We are Home --- busy too
The Grand
April 7, 2012
On Saturday evening we went to The Grand which is billed as "North County's Premier Martini Bar." We went there as Marge's nephew was playing in a small jazz band. The Grand is located on Grand Avenue in Escondido, CA . In the front of the building is a restaurant that has a full course menu. In the middle of the building there is the "grand" bar and it is impressive. Towards the rear of the building is a lounge area, and this is where the band was situated. The lounge is not large but is cozy and relaxed, with seating for about 40 people. Behind the lounge area is an open area with seating in a courtyard. On was side there is a waterfall that is lighted.... very nice. On the opposite side of the courtyard sits a oval shaped fire pit. There is an flame emulating up from it and seating all around, with you able to put your feet up on the area around the fire oval. there is plenty of seating out here so a person can sit & chat and also listen to the music coming from the lounge area.
All in all a very pleasant evening with very good music coming from the band. The band was a Jazz band... 4 piece with occasionally a 5th piece, being a piano.
The band that was playing was The Jack Stiteler Jazztet. They play Great American Songbook and Classic Jazz. Very easy to listen to and also to dance too.
Jack Stiteler, Dan Townsend, Andy Weis, Bryan Elia
The website for this group is www.jsjazztett.com
Here is a video I took of the group playing "Route 66" As it was too large to download on this blog site, I uploaded it to Youtube & this is the link. Hope you enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26MRryYSiYU&feature=g-upl&context=G23d7553AUAAAAAAAAAA
Road Trip to Phoenix
We went to Phoenix for a short road trip, leaving on Friday morning and coming back on Saturday. We stayed overnight in Mesa at a Super 8 Motel. The room was okay, but I didn't sleep well as there was movement in the room above, it seemed all night. Never seemed to quit. We went to the big Mesa Swapmeet when we first got there, spending the afternoon wandering around looking in the different businesses, and just generally browsing. No major purchases. We had gone with Bob & Cathy. That afternoon we arrived at the Organ Stop Pizza place for super. We had been told that there was a Wurlitzer pipe organ & there was a concert about every 45 minutes that lasted about 45 minutes. At the end of the concert the big screen rolled down and on the the screen were songs that we all knew and could sing along with. We got there about 3:45 pm as the doors opened at 4 pm, and there was a lineup already. We had been told that the place gets very busy and expect to wait, but as we were in the lineup early we got in fairly quickly. We proceeded to the mezzanine floor as we were told that you can best see the organ from there rather than on the ground floor. The pipe organ & organist came up out of the orchestra area and were on a raised diaz and turntable. The sound was beautiful to listen too. Hard to explain all the things that happened while the organist was playing. There were trumpets, a player piano, drums, cymbals, accordian, chimes, bells, xyl0phone, and several more instruments that were featured in this concert, when he played. It was fairly dark in the pizza parlor and seating for at least 300 people. Now back to the pizza. When you first got in you walked up to the order desk, menu above on the wall behind the person taking your order. For example, Marge & I had a medium combination that had, salami, pepperoni, hamburger, black olives, mushrooms, onions, green peppers & cheese plus two(2) small salads. You got your own salad at the salad bar. Many choices of salad fixings. You then went on to the drink bar and you had a choice of different sodas , beer by glass or a pitcher, or bottled beer, different fruit drinks. The pizza came about 15 minutes after you placed your order. Very efficient and well organized. When your order was ready there was a board that lit up your order number when ready. You proceeded to the area for pick up and got your pizza. Total cost very reasonable and darn good pizza too. We left the restaurant well after 7pm. Bob & Cathy had some friends meet us there, Don & Pat. We sat visited, listened to the music, and had a great time.
Saturday morning after our continental breakfast at the hotel we went over to Don & Pat's who lived in the Maricopa area. We visited with them for awhile then proceeded on. We had made arrangements to visit with friends Al & Dee, who had left the park a couple of years ago for lunch. We got to their place in Arizona City about 1:15pm. They had a lovely lunch prepared for us. After a visit with them we got away about 3pm to head back to Wellton & the park. A fast day plus, but we got alot of activities in that short period of time. the organist played "O Canada" followed by "The Star Spangled Banner" national anthems. Rousing renditions and very patriotic for both countries.
Pictures of the Organ Stop Pizza Restaurant @ 1149 East Southern Avenue Mesa, AZ. Website: http://www.organstoppizza.com/
Jack & Jill Pool Group
As a pool group we have met each Monday morning for a friendly game of pool. We are partnered with a member of the opposite sex. And you cannot be partnered with your spouse. We have a member that runs the program for us, this being Jeanne Miller. She collects fifty cents from each person that plays. There is no prize monies handed out at the end of the day, just bragging rights. These monies that are collected are collected for several weeks, then we all get together as a group and have a hamburger barbeque. Along with the bbq there are salads, different food dishes & desserts to feast on. Plus the companionship and comradere!
We held our last social on the above mentioned date. 
Dick & Katie


Peggy, Gary, Jeanne
Gary, RhondaMissing from the last bbq of the season were Lee's wife Sandy, and Del & Millie.Being as I was taking pics, so am I missing from the photo session.As we were having our social, we were entertained on the accordian by Dick.
Trip to Las Vegas --Mar 15-19, 2012
Trip to SIN City -- Las Vegas
Cliff & Marlene arrived on a flight out of Bellingham, WA on Friday evening. We drove out to the airport and met them then took them to there hotel .. The Riviera Hotel. Thank goodness for a GPS unit to get around Vegas
On the drive from Wellton to Las Vegas the workers were out in the fields picking lettuce & preparing it for the stores. Several pics to follow. A lot is left behind as only a certain size fits the requirements of the stores and the buyers. It seems more is left behind than picked. But after all the field is picked, the field lies dorment for a few days, then sprayed to induce decomposition. Then the field is gone over with a tractor pulling a disc. Allowed to set several more days, then run disc again. I believe this process happens about 4 times, then the field is let to rest for a month. The process starts all over again by laser levelling the ground, getting ready for the next crop. In the summer time these fields are planted with cotton. The area where I have taken the pictures is called "Dome Valley" Rather than proceed back to Yuma and get on Hwy 95 north to Vegas, we go the back route, through farm land bringing us out to Hwy 95. This cuts off about 30 miles.
Closer look at picked fieldYuma Aeromodelers Radio Controlled Airshow -- Feb. 25, 2012
The day was beautiful. Clear blue sky, temperature very warm. A friend(Dave) and I went out to the airshow, leaving his place around 9:30am. We arrived at the park where the show was to take place around 15 minutes later. We found a parking spot near the entrance and unloaded our chairs from the vehicle and proceeded to the main seating area. The park was already packed with people and participants. We found a spot to park our chairs in the rear of the seating area. Soon a spot came open near the center and we moved. About 30 minutes later, another spot came open at the front, right next to the perimeter fence, so we moved there. This was a perfect spot for viewing and to take pictures from. Here is a few photos and a short home made movie.


















































