188 Happy Birthday Lee Annette!

January 2, 2017      As previously arranged we met Sterling and Lynda at the San Diego airport returning from their trip to Idaho.  On the way home Sterling treated us to lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant in Escondido.   I think it was my first experience with rice wraps, might be a way to cut down on carbohydrates substituting it for bread.   Just a thought.    As we turned a corner a few miles from our tiny home Sterling's sharp eye caught site of a bob cat relaxing in the sun.   He didn't seem to nervous (the bob cat, not Sterling) as we snapped a few pictures from the car window.   Lynda still blames him for the demise of one of her goats.  
     It seems we try to crowd a lot into a short amount of time.   I think part of our problem if it is a problem is when somebody we care about includes us in something we don't want to miss it.  I've said many times if we don't go people might stop asking.  So off we go again!  
     The 4th we got a call from Lee Annette and Larry, friends we met at the Sturgis motorcycle rally.   Asking if we would like to meet for dinner.   They were hungry for Mexican so we suggested Sterling's favorite Las Vaqueros in Hemet, living a non traditional life style they travel in a class "A" motorhome from motorcycle rally to motorcycle dealer.   He pinstripes helmets and motorcycles and she installs accent lighting on motorcycles.   Imagine this burley Harley rider riding up and asking for an estimate to have LED lights installed on his motorcycle and this petite (I have to be careful here) elderly/ older/ matronly motherly appearing jeweled lady starting to work on your bike.   Interesting!  Always a fun evening the stories these two can tell.  I think at one point one of them said is there any one at this table that hasn't been in jail?   I guess we've lived a sheltered life.   A secret call from Larry the next day invited us to a surprise birthday party for Lee Annette on Sunday.  Great, another place to ride. 

Office Max Richard

      The 5th we rode to Indio to have lunch with "Office max Richard".   That's the way my contact filing system works.  Say I met you at Cactus Jacks you would now go in my contacts as "Cactus Jack Steve or Mary" or perhaps "Steve or Mary on the Blue Harley".   Just kind of a memory crutch for me.  Anyway we had met "Office max Richard" the year before in Indio and had a nice time with him and Patty.  We reconnected when I reached out to get some information on our trip up the mountain to Big Bear.   It was kind of nasty when we left Hemet however as expected as we started thru the windmill pass on Interstate 10 the sky's cleared, the wind subsided and it started to warm up.  That's why we tried to come back to the Coachella valley.   He had suggested we meet at his favorite Mexican restaurant.   

You guessed it, Chili Relleno!

Long before we arrived in Indio Ruthie had her eye on the GPS declaring that she was sure we were headed to the Mexican restaurant she had traveled to many times in her courier service for "Bobbie" and the ranch.  Seems it was a favorite to provide hors d' oeuvres for the ranch guests.  And of course she was correct.  We usually share a meal and I gave her just one request as I headed for the rest room.  "No Chile Relleno, Please".   One of my favorite Mexican dishes the one I had the night before was way to spicy for me.  I will stay away from them for awhile.  It was nice to see Richard again, seems during the summer he had been busy volunteering at a forest ranger tower on Big Bear Mountain and brought us a copy of an article they had done on him.  Of course the meal brought a surprise and Ruthie spent most of the time apologizing and explaining how it happened.  Fortunately Richard had a big combination plate and we did some swapping.  

Larry!

Jan 8th.   We rode over to the moose club at Quail Valley where our vendor friends were parked.   Unfortunately loose lips had spilled the beans and the surprise party was no surprise anymore.   As a gift to the club for allowing them to park there they were preparing a feast.  A huge bowl of jambalaya, a crab boil with shrimp, chicken wings, sweet corn and all sorts of good things.  Delicious.       

A feast. 

  At some point I overheard someone mention Lee Annette's 23rd birthday.  Trying to be delicate here, in my mind I was a little confused.   It seems that with everything she had accomplished, the roads she had traveled, people she had met that perhaps the number should be larger than that.  She kindly explained it to me this was her 23rd year "Clean" and she went on to say some call it clean and sober birthday however in her mind that is just repeating the same thing.   And yes her "belly button" birthday is different however we do not neat an exact number.  

Happy Birthday Lee Annette!