long they will keep this up, but I do give them points for perseverance.

Took mom on a trip back to our old stomping grounds in Palm Desert last week. First time we’ve been away for a night since we moved here to Henderson in April 2019. Brindy (our dog) was dismayed when I brought the suitcases out; I think she thought we were done with that kind of foolishness!

It’s about a 4-1/2 hour and 275 mile drive from here to there along very monotonous back roads. The kind of roads that remind me there is no way I will ever consider an electric car as my main vehicle. From Needles to Indio is about 130 miles with exactly two gas stations along the way: Needles to Vidal Junctions is about 50 miles; there is one station there. Then it is 90 miles or so to Chiriaco Summit to another station. The route is empty enough that they still have call boxes because cell phone service is very hit and miss. Certainly no charging stations.

Technically, it’s a few miles and a few minutes less if I were to take I15 out of Vegas and go through the Cajon Pass. But the traffic is the pits and there are often massive traffic jams. I just don’t enjoy that kind of driving.

We both got to see good friends. For mom, it was a chance to say a real good-bye. When she left to come over to Henderson to sign the escrow papers, it was with the idea she would be going back before we actually moved. Then her hip broke here and she didn’t get a chance.

Besides seeing friends, another highlight of the trip was getting a private tour of the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens. Mom is a life-time member and long-time supporter of this organization and they are doing some incredible work there. If you’re ever in the area, you should check them out: Wonderfully Wild | The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens

We also visited several of our favorite restaurants: Impossible burger at Paradise Cove; chocolate chip waffle (for mom) and Efrain’s Chicken Sandwich (for me) at The Palms; and most importantly, since we still haven’t found any pizza near as good, Thai Chicken and ground beef pizzas from Billy Q’s.

All in all, a very successful trip.

As expected here in the desert, the days have been getting warmer and warmer. Yesterday it was about 96° when I went out at 5:15 pm to get the mail. Nice breeze, so it didn’t feel too uncomfortable in the shade.

The real signal to me that the heat has arrived, however, is when I start to break out in hives as happened yesterday for the first time this season. It’s a condition called heat urticaria.

Cold urticaria (essentially meaning cold hives) is a disorder where hives or large red welts form on the skin after exposure to a cold stimulus. Heat urticaria is similar but much less common. I’ve had a mild case of it for years. Anytime I’m subjected to a 20°+ upwards change in temperature, I break out in hives.

In winter this means I break out when I come in from 45° weather to a 70° house. In summer, it means I get it within a few minutes when going from the 78° house to the 95°+ outside. Fortunately I have a very mild case: I do get itchy, red hives over a lot of my body, but as long as I don’t scratch any of them, they’re gone in 15-20 minutes. It could be much worse: as with any allergic reaction, it can cause swelling and breathing trouble.

I just realized this is probably why I’m not a fan of hot tubs. I have to ease into them very, very slowly; I literally just can’t take the heat!