Ambleside Is Home

Ambleside was bred several times between August 30th and September 5th and she was ready to return home September 6th.  Lan & I have jobs, so we planned on going over Friday, staying the night & coming back Saturday but once he got home Thursday night we decided to leave and we were on the road by 5pm. We drove about 4 hours, to Moses Lake, and stayed at the Lakeside Hotel.

$122, nice room, comfy bed, AWESOME continental breakfast included.

We were woken at 6:20am by Phuckin Phildo, wanting me to work but I only said 'I'm in Spokane' and I hung up. Phuck You Phildo.

Anyway, I digress.

We were on the road by about 8am but went into Idaho first to fill up on fuel and it was about $240. YIKES.

From there, we headed out to 2291 Heine Rd to get our girl.

 It was over an hour away and we arrived right at noon, right when I had told her we would get there. It took less than 15 minutes to hook up out trailer, put Ambles fly mask on, get her loaded and pay Kirk & Brandy Preston, the breeders, for the service. It was $1,000.00 plus I gave them $200 for mare care, even though Brandy said none was due but Kirk originally wanted $45 DAILY and I had signed the contract agreeing to $20 daily. 

And the dude, Kirk, was shirtless, again. How unprofessional and creepy. Ewww. Just Ewww.

We arrived home right at 7:30pm and Wifi immediately started to whinny and ran as fast as she was able toward the driveway, and Amble whinnied back to her. They were so happy to be back together.

 Wifi will be an aunty in August 2027, I hope.

Now, I have 10 months to come up with a name for our future baby. While we were traveling in France I saw a sign that was cool and I said I'd someday name a horse that, but I've no idea what it was and we didn't go to that village. We did go to Annecy and Chamonix and I do like that name.

Ambleside is named after a village in England

Anyway, I am going to be looking for the name of that French village to see if I can remember the name.

 

 

Morning Tea

How do you like your tea? 

I like mine made with Yorkshire tea, from England, and what I've got now was brought to me FROM ENGLAND by my friend, Michelle.

It HAS to steep for 3-5 minutes and after that I add sugar and a dollop of milk.

I am drinking my cup of tea now.

I do not drink coffee, its icky.

 

Hollywood!

Flew into Las Vegas & headed south on Hwy 15 toward Los Angeles

Its true, hardly anyone in Las Vegas but this was a Sunday morning

Stopped to see these colored rocks

And the Aliens

Got a bit of rain.

Not too long after this photo was taken, I was driving and avoided a multi car pile up: 3 lanes, 70mph, slamming brakes, cars flying off road on both sides. I saw at least 4 cars go off, didn't see anyone hit another car but I wasn't sticking around. I was in right side lane & got the hell outta there.

Michelle & me, reunited again after 5 years, we originally met in 1996 when she worked at YMCA Camp Seymore in the kitchen with Amy & me.

Michelle is from UK, I've been over there to visit her 3 times & shes been back to the USA about 4 more times.

Friends for life.

Guy & Michelle. They got married last summer and get to travel the world together

In Hollywood we saw these little robot delivery things all over

famous signs we saw

While Michelle & Guy had a little 'lie in', Lan & I went up to the Griffith Observatory

Thats the Pacific Ocean out there

This was seen from the Observatory and we could see it from our room as well

Our room was on the 6th floor & we only had it for 1 night, I think it was the one below the christmas lights

End of the line.

On the way home we went on Zzyzx Road and stopped in to see the Desert Studies place. It used to be a high end resort for the rich & famous but now its just a lot of untended trees and filled fountains alongside the dry lake bed.

Then we flew home

 

We fly tomorrow

 We will leave home at about 5:00pm and arrive at the airport at about 6:00; we'll check in and go thru security and go wait for our plane, which pushes at 7:28pm. We will arrive in Las Vegas at 10:00pm and theres supposed to be a shuttle to pick us up to go to our hotel, which is a cheat ass one off the Strip.  I'm not going to overpay for a room there.

We pick up our car Sunday morning at 10:00am 

And instead of driving to Palm Springs, we will head into the heart of Los Angeles to spend about 36 hours with Michelle and Guy there, since she told me the dates they would be there incorrectly. Ugh. But we'll make it work.

It will just be so good to see them again.

They have reservations to stay in West Hollywood so I suppose we better get a place near them.

When Is Our Next Vacation?

 Our next vacation is in January 2026, when we will drive down to middle California to meet up with Michelle & Guy, our England friends. They will be on their own vacation, in Cali for a few days after a week in Maui and before they return to Gateshead, England.

They go on a couple very extravagant vacations each year.

Guy is an engineer, and Michelle owns a pub; she's also an interior designer so everything she touches turns to gold. I'd LOVE to have her pick the finishing touches for our Pioche house.

This is their guest bathroom.

Count Down

About 38 hours left before the big adventure begins.