As you can tell from the lack of posts recently we have been very busy doing nothing.  We are still busy doing nothing today but I thought I had better write a blog so you know we are still alive and well down here in not-so-sunny California.  We have had more days of cloud and rain than sun and not a lot of heat in the sun when it does shine.  We don’t complain though.

We spend our days reading, I work on my 2009 World Cruise blogs – which I am enjoying because it recalls so many happy times and interesting places, – we go for a walk on a big loop around the resort, eat and sleep.  So far we have been too lazy to even go geocaching.

We are enjoying the rest as our fall (especially John’s) was very busy.  We (and several other kind folks) painted the sanctuary and entrance hall in our church building, John and our friend Don changed the counter tops in the bathrooms, another friend built some cabinets for our meeting room and John helped to install them, and finally just before Christmas John and Don replaced the carpet in that meeting room and the linoleum in the entrance with new vinyl planking.  He almost had a full-time job for awhile.  So, the down time right now is working just fine.

I have included several photos of the resort that I have taken on our walks.  That is as exciting as it gets these days. This is the fishing pond.  It is stocked with several varieties of fish for catch-and-release.

Every Monday night a huge Farmer’s Market sets up shop in the parking area near the restaurant and shops.  Many different types of Ethnic foods, baskets and bags, glassware, crystals and herbal cleansers, shoe cleaners, glasses cleaners, casual clothing, fresh fruits and vegetables, and a large variety of other items are available for purchase.  There are probably 50 or more tents.

This fellow was doing a booming business.  He also had huge pans cooking stir-fry veggies and potatoes.  You could get a full chicken with veggies or coleslaw and potatoes for $15.

There are wild rabbits living on the grounds and we often see them crossing the path or on the lawn having dinner.This house sits way up on a bluff behind the resort.  It is a private development with large lots and huge houses.  There is a manned security kiosk at the bottom of the hill near where our condo unit is located.  I would love to get up there and see the view.  But, it is not to be.  I think I understand why the home-owners didn’t try remove the huge boulder from the lot.  It is as large as the house.

Yesterday we met our friends Bill and Lynn at the Canyon Grille here at the resort for lunch. They live in Yorba Linda (East of LA) and we met them on the 2009 World cruise.  They were on the three-day China overland excursion to see the Terra Cotta Warriors, the Great Wall and the Forbidden City.  We have kept in touch ever since and we are all booked to go on the Grand South American cruise next January.

After lunch we came back to our unit and yakked and visited and shared adventures until 7:30.  It was wonderful to see them again. Saturday we are meeting with our friends Charles and Evelyn who were table-mates on the World Cruise and who live in Westminster on the southwestern edge of LA.  We have kept in touch with several couples from that, and other, cruises.  It is really nice to touch base with the folks again when we can.

 There is often live music playing in the clubhouse (photo on the left).  There is a huge gas-fired pit around which you can sit, visit with friends, have a drink and enjoy the evening.

Tuesday evenings there is Festival under the Lights in this square.  Live music for dancing, food and drinks available for purchase and opportunity to meet new people and have a nice evening under the stars.

This is the swimming pool up at Mountain Villas where our unit is located.  There are six pools on the grounds, all with water slides and a near-by activities center.

We passed this parked car in one of the lots on our walk the other day.  I don’t think the driver had a good day.  We liked the personalized plate though.

Today we plan to go to the store to replenish some of our grocery items and….well, that is all the plans there are actually.