![[2025-05 - Random - 1.jpeg]] Ella Mai hates attention. And tummy scratches. Don't do it. Don't look, don't touch. ![[2025-05 - Random - 3.jpeg]] The Mach-E is all packed up and ready for the long drive to California... it's moving day! ![[2025-05 - Random - 7.jpeg]] Saying one final goodbye to our house in Seattle before the long drive to Palm Springs! ![[2025-05 - Random - 8.jpeg]] First stop for a charge, grabbing some snacks from the store, and a burger was Wilsonville, OR. ![[2025-05 - Random - 10.jpeg]] ![[2025-05 - Random - 11.jpeg]] Another stop in Winston, OR where we were starting to feel the drive and thinking we were going to get a hotel room near the next charging stop and sleep a few hours. ![[2025-05 - Random - 12.jpeg]] We made it to Redding, CA! ![[2025-05 - Random - 13.jpeg]] Not pictured - a visit with Kelly H in Sacramento! Joe was off on a training ride before a big charity ride, and Michael was home and we talked about his school progress. ![[2025-05 - Random - 14.jpeg]] Our stop to charge in Fresno, CA included a walk to the world's largest hot dog chain, Wienerschnitzel! There was also a ton of bikers in town for some sort of rally with some loose interpretation of traffic laws. ![[2025-05 - Random - 16.jpeg]] A stop in Bakersfield, CA! ![[2025-05 - Random - 17.jpeg]] Driving through Los Angeles on the final leg of the drive to Palm Springs we saw this license plate through the unusal rainfall on the freeway... our house is affectionately named "Luna" and seeing this after a LONG drive helped us know we were making the right move. ![[2025-05 - Random - 18.jpeg]] In Cathedral City we stopped at a brand new cafe called **Hot Lips Coffee Shop** -- pretty good coffee & amazing pastry. ![[2025-05 - Random - 20.jpeg]] The Plumeria trees in the back yard have officially bloomed. ![[2025-05 - Random - 21.jpeg]] The Smoker found its new home on the back patio. ![[2025-05 - Random - 22.jpeg]] Using up the picture hangers we have before ordering new sets -- checking out some possible placements for art we moved down from Seattle. ![[2025-05 - Random - 23.jpeg]] The prior owners' couch has to go, we brought a couch down from Seattle we will use in the TV room. ![[2025-05 - Random - 25.jpeg]] ChatGPT was nice enough to provide me an illustration of the couch so I could sell it. It didn't do as great adding dimensions to the diagram so I added those in by hand. Sold quickly on Facebook marketplace! ![[2025-05 - Random - 26.jpeg]] We can fit both cars in the garage! New life goal - keep parking both cars in the garage and minimize the amount of "stuff" we hold on to and store out there. ![[2025-05 - Random - 34.jpeg]] Lots of boxes and a sparse room -- gonna need to order some furniture! ![[2025-05 - Random - 35.jpeg]] ![[2025-05 - Random - 36.jpeg]] We have two solar systems and three of these boxes. The solar company has had me restart the two outside -- one has apparently been only partially online FOR A YEAR. ![[2025-05 - Random - 37.jpeg]] Friday Happy Hour with Stegar and friends! ![[2025-05 - Random - 38.jpeg]] Notaries always have the best pens -- you know I went and bought a box. I'm all-in with Sharpie... whether I'm buying a marker or everyday ballpoint or fine tip pens, I always am happy with them. ![[2025-05 - Random - 41.jpeg]] Look at this view from the front lawn! ![[2025-05 - Random - 42.jpeg]] Someone's happy to be "home!" ![[2025-05 - Random - 45.jpeg]] A local duck having a little poolside rest. ![[2025-05 - Random - 46.jpeg]] Happy Birthday to Me! ![[2025-05 - Random - 47.jpeg]] This now-older guy is feelin' good! ![[2025-05 - Random - 48.jpeg]] Mom & Dad sent a delicious chocolate cake which took us a few days to eat cos of the rich goodness. ![[2025-05 - Random - 49.jpeg]] ...and also sent a photo of Ella Mai asleep back at their home in Redmond, WA. ![[2025-05 - Random - 51.jpeg]] So good. ![[2025-05 - Random - 52.jpeg]] Eurovision Party! We went to Quadz in Palm Springs who opened early on Saturday to stream the Eurovision Song Contest! The A/V guy walked away of course and this pop-up was in the way for one of the songs. ![[2025-05 - Random - 53.jpeg]] Knockout! ![[2025-05 - Random - 55.jpeg]] Our chic new TV stand/entertainment center! ![[2025-05 - Random - 56.jpeg]] Some nesting tables to use as a coffee table lookin' good! ![[2025-05 - Random - 58.jpeg]] Taking apart our bed to be sold, a nice couple moving out to the desert were picking it up. ![[2025-05 - Random - 64.jpeg]] Finally getting more of the art hung up -- our TV room will host some of our favorite characters and shows on the walls. ![[2025-05 - Random - 65.jpeg]] ![[2025-05 - Random - 66.jpeg]] They added a call box to the "back" gate -- no more struggling with deliveries and drivers coming to a gate they can't use a code on! ![[2025-05 - Random - 68.jpeg]] Lookin' good in my birthday gift outfit. ![[2025-05 - Random - 69.jpeg]] Back home in Redmond, WA to visit the family -- hanging out playing a game one morning with Kasen, Lori, and Mom. ![[2025-05 - Random - 70.jpeg]] Went to BJ's in Redmond for a birthday dinner 'cos I do love my pizza... ![[2025-05 - Random - 71.jpeg]] ![[2025-05 - Random - 72.jpeg]] Mozzarella sticks in honor of Doug back in California. ![[2025-05 - Random - 73.mov]] Pizookie time! ![[2025-05 - Random - 74.jpeg]] While in Redmond I helped Dad troubleshoot one of his neighbors' cable issues after a power surge earlier in the month. It was a bit of a stumper and after some troubleshooting we finally told her to call the cable company -- which is terrible and of course she didn't want to do. But when the power company was doing their work they cut her cable line, so there's no way we were gonna be able to help her with that. ![[2025-05 - Random - 78.jpeg]] Ella Mai supervising the back yard. ![[2025-05 - Random - 79.jpeg]] Such a cuddle-bug sometimes. She let me cut like ALL of her nails while in this drowsy blissful state. ![[2025-05 - Random - 80.jpeg]] Making Focaccia for the first time -- the dough was very wet and sticky, and didn't SEEM to rise enough at first. ![[2025-05 - Random - 81.jpeg]] ![[2025-05 - Random - 82.jpeg]] ![[2025-05 - Random - 83.jpeg]] ![[2025-05 - Random - 84.jpeg]] But by the time it was ready to put into the oven the next day I was feeling a little more confident. ![[2025-05 - Random - 85.jpeg]] And it was a big success! I took this one to Kandis & Scott's for a little multiple-friend birthday gathering. (And then made ANOTHER one the next day for my family!)