REVIEW on WEEK 13

Monday
- returned from SF
- packed for Joshua Tree















Tuesday
- drove to Joshua Tree and checked into our "glamping" (glamorous camping) house. It was a house painted all black, with open ceilings, so it was pretty cold and lots of flies around. We took so many photos of the awesome piece of architecture, and had a photo shoot of each other. We cooked our meals and sat in the hot tub, watched "Where the Wild Things Are."




























Wednesday
- Our 2 Years! Too bad Deane spent the first half of the day puking/food-poisoned. That's why when I cook my own meat at home I like to have it medium-well. Anything less is too dangerous to my recently sensitive stomach. We walked around our little area, Deane napped while I worked on my play. I cooked lunch which woke Deane up. Then we headed to Pioneertown, which was like a deserted town from the Old West. It's usually hopping on weekends in the summer, but this was ideal for us so we could do another photo shoot, and we had the whole town to ourselves, it seemed. :) Then we went into the park and we hiked the short Hidden Valley and Barker Dam hikes. I loved the latter, which we did the first time we went to J Tree together two years ago. Got some great sunset photos. Again, we cooked our own dinner and sat in the hot tub watching "Deadwood." But the hot tub got too hot... the breeze made us cold. Hard battle.






Thursday
- We were awoken in the middle of the night by a field mouse. It took about 30 minutes till Deane was finally able to trap it under a bowl and set it free outside. I will never get its cute little "squeak!" out of my head, nor the sight of its long little tail get smooshed. Didn't want to hurt the thing but we also wanted to sleep, which I couldn't after that because all I could think about was what other creatures could be lurking around in the night? Perhaps a scorpion, or even a Black Widow? It was always fun to check our shoes and bed before stepping into them. Anyway, fell to sleep eventually and awoke to labor preparing for a photo shoot at the gold house next door, Acido Dorado. Deane and I packed up and did a short hike to Indian Cove. It was fun but I wanted to see desert tortoise. We went to the Integratron, which was a really wacky thing - the founder was abducted by aliens who taught him "the way." So we had a private sound bath. So relaxing. I fell asleep for sure. Then we went back home. I forgot to call dad to say Happy Birthday because I was so exhausted from J Tree... even a little burnt. So at home Deane and I relaxed and fell asleep.















Friday
- Hike in Malibu - Solstice Canyon - very cool ruins, a huge rock, waterfall - one of my favorite hikes despite me falling in slimy algae-ridden water.
- Deane supervised me soldering. It's both fun and frustrating. I think I may actually need a torch. Ugh... (then I find out the earrings I soldered for that lady broke into pieces in the mail.



- Mary's bday party

Saturday
- Errands with Deane - Geffer Farms and Costco. Costco is always so hopping. And now I'm one of the many ants who flock to food around the store. I got Deane a Magic Bullet to replace his crappy blender that broke. We've been making smoothies ever since... :)

Sunday
- Cammy's bday at Cafe Was
- Write Act Meeting - Turned in my monthly dues as well as jewelry donation. Oh, and I just found out I will have a staged reading on the 18th!
- Home to cook and tidy up!





REVIEW on SUPPER SUNDAY! - I'm so glad we had a good number of people there - 7, once again. Seems to be the lucky number. Overall, the creole food was pretty yummy and authentic-tasting, but the BBQ pork ribs cooked in the slow cooker just didn't win anyone's hearts that night. The roix from the gumbo ya-ya burned my nostrils (and thus my taste buds) and I think I will cut that in half next time. To amend that I added an extra can of chicken broth (thanks, Costco!) and a pound of shrimp. The jambalaya was nearly perfect - in line with the best I've ever had in my life (though I don't remember where from.) For dessert, Ha-vi brought over some banana nut bread she made, and I made little cookies with peanut butter frosting (the frosting I made the week before for the bacon chocolate cookies that failed!) But the frosting was good, and this was a great way to use it up!
And look at how sweet people were!