Hot Dogs and Travel

A beautiful sunset from our rig at Park Sierra.

Unfortunately fog has been persistent here the last week or so.The park brochure states that we are "below the snow line and above the fog".Yea Right!Its been an unusual winter here.Lots of rain and lots of fog.

Jeni has jumped in with both feet at the park.She is head of the "Hello Squad" for the winter, which is the greeting arm of the park,she is on the "Emergency response committee"

which sets policy for any emergencies in and around the park.

But her best gig is running "Movie night.The park got a big screen TV and installed "surround sound" so Jeni started showing movies on Sunday night.This is her promo on our local park channel."Movie and a Hot Dog".

It was a great success and I get my favorite meal without a hassle from Jeni. she is so busy at movie night I can have a couple of dogs and chili too! Her next
"movie night" is Jan.23rd where she is showing an oldie,"Desk Set"with Hepburn and Tracy.

Jeni's helpers are hard at work puttin out the hot dogs before the movie.It takes a lot of work to put on the "movie night"but everybody pitches in.Many hands make short work and "Philly"gets lots of hot dogs!

Jeni and I took a little trip to San Diego to see my Brother Gary and wife Martha.We stopped in Riverside coming and going to see our son Dan.

We had a great time in San Diego and Gary and Martha's hospitality as always was "first class".They know the best restaurants,and make you feel right at home.If you ever met them, no matter what your status in life was, you would want to be friends with them.Thanks as always for a great time.Jeni and I are so lucky to have such a great Brother and sister in law.

Thanks also to Dan and Melony for putting us up on our way to and back from San Diego.Your a good Son!

We got back to the park Friday for some R&R,Oh,did I mention,Jeni also runs Friday night "Bunco"....CRAP!there goes our R&R!

We complain but the park keeps us on the go and we love it.There is always something going on here and the more people you meet the more involved you get.You get asked out to eat more,asked to play games,do crafts ,to join committees,and you become a part of a great community.That's a good thing.

Well,after a whirlwind weekend of Bunco,game night,and movie night,after volunteering til noon on the maintanence crew today,I am sitting on our patio 65 degrees and sunny,sipping on a cold one and enjoying a little R&R. Dreaming of travel and those delicious hot dogs!

Happy New Year

There are four beautiful women that keep "ole"Phil on the straight and narrow.Pictured are 3 of them.Jeni,my daughter Katie,and her daughter(our granddaughter) Alyx.The forth one is my oldest daughter Jackie(not pictured).How did my offspring get blessed with beauty,not me!The credit all goes to Jeni.
I am one lucky guy!
We had a pre Christmas get together with Kate's family while we were in Sacramento baby sitting grandson DJ.


While in Sacramento,we had a great time with all the family.Pictured is Jeni and I in the holiday spirit.But,once we got back to the park,the "cold and flu" season hit us! First Jeni,then me. We were supposed to go to San Diego between Christmas and New Years but we just couldn't shake the colds we had.Poor Jeni had to fill in at the office and I worked a couple of days. when we weren't working we were sleeping.Rip Van Winkle had nothing on us!


The park had a New Years Eve party with a live Jazz band. we had a bad case of "cabin fever", so we drug ourselves over hoping for some fun.
Its amazing what a bottle of "Mondavi Merlot", great jazz music,and dancing can do to cure a cold.I felt....... "HIC UP".....GREAT! I have no idea how that blue hat got on my head! At ten o'clock we turned into pumpkins, got in our golf cart and....."HIC UP"......headed home.
We slept in this morning(I've never slept so much in my life) and we feel much better today than we have in weeks.Hopefully we are over the colds,but we will rest today and tomorrow.
Its tough but somebody has to watch all of the bowl games and NFL games this weekend.
Well its a brand new year and all the new years resolutions are in place(like were gonna keep em).A new year,a clean slate,square one.any way you look at it,by the end of 2011 we will need a new year,a clean slate,and square one again! HAPPY NEW YEARS TO ALL.

Merry Christmas

The presents are wrapped,the holiday songs are getting old,and I've had way too much eggnog.Christmas must be close at hand.
Jeni has decorated our site with lots of festive lights. I mean a lot of lights! I checked our electric meter and it's whirling like a top.I can't wait to get the bill!
At the park, Jeni and I have been filling in as assistant managers until the new ones arrive the 26th.Its been a lot of hard work and 8 hr days,but it has been rewarding.Christmas day we are going to hibernate.Except for Christmas dinner at the park, we are staying home.
We have to work a half day Sunday,then we are done,and we can get back to normal.
After the holidays we plan to do some traveling.Going to San Diego and Phoenix this winter.Then to Oregon this summer to host again.
Here at the park you can't help but become swaddled in holiday cheer.Its like family,all the smiling faces and the many festivities in preparation of Christmas.
Well this will be as short post as it is time for bed so Santa can arrive here at the "ole" motor home.
Merry Christmas to all our family and friends and a very happy new year.

Work and play at Park Sierra

good mornin all! Jeni and I are livin
the "la vida buena"(the good life) here
at Park Sierra.
good friends,good food,good times,and most of all,good health.
We have settled into our little routines here and dove right in to the volunteer spirit.
When we first joined the park we both made a pact that we would stay out of the politics of the park and just volunteer for the fun stuff...well that was a pact gone bad as I ended up on a controversial project that is still on going,Jeni was asked to contribute to forming an emergency action plan for the park that the state requires.
For her it has also been ongoing and
controversial.We actually are enjoying it though as it keeps us busy and you interface with a lot of the members. A real sense of community!
Jeni has met a lady,Shu lin that just joined the park. They walk 2 miles in the morning and are starting a community garden and are in the process of forming a gardening committee(more politics)!
Jeni and I were selected to help the "Sunshine Girls",the decorating committee of the park(more politics) to decorate the clubhouse.

We had a great time and the "Sunshine girls"made us lunch for our hard work.Doesn't the clubhouse look festive.
18000 square feet of holiday wonderland.
Saturday night the park held it's annual Christmas/holiday party.We had a very festive dinner and "Leaded" and "unleaded" eggnog.



At the party we put ornaments on the 2 trees in the clubhouse.Jeni is placing one on the big tree.(over 16 ft. tall)
Some of the members brought their grand kids and it was a real pleasure to see the holiday glow in their eyes.
It made us miss our little ones back in Riverside and Sacramento.
You know,I think I have the prettiest wife at the park.What a lucky guy I am!



This is the decorations we placed at the front entry of the clubhouse. When you walk in you can't help but feel the holiday spirit and my lips are always humming a Christmas tune when I'm in there.






Oh,by the way, guess who showed up at our party....Santa Clause!
One of our members,Gus always dresses up as he has for 20 yrs. and plays jolly ole Saint Nick.
I had a talk with Santa and gave him my list for Christmas.New rig,new corvette,more hair,a million dollars,10 seconds with Angie Jolie(Hey I'm old!)and live to be 100....Santa said"IN YOUR DREAMS FAT BOY!"

There has been a lot of activities at the park as this is when most of the members are here.After the holidays and summertime is when this place is a ghost town.

Last week the park had its first annual "art in the park",where all the crafty members can display their handmade items.We were very impressed with the talent and craftmanship.They were not selling their wares but giving info as to how they made their items and generating

interest in their particular craft.

The event grew a big crowd and we think this will become an annual event.

The park has certainly kept us busy and we have noticed that the busier we are, the less money we spend.

A lot of the members tell us,"where in California can you live for $200 a month and have this much fun."

Well, its Monday so its back to our busy schedule.Jeni with her committee's and me with maintenance.(pic of the "pole barn where maintenance office is.")

Work and play at Park Sierra.Life marches on.

Happy Thanksgiving

Our families are celebrating Thanksgiving at various places this year.Jeni and I will be staying home and celebrating with our fellow "Park Sierrians".Last weekend we drove down to Riverside to see our son and Grandsons Aiden,and Nevin.We had a wonderful time with them, They are little "balls of energy!"They wore us out. After rough housing with them, I was down for the count!

Right before we headed to Riverside,We got some bad news that my uncle Frank had passed away.It was sad but he lived a very full life.

There was a memorial Sunday in L.A., so we all went over for it.

The picture is Frank on his 90th birthday party last summer with my son Dan,my uncle(franks brother) Robert,and my Brothers Gary and Larry. Jeni and I couldn't attend as we were in Oregon. You would of loved him.He enjoyed life to the fullest!

When we drove over to Riverside,we took the "grapevine over as there was snow predicted for the Tehachapies on hwy 58.What a mistake! lots of rain and accidents everywhere.We spent 2 hours stuck on I-5 on top of the grapevine! Sooo....I decided no more Grapevine.coming home we took the 58 over the Tehachapies.Of coarse it was Snowing on the top! Luckily only a little so we breezed through with no problems.

Its not as bad as it looked,plus we were in the car not the motor home.

Back at the park,I told Jeni that if she didn't stop hanging around the clubhouse all day doing those puzzles this would be her in 15 yrs!

Jeni and I volunteered to help with Thanksgiving dinner.That's me,Head chef of mashed potato's! What a title!

The day before, me and couple of guys carved up about 10 turkeys.Luckily one of the other guys used to be a butcher so with his expertise we had em done in an hour.

Jeni's favorite table...dessert.or should I say pumpkin pies.She wanted to be seated here for dinner but the members declined her request!

It was a great gathering as we served about 250 members and guests.

Jeni and I sat with our neighbors Gary and Michelle,one of our resident computer geeks Bruce and his lovely wife Jenna,and Guests from Alabama.Their names escape me right now.

Someone came up with a novel Idea to place these paper turkeys at every table and have everyone write on them what he or she is most thankful for. Then place them on the Christmas tree.We thought it was a great idea. This one caught my eye. simple and sincere.I like it!

Jeni's nephew Brett just had a little boy last month, and her brother sent her pictures.They named him Kaden.We are headed to Arizona after the new year so we can spend some quality time with Jeni's family and so Jeni can spoil that little guy.Watch out Kaden,your great Aunt is looking for some "ISH"

Well we are weary from our trip,and stuffed from the feast,We went to the social here and played Bunco Friday night.We have another dinner tonight followed by "Game night",so Sunday will be a day of hibernation for us,As you get older, after days of non stop socializing,you need a break.But,what a wonderful week it has been.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Fall Fun with family and friends

It's not Halloween and no he's not one of the relatives. That's the mascot for the Arizona State Sun devils,"Sparky!" My two Daughters took DJ down to get a picture of all of them together.We had a great time.(despite losing the game)

This is a picture of all of us about an hour before game time.We decided we better take the picture before the stands filled up.We are in the first 3 rows starting with my two son in laws Bill and Dustin, left to right,Daughter Katie,and brother Larry. Me in the next row with DJ,my sister in law Martha and Brother Gary.Behind us is Melony, and my son Dan,Granddaughter Alyx,and Jeni. My daughter Jackie took the picture.

Jeni and I Decided to go as Mr. and Mrs. Dracula for the annual Park Sierra Halloween party.....Big Mistake! But we had a great time anyway.There were some VIP's that actually showed up to this little get together.

There was Santa Clause and Mrs. Clause, down vacationing at the park before heading back to the north pole for the big day.

Capt. Jack Sparrow was in port and stopped by. I'm not sure who he is with but ,rumor has it that she Carry's a mean sting!

Yasser Arafat never misses these little get together's and he dropped in. There is some talk of a back room deal with the maintenance crew and Arafat concerning free gasoline and propane in exchange for a membership to the park and our best site.But at this point it is just a rumor.

These fall days Jeni and I are volunteering at the park.She works in the office,works on a couple of committees and takes care of the drink cooler.I am working with my buddy Dave on the Asphalt "crack sealing" crew. I blow out all the debris in the cracks with a compressor that we have mounted on a trailer while "Big Dave" goes ahead of me with a leaf blower clearing all the leaves.


This is my rig I haul around.It is actually pretty easy work and the day goes fast.By day I mean 8am-noon with a half an hour coffee and cookie break.Tough life!

That's me with the asphalt machine.The shinny little lines you see is tar that the machine lays.pretty cool. I have to be careful though as the tar is heated to 300 degrees.I wear welders gloves as even the handle of the machine is pretty hot.Dave and I fight over who pushes the machine on cold mornings.A nice way to keep warm!




Jeni loves the park in the fall as the leaves on the trees come alive with blazing colors.It is truly a beautiful park

We are having a great time this fall.We couldn't have chosen a better place to call home.

We are so lucky to have joined this community,a community that keeps you young, if only at heart!

What a life! Fall with family and friends.

Were Home.

Jeni and I are parked snugly in our site here at Park Sierra,happy to be home.
I have not posted in over a month because of computer problems concerning our "air card"
The signal is just very poor in this area so I just can't get the blog uploaded.
The park just installed DSL high speed Internet to all the sites, so we signed up and I'm happy to report that it is great!
This month has flown by as we have been very busy.When we arrived,we voted for the candidates for our new board of directors at our annual meeting and dinner.We couldn't attend the dinner because we headed over to Berkeley,Ca. for our annual "family ASU football game. It was a great time and the whole family was there,(except for two grandsons). our grandson,DJ saw his first ASU game.a right of passage for sure. Even the rain and the lopsided loss(50-17) couldn't dampen our family spirit. A special thanks to my brother and his wife for setting up these family gatherings,keeping our family spirit alive. Our late father would be proud.
We also got a visit from our good friends Stan and Diane Shelstad as they stopped by the park. It was great catching up on their travels and that beautiful Grandson of theirs.He is such a cutie!
And,of course.....no visit ends without........the dreaded.....NOOOOOO....HAND AND FOOT! Yes ladies and gentleman ,Stan and I scummed to the female charm of our beautiful wives and got our behinds whipped again!
Sadly we said our goodbyes as they are off for new adventures,but,one thing is for sure,we will see them down the road soon.
Jeni and I made a lot of trips to Sacramento this month for DR.visits.too many in fact, so we are going to look up in this area for new ones or maybe change providers.
I have been relegated to the "asphalt crack sealing crew"here at the park. The crew consists of myself and a character named Dave who takes "crack sealing" to extremes! Lets just say I worked for a lot of these guys when I was a young lad doing concrete work a long time ago. My motto,"I'm doin it for the park."
Jeni has been busy too.Besides her full time job of taking care of me,she has taken over the job of purchasing and stocking the drink cooler in the clubhouse,working on an emergency response manual for the park for presentation to the board,and helping out the "hello squad" which is the greeting and new member committee for the park.She is one busy lady!
It has been great seeing and being with all of our friends here.When you first arrive after being gone for awhile,you recognize faces but it takes a few days for the names to come back to you.
We play bingo on Tuesday, WII bowling on Thursday, bunco on Friday ,and pegs and jokers on Saturday.Sunday we rest! We just love it here.By the way,last Tuesday Jeni won the big blackout game at bingo,$100! Shes my new best friend!!
As I set here writing on a rainy Saturday morning I wonder,with what magic did I arrive at this place in my life.How am I so lucky to live this life I am enjoying. The carefree traveling,the many friends we have met along our way.Why am I so blessed to experience all of this? Luck or Fate.Maybe a higher power? I'm sure they all might have played a part but, I know one thing, without Jeni on board, having my back in the early years, financially and economically setting our coarse, this would not of been possible. Thanks Jen.
Ok,enough with the mushy stuff we are here at the park til April so except for a few side trips we are home. at Park Sierra. Happy Halloween!